Elections, Coca Cola and other religious issues

There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
Post Reply
User avatar
Parodite
Posts: 5640
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:43 pm

Elections, Coca Cola and other religious issues

Post by Parodite »

I see Islam, like the other two monotheistic religions Christianity and Judaism, as cults that thrive on superstitious notions of reality. The worship/adoration of their deities, prophets and reliance on declared holy books would not be qualitatively different from worshiping Coca Cola and believing in voodoo effects that drinking or not drinking a can of Holy Coke respectively, would have.

How would coca worshipers do in the media with daily prayers to the Coca God and who believe that a daily consumption of one can of coke does magic? Who are obsessed with the brand? Who have houses of worship where they regularly come together and read to each other the magic text on the can that they believe was written by a divine entity?

I don't think the DNC nor the RNC would want to have any of these coca worshipers on their platform representing their case. But imagine a world where these coca worshipers are all over the place in the hundreds of millions. A cult that survived already for hundreds of years. In my way of looking at it that won't change the fact that it is a silly superstitious voodoo cult.

That over time variations on the coca theme develop is normal. Sub-brands emerge. Some coke consumers will believe that drinking coke does miracles to their mind and body, their life on earth and secures a believed good life in some hereafter. Others like to think of drinking coke as a symbolic gesture, a rite with a spinoff that is more spiritual than physical. And even further into the feel-good spectrum, there are coke consumers who just like the taste of it and habitually continue drinking it without asking questions. Or who just get inspired to write meta-physical poetry of sorts.

And there are coke consumers who take it to extremes and like to throw a can of coke at others when they are angry. Some just have an anger tantrum and need to throw something and take the nearest object available. Lone and mentally instable wolfs that see others throw cans of coke or have them explode in crowds of people, who then just copy-cat the action. Others are more calculating and inspired by the text on the can that claims that coca cola is the only genuine coke, that other brands are false, inferior and should be removed from the shelves in super markets. If not voluntarily, then by force if necessary. That those who drink other drinks are enemies. That it is OK to fight your enemies with cans of coke filled with explosives. Coca bombs. Coca-uh Akbar.

With so many different behaviors attached to Coca Cola things get confusing. Coca worshipers fight in words and sometimes in physical confrontations about what is the real coke, how to read the label, how to live as a genuine coke worshiper. Who represents the real coke, what behavior is and isn't believed to represent genuine Coca Cola?

It is not hard to understand why there is this spectrum when you read the label and know the ingredients of genuine Coca Cola; the colors, tastes and extremes are all there together in one can. The longing for peace and harmony with other human beings, of belonging. The fear of death and enemies in this life who can destroy your dreams. The violence that is willingly applied to enemies, from within or without, who want to destroy you and your brand of Coca Cola. To pre-emptively force into submission potential enemies. To scare members with imagery of what happens to them if they stop drinking Coke. Just to keep the cattle under control and in the barn. And always promise a sugar coated good life when you stay in line, remain a true Coca worshiper and behaving accordingly.

All three Abramaic monotheistic cults have the above structure and it has a genuinely human face. Dark violent fears, bright hopes and uncontrolled fantasies. Heaven and Hell in one can of coke, with one divine voice telling you the human story. A god-head that alternates between being a murderous psychopath and a loving protective parent. True Coca Cola is always both and all in between, but not everything at the same time. In the case of Islam, all extremes and colors in between are true Islam, from a poetic pious Sufi to an ISIS murderous gang. Even a lone unstable wolf who explodes a can of coke in the name of Coke-uh Akbar in a crowd in order to kill people represents true Islam. Because "true Islam", like all religions, is all of that... but also more. Coca cola enthusiasts have something in common with all others, those who prefer drinking no-name herb tea included; being human. Biologically we are all extremely similar which puts a constraint on the creation of artificial differences and the amplifying of differences that religious superstitions tend to engage in to the point of absurdity.

Various Coca believers of course like to think that when they behave friendly, respectful, civilized.. they do so because of their faith in the Coca God and the amazing texts on the label (especially the one that says: "this drink is Holy and has no expiration date"), but this is a delusion that comes with their faith. The objective data show that most people of any or no faith behave civilized for as long as their basic human needs are met.

When the NDC parades a Muslim father who grieves his dead son.. they don't make a case for Islam nor do they do Muslims a favor; they just show a human being, a father who lost a son and grieves like any father who looses a child; they use him as a political tool.

The abuse of Muslims by the DNC is like Trump's; it is just way more refined and cleverly made invisible. Trump is so popular because he sometimes acts like an asshole but doesn't try (or isn't able) to hide it.

This is all easier to see if you imagine not a Muslim father defending himself against Trump, but if it were a genuine Coca Cola worshiper. If Trump wanted a temporary immigration stop on Coca Worshipers because of the violence that occurs in the Coca world of today with many refugees from that war-torn world wanting to emigrate to the West, he probably would not have been accused of the things he is being accused of now. Nor would the Democrats invite a coca worshiper to make a case against Trump on their stage. Nobody likes being represented by somebody who prays at and talks to a can of coke every day. Insane and silly. You would rather ask if he is ok, take him backstage, put an arm around him and offer a warm glass of milk. This is not happening however because also in the West, engaging in superstitious cults is still considered a worthy activity of sane and sensible people. Especially in the USA. The land of Coca Cola after all.
Deep down I'm very superficial
Simple Minded

Re: Elections, Coca Cola and other religious issues

Post by Simple Minded »

Well done Brother. You have effectively summed up the human condition and marketing.

Not only of religion, but many other products and brand labels. Dallas Cowboys, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Dems, Repubs, white, black, Christians (at least a hundred flavors here in the Bible Belt), and of course my old time favorites...... "us" and "them." Give em a choice between the carrot and the stick and watch them herd together. The desire for common ground is very strong.

I have long thought the DNC or RNC conventions seemed extremely similar to rock concerts, sporting events, or religious revivals. Same goal (home team continuation), slightly different lexicon.

The old joke that Mr. Smith goes to church to talk to God, but I go to church to talk to Mr. Smith come to mind.

And of course, the "true _____" can only be defined between my ears, and according to my whims, or the currently popular definitions of society that I buy into. I know whats in my can, prove to me that what is in your can defines you as one of us. Want me to consider you a "true _______?" well then, you gotta parrot whatever I say, and act like me!

Endlessly fascinating to see the flux, and how "timeless" ideas must mutate in order remain relevant to ensure survival. I know those who have used religion to improve themselves and their community, and those who use it to rationalize bad behavior. Some are great salesman for their cause, and others drive you away from the product they are pitching. To my simple mind, it says much less about what is in the can and much more about what is between their ears.

The transformation from the external stimulus to the internal interpretation is always controlled by each individual. Subjectivity is universal! ;) I know cause Buddha and Ayn Rand told me so. ;)

BTW You forgot the true Religion of all, Harley Davidson.
Tell someone in the US you ride a motorcycle, and occassionally, they will ask "Is it a Harley?"
My reply is always the same "No."
"Why not?"
"Cause I wanted to buy a motorcycle, not a religion!"
User avatar
Parodite
Posts: 5640
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:43 pm

Re: Elections, Coca Cola and other religious issues

Post by Parodite »

Concurred totally, bro SM.

To add to the rant: "what is in the can" is indeed, like you say, a personal decision, or subjective idea. When people share their idea, where what I believe that you believe that what I believe is similar enough for me to decide that we both drink and like the same coke and assume that you came to the same conclusion. With real coca cola there is some objective testing possible with little chance that we both believe drinking coca cola but in fact my coke is pepsi and your coke is in fact a gin tonic. In the case of religious coke...all we have is the belief of what is in that virtual can of coke. So religious coke is more like a black box.

In my analogy I'd therefor say that "real Islam" is the sum total of what individuals believe to be in the can. The can, the label and text which says what the ingredients are is that which is publicly given; the Quran. But true Islam.. is the living total of religious coke consumers and what they believe they are drinking. Loads of commentaries, interpretations, laws as spinoff, but also they come from not really knowing what is in the black box; which of course explains why there never is agreement since the box is sealed. My bet though, as an agnostic disbeliever, is that the can is totally empty. In that sense, all which is believed to be in the can is equally "real Islam", because all is equally false. ;)
Deep down I'm very superficial
User avatar
Parodite
Posts: 5640
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 9:43 pm

In Heaven all Hell breaks loose

Post by Parodite »

Real coca cola, of the type you buy in a real super market with content that has objective value as opposed to religious coke in a virtual can or "black box", is undervalued in that it is great peace maker and synchronizer of people - even when people are different, sometimes very different. A Muslim, a Jew, a Christian and an atheist can sit together discussing their differences all drinking objectively real coke (with sitting on real chairs in a real room a bonus). Shared objective reality is the peace making elephant in the room so to speak.

It makes you wonder how peaceful things would be in a world where objective reality as the main peace broker and synchronizer is absent. All Hell breaks loose if you'd ask me. No difference between a/b/c/would survive there; Mutually Assured Destruction from the get go.
Deep down I'm very superficial
Simple Minded

Re: Elections, Coca Cola and other religious issues

Post by Simple Minded »

Non-denominational Amen again my Brother from another Mutha!

I see there are two issues here:
!. The objective content of the "can," or substitute book, painting, sculpture, music, philosophy, etc. for "can" as you wish. Whatever touches your "soul." ;)
@. What the observer brings to the can opening, book opening, painting/sculpture viewing, music listening, philosophy discussing, etc. party.

It is interesting to hear someone express an opinion of a book that is several hundred pages long, or an author who's career spans decades, in a few sentences. What part of their opinion reflects the actual content, and what part is simply their personal interpretation based o their life experiences is always questionable. The fourth grader thinks Calculus is gobility gook.

Of course, there will always be religious and anti-religious snobs, just as there are wine snobs, beer snobs, literature snobs, or art snobs.
Art Scholar: "When I look at this painting the color contrasts speak to me of man's inhumanity to man's, and the eternal economic struggle of the proles against their masters, and man's temporal existence."
Museum visitor: "What? Huh? Really? I just don't see it."
Art Scholar: "Don't you wish that you could?"

I suspect, that God, if he exists, speaks to the mathematician thru math, the physicist thru physics, the musician thru music, the carpenter thru construction, the artist thru art, etc.

My oldest brother, who is the least religious person I know once told me of a mystical experience he had while deer hunting on a bitterly cold day in the dead of winter in upstate NY. I was very happy form him, but I have never thought to share some of my experiences with him. I never thought he would appreciate hearing it.

Plenty of common ground exists without wasting time arguing who's wife is prettiest, or who's God is best. Cause we all know "we" are right, and "they" are wrong. It says so on the can's label. ;)
Simple Minded

Re: In Heaven all Hell breaks loose

Post by Simple Minded »

Parodite wrote:Real coca cola, of the type you buy in a real super market with content that has objective value as opposed to religious coke in a virtual can or "black box", is undervalued in that it is great peace maker and synchronizer of people - even when people are different, sometimes very different. A Muslim, a Jew, a Christian and an atheist can sit together discussing their differences all drinking objectively real coke (with sitting on real chairs in a real room a bonus). Shared objective reality is the peace making elephant in the room so to speak.

It makes you wonder how peaceful things would be in a world where objective reality as the main peace broker and synchronizer is absent. All Hell breaks loose if you'd ask me. No difference between a/b/c/would survive there; Mutually Assured Destruction from the get go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib-Qiyklq-Q


So you are a High Priest for the Oligarchs at Big Soda. How much does that pay?

Your Coke is cutting into my sales of bottles of Dr. Feelgood. We're still brothers, but your'e a heathen! ;)
Post Reply