| Ok, I had a bit of an argument with my friend recently because of his Christian ways. I kinda poked fun at his questionable reasons for following Christianity. I thought it was some harmless fun, but then he posted this on his xanga, full well knowing that I have access to it:
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Alright a few things:
You can think of me as whatever you want, but just don't look at me as an example of what's right or wrong with Christians. If you think my values represent the values of Christians, you are sadly mistaken. If you go to Church you will find out that there are wonderful people who believe with strong conviction in God and the Bible and who do not waver from their faith. Yes, you will find thousands of other people like me [edited his name out] who swear, cheat, lie and screw but you will also find people who are not hypocritical, who truely believe in their God with pure hearts.
If you want to deny any faith in God, go ahead, deny it, but don't go looking for shortcuts by wagging your finger at people like me. Go look for yourself. And if you did look for yourself, explain your beliefs from what you've learned yourself. Because if you just never thought of it seriously, but just want to deny because it feels stupid to admit there's something or someone better than you, then yeah you don't know anything. And yeah, if you spout off without using your head, you're just as bad as the 'crazies' on the other side of the spectrum who hold fanatic-like beliefs.
If you think about it, the question of 'God, yes or no?' is the most important question you'll face in your life. If there IS a God and you didn't think there was, and if he judged the Christian way, and you didn't think he did, you're pretty much screwed. If there is NO God but you thought there was, then you've lived a complete lie your whole life. It would baffle me if people did not try to find out for themselves a question to which there are many people on both sides of the equation. It would baffle me if people just dismissed either notion as laughable or unbelievable without looking seriously at the other side.
And yeah, I'm ranting and its mostly directly at 'you', but whatever.
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Ok for those who know.. the 'you' reffered to in his blog is little old me :)
I can look at you however I want, that is my porogative as an individual. Perhaps I'm judging you, actually thats exactly what I'm doing, but isn't that what you Christians are all about... waiting to be judged, be it upon death or when the eventual rapture occurs? Obviously not but us dirty sinful mortals, but I assume you'd be open to it in hopes of becomming a better Christian. In anycase my point is that I can think whatever I want, and I can also be convinced otherwise, given correct cohersion (Just as God can be convinced otherwise, according to the bible). I have been to church both in the past and recently (I am a confirmed member) and I am aware that there are strong beleivers in Chritianity that exist out there, as well as some real questionable ones. Dont say though that those who have strong convition in the bible are wonderful people though because if you were to take the bible as the absolute word then yeah you'd be like those crazy evangelists who want to give capital punishment to homosexuals etc... Just look at the Spanish Inquisition, that WAS the bible taken literally.... ask most Christians today what they think about it... and they say it was a bad idea. The bible is not socially progressive.. that is why there was a need for more moderate Chrisitianity. I guess that is what I am trying to say: If you're going to be going about moderate Christianity, why keep the bible as such an integral part of it. You should be distancing yourself from it, instead of brining it up in every sermon. Or at the very least omit a bunch of sections from it that dont fit your cause... much like the early church did when choosing which gospels to include. Ok well I went off on a tangent there a bit... hehe.
Secondly... dont be going on telling me im looking for shortcuts when it comes to god. I've actually read the bible cover to cover, now how many of your church go-ers have even done that? I took a lot of time and consideration before deciding to be an atheist. I've read Listening to God by Joyce Huggett, Who Needs God by Harold Kusner, God's Bedfellows by David Carpenter, and The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. If you want me to explain to you my reasoning for my final conclusion on this I'd be more than happy my friend, but typing it would take far too long. I do think there someone or something better than me. Life. Growth is not accomplish by simply wishing it upon someone who more often that not does not even acknowledge your existence. It is done through people, and experiences. Don't sit at home with mommy and daddy protected and sheltered shouting out your grand conclusions on life when you've never even lived in it. Get out there, put yourself outside your comfort zone, take risks, TALK to people who dont agree with you in hopes of learning, look at both sides of the coin. And even then you're in no posistion to draw any sort of conclusion from life. Its an ongoing interactive process and just trusting in God or Allah, or Yahweh to take care of you is frankly .. weak. Consult him, maybe, but dont depend on him.
Finally, lets review one of your quotes. "If there IS a God and you didn't think there was, and if he judged the Christian way, and you didn't think he did, you're pretty much screwed" Okay, beleiving in something just for the sake of beleiving in something to avoid damnation, as you implied here, is simply rediculous. When I choose to beleive in something I'm gonna be damn sure of why I beleive it and fully accepting of any consequences derived from it. But putting all that aside, lets for a moment, assume I beleived in the God thing.. and I died and went to heaven. This way I'm not screwed right? Totally wrong. I would be just as screwed knowig full well that all my friends who are, for the most part, better people than me would be suffering in Hell just becuase they didn't beleive, regardless of the fact that they probably followed the moral principals of Christianity better I did. Wouldn't that just just be the most gut wrenching experience? Knowing you are up there sitting pretty while people more deserving are sitting down there in suffering for eternity? Or maybe true Christians like yourself simply dont give two shits about anyone but themselves and their fellow Christians... fucking elitist if you ask me. For me, experienceing that for eternity would be a fate worse than Hell, so I'm dammed if I do and I'm dammned if I dont I guess, but at least the way I choose to be dammed, I could live with for eternity.
You know what though my friend? I still love you and I know you have a great deal more to teach me. I'm not trying to make you question your belief system or trying to make you feel bad, and if I did this I'm sorry. The fact you came out and attacked me so outright means I guess I struck a nerve. I had to defend myself, but know that I dont hink any less of you. Now to quote a terribly geeky program: "Live long and prosper" :) |
