Is Religion a Grassroots Movement

I was having a debate about religion. One person said religion was a grassroots movement. I advocated religion is a top down organization, much like communism, controlled from the top.

I think of "grassroots" as something that is common and ordinary without a leader. Something that is spontaneous and voluntary.

No, I'm not advocating anarchy. I'm just advocating for freedom from big governments and big religions.

Remember the Air Force Academy scandal where non Christian cadets were pressured to see Passions of the Christ, resulting in the removal of the academy commandant. I would not call that grassroots.

Nor would I call it grassroots when your military superior expects you to show up for prayer breakfast.

The Spanish and Portuguese conquistadors conquered lands. They were followed by their priests, converting natives, or killing those who did not convert. That is not grassroots to me.

Mohammad started Islam. He promoted it with violence and war. Islam moved into the Iberian Peninsula by force. No grassroots effort there.

After the Christian armies invaded Afghanistan, the Christian missionaries followed. 23 of them were captured. Three Christian missionaries were captured in Iraq shortly after Saddam fell. The missionaries were financed by organized churches with a leader. Grassroots? I think not.

Keeping the communists atheists out of Korea and Vietnam was the good vs evil fight. Christians good, atheists bad. Using the largest army in the world to spread religion is not grassroots.

I just saw Senator John McCain's mother on TV. She said her son John did not have to make a second tour to Vietnam where he was shot down and captured. He went because, in her words, he had a duty to God and country. I never thought I would hear someone in the modern west speak of fighting for God. I guess Muslim mothers are telling their sons to fight for Allah and Islam. I will concede the effort of these mothers might be grassroots.

After the Christian armies stabilize Iraq and Iran, watch for the Christian missionaries to follow. "Spreading democracy" has long been a euphemism for "spreading Christianity". If you want to call that grassroots, that's fine with me.

I attended a Benny Hinn 'show' http://www.bennyhinn.org/default.cfm at the Oakland Arena. All 19,000 seats were filled. The Benny Hinn Ministries is not a grassroots movement. It is a top down, well oiled, money machine.

I believe the story below of a soldier trying to hold a meeting for atheists is a grassroots movement. Atheism has no church, no organization, and no leader.

Charles Tolleson

AP Sept 18, 2007 FORT RILEY, Kan. - A soldier whose superior prevented him from holding a meeting for atheists and other non-Christians is suing the Defense Department, claiming it violated his right to religious freedom. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., alleges a pattern of practices that discriminate against non-Christians in the military. It was filed Monday to coincide with the 220th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.