Talking with a coworker at lunch today, religion came up. She was talking about how prayer to Jesus has helped her. Now, I respect her beliefs.
I used to be very Catholic, and even after I abandoned Catholicism (around the time that bishop was saying that if you don’t vote for George W Bush you are going to hell and the time where it was revealed that the Catholic church was protecting pedophiles and fucking over victims), I considered myself still Christian because it never OCCURRED to me that you can be a non-Christian and still believe in the God I was used to believing in. I was so conditioned by American society: “You have to believe in Jesus Christ to believe in God. You have to believe that the Bible is God’s word, to be taken literally line by line, to believe in God.”
Guess what, judgmental chicklets. Neither is true! Yes, you heard it here first, Americans!
I respect people’s beliefs for the most part (not you $cientology - fuck you, seriously, you murdering, robbing fucks). However, I can’t help but be put off when I get the reaction I got from my coworker today, and have gotten from good friends in the past. It’s always the same thing.
Person: I take great comfort in my belief in Jesus.
Me: That’s great!
Person: Come to church with me!
Me: Thank you for the invite, but I’m not Christian. I believe in God, but not Jesus Christ.
Person: I know there’s a God! * spouts evidence that there is a God *
Me: I never said I didn’t believe in God. I said I’m not a Christian.
Person: That’s so sad that you don’t have the comfort of believing in a higher power, blah blah…
Me: OK, you know the love you give to Jesus? I give that love directly to God. I cut out the middleman and pass the savings on to you, the consumer!
Person: How can you be an atheist?
Me: I wasn’t an atheist until this very conversation, because if there was a just and loving God, you wouldn’t be permitted to annoy me like you are!
People, the majority of the world that believes in God or a higher power does NOT believe in Jesus Christ. I know America (namely Republicans) has made it SEEM like a belief in God is synonymous with Christianity, but it most certainly is not. Christianity makes up about 33% of the world’s religion. Non-religious people and atheism is about 13%, leaving the majority of the world believing in a higher power that has nothing to do with Jesus.
I respect the right of people to believe in the Bible (I kind of believed in parts of it until I watched the documentaries on the History Channel) and to believe in Jesus. However, I resent those Christians who declare I can’t believe in a higher power without Jesus.
Every organized religion declares that they know The Answer. They know exactly what God thinks, what God wants us to believe, and how God wants us to live our lives. They have the market cornered on truth, and if you do their bidding (give your money and recruit others) you too can be let in on The Answer and be able to act superior and condescending to others for the remainder of your life.
I say that thinking “Only WE have figured out God!” is the epitome of conceit and arrogance, and I think people from just about any religion would agree that neither trait is desired in a Godly person.
For a country that was founded on the principle of Freedom of Religion, we have seriously SERIOUSLY lost our way. Everyone needs to really re-think their attitudes about tolerating other beliefs, and about whether or not we want our government to be intertwined with religion, because that is where we are headed. It is truly terrifying.
So stop judging me just because I put my crucifix away. And I promise not to judge you for believing in a book that says God is pro-slavery, anti-female, and has severe ego and anger issues.
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Effing hilarious.
Wise and decent. I suspect that in my liberal and diverse Maryland, your religious perspective and identity would pass much more without particular notice or harassment. While atheism (i.e. not your beliefs) is somewhat controversial here, we are a liberal, life-and-let-live state. (of course if you write from Maryland, joke’s on me, eh?)
No worries Bruce; I write from Colorado
Jesus
I’ve had this same conversation with people!
I couldn’t agree more on this. Jesus, whether you believe in Son of God or not, was not preaching a new religion. I believe he was trying to push people into seeking spirtuality more. Not complacency in belief. We are all on a journey. Each person finding their own path for themselves. These Christian Fundamentalist are so far from following Jesus, they are unable to have an open conversation. It most likely stems from a belief in church or religion as opposed to something have felt inside. Jesus was about open conversations and radical thinking. Not a strict guidlines. Paul and the church created those to control. It’s all in the bible-not the word of God by the way- just have to read.