I don't think Jesse Ventura was too far off a few years ago in a Playboy magazine interview. He said that organized religion is for weak-minded people. He created a stir amongst the religionists with that idea and many others in the same article. I agree with him.

Being force-fed the dominant religion where I've spent my life has caused me to take a hard look at what the underlying reasons for the doctrines really are. Even as a little bishop's daughter, the whole thing went against my grain. Being constantly reminded each time I would ask questions (which I often did and still do), I was told to "just believe." Questioning anything meant that I had no faith and I was being a bad girl. I grew up hearing (I still do) "you think too much." I could never get comfortable with those explanations. Being a female also meant that I would submit to the patriarchal leadership and accept my place as a second-class person. Watching the way my father treated those closest to him created further questions in my mind. He was a domineering, authoritarian, pious, self-righteous, condescending, cold-hearted father and husband. He had time for everything and anything in the world but his own family. My mother just recently opened up to me about her feelings regarding all of it. Her opening up to me was a cleansing, bonding moment for the two of us.

I thought that since 9/11, religious fanaticism and fundamentalism have, in parts of the world, become more the norm than the exception. Upon further thinking, I realized that fundamentalism has played a large role all along in organized religions and how alike the Muslims and Mormons are. They think they are the "right" religion, those who don't believe as they do don't have a chance with Allah or God, they work diligently to persuade the "infidels" to convert, women are possessions with specific purposes only, they rule their people with guilt, fear-mongering or both and they have little or no tolerance for free-thinking.

Personal spirituality, living by the Golden Rule and being kind to those around me feels better than trying to fit into a place/group where I have never felt comfortable. But, that's just me.