Answering a loving Christian

This letter is in response to a different cousin who wanted to let me know that he didn't hate me but, because of the compassion of his christianity, he was required to pray that I find jesus/god. I find it funny that they think that's enough to convert me. He also states that his christianity is what compels him to help other people.

My letter to him:

Dear Cousin,

I don't think every Christian hates atheists, but the bible does give permission for you to hate people like me. And that's a problem. The fact that you feel you have a responsibility to pray for me to no longer be an atheist does mean you have some negative feelings about me. In other words, me being an atheist is wrong (negative) and that the only way I won't be wrong (bad, negative) is for me to convert to Christianity.

One thing you don't know about me is that I was never a Christian. I knew at an early age that Christianity wasn't a religion for women. Later in life I revisited Christianity just in case I was wrong and discovered I wasn't. I still don't understand why women willingly submit themselves to such an obviously patriarchal and misogynist religion. I also studied Eastern religions and found they too had dogma that I found wanting and immoral. I haven't turned away from religion because I wanted to live a life of debauchery, I turned away because it doesn't make any sense to devote time and energy to something one has to take on faith; something that can't be proven.

I too have helped people, as you have, but I didn't rely on faith to help them. I helped them because it was the right thing to do and the moral thing to do. My compassion comes from wanting the best for my fellow human being and not wanting to see anyone get hurt. I have also gone out of my way to help people I don't know and will never see again.

If there is anything that I've written about that you wish to comment on please feel free to do so. I try to be very thorough in my arguments and cover all my bases. In other words, I like to be challenged.

I do respect everyone on this email list. I have never attacked anyone personally and it isn't my nature to do so. Unfortunately, as I have found on this email list, Christians are easily offended. I cannot understand why Christians get defensive about a religion that is supposed to be so good. You would think such a religion could stand up on it's own merits. I have yet to defend science.

Thanks so much for your email. I'm glad you don't hate me, but please don't feel you have to pray for me. Unless God does something he's never done before I will not believe in him. If he exists, he knows what that something is. I'm sure your prayers won't help him.