After much thought about what and how to write this, I have decided to just sit down and start writing. This has been weighing on my mind for quite some time, and really hit home a few days ago.
I've written before about how frustrating it is at times to see people fighting for equality, yet in their battle for equality they become the oppressor. This specifically comes to mind regarding religion.
Please note, I am not picking on any one belief whatsoever. I'd be doing exactly what I'm annoyed with! Rather, I'm just using examples I have seen lately in my own personal life. Please don't think I am singling out any one religion or belief system!
Recently, I have read numerous facebook posts, news articles, and more regarding Christianity - mostly posted by atheists. I only point out that they are atheists for one reason: that they do not believe there is a god. If that is truly the case, then why are they offended so by only Christianity? Why are we not reading posts by them to also rid the world of all other religions with a god? I was told by one atheist friend that it was because all religions needed to be accepted.
HUH!?
If all religions are to be accepted, then why not also Christianity?!
Many of those news articles were also full of half-truths regarding Christianity. Either they did not do very good research, or they didn't care. It really did hurt me that not only were they bad-mouthing people who believe as I do, but they were also using information that we as Christians do not even believe!
Now, for the other side of the story. Far too many times have I seen Christians acting absolutely no different. I like to sit back often, and watch how so many Christians behave, and, frankly, it is no wonder we are hated so. We can be judgmental. We can be condescending. We can be....you get the picture.
One of my dearest friends, who I have known for a couple of years, recently opened up to me that she was not a Christian, rather, she was a Buddhist. I had already gathered this, just from knowing her, but my first reaction when she told me was sadness. NOT sadness because I was bummed that she wasn't a Christian, but sadness because she felt that she couldn't tell me because I was a Christian. Had I done something to make her wonder if she could tell me? No, not I, but others. I knew she trusted me to open up like that, but it truly broke my heart that too many Christians would have flown off the handle, and tried to make her change.
Since I have known her, I've always told her I would pray for her if she had a prickly situation in her life. Her response has always been "Thank you!". She very easily could have said "Yeah, no thanks. I don't like that, and I am not a Christian so stop shoving it down my throat!!!!" But she never did. Instead, she understands that is just one way I, as a Christian, show people I love and care for them. I could have walked away from our friendship, because she doesn't believe in Jesus the same way I do. I could have told her why I thought she was wrong. Instead, I realize that she is still one of the closest friends I have, and regardless, I love her. Simply, I accept her for who she is. I feel certain she knows I will pray for her, just like I have always done, but I think she also knows I'm not going to attempt to change her!
Where is the mutual respect? I know it can happen, because I saw it happen in my own personal life. (Maybe she and I are just that awesome...hehe!)
What if atheists realized that when Christians say they will pray for them, it is just a kind act rather than an attempt to change them?
What if Christians spent more time silently praying for those around them, in love, rather than acting like vigilantes, and running out on people who disagree with them?
What if an atheist ignored the words "God bless", instead of wanting it removed from everything?
What if Christians stopped treating non-Christians like the plague, and truly showed the love that Jesus taught us too?
Just my two cents worth.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
9 comments:
I enjoy reading every single comment I get, and make every effort to respond to each one...as well as return the favor! I do allow anonymous comments. But, if you use anonymity to hide behind cowardly attacks on my faith or anything else, it will be deleted. Also, if your comment is lewd, vulgar, and full of potty mouth words, I will delete it. Thank you!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm not sure which atheists you're speaking about. Perhaps you hear about Xtianity because...wait for it...you're a Xtian?
ReplyDeleteAs for Islam, I'll say it loud and proud: Muhammed (place bacon upon him) is just another dead pedophile and Allah is imaginary.
As for telling folks "you'll pray for them," LOL out loud. Why not just tell them you don't REALLY want to actually take any action? It's the same net effect. One pair of hands at work affect more than a thousand folded in prayer.
With all this said, I like people of all kinds of faiths, until they behave like Dominionists and/or Jihadists. Your leaders have deceived you for their own gain.
As an atheist myself, I highly recommend you actually read your bible from cover-to-cover. It's what helped me break free of the dogma and the silliness.
I love you.
My first question to you would be why you feel the need to put Xtian. Obviously, I know why, but is it so bothersome to you, that you can't even type it? Christian is the word, and its rather insulting to me that you would do that (thereby proving my point that you despise Christianity.)
DeleteShould I take action, it would only result in further complaints that my religion was being shoved down your throat. Thank you, again, for proving my point that neither my silence nor my action is satisfactory for you. You are, I assume, completely unaware of the actions that I do take on a regular basis.
I'm also highly insulted that you would assume I blindly follow any leader, without having done any research. (Once again, another point every atheist I know uses). You've no idea into my background, how I was raised, or what other religions I have studied. Neither do you know how many times I have read my Bible, or in how many languages I've done so.
I do appreciate your comment though. You've done a far better job with your comment at proving how much atheists dislike Christians than I did in my post.
Though I will credit you this: of the many atheists I know, I would only consider two to actually be educated as to why they are atheists.
DeleteI require neither your silence nor your action.
DeleteAs for the word "Xtian," What we Americans would call an "X" is actually the Greek word for "Christ." Just because you didn't know that, doesn't mean it's an insult. :D
As for whether you'll blindly follow any leader, well, denial isn't a river in Egypt.
And as for how much atheists dislike Xtians (or any God mythos) have you ever noticed what the religionists of the world have to say about we non-believers? It usually falls along the lines of "kill them" and garbage like that.
I see Dominionists of all sorts wanting to force their beliefs onto the lives of others all the time. If you don't see it, I'd recommend you actually read something and lay off of the assumptions. They're eating your sense. How can I make such a statement? You show more of yourself in your post than you realize.
As a person becomes more edumahcated (:haha) they find themselves challenging these childhood fables. Get yourself some education. Check your facts against known reality and rely less on the ignorant con-men in the churches.
But at the heart of it all, I do not wish to try to stop you from believing in your imaginary sky daddy. If you need such comforts, by all means - have them. But let it be known that not everyone believes the same as you do.
Do you really know why you're a Xtian? Because you grew up in America. Had you been raised in the Middle East, you'd be a Muslim.
For the very reason you might reject all other gods, you know why we atheists reject them all.
If you only believe in one god, and reject 99% of all others, then you're already 99% atheist yourself.
Read the REAL history of Xtianity. You'll see it's not quite as original as you've been led to believe by con-men preachers. If all of the knowledge you possess is only from one book, well, that's not a lot of knowledge now, is it?
Be as insulted as you wish to be. I'll choose the mature approach of learning the real facts, myself.
Good luck with your fairy tales. God is imaginary and Jesus is just a myth.
I'd also add, your post seems indicative of your own doubts of what you've been told all your life. Yes, there's a whole world outside of your home-town.
ReplyDeleteTo your credit: I respect your willingness to leave these comments open. You may very well be one of the better Xtians.
Close, but not quite. The Greek word for Christ is Χριστός, transliterated "Christos". The first letter is X...not the word itself. X is simply an abbreviated way to avoid writing the actual word. I'm not nearly as uneducated as you might assume.
ReplyDeleteThe point of my entire post was that, regardless of beliefs, we should respect each other. We do not have to agree, but we must respect. I've not mocked you in anyway. Referring to my beliefs as a "sky daddy" is hardly a respectable way to put it.
I did say Christians should be more respectful also...I did not claim all Christians were kind, understanding and loving as we are supposed to be. In fact, it saddens me to see how many are NOT.
Am I safe to say that, by your reasoning, had you grown up in the Middle East you too would be Muslim? Or am I safe to assume you'd say that you would still have thought it out on your own, and chosen the same path you are on now? You've assumed that by growing up in America I was force fed Christianity from day one and have failed to look anywhere else. You'd be completely wrong.
I'm doubting neither myself, nor my beliefs. I'm doubting the many so-called Christians who do not live by what they preach. I'm doubting the many non-believers who do not practice the equality they preach. I'm doubting that humanity has any form of respect for for each other anymore. I'm not trying to convince you to believe as I do, or even to understand why I have those beliefs. I am trying to get you to respect me as a human, and that we are all different. That not all Christians are as you view them.
You know not of my studies. You know not of what I grew up hearing. You know not of what I have been taught while growing up. You know not of any travels I may have had which have led me out of my home town. You know not the story of how I came to believe in God.
You assume I am uneducated. You assume I believe all I hear. You assume I've read but one book, and drew a conclusion from that. You assume I have no idea not all believe as I do. You assume my goal is to "save" or "change" you. You assume I have always been a Christian.
You do know what assuming does, correct? I've no assumptions about you. I know only what you have written on here, and that is you have judged me simply based on the fact that I am a Christian, knowing nothing of my background.
As far as leaving the comments open, thanks! I've no problems civilly discussing anything with anyone...given conclusions have not been drawn about me before I have a chance to respond.
Good discussion, Plum! Over the years I have discussed this matter with people who have a wide variety of beliefs. It has been my experience that curiosity about another's beliefs and the reasons for those beliefs can go a long way toward mutual respect and friendship. I know one guy who says, "I sorta lean toward atheism, but I try not to make a big deal about it." I _trust_ that guy, though my conclusions on the subject are nothing like his. The ones who start mocking everybody else are not really very interesting.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Unc
yurtdışı kargo
ReplyDeleteresimli magnet
instagram takipçi satın al
yurtdışı kargo
sms onay
dijital kartvizit
dijital kartvizit
https://nobetci-eczane.org/
SMG7M
مكافحة حشرات C5P5ENl2bK
ReplyDelete