January 13, 2015 7:23 AM

Sorry, but calling yourself a Christian doesn't make you morally superior...just smug and self-superior

THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD

(apologies to Keith Olbermann)

Steve Harvey

Emmy Award-winning TV host and best-selling author Steve Harvey advises women not to date atheists because you don’t know where the man’s “moral barometer” is, and says that as far as someone not believing in God, “well, then, to me you’re an idiot.”…. Harvey, who also hosts a radio show and started his career in stand-up comedy, went on to say that Darwinism is essentially nonsense because he doesn’t think the universe “spun out of a gastrous ball and then all of a sudden we were evolved from monkeys.” If that were true, he says, then “why we still got monkeys?”…. During the interview with Tyra Banks, an audience member asked for some dating advice and Harvey said one of the most important questions to ask is, “Does he have a relationship with God?”

Dear Mr. Harvey,

I’m not terribly familiar with you or your work (such as it is), but I’ve seen bits and pieces of a few of your shows, and I think you’re generally a reasonable person. This is why I was so surprised and disturbed when you saw fit to refer to me (and those who believe as I do) as “an idiot” merely because I don’t share your belief in God. You refer to Darwinism as “nonsense,” because you disagree with the scientifically sound theory of evolution. Rather than acknowledge that science, normally prone to believing only what it can prove, might be on to something, you’ve chose to believe in something that cannot be proven, but promises rewards that can only be realized after your die.

Who’s the idiot here?

I was willing to respect that we live in different places when it comes to matters of theology. Unfortunately, like so many Christians, you feel yourself to be a morally superior being merely because of your belief in God. As if that’s universally been an indicator of moral superiority throughout history. Have you forgotten how many human beings have been killed in the name of your God? Do you choose to conveniently overlook the hatred and bigotry that seems to be part and parcel of the philosophy of so many Christians?

In truth, you’re just another cafeteria Christian, accepting those aspects of your religion that appeal to your prejudices and preconceived notions. You can’t prove anything of what you believe, but you just KNOW them to be true…and that makes you morally superior? From where I sit it just makes you a judgmental, intolerant fool…not that self-awareness is one of your strengths.

“You’re sitting there talking with a dude and he tells you he’s an atheist, you need to pack it up and go home,” said Harvey. “You know, talking to a person that don’t believe in God, what’s his moral barometer? Where’s it at? It’s nowhere.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Harvey your argument is as bogus as it is immoral. You call yourself a Christian, and you believe yourself to be a morally superior human being. Yet you see nothing amiss with insulting someone simply because they don’t share your beliefs. Being a smug, self-important sort, you probably see no contradiction in expecting- nay, demanding- that others respect your beliefs…a respect you see no reason to reciprocate.

I don’t know about you, but where I come from we call that “hypocrisy.”

I just believe if you don’t believe in God, then where is your moral barometer? That’s just me talking. You can believe what you want to believe. But if you’re an atheist, you’re basing your goodness and morality on what? I mean, but what is an atheist? I don’t really get into that. I’ve talked the people all the time. I’m an atheist. I just walk away. I don’t know what to say to you.

“I don’t know what to say to you.” Really? How about a simple hello? How about treating me as a human being worthy of respect? Instead, you’d turn on your heels and walk away from me, simply because I don’t believe in your God? That’s as arrogant and self-righteous as it is intolerant. Being African-American, I’d think you might know a little something about intolerance, about being treated as “less than,” am I right? Or are you really just that ignorant, intolerant, and self-righteous?

Not that you seem to have learned anything from the historical discrimination directed at African-Americans.

You think yourself a morally superior being, yet you’ve revealed yourself to be nothing of the sort. You’re as smug, self-righteous, intolerant, and self-superior as so many other Christians…and you clearly know little of Christian charity and understanding.

And you wonder why people don’t believe in God? With people like you modeling Christianity, why would any thinking, compassionate person choose to believe as you do?

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This page contains a single entry by Jack Cluth published on January 13, 2015 7:23 AM.

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