Why the Religious “Right” is Completely Wrong
I’m
a Christian, but I’ll also be the first to admit that I’m not what you
might call a “religious person.” I believe in God, Jesus Christ and an
afterlife—I just don’t believe that any man-made religion should tell me
the right or wrong way to worship my faith.I also don’t view my faith as a belief in symbols or deities. While I believe in God and Jesus, I don’t believe my devotion to my faith has anything to do with how much I talk about — or devote time to — either.
Because the type of person I am is proven by how I treat others, not deities of faith. Isn’t humility the sign of a true leader? Great leaders don’t want the praise, the glory, the attention—they want others to have it. So why would my God be any different?
Isn’t God supposed to be the definition of greatness? Why would I then hold Him to such a low standard?
I believe God and Jesus exist, and as beings which I’ve chosen to put my faith in, I don’t believe either of them are these egotistical a-holes that the religious right seem to make them out to be.
Why would anyone honestly worship someone they feared? That never made sense to me. ”Fear God”—why??
If God is all knowing and all loving, who “gave his only begotten son” for the sins of all humankind, why would he be such a vengeful prick as many Republicans and hardcore religious zealots make Him out to be?
It’s never made any sense to me. I fear evil dictators, murderers—generally bad people. And I sure as hell wouldn’t worship someone, or something, which I viewed negatively.
But even beyond the symbols which represent Christianity, I see my faith as something that should be transcendent. Values which shouldn’t just represent faith but human kindness in general.
These values aren’t just tied to my faith, which is why I have chosen to follow that faith. I believe the values which represent true Christianity are those that represent true humanity.
So you can be an atheist, Muslim, Buddhist—whatever, doesn’t matter. If your goal in life is to be a good person, help others and treat others with kindness, call yourselves whatever you want—we’re all following the same system of beliefs.
We just differ on what happens once we die. But then, who really cares? Because that’s what “religions” really break down to. What happens when we die. Our treatment and view of humanity, for people who represent true goodness, goes beyond a single set of any faith’s points of view. We call ourselves what we call ourselves, but who we are goes beyond words or labels.
It’s how we treat others and exist in this world that matters. Not what we call ourselves, how often we sit inside of a building or what percentage we tip to our religion.
To me, Christianity isn’t targeted around a believe in God or Jesus — it’s about being good to one another, helping one another, defending those who can’t defend themselves, accepting those who are different, forgiveness and kindness.
Anyone can claim to believe in God, Jesus and call themselves a Christian. A claim to believe in these symbols of Christianity does not make someone a Christian.
Horrific acts have often been committed in “the name of God and Christianity.” So to me, words are cheap — actions are what matter.
You can go to church all you want, read the Bible 100 times, give 10% each Sunday to your church and participate in as many church functions as you can make time for, but if you’re a judgmental, ignorant prick—what’s the point?
At that point, “faith” just turns into a self-serving placebo to make these types of people feel better about themselves. They go to church because they’re supposed to. They give 10% each week to their church because it’s what they’re told they’re supposed to do. They participate in these church functions often because, “What might people think of them if they’re not there?”
You know—other judgmental, ignorant pricks.
It’s a group of self-serving people surrounding themselves with others just like them in a circle of hate, fear, ignorance and paranoia. They perpetuate this belief that attending a building once a week, tithing 10% and volunteering to appease others caught in this cycle of ignorance suddenly makes you a “good Christian person.”
All the while, many of these people judge, hate, fear, loathe and persecute anyone who is different from themselves. They do this while claiming they worship a man who stood for acceptance, love, hope, compassion and helping others.
It makes absolutely no damn sense.
Because let’s look at facts. Adolf Hitler often spoke that his actions were those of God, and the Westboro Baptist Church believes they’re fighting the cause of Christianity.
Neither represent, or represented, the values for which Jesus Christ lived.
Words are cheap. Like I said, anyone can call themselves a Christian. But it takes true belief in goodness, kindness and morality to actually represent the values for which true Christianity symbolizes.
Which are traits many who proudly call themselves the “religious right” simply don’t represent.
No comments:
Post a Comment