My intent herein is not to anger anyone, not to criticize anyone’s belief structure, and not to start an argument over what’s right or wrong.
It is funny how when faced with an Atheist or an Agnostic, Christians suddenly become so defensive, downright rude, and completely full of themselves. They post on Facebook a photo which asks a question. I’m sure they believe that everyone agrees with them and will Like or comment with an emphatic “Amen”. When however you answer the question, they tell you that you are the one with the problem and that you’re being rude and disrespectful. Well, sorry for your obvious shortcomings on religion and understanding anyone else’s point of view, let alone your own. Don’t ask the question if you don’t want someone to eventually reply with an answer which doesn’t follow your belief structure.
So here’s where it stands. There are some bad apple atheists out there who raise the “I’m Offended” flag way too liberally and way too often. By and large your average atheist does not care about your religion, does not care if you want to pray, does not care if you want to display a nativity scene in your yard at Christmas. It’s your choice, we live in a “Free” country, go ahead and jump if you’re feeling Froggy.
Where those of us do draw a line is in the ever increasing ignorance, self-righteousness, grandstanding, fear mongering and hate by Christians. You’re not being very Christian. Christians assume that because we don’t believe in public prayer during our government meetings, in our public schools, and in most things generally government related, that we are somehow heathens, without morals, and generally unsavory characters who don’t deserve to share the earth with them. Somehow over the years the Christian right has inserted itself into the government and believes that Christianity has always been there. Well here is a serious news blast for you, it hasn’t.
Christians by and large believe we are a Christian Nation, founded on the beliefs, morals, and teachings of the Judeo Christian faith. News Flash, it wasn’t.
In fact some of the founding fathers who drafted the declaration of independence and the constitution were Atheists. In our Constitutions’ first amendment:
“The First Amendment (1791) prohibits Congress from obstructing the exercise of certain individual freedoms: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of petition. Its free exercise clause guarantees a person's right to hold whatever religious beliefs he or she wants, and to freely exercise that belief, and its establishment clause prevents the federal government from creating an official national church or favoring one set of religious beliefs over another. The amendment guarantees an individual’s right to express and to be exposed to a wide range of opinions and views. It was intended to ensure a free exchange of ideas even if the ideas are unpopular. It also guarantees an individual’s right to physically gather with a group of people to picket or protest; or associate with others in groups for economic, political or religious purposes. Additionally, it guarantees an individual’s right to petition the government for a redress of grievances.[47 “
Please note the underlined area.
Additionally in our constitution there is no reference to nor mention of God. Thus if it were based on Judeo Christian beliefs it would in essence invalidate the first amendment.
Further in the United States Treaty with Tripoli in 1796 adds credence to this by stating “Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen [Muslims]; and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan [Muslim] nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.”
Note again the underlined area.
So in governmental dealings any mention of God would have to inherently apply to all Gods of all religious beliefs and faiths, or be subject to scrutiny of context.
So I ask, where is all this fear that anyone is taking your religion away? You are free to practice it, just not require everyone to practice it with you.
Several places in the bible it even reads that as a believer you should not be overtly public with your prayer. On in particular:
Matthew 6 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 that thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Recently I also saw someone ask, “I’d like to know how many atheists actually don’t celebrate Christmas.” Well, let’s review that, shall we? First-Is Christmas a Christian holiday? The correct answer is yes and no. That is the day they celebrate the birth of Jesus. Is it his actual birthday? No. No one actually knows the date or the time of year, most are best guesses. Granted it’s just a date and someone had to pick one. Although nowhere in the bible is it mentioned and no one in the bible ever celebrated it. The Catholic Church in order to gain more followers moved the date from earlier in the fall to the time of the pagan holiday celebrating the winter solstice. Pretty wise thinking on their part, move it closer and allow them to keep some of their less offensive Heathen celebrations and we gain followers and MONEY. Now there are not Christmas trees in Christianity, there are no gifts (although some have tried to equate it to the gifts of the Kings), which if that were true then why are you giving gifts to each other? 99% of all that goes on at Christmas time has some form of pagan origin. If you were true Christians you most likely celebrate less, perhaps more than the Jehovah Witnesses, but definitely less. How is you celebrating and following the traditions of Santa, Christmas Trees, and other novelties in anyway respectful to your God? So why wouldn’t an atheist celebrate Christmas? It has very little to do with actual Christianity in its current commercial version. We too can enjoy the time off, gift giving and quality time with family.
Having dealt with this topic on many levels, I do understand that it is very difficult for many to discuss beliefs without becoming angry. The key is be open minded, be open to what the other person is explaining. No one says you have to believe it, they aren’t trying to convert you. If you are seriously that offended by the topic then don’t discuss it, and look into what is making you so angry, because it’s not a natural reaction. And when discussing it your beliefs have to be presented that way, as beliefs, not facts, because there is a reason the other person doesn’t believe what you do. Because they are just as firm in their beliefs as you.
The only common link in all the Christian faiths is that the way to salvation is through Jesus. Which makes them all inherently Christian. However how they get there is all up to interpretation. Each faith believes they have the key. My problem with that is each cannot be correct. Each time the Bible is interpreted it is changed. Is the “Word” in your version different from the original writings? In fact they are. Anything following and some prior to the King James Version have been altered by interpretation. In case you believe the King James is a literal interpretation, it is not. There is proof in the translations. King James hired an interpretation of the scriptures not an English copy. And that interpretation was corrupted by the influence of the Church of England at the time. Weather it is intentional or not is open for debate.
So lastly why do I believe the way I do?
First – how can something such as Christianity be so diverse in faith, have one common belief and yet father so many offshoots? It does not make logical sense.
Second- Logically all these varying faiths within one religious structure cannot each be correct.
Third – There is no logical proof that any of this exists. There is no historical backup, science contradicts it at every turn and using something such as the Bible to explain why the Bible is correct does not follow any logical proofing scientific, mathematical or otherwise.
Fourth – There are many other Religions in this world, they share common occurrences and very similar events and timing to Christianity. What makes Christianity correct? What makes the others incorrect? Logically it would seem that all are wrong. The common thread is human fear of death.
Fifth – Accepting someone else’s truth as my own makes it a lie.
Six – Some quotes that inspired my change.
“Believe nothing just because a so-called wise person said it. Believe nothing just because a belief is generally held. Believe nothing just because it is said in ancient books. Believe nothing because it is said to be of divine origin. Believe nothing just because someone else believes it. Believe only what you yourself test and judge to be true.” Buddha, Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta
“The majority consists of fools, utter fools. Beware of the majority. If so many people are following, that is enough a proof that something is wrong. Truth happens to individuals, not crowds.” Osho
“God is a comedian playing to an audience to afraid to laugh.” Voltaire
“The most dangerous untruths are truths slightly distorted.” G.C. Lichtenberg (1742 – 99)
“Truth is more important than public belief, and any man who feels the need to adjust his knowledge so as to receive public approval is man unworthy of trust.” Toltec Motto
“The exact contrary of what is generally believed is often the truth.” Jean de la Bruye`re
“There is in every village a torch – the teacher, and an extinguisher – the clergyman.” Victor Hugo
“Can Omniscient God, who Knows the future, find the omnipotence to Change His future mind?” Richard Dawkins
“The religion of one age is the literary entertainment of the next.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The great unmentionable evil at the center of our culture is monotheism. From a barbaric Bonze Age text known as the Old Testament, three anti-human religions have evolved – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These are the sky-god religions. They are, literally, patriarchal – God is the Omnipotent Father – Hence the loathing of women for 2,000 years in those countries afflicted by the sky-god and his earthly male delegates.” Gore Vidal
“I don’t try to imagine a personal God; it suffices to stand in awe at the structure of the world, insofar as it allows our inadequate senses to appreciate it.” Albert Einstein
“It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated, I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far and our science can reveal it.” Albert Einstein
