Booyakasha.


Religious Rant (don't read if easily offended)

Okay, something that's been pissing me off recently. OVERLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE. Now it's one thing to believe that we're too intelligent to have evolved from apes and in the beginning, single-celled organisms, or that you need some kind of justification for what you do in day to day life, namely, that there's a big guy (or girl, or more than one) up there that justifies what you do and makes everything right. But to preach your beliefs onto other people that you know for a fact do not believe the same way, that's stepping over the line. I'm atheist, damn proud of it too. But I'm not an asshole about it, I respect every religion as long as it doesn't involve hate, and I won't insult you because of what you believe and I expect the same courtesy from you. But like I said, if you try to forcibly change what I believe, I tend to get a bit mad. I was once approached by a staunch Christian, who said, and I quote: "The Lord justifies all that we do and you're gonna roast in hell if you don't believe so." Now this wasn't your average 30-year old priest with the sags under the eyebrows and the overly played out "I'm always happy cuz God tells me to be" demeanor, this was a 14-year old kid from my school. Complete with a golden cross bling around his neck, baggy shorts that were at least 8 sizes too big for him and a black t-shirt that hung around past his knees, he pretty much spelled out "I kill shit and do drugs but somehow I'm protected by God". Now maybe that wasn't fair. But at any rate, I did nothing to deserve this, he just somehow got wind that I was atheist and decided to put his two holy cents in. This was not appreciated. I sat him down, and asked him to justify what he just said to me. He came back with some crack that was fundamentally untrue, how all atheists worshipped satan and how I was a communist vampire sent to destroy the American dream (I'm not kidding here by the way, exact terminology he used). And I believe I argued and argued with him, but that's the thing with these people. THEY CAN'T BE SWAYED NO MATTER WHAT. I finally got him off my back, but after perhaps 45 minutes. But now that I've gotten the over-religious out of the way, I'd like to clear some things up about atheists like myself. Uno: we are not devil-worshippers, there is actually no such religion, even satanism is just the advancement of oneself through your own spiritual practices. Dos: we aren't all assholes. We don't want to end your religion, we don't want to persecute you, and we expect the same from you. Don't mess with our "religion" (rather, a lack thereof) and we won't mess with yours. Tres: we are human beings just like you, we deserve the same respect that you give each other. We're not vampires. We're not cutters. We're not those creepy people you see in the alley shooting up heroine. We're regular people just like you, and recently that seems to have been forgotten. However, we're not without flaw either. While we're not all jerks, there's a good percentage of us that is basically kids trying to be "hardcore" by not believing what they've been taught in bible school and insulting religion in itself. This is stupid. Religion, in my eyes, is a way for people to unwind and to believe their life has a purpose. That's fine, it doesn't make you any weaker as a person. Atheists don't seem to need this protection, and that doesn't make us any stronger than you. In closing, we're all people, just treat us that way.



Words by Lucas
Read 1264 times
Written on 2006-09-12 at 02:52

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Russell
Completely awesome piece

Remind me - who is this "14-year old kid from my school. Complete with a golden cross bling around his neck, baggy shorts that were at least 8 sizes too big for him and a black t-shirt that hung around past his knees, he pretty much spelled out 'I kill shit and do drugs but somehow I'm protected by God'" again?

could it be Malik? aka Restrainin' Orda'!
2006-10-15


Edna Sweetlove
Whilst I yield no no one in my condemnation and mockery of religion, I couldn't read this.

Why not, I hear you ask.

Two reasons.

1] No paragraphs, so daunting and potentially boring to read;

2] Too earnest, no humour, no mockery.

Mockery is the best way to approach the Godsquad.
2006-10-14


IronicBanana
Wow... finally someone who understands!!!!!! If only my parents thought that too...
2006-09-20


Rik The PoetBay support member heart!
Hi Lucas a great write, a very well written piece expressing some very valid points about people accepting and understanding people for what they are. Whether religious or non religious. No question about the writing skills, easy to read and enjoyed it.

Unfortunately for me it slipped up at the very end, by brandishing people creeps! Just because they are also outside of a norm, this time your norm. You don't like being called a vampire and i am sure others do not like being called creeps. Maybe these so called creeps "are also regular people". Maybe they fear, they feel pain, they offer compasion, they love and they can can also be hurt. Maybe they are where they are through circumstances outside of their control. I don't know do you?
2006-09-12


Zachary P. B.
Hey Lucas,

I read this and wasn't upset or anything, just I felt for you... I have a lot of feelings, and sometimes that's good and sometimes that's bad. I understand that you probably don't want to listen to what everyone's saying on this, and believe me I've been in that boat. I've been called "fag" many a time at my school (and I go to a Christian one) because I'm in theatre and have feminine qualities...

You may be thinking that people that are Christian are total hypocrites, well the truth is a lot are. Many Muslims have a lot of faith, but the extremists kill others who do not worship Allah, Jews are very traditional and cannot see that the world is slowly changing... You may be right, Lucas. There may be no God, I may be totally wrong.

But as turned off as I am by total hypocrites of any religion or people, of my own church even, I have faith in the good of humanity... And I'm sorry that this had to happen to you, it shouldn't happen to anyone anyway, but the world we live in is not a perfect one. I do have faith in a God that loves me, Lucas, but you believe what you want because I can't decide for you, I just pray that people come into your life with a better heart filled with love instead of hypocrisy.

All the best,
Zachary
2006-09-12


Kathy Lockhart
Judgements can certainly be made by all of us. Wrong judgements. I am sorry to hear that you were spoken to that way. Certainly not a Christ-like thing to do. Hope you encounter more love in this world than hate. Hate kills all hope of persuasion of any kind. kathy
2006-09-12


-Angela
i wanted to come back and share a story of my own. (being raised in a religous setting and all)

there was one time... only one time, that i spoke openly to a group of people about my religion, before this past year... i was 10 years old at the time, with a group of my friends, and they were asking me questions. i was very uncomfortable, squirming and doing the best that i could. they continued with questions until my entire belief system was out- yes, including hell. it was then that my best friend asked me something like, 'are you saying that people like my mom can be good people, and if they don't love Jesus, they can still go to hell?' (what a moment for ten year olds to be having...) i struggled and finally answered yes, being as honest as i felt i had to be, and feeling horrified to have to answer. she started crying so hard... and i started crying and hugging her and apologizing and telling her that maybe i was wrong...

after that, i quickly learned how people feel about religion and particularly Jesus... i had upset everyone... made a mistake...

for nearly twenty years, i have been afraid to speak of Jesus, as if it would be received as something like swearing, or doing something awful by telling someone He loves them... and still now, i get nervous every single time i approach the subject of Jesus with people... and the only reason i ever might do so, is because of love.

i truly believe, and sometimes it seems it's expected by society that i hide it because He's not socially accptable... you see, the point i'm trying to make is that it hurts to be any part of humanity being judged... christian and atheist alike.

i'm sorry to take up so much room on your page... this just really got to me. it breaks my heart... we each should do and say and be whatever we choose... but sometimes the judging isn't solely in the hands of the religious...
2006-09-12


PoeticProcrastination
Hi.

First off: I am spiritual, not religious. (Yes, there is a difference.) But when I was little, I was neither. My parents were both atheists (scientists and all), but they were very careful to raise me WITHOUT overly influencing my religious beliefs.

When I was in first grade, I was sitting at a table in the cafeteria. I was eating my lunch. And I was minding my own business.

And then a girl asked me if I believed in God.

And I thought about it for a while. A pretty long time, actually. I considered everything I knew about science and religion and nature and divinity. And then I answered her with the utmost confidence:

"No."

(I bet you can guess the rest that happened. Mostly it was about me not going to Heaven and inviting sin/temptation/the Devil and I would die and go to "H-E-double hockey sticks" and then I would wish I had believed in God.)

This was my first exposure to the children of religious fanatics. I was, as I repeat, in first grade.

This kind of thing almost always starts with parents, as I think you said. And it starts as young as six or seven years old.

(I think you meant "OVERLY RELIGIOUS PEOPLE", rather than "OVER", but that's just me being a grammar freak.)

Thank you for this. It's very well-written, and I can tell you were careful to keep it non-offensive. I love finding another open-minded atheist/non-religious out there once in a while.

Cheers.
2006-09-12


-Angela
well... tonight i said the words, 'i wish you would just pray. what have you got to lose'... so i guess maybe i could easily fit into that category. having said that, personally, i feel the words said to you were wrong, and that entire attitude is wrong...

but sometimes people might say things because they care about you. (at least this was my feeling as i said those words about prayer earlier tonight...) maybe sometimes words are said wrong or are unwelcome... but even if someone was a satanist, and claimed to speak to me only because they loved me and worried for me as well as my soul, i think i would try to understand that i don't have to accept it, but try to understand the concern behind it...

i am a christian. the things i say now are not to put down christianity or to say that i am a model of the faith... it's just me being honest... i smoke cigarettes. i sometimes smoke pot. i sometimes swear, lie, do mean things and all that... (i won't go into the belief in Grace, etc, as it might not be welcome) but the thing is, by being this screwed up, i know i'm no better than anyone else...

i think whatever the religion, it should be approachable and real, not something completely unattainable and cold... i'm sorry that you're experiences have been bad... i think oftentimes it's the people though, and not the religion.
2006-09-12