Or maybe, just a somewhat organized set of observations and arguments.

This might get touchy for some people, so please don't be offended because I will fairly play both sides of the argument... I am a reasonable person.

Ready for this one? Religion... in specifics, the hypocrisy of the upper-class christians.

A key point in my career with god occured when I was 11 years old and too fidgety too sit still in catholic mass, in which I had spent most Sundays since birth. I was moved to the ever so exciting world of being an altar boy. Before everyone goes cracking the "did the priest touch you here" jokes, no my priest was a nice guy. I mostly just carried big heavy candles and bibles and got to move around while everyone else was either sitting, standing, or kneeling.

The unfortunate thing, however, is that I started actually reading the bible. The more I read and gathered, the more aggravated I became with this "god" figure I had feared and revered for so long. This Jesus guy that still didn't make sense. By the time I was 14, I was convinced this was just a well written fairy-tale, and that's when I started reading up on the history of christianity and it's followers... The horrendous crimes and actions taken filled me with pure and utter disgust.

Since then, I've given up the whole 'faith' thing, but kept my respect for those with the blind ambition and willingness to follow something so passionately. The ISSUE, however, is when a militant christian comes forward to me at a line in a wendy's (true story...) to tell me how awesome her church is and how much I would love it. Can you believe the audacity of this? A complete stranger getting some crappy chili at a burger joint, telling me what I would love? But that's besides the point.

The point is that churches are becoming a trend... a business. Take your typical young-yuppie-ran-non-denominational-whoohooweloveevreyone-we'll accept you! kind of church. They advertise their openness and their devotion to one cause... Jesus. "no no, you don't have to donate! new people, get some coffee, talk to people, make friends. We're just going to set this donation basket here, right next to you though. and you... and you too."

The problem is that these churches are being run like a business, and the middle to upper-class SUV-driving yuppies are buying into them at full force.

I've begrudgingly attended several of these with my mother to appease her on holidays, and It makes me happy to know that I'm not spending every sunday with so many two faced hypocrites. Don't get me wrong... some people are there for the right reason... the message, the community.

But other people are there because they feel like if they don't show up every sunday, they'll go to hell, they guess. They preach their undying love to jesus and the well being of fellow christians and proceed to cut you off in the parking lot after the service and give you the finger. This extends far beyond that of course... It's like desperate housewives only with a few more WWJD bracelets (right next to their livestrong!) thrown in.

It's thursday night, and my mother is hosting couples night. There are currently 8 suv's parked outside my house and in the living room, there is a woman praying to god that people see the evils in their materialism... I guess she won't mind if I set fire to her $3000 gucci handbag and closet full of expensive high heels that she wears in the hopes of young guys checking out her ass at the office.

Don't get me wrong... A very close friend of mine attended the very same church as my mother and faith did miracles for his life... It got him off of heroin, pills, along with a score of other life-damaging things.

I used to participate in their youth group by playing guitar with one of the youth leaders there. I did this simply because he was an excellent guy open to my views, and could provide logical arguments and deep discussions without the ultimate goal of converting me. He accepted my views and respected them but was even moreso thrilled that I stayed for the sessions to discuss with the other kids there. Feeling accepted at a youth group and being a known agnostic was an enlightening experience.

Paraphrased... There are a lot of great christians out there that I have deep sympathy for, because there are some real assholes out there ruining it for you guys. I'm sorry.


While on topic, I actually read a christian person's argument against legalizing marijuana the other day. Quoted, "We see it as a temptation that we must resist, and therefore it is considered a sin."

Also quoted,
Genesis 1:11 "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."
Genesis 3:18 "... thou shalt eat the herb of the field."
Proverbs 15:17 "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."[1]
Psalms 104:14 "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man."

I just found that amusing. As it says in genesis, god put plants on earth, and they are good. Now if only we could convince every bible thumping conservative.... ha.




On a side note... My oldest sister's boyfriend showed me the ring he's going to propose to her with. Very exciting stuff! Couldn't be a cooler guy to be marrying my sister.


If you took the time to read that all, Thanks.

» randomjunk on 2008-03-13 09:22:45

Er... you can delete the blank comment.

My family goes to a yuppie church, then. They only just let me stop on my last birthday...
» randomjunk on 2008-03-13 09:23:22

Yes, there are a lot of Christians, Muslims, Jews, etc. giving their demonination a bad name. These fanatical, all-worshipping kinds of people make it SO HARD not to generalize, and everytime I see another asshole spray painting "atone for your sins or go to hell" I try to remember that a lot of my good friends have strong religious backgrounds.

To me, religion is a private matter. I don't want to hear about God or Jesus or the Holy Sepulcher...because I don't go around telling people about agnosticism. What's difficult is that a lot of Christians think that assisting in your conversion will prevent you from burning in the infinite depths of hell, and when you try to say "no thanks," they either try harder or classify you as a satan-worshipper. These are the radical ones, of course.

I know this kid....he's been like my little brother since I was in 5th grade. One day, he goes off to "summer camp" with his friends, and returns wanting to go to church and claiming to have been saved. What the fuck. I was pissed. Actually I was beyond pissed, because first of all I have a problem with "redemption" and that hoo-hah business, and secondly, nobody knew it was going to be bible camp (it was actually Baptist, I'm not sure if that makes a huge difference)

To me, it just seems like organized religion with public outreach programs are just brainwashing and cashing in on the holy moola. Especially with kids, who have yet to develop their on sense of the world. God can be there for you, but he doesn't have to be there for your neighbor, your neighbor's sister and their dog too.

So basically, I hear you on every word....sorry if most of that was just personal ranting, but I need a catharsis with this sort of thing :)
» The-Muffin-Man on 2008-03-14 01:50:12

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