Not doing a damn bit of good.

Religious devotion is the very definition of ineffectual 

My point has been proven, yet again, very recently.

In my plea to assist my wife in her efforts in raising money for St. Baldricks charity, i was struck by one person's comment on that particular post.   Of course this comment is this person's version of "doing something substantive" in addressing the needs of this particular child and this particular organization.   But what it amounts to is self righteous masturbation.   Keep in mind that, what cures, treats, and prevents cancer is medication, research, study, and intervention.   All of which require MONEY to make any of these happen.  It takes MONEY to keep these families fighting and to keep these children breathing.    Your act of mumbling some mystical incantation, WHILE YOU MAY FEEL IT FULFILLS SOME NEED TO FEEL EFFECTIVE IN YOUR MIND, DOES NOT DO A GODDAMN THING TO AID ANYONE IN NEED!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when i see:

"May our Lord and Father in heaven mighty hand reach forth and touch your son with the miracle of a full recovery and healing and may he continue to provide you and your family with strength and comfort every second of every day."

It pisses me off.  It disgusts me, it puts in perspective how useless your religion is, how pointless it is, and how destructive your imaginary "god" is, because it gives you PERMISSION to do NOTHING in the face of a crisis which REQUIRES SOMETHING!!!!!!!!

There is no reason for me to pull any punches in this regard, NO reason for me to consider anyone's feelings other than those of the children who are suffering.   This is NOT about YOU and giving YOU a vehicle to feel better about yourself through some course of inaction that involves NO tangible result.   THIS is about what is REQUIRED to defeat a combination of DISEASES that respond to MEDICATION and TREATMENT.   NOT MYSTICAL INCANTATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   If you're going to invoke magical phrases in your intent to "help" someone, at LEAST make it fucking entertaining!!!!!!!!!!!   Add a fucking CARD TRICK to your woowoo bullshit, or PULL A FUCKING WOMBAT FROM A GODDAMN HAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Useless fucking bullshit.

This is why i hate religion.

THIS is why i loathe the act of devotion to a system of scams designed to prey upon the weak minded and weak willed.

THIS is why i rant as i do.    THIS is not just "someone else's business".   THIS is the evidence that religious devotion is not some benign, isolated condition.   THIS is the evidence that it is self-centered, selfish, self absorbing, and utterly complicit in all manner of horrible things.

The preceding paragraphs do not even come close to illustrating my rage.