When I was a child, I believed in Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, I would search the sky in hopeful anticipation, fully expecting to see Santa and his reindeer. Over time, I learned that Santa was not real after all. However, I knew of many kids who still believed. I did not ridicule them because I didn't care. Their belief in Santa wasn't, and still isn't, a threat to me.
I tell you this because I often wonder why people who do not believe in God get so worked up about the subject of religion. Why get so defensive if you don't believe? I believe in God. I believe that Jesus Christ died for my sins. I have accepted him as my savior and I have a close, personal relationship with him. When I share that knowledge, I do it with respect, and I understand many people do not share my beliefs. I don't force anything upon other people. So I honestly and sincerely ask, if you don't believe, why are you so disrespectful to those of us who do believe?
I don't believe in Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, or Zeus for that matter. But I don't accuse believers of non-Christian faiths as being babies who believe in fairy tales. I don't lash out at them or ridicule them. I may pray for them, but only out of brotherly love. Not hate.
So why fight so hard agaisnt something you do not believe to be real? If you think the Bible is a book of fiction, why do you care if I read it? And why do you care what it says? Better yet, why do some atheists use parts of the Bible to justify their disbelief? That doesn't make any sense at all!
Hi Charity, I saw your post over at AW so I figured I'd weigh in. Firstly, I'm not Christian. I fit more under the Pagan umbrella.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it but I've seen the anti-Christian rhetoric come up several times in different Pagan traditions as well as from Athiests. The reasoning for each is different.
From the Pagan point of view, history plays a big part as much as the "bible thumping". There's a common feeling Christianity is trying to impose its will/beliefs on others, laws, schools, government, etc. Just as Christians have been persecuted through the ages, Christians have persecuted Pagans. Those Pagans and the Pagans of today are different, but many Pagans fear another "burning times", especially when you have things like the Tea Party. Many Pagans come from Christian backgrounds. Those are the same people who are harboring ill will because of previous experiences with the Church, with Christians or how the doctrines are pushed.
From an Atheist standpoint, they tend to look at things from logic/fact. For many, they don't comprehend the "woo" of religions and think people would be better off without it. This group seems to be the most vocal and has achieved things like removing prayer from schools and how the pledge of allegiance is said in certain functions. They see those things are church bleeding into government or forcing its beliefs on others. They try to use the bible against you in attempts to "prove" the contractions and inaccuracies they see. The issue there is that while they try to use fact, Christians use faith. They just want to prove they're right. Call it a mixture of ego and science.
Could we all be more tolerant? Absolutely. Do the extremists/hardline individuals make the whole bunch look bad? Absolutely. Sadly, I'm not sure how or when such rifts can be resolved on a mass scale. I'm sorry you've been the victim of these kind of attacks.
Hi, celestialwolf. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I appreciate it because I think most people are not comfortable with stating their views.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that a few in one group make all look bad. Christians are often viewed as hate breeders, but to say all Christians breed hate is completely false, just as accusing all non-believers of the Christian faith of being hateful/spiteful/disrepectful etc. would be wrong. Is there a way to bridge the gap? I'm doubtful.
Also, just to clarify, I can't claim to be a victim, other than by stating I am a Christian and pointing out that Christians are often viewed negatively. On a personal level, I've never been persecuted or ridiculed. Thanks for your kind concern, though.
I can never figure out it seems that Christians are the ones that get their rights taken away more then any other religion. I am to a born again believer but I also don't feel I need to slam it down peoples throats. Sure if someone wants to talk about it, I am more then happy and I believe there is a hell so yeah I want non-believer to know about Jesus and have a chance to know Him. But why take our rights away when it seems everyone else is getting more rights. Just like the Plan B drug. The pharmacy has no choice to sale it. And everyone has to be willing to sale it. Where is our right in that? I don't want to be part of someone's abortion. And not to mention now they are legializing same sex marriages. Have they read about Sodom and Gomorrah? Spelling maybe wrong but it is a common Bible lesson. All I would be asking for is my freedoms to come back and be able to choose what I do and not what the government wants me to do as far as saling a drug I disagree with.
ReplyDeleteI, too, feel that Christian rights have been taken away in order to please people who want nothing to do with religion. It's really sad that the Constituion (which was meant to protect us) has been used against us.
ReplyDeleteI am a liberal Christian, and have come in for a fair bit of bashing from fundamentalist Christians. I have been told my church is not Christian at all b/c we do not take the bible literally and recognize that it contains human error as well as divine wisdom. I firmly believe in separation of church and state, and appreciate laws that keep more fundamentalist Christians from putting their beliefs into our laws. I do not think Christians are persecuted at all in America, but I have seen a fair bit of persecution *from* Christians. I think we should all practice our faiths in our own lives and leave others to theirs and none in our civil governments and institutions. mho.
ReplyDeleteCatherine,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your point of view. It's a shame you've received any persecution from Christians.
I do have to say, though, the idea of "separation of church and state" really gets me fired up. It is not in the Constitution, but many people believe it is.
However, I do believe people have the right to choose what to believe and nobody should be forced to take part in any religious activities that go against their beliefs.
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.