I came to the conclusion today that I'm so lucky that I'm not weighted down, nor have I ever been weighted down with the dogma of religion. It is not to say that I'm an atheist, but I do believe that it is good to believe "in something." My point is that people who have the word "devout" before the a proper noun (e.g. "Christian," "Jew," "Muslim,") often times are almost being strapped down and gagged by an ideology. You see people engaging in ridiculous rituals "in service to their God" which are nothing but actions which have been inculcated in the different flavors of religion to control people as to indicate some respect into a higher deity.

There is no "life" or "living" if one always is living under some sword of Damocles imposed just because someone said if you act in a certain way (or don't act) that "God" will punish you. The different Holy books should be looked upon as guidebooks on living. Being "devout" serves no other purpose than to allow certain individuals to control other individuals. Dogmatic religion serves no other purpose than to allow one group of people to dominate and control another group of people. Human beings are not lemmings, nor did the higher power which gave us life intend for us to be lemmings. Spirituality/respect to a higher immortal deity has to be in your heart and soul, not directed by a mortal dressed in some costume imposing themselves onto to a group of people.

As Charles M. Schulz, who left his mark on the world forever with his "Peanuts" comic strip is quoted to have once said, "I love mankind; it's people I can't stand."