It's been brought to my attention that I occasionally offend my relatives. This can't be helped. My pat response to that remark is that very little offends me. My atheism call be attacked all day long and I can't be offended. The reason is my atheism is based on reality and facts. It stands on it's own and I don't have to defend it.
But, as I thought about this further, there are things that offend me and offend me deeply. When people use their religion to justify acts of aggression or murder toward individuals or groups of people I am offended. The murder of Dr Tiller by a mentally ill man who used his religious views to justify murder is offensive. People who justify the oppression of women by referring to scripture offends me. The justification of preventing all people in our country to be free to marry the person of their choice by cherry-picking verses from the Old Testament while giving good, solid reasons to ignore eating shellfish is offensive. This is a short list but you get the idea.
By coincidence Pat Condell posted this video today which I whole heartedly agree with.
As I'm maturing within my atheism I'm discovering that extremely religious people are just going to hate me no matter what. I can show them what a caring and thoughtful person I am and it doesn't mean a hill of beans. All the struggling I've done trying to get my family to accept me has been an exercise of futility. The problem isn't me, it's that atheism is still not accepted in the general public and that religion gives these people a pass to treat us as second class humans. It's the nature of the beast (religion) that they will never accept us as equals.
So the anger is gone and replaced with sadness.
4 comments:
Hopefully, you being a kind, thoughtful person will make Christians think. I know several Christians who jokingly say I'm still a Christian because I try to go to such lengths to be kind and compassionate in what I say.
LOL, yeah I've been told that I'm a good Christian on many occasions too. Unfortunately, although I think my family loves me, there will always be that overcast of bad feelings because, in their ill-informed world, I stand for all that they think is wrong with the world.
I like to throw in a good "Hail Satan!" every now and then for good measure. ;-)
So the anger is gone and replaced with sadness.
I agree.
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