Blame it on " God " !

Poor old God must despair at the things being done in his name.   Islamic State in the Middle East insists that he demands that they cut off the heads of Christians and deviant Muslims that fall under their control - and he is definitely a misogynist.  Women they capture only have a use as sex slaves or as servants for holy warriors.  Literally millions have gathered their families and headed for the borders in holy fear as Islamic State threatens fresh territorial gains.

It seems that we in the West got our image of God wrong.  He is diametrically opposed to all things that give humans pleasure.  As a result, they ban all forms of music, movies, television - even kite flying - and insists that human activity be given solely to prayer and praising his image.

The people of planet Earth adopted a variety of religions and the one thing they had in common - was a belief in God !   When countries went to war against their neighbours the chaplains of all religions served their soldiers - and insisted that God was on their side.  For centuries, a belief in God was the mainstay of law and order.  We believed in a benevolent God who was just and fair.  Different religions just had a few different rules in their thinking - and the main thing underpinning religion was the expectation that good people would be welcomed into Heaven in an afterlife.

Now the Islamic State view of their God is seen as a threat to the rest of the world and at the same time the place that God served in ordinary people's lives is ever weakening - and with it the allegiance to the country in which we live.    That old toast to "  God - King - and Country " no longer has meaning.

It seems that God is now about to be withdrawn from the promise young men make when they are enrolled into the Scouting movement.  This encompasses about seventy thousand people who in the past raised their right hand and promised to " do my duty to God and to the Queen of Australia ".

Present thinking is that this conflicts with the " mixed beliefs " that many people hold and may make some feel " uncomfortable " - in both committing to God and pledging allegiance to the Australian nation.   A possible replacement may be a vaguer " be true to my spiritual beliefs " - which covers all bases.

Somehow this rejection seems to be a fellow traveller  with the concepts of multiculturalism  and joint nationality passports.   The very same people who desperately seek the protection of becoming an Australian national and make a solemn vow to uphold the laws of this country when that is granted are quick to attach conditions - after that promise has been made unconditionally.

It was once thought that when a person put their hand on a bible or a Koran and swore an oath to give truthful evidence, the wrath of God would send them to eternal damnation if that evidence was a lie.  That was the basis of our court system and it still applies when people are elected to form a government, officers are inducted into the military - or when citizenship is granted to an applicant.

Now it seems that not only is God to be banished from the Scouting movement but even a reference to serving this nation is considered repugnant and too much of an obligation to impose.  How much longer will those giving evidence in court be required to undertake that traditional pledge of truth  ?

Perhaps God has given up on us earthlings - packed his bag and gone off on a holiday.  Could we blame him ?    These days he seems to get the blame for just about everything that goes wrong !