I’ll preface this by noting that when it comes to religion I’m probably best qualified as agnostic. I was raised in a Christian household, went to a Catholic school at one point and believe that there’s a higher power to the universe – it’s just that I tend to have a problem with the earth-based emissaries who claim to speak for God while filling their own pockets, touching little boys, or trying to make their brand of religion the official one. Live and let live I say, and so do most people on the left.
Which leads to this from Fox News pundit and Democrat Kirsten Powers. Powers claims that two books from atheist Sam Harris is clear evidence of Christian-bashing and part of a pattern. Come on.
In my lifetime there will never be an atheist or agnostic president, and the prospect of a Jewish or Muslim one seems pretty shaky as well. While America is not a Christian nation in the mold the right wants it to be, it isn’t exactly diversity central among the ruling class – Democratic or Republican. The difference is, Democrats and liberals tend to view their religion as their own religion and don’t make value judgements on other human beings based on which God they do or don’t worship. But when it comes to the right, if you aren’t a Christian – especially an evangelical – you might as well go to the back of the bus. Even worse is the current band of Christians in charge, who seem to not understand that no matter how strong your religious faith may guide you and lead you (and that’s fine and great and all great leaders have had their faith guide them), when you serve in our government one book of laws prevails over all others.
But Powers – Democrat – says one atheist wrote a couple of books and this totally invalidates the well-documented history of those in power pushing their brand of religion.
Don’t forget also that we atheists are The Most Distrusted Minority group in America.
Do you feel the love?
This is a particularly sore point for me. I am an athiest, as is my husband. Our children are “undecided”. We have taken them to Catbolic mass, Methodist and Baptist services, Mormon Sunday meeting, Wiccan rituals, Native American rituals, and have purchased them books on Islam, Buddhism, Judiasm, Greek and Roman mythology, etc. We have also explained our reasons for not believing any of it. We are confident they will find their own way in this arena if they so chose to enter it at all. In the meantime we operate on the basic principles of right and wrong – which even my five year old can discern, and focus on how to get along in the world and do what is best for everyone involved.
That being said and my children being asleep…
“Christian-bashing” my ass. Although there is supposed to be a clear separation of church and state in this country myself and my children, as well as every other minority religion or absence thereof in America, are subjected to Christian rhetoric on a daily basis. This particular religion holds a coveted place in this country that simply should not, by the very definition of the USA, exist. Though we fund faith-based initiatives, we don’t if they are “witches”, no matter what good for the populous they might do. It certainly doesn’t say “In Buddah We Trust” on our money or “One nation, under Allah..” in our pledge. My children attend a public school and have to deal with the likes of Santa’s Workshop, Christmas pagents, Halloween parades, Easter egg hunts, etc. etc. ad infinitum – none of which belong in a public school. Yet they never come home talking about Kwanxa, Ramadan. Passover, Hannukah, etc. – just the Christian stuff. Likewise the actual holidays they should be learning about – Veteran’s Day, the 4th of July, Columbus Day, Memorial Day, New Year’s, etc., are glossed over to the point of non-existence!
I am consistently amused by the likes of Bill O’Reilly or this woman with their supposed “war on Christianity” bullshit. War on Christianity? How about a war on everything BUT?
My wife and I are atheists and our kids are mostly unaware of christianity, or at least no more influenced by christianity than judaism. This does not mean they lack an acute moral compass. There are good common-sense reasons why one does not lie, steal or bully others. Christians have no monopoly on morality but many have the delusion that they alone are right and everyone else will be left behind. Of course it’s a crock, but people who hold that notion are part of bush’s base, and Rove knows well how to play them for the saps they are.
I’ve always been undeclared, uncertain and skeptical, but I think I live my life more “christian” than a lot of people who indentify themselves thus. I have always been fascinated by Christian and Judaeic mythology and prided myself on the fact that I know more about the Bible than my ex-wife (lifelong catholic) or many other “religious” people.
And yet, I still struggle with labeling myself as an atheist. I can’t say for sure, much like devout people can’t say for sure whether it’s all peaches and sausages in heaven.
God is a convenient way for man to explain the unexplainable. But that’s lazy.