By Carl S. ~
Last Sunday, like all the rest, I went to pick up my wife after her church service, going from entrance to restroom in a flash. On the way, I passed a Jamaican man. We greeted each other. He was not a regular, so he was probably there to raise money. What strikes me about missionaries is their over-sweetness and overflowing politeness. It's even more than the typical after-sex-afterglow of the after-service believer crowd I'm accustomed to seeing.
Oh, the imperviousness to reality in this post-service emotion! I've occasionally tried to point out the contradictions, lies, even malice in Christian doctrines to a few of them, but to no avail. They cling to, not their god, really, but their convictions. Finally, I gave up on them. They accept me . . . conditionally. In other words, as long as I keep my mouth shut and don't disturb their comfort zone/security blanket. (Like a woman accepts disgusting or criminal behavior from her partner because the sex is good?)
Life is too precious to be wasted waiting for some disembodied spirit to materialize.This used to bother me, not being accepted for myself. But now I'm thinking, didn't the Jesus they worship complain that he was not found acceptable? Isn’t it just the image of him the believers have created that they now believe in? They may read their bible, but they ignore or are simply oblivious to Jesus’ nasty disposition and irrational behavior, because they "love" him. (The "sex" must be great.)
Acceptance? Is it really acceptance when they don't actually follow him anyhow, like giving their riches or essentials away, or castrating themselves, etc.? If he could leave his grave and live again, he'd be just as frustrated now as he was then. And, as for accepting "God," doesn’t each believer just believe whatever blend of attributes his own mind has concocted? All‘s fair in love and war and God, it seems. And nothing is impossible with imagination. I think their God-worship is really conviction-worship, something which can and does lead to explosive and meltdown forces in society if left unchecked.
Okay, everyone is entitled to delusions and I’m a killjoy for trying to point out their delusions. Life's hard enough, Carl, people need their fantasies to cope. No wonder you reject "God," they say, blah-blah, spinning their wheels in a god-rut. But don’t misunderstand me. I don't mind God, as long as he stays in his church, synagogue, mosque, temple, shrine, etc. There is a time and a place for everything.
I don't mind God at all. As the comedian said, "May the god of your choice bless you." I don't care, because life is too precious to be wasted waiting for some disembodied spirit to materialize. It hasn't ever happened and it ain’t ever going to happen. And I don't "mind" a deity either, in the meaning of taking it seriously. I live my life as a good man, a moral person, just like millions of others without gods, and I couldn't care less about what anyone claims his or her god prefers.
What I do mind are the minds of those who “know” the mind of God, and refuse to keep their gods in their temples. They need to understand that their God has no rights in our society. Humans have rights, and some animals have rights, but gods (and religions) have no rights. How can we give rights to entities which may not even exist? I will not pretend to share their delusions just to keep them happy, and I will continue to fight their attempts to bend our laws to their delusions.
Last Sunday, like all the rest, I went to pick up my wife after her church service, going from entrance to restroom in a flash. On the way, I passed a Jamaican man. We greeted each other. He was not a regular, so he was probably there to raise money. What strikes me about missionaries is their over-sweetness and overflowing politeness. It's even more than the typical after-sex-afterglow of the after-service believer crowd I'm accustomed to seeing.
Life is too precious to be wasted waiting for some disembodied spirit to materialize.This used to bother me, not being accepted for myself. But now I'm thinking, didn't the Jesus they worship complain that he was not found acceptable? Isn’t it just the image of him the believers have created that they now believe in? They may read their bible, but they ignore or are simply oblivious to Jesus’ nasty disposition and irrational behavior, because they "love" him. (The "sex" must be great.)
Acceptance? Is it really acceptance when they don't actually follow him anyhow, like giving their riches or essentials away, or castrating themselves, etc.? If he could leave his grave and live again, he'd be just as frustrated now as he was then. And, as for accepting "God," doesn’t each believer just believe whatever blend of attributes his own mind has concocted? All‘s fair in love and war and God, it seems. And nothing is impossible with imagination. I think their God-worship is really conviction-worship, something which can and does lead to explosive and meltdown forces in society if left unchecked.
Okay, everyone is entitled to delusions and I’m a killjoy for trying to point out their delusions. Life's hard enough, Carl, people need their fantasies to cope. No wonder you reject "God," they say, blah-blah, spinning their wheels in a god-rut. But don’t misunderstand me. I don't mind God, as long as he stays in his church, synagogue, mosque, temple, shrine, etc. There is a time and a place for everything.
I don't mind God at all. As the comedian said, "May the god of your choice bless you." I don't care, because life is too precious to be wasted waiting for some disembodied spirit to materialize. It hasn't ever happened and it ain’t ever going to happen. And I don't "mind" a deity either, in the meaning of taking it seriously. I live my life as a good man, a moral person, just like millions of others without gods, and I couldn't care less about what anyone claims his or her god prefers.
What I do mind are the minds of those who “know” the mind of God, and refuse to keep their gods in their temples. They need to understand that their God has no rights in our society. Humans have rights, and some animals have rights, but gods (and religions) have no rights. How can we give rights to entities which may not even exist? I will not pretend to share their delusions just to keep them happy, and I will continue to fight their attempts to bend our laws to their delusions.
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