Religion

Look, I’m going to just say it. Christians confuse the hell out of me. I would probably be confused by other religions if I knew more about them. Here’s my issue. You all read the same book, right? So I have Bob the Christian telling me that gay people are going to hell. Ok, fine. If the book you believe tells you that, whatever. But then John, who reads the same book and also is a Christian, tells me that nope, gay people are just fine with God. What? Oh, and then Steve over there, fucking Steve, who is also a Christian and has also read the same book, tells me that God isn’t ok with gays, but they aren’t automatically going to hell either. The whole thing makes my head hurt. Quite frankly, people who have tried to explain it just confuse me more and they end up really pissed off at me saying I’m being willfully obtuse.

It seems to me that the different flavors of Christianity seem to pick the things they like out and then just kind of ignore the rest. Know what? That’s perfectly fine. Believe whatever you want. If you think gay people are going to hell, you just go right ahead and believe that. Also, for the record, I have no problem with gay people. I’m just using gay as an example because that it the argument I hear the most. Anyway, you be you and believe whatever you want. 

That being said, stop trying to hold everyone else to your “moral” standards. You people can’t even get your morals straight from one flavor to the next. Sometimes I find it doubtful that some of you actually read that book from cover to cover. If you want to make me live by your “rule” book, then have it have actual rules. Instead, a lot of you “interpret” the Bible. So let me get this straight, you have a book written by man (quite a few different ones to boot), telling me a story that is yet again interpreted by man. Then you go to church and have yet another man tell you his version of events. 

I’m not religious. I do have a curious mind and am an avid reader, so I have read that book. It was a good story, once you got past the archaic writing. I came away thinking it was a sort of handbook to teach you to be a decent human being and how not to be a dick. The New Testament seemed to be more about acceptance and love than the fire and brimstone Old Testament. 

I’m not actually against Christianity. I know I’m coming off as so. I’m sure I’ve met quite a few wonderful Christians. I wouldn’t know for sure because a good portion of Christians sit quietly in the background doing things to help people and generally trying to just be good and devout and in line with the teachings. They don’t feel the need to blare it out to the world or to try to convert everyone they meet. They don’t feel obligated to impose their beliefs on non-believers. Wait for it...here’s the but....

I do have a problem with “Christians “. Those are the ones who use their religion to be an asshat. They use their religion to discriminate, and then whine and cry about their religious freedom when they get called on it. They’re the ones who want to keep people fleeing from violence and war in their country out of America due to the refugees having a different set of beliefs. For fucks sake, they’re the ones who declare that there’s a “War on Christmas” when people say happy holiday instead of merry Christmas. Sorry, but I will always say happy holidays. It’s more inclusive since the entire world aren’t all Christians. I don’t just assume that everyone default is Christian, and while that Jewish dude isn’t going to be offended if I say merry Christmas to him, I believe that happy holidays is a way to wish someone good will and health while also acknowledging that he may celebrate something different. 

Also, why are a lot of you scared of Muslims? Yes, there have been terror attacks from Muslims. There have also been terror attacks by Christians. Do y’all want to be judged on that Christian guy that shot up a family planning clinic? How about I judge you for the actions of Scott Roeder. Remember him? The guy that walked into a church and shot a doctor in the head? Ringing any bells? Really, if you do the research, you will find many more instances of Christian killing sprees than you will find Muslim terrorism in America. You really don’t need to worry about getting killed in a Muslim terror attack, you’re more likely to get killed by your neighbor. It’s kind of important to remember that every single religion has extremists. 

On a related note, there are a lot of stories in the Quran that resemble stories in the Bible. There are difference to the stories, but they are similar enough to make a comparison. Which leads me to ask how do you know that you’re version of the Bible is the “right” version? It seems to me if Jesus was born in the Middle East, and the stories settings are in the Middle East, then why is it you discount the Quran? Through the years, the Bible has been modified. There were books added and books left out. Yet you choose to believe that over a book that has its roots in the Middle East, the players were from the Middle East, and it’s still pretty much the original text.