So an atheist walks into a methodist church... Or paragraphs on white background
I don't quite remember the time when I stopped believing in God. I was giving all the trappings of a good catholic upbringing... an expensive parochial school, corporal punishment, and weekly church attendance. However, a memory that sticks out readily in my mind was during sixth grade. My teacher asked the class to raise our hands if we did not believe in God. I knew then, at least. However, I was surprised, but not offended, by what he said next, "Well, then you're going to hell!" Maybe, my reaction should have been reversed, but I don't recall any malice at all when I think back on it.
My journey into heresy only grew more convoluted as I grew into a teenager. At first was a grudging agnosticism, then I flirted with nondenominational Christianity. Finally, I settled into a sort a weak atheism into which I would still consider myself today.
Militancy was never my goal, but I never backed away from a challenge. Currently, there is a strain of radical evangelical atheism. It goes without saying that American Christianity is what draws most of their ire. What is surprising, however, is is how intolerant and malicious these groups have become and how deep their intolerance goes. Some even try to antagonize people of faith. What use is it to parrot the tactics of a particularly rabid strain of evangelicals? So many high school atheists I have come across seem to even have a disdain for critical thinking. They seem merely regurgitate the same hackneyed, over-used lines they have memorized on the internet. Of course, they criticize the evangelical movement for stifling critical thought, which is staggeringly moronic. Maybe even atheists can benefit from reading the bible.
"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
Matthew 7:3, KJV (For all its problems, I prefer the KJV due to colorful nature of the language)
Not that I'm advocating moral guidance from the Bible, of course. However, I don't quite understand how we can change attitudes by acting like hypocritical, noisy children.
The views I hold have been tempered by experiences with my experiences at this church job (of course the only way for me to sit through church is to be paid for it) and meeting some very nice people from Bob Jones University (I'm an obvious ethnic minority, so that changed other attitudes there...) Which tells me, while no one is a saint; good decent people can come from any background.
What's more, being uncivil and disrespectful of another person because of their metaphysical assumptions is just plain silly. Generalizations are even more ridiculous. Just because every Mormon I know has just been about the nicest person I've ever met doesn't mean that there isn't a Mormon who isn't a right bastard (Mitt Romney, for example). It does tell me that I don't have to be an asshole to someone who disagrees with me (Isn't that a shocker?)
What has happened to civility? Why are there so many jackasses in Atheist forums? Why can't we talk about religion and politics without resorting to a sort of knee-jerk response? Is there any reason for us to get passed this? I mean, we're more than hairless apes, aren't we?
My journey into heresy only grew more convoluted as I grew into a teenager. At first was a grudging agnosticism, then I flirted with nondenominational Christianity. Finally, I settled into a sort a weak atheism into which I would still consider myself today.
Militancy was never my goal, but I never backed away from a challenge. Currently, there is a strain of radical evangelical atheism. It goes without saying that American Christianity is what draws most of their ire. What is surprising, however, is is how intolerant and malicious these groups have become and how deep their intolerance goes. Some even try to antagonize people of faith. What use is it to parrot the tactics of a particularly rabid strain of evangelicals? So many high school atheists I have come across seem to even have a disdain for critical thinking. They seem merely regurgitate the same hackneyed, over-used lines they have memorized on the internet. Of course, they criticize the evangelical movement for stifling critical thought, which is staggeringly moronic. Maybe even atheists can benefit from reading the bible.
"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"
Matthew 7:3, KJV (For all its problems, I prefer the KJV due to colorful nature of the language)
Not that I'm advocating moral guidance from the Bible, of course. However, I don't quite understand how we can change attitudes by acting like hypocritical, noisy children.
The views I hold have been tempered by experiences with my experiences at this church job (of course the only way for me to sit through church is to be paid for it) and meeting some very nice people from Bob Jones University (I'm an obvious ethnic minority, so that changed other attitudes there...) Which tells me, while no one is a saint; good decent people can come from any background.
What's more, being uncivil and disrespectful of another person because of their metaphysical assumptions is just plain silly. Generalizations are even more ridiculous. Just because every Mormon I know has just been about the nicest person I've ever met doesn't mean that there isn't a Mormon who isn't a right bastard (Mitt Romney, for example). It does tell me that I don't have to be an asshole to someone who disagrees with me (Isn't that a shocker?)
What has happened to civility? Why are there so many jackasses in Atheist forums? Why can't we talk about religion and politics without resorting to a sort of knee-jerk response? Is there any reason for us to get passed this? I mean, we're more than hairless apes, aren't we?