It won’t be an exaggeration if I say that I have not met many truly liberal persons who are religious. You see, religious people have boundaries; and some religious people who are comparatively open-minded, would insist/ expect that their faith be kept alone while scrutinizing everything else in the world. See, there is ALWAYS a limit to which they’d let themselves go in and explore.
Also- most of them would want their faith to be given respect, even by the non-believers. And why, look at us even? We (some of us atheists like me, that is) treat their faith like it is in a glass jar, as one simple ‘wrong’ handling will cause an immense amount of heartache, and we don’t really want that…
But do THEY reciprocate about out our (lack of) faith?
No! Of course not! They think it’s their RIGHT, because they are defending ‘the holy’, and we atheists are supposed to respect their sacred feelings for the religion and the God WE DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE IN. So the try to push their theories down our throat, DEMANDS that we keep our opinions to ourselves- in order not to OFFEND them.
When you think about it, how is it fair- exactly?
I know one person who thought I was over-reacting because I expressed that I abhor ‘gender generalization’ of any kind, but then gets touchy when her God is insulted (Example: I say ‘Your God is an Ego-maniac’ in response to her ‘Girls are meant to mind the kitchen’). Is it so hard to take that her God means nothing to the likes of me, just like ‘gender generalization’ means little to nothing to the likes of her?
All I am saying is- if it’s respect that’s expected- one should be prepared to reciprocate.
Can’t we treat the so-called holy books like we treat any literature? I mean, why are they beyond criticism? Why would ANYTHING be beyond criticism? Besides, why is it important that people (other than you) give YOUR faith the same respect? Why do you expect that special favour from the whole world?
Besides- to me ‘gender generalization’ (or generalization of any kind) is far more offensive than blasphemy. And those who react to blasphemy, I believe, are suffering from a form of disorder/ inability on their part to take jokes and/or other people’s opinions.
Cut the crap, please. Get it for REAL, for once.
Or simply LEARN to live with differences. It’s about time.
Seeing all these for all these years- I’m fairly certain that religion makes people blind. I believe religion is man-made and so is God… if you don’t agree- well and good. I am not exactly burning (myself or you) to convert your faith to mine (therelackof).
Besides, this is my blog- and not some Holy Book, and, therefore, you are free to disagree.
But but but…. I do promise I WILL get VERY VERY offensive if you keep it up, dude. Just a warning. I don’t play well with stupidity.
Well, I am very offended because, as you know, Jesus is my best friend and I only exist to be a submissive lady who has lots and lots of babies and cook for men.
Oh wait, no. That’s someone else. I’m the godless heathen. Hi Mo!
I respect people’s beliefs plenty so long as they respect mine back. It goes both ways. If you want me to consider your belief in God, please consider my disbelief with the same respect. Right?
Right- K-jee!
We totally understand each-other here
In everyone’s own story, they are the hero. In everyone’s mind, they’re always right. Since they are right, anything you say to the contrary means you’re lying and unsympathetic and mean and distasteful… even if they themselves do the exact same thing to someone else against something they believe.
Cause the world obviously revolves around them. Didn’t you get the memo?
You just can’t fix stupid. :p
LOL @ the ‘memo’ punch.
Yes- there seems to be a lot of memo messages lost on me.
You okay?
Who? Me? I’m good! ^_^
Don’t feel bad, I don’t get the memos most of the time either.
Yea. You. But good’s good
Sent from my iPod
Christian literalists will go to virtually any length to override any expression which doesn’t support their beliefs. “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that’s all there is. End of discussion.” When asked why I am an atheist, I offered that I could not believe that any entity that would wipe out an entire city: men, women and children (and their livestock or pets) because they didn’t believe in him (OT, Numbers 31) cannot be a god and won’t get my loyalty. Unaware of this biblical passage — I find most literalists to be sadly under-informed about this thing they have devoted their life to — she asked me about it. I described it to her and she responded, “Well, see? They didn’t believe in him. They brought it on themselves.”
How do I deal with such thinking??!! It’s okay, by the Christian zealot line, to machine-gun, to flame-throw, to nuke, any group of people who don’t believe as they do. Totally okay! That’ll teach ‘em!!
She and I don’t talk about religion or faith or pretty much anything else anymore. I was nauseated by her response to Numbers 31 and I’m pretty sure she has picked up on that. We are cordial and nothing more than that.