(thanks to Erin for this idea)
When it comes to bullshit, big-time, major league bullshit, you have to stand in awe of the all-time champion of false promises and exaggerated claims, religion. No contest. No contest. Religion. Religion easily has the greatest bullshit story ever told. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ‘til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, you talk about a good bullshit story. Holy Shit!
There are those, including some I care deeply about, who will interpret that quote as Christian bashing…when in fact, nothing could be further from the truth. I respect freedom of religion…and while I respect the right to hold what beliefs you will, I’m not required to respect beliefs I find abhorrent or evidence of magical thinking. What I don’t understand is why expressing my feelings on the subject of religion is interpreted by some as “Christian bashing.” I don’t get why some Christians are so defensive about their faith that they bristle at my observations regarding their religion. It’s just my opinion; it’s not as if I’m judging you and finding you to be an inferior moral being…also something somce Christians excel at.
Rather than expound at length about my resentfulness of that double standard (that’s coming at another time), I thought I’d take a different tack and delve into how the double standards of some Christians leaves me feeling.
I don’t believe in God. That certainly comes as no secret to anyone who’s hung around my dark, dank corner of da Interwebs for any length of time. I bend over backwards to make it clear that my problem with religion is philosophical in nature. To paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi, my problem isn’t with Christianity, it’s with Christians. I don’t hate God (it’s nonsensical to hate what you don’t believe in), but his fan club scares the Hell out of me. There are those who take my non-belief as a sign of moral turpitude, that I’m somehow “less than,” unworthy of the wonderful things that ipso facto accrue to those who believe in what to me is an Imaginary Friend.
I’m pretty secure in my beliefs, and I don’t need the approval of Christians (or anyone else) to validate me. I remember enough of my Sunday School years to have a pretty good idea of why I don’t believe in God…but that’s my choice. You don’t have to agree, but when you hold me in disdain, what you’re implicitly stating is that you hold your belief to be superior to mine. I lack the vocabulary to adequately express how thoroughly arrogant and offensive I find that to be. Your beliefs are no more (or less) valid than mine, and I don’t think it unreasonable to think the respect you demand should be a two-way street. If you expect it, you must also be willing to give it.
Religious freedom does not mean freedom from religion.
- Texas Gov. Rick Perry
I don’t hate Christianity (or religion in general). I don’t hate Christians. What I hate is what so many Christians have done to their religion, twisting it into something unrecognizable and thoroughly repulsive. To those endeavoring to lead Christ-like lives, you have my admiration…though I do wish you’d do a better job of speaking out against the bigots and zealots who’ve hijacked your faith as justification for their own sick and twisted agenda.
I write a lot about religion- Christian bigots and zealots in particular- because I detest the hypocrisy inherent in using religion as a weapon of oppression. I struggle with striking the right balance of well-deserved debunking with the understanding that not all Christians use their faith as a bludgeon. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus Chris and your focus is on things like preventing same-sex marriage or marijuana legalization, I’d submit that you’re as much a Christian as I am the Queen of Denmark. You claim to follow the Prince of Peace, who spoke of love, tolerance, and charity…and yet you’d deny others the right to love as they see fit. And in some cases, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to hazard a guess that you see charity as merely enabling the slothful behavior of those too lazy to do for themselves.
It pains me to see Christianity twisted in such a sick and cynical manner, because there’s so much in the teachings of Jesus Christ that could help make this world a better place. I don’t believe in God, but I know enough of the Gospel to understand that it’s about things like peaceful coexistence, tolerance, charity, and caring for your fellow man. Yet how much of that truly happens these days?
If believing in Jesus Christ give your life meaning and purpose, then good on you. I hope that you can see your way clear to actually living His teachings. Just don’t expect me to give Christians a free pass on hypocrisy and doctrinaire self-righteousness because you can’t handle honest criticism. I may not always be spot on, but I believe I hit the mark more often than not.
I hope you’ll be able to see my point, even if you don’t necessarily agree with it. That said, I don’t need your approval. If what I write upsets you as a Christian, I think that says a lot more about you than it does about me.
