Log In | Register
..... I catch a lot of flak on Vine for my seeming support of Christians or radical extremist Christians. I have been called a "Christo-Fascist" for arguing against the anti-Christian voices. Thought I would clarify a couple of things in light of my ever dimming credibility. First off I am not a Christian by any stretch of the imagination. Besides having been molested in a church by a Sunday school teacher, I use words like @!$%# far to often to be granted admittance to the club. I also have, shall we say certain prejudicial notions about the Christian church. With that said we do share some of the same beliefs:
Love thy neighbor
Treat others as you would be treated
Do not steal
Do not kill/murder (whatever)
Don't be coveting your boy's woman..... So on
Good ideas, even better when put into practice every day. I have to have doubts about folks who would cast derision and aspersions on such ideas. I have to wonder what, if anything, they believe in. What do they stand for? The thing I see mainly, here, is they strongly want to persecute those who would live those ideas.
Today's anti-God, religion, or Christian or whatever one wishes to call it, is in the minority. This was not always so. Once upon a time Christians were an entree in Roman coliseums. They were hunted, killed, and persecuted to the nth degree. Paganism, pantheons and such ruled the day back then. Now Christians have become a majority. Have they lived up to their initial promise, lived by the tenets of their faith? Sometimes. Have they committed atrocities in the name of their God? Most certainly, few religions haven't. Are they more guilty(someday someone will have to walk me through the concept of more guilty) than others of wrong? No, not really. Are there many today who are misguided souls who wish to make our choices for us? Yes. Have they also done good works all over the globe for hundreds of years? Yes. Have many died in that effort? Yes they have. Can anti-Christians name me one group who have done as much for the less fortunate in the past 1000 years? But I listen to the anti-Christians/God crowd, listening for words that will help me see their point of view. But what I mainly see here is hate. They hate God, they hate Christians, they hate all religion, hate, hate, hate. And these folks preach basically the same point of view as those extremist Christians. No tolerance for any way, but their way. They have both of them changed the words you see:
............Love Thy Neighbor; Except in the following circumstances.....
I can understand and agree with not wanting to be persecuted. I can understand wanting to dissuade todays extreme Christians from this "Manifest Destiny" kick some of them seem to be on. But I am going to need a better reason or choice than hate. And some will say it is not hate. I say bull@!$%#. Some will say it is not another form tyranny, again bull@!$%#. Christmas decorations on lawns? Easter eggs? School plays? They will shout separation of church and state. Spare me the hair splitting. Were the church and state any farther apart, one or the other would reside on a different planet. Kids/adults wanting to enjoy a holiday or play do not a church make. I have witnessed and read right here on this site, people wanting all Christians to die so the world will be a better place. And the anti-Christians want folks to support and lend credibility to that? But statements like that can provide insight into the ultimate goals and mind set of some in the crowd. After killing all the Christians, and the world is still not a better place, whom will be next? No thank you. I for one do not want anti-Christians any where near power and I certainly will not fight for their official recognition based on nothing more than fear and hatred and a deep seated need for revenge. Better the Devil I Know.
I recently had an argument here with a pagan. I am assuming they are pagan since their screen name prominently proclaimed it. We were arguing religion, atheism, tolerance, and tyranny. In the course of our argument this person made a statement that, out of respect for lack of permission, I will not quote. I will instead attempt to accurately paraphrase it; I want constitutional protections from being treated as an outsider.For me the underlying thought behind those words are; I want laws passed to make people accept me. I learned further that this person had encountered some problems in their life due to the pagan religious belief. Apparently the were not accepted for employment at some point, lack of Christian values was cited as a reason. Also harassment by law enforcement was attributed to the practice of pagan religion.
First off those constitutional protections already exist. But as many whose emotions override their objectivity, this person had forgotten that obeying any law is always a personal choice. Next, as I assume this person is a practicing pagan, they are, by today's "norms," an outsider. Deal with it. The wise man blends with the world and prospers. Third, there always seems to be more to the tales of woe than the story teller is willing to share. Naturally I have questions. Does this person wear their religion on their sleeve? Does this person throw their religious beliefs in peoples faces and dare them to take exception? Does this person dress, behave, or have body adornment that folks might find unusual? All of these things will play a role in how one is accepted or not in society. To often today some people seem to feel as if they should be the exception to every rule or practice and that others should not just accept them at face value, but also enthusiastically approve of them as well. If one paints themselves pink and dresses as a clown every day, I doubt they will be getting that public relations position, unless perhaps one is applying with the Ringling Brothers. Fourth an attitude that says one has the right to judge all others, but wish to have laws passed denying those others the right judge in return is never going to fly. If it ever does, I hope off planet migration is available at that time. Again, paint yourself pink, dress like a clown, you are bound to get some looks. Would you have a law requiring all to look only at the ground?
Finally(alright damn it! settle down or I am gonna find a few more chapters in me) finally, self-honesty is key to a happy or content life, period. When one applies a little self-honesty one generally finds that their list of enemies isn't nearly so long. One may also find that they themselves are at the top of that list. If one wants to practice paganism or whatever(as long as it does not threaten the specie) I am all for it, but one must realize and be ready to deal with the realities of that decision. People are free to believe what they wish, that is right and that is good. But until everyone understands that this is indeed every ones right, one would save oneself a lot of grief, by not necessarily conforming, but by understanding that certain realities must be taken into account to achieve ones goals. Everyone has a tale of woe. Everyone. I was molested at age six by a lady Sunday school teacher. Seduced through drugs and alcohol by a pedophile at 13. Been homeless nearly a third of my 44 years. Want to talk about not getting hired for a job? I have dozens of stories. Want to talk about harassment by law enforcement? I have been sometimes harassed on a daily basis, beaten a couple of times. Welcome to life, it's not just a job it's an adventure. I do not need nor want pity or laws passed. Do I blame God or Christians or those in authority for my woes? No. The older I get the more I realize that blame is waste of time, and a cowards excuse for not moving on. I still practice my religion everyday. Treating others as I wish to be treated. And when I encounter those who believe in cruelty, and controlling others and selfishness? Hey it's my world, I can choose who lives in it. So until the anti-religion crowd can prove to me they will actually live by the words they preach;Live and let live. I will stick with the Devil I know and pray I can help curb or thwart their attempts at tyranny.
