DangerousTalk

Recently, someone asked me why I am so angry with so many Christians and with Christianity as a system of belief. They wanted to know what negative experiences I have had personally which have caused my anger. The fact is that no such personal ultra-negative experiences have occurred; yet I am still angry with a large number of Christians and even more angry with Christianity as a whole system of belief. Why?

I have reasoned that this world is all we have and that this life is the only life we have… that we know of. I have no reason to think otherwise. I also think human beings are great creatures and that people more often than not try to be moral, good, and just. I believe in human progress and scientific exploration. I want humankind to return to space and explore the Universe like in Star Trek. I want scientific research to find cures for diseases and to embrace new technologies, which will make life easier and better. I believe that all people should be treated equal regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. And most importantly, I believe in the future.

Quite frankly, I think Christianity is the biggest threat to all that. I think that it is a threat to Human dignity, Human freedom, Human exploration, Human education, Human scientific advances, Human tolerance, Human progress, and even Human survival. Why wouldn’t I be angry?

Actually, I’m not sure if anger is even the right word for my emotion, but it is the word that atheists get labeled with by Christians so that is the word I have used here. Personally, I think it is more like frustration than anger. Frustration with watching large numbers of people actively working against those things that I value and against the future of humanity because of some ancient book which scientists, historians, and almost anyone who can think critically can easily disprove. It’s just embarrassing.

To think that society is stuck and on egg shells because some people have a hard time giving up their belief in a 2000 year old myth. Admittedly, no Christian today believes the same things that Christians believed 2000 years ago. But this is because in the modern world those beliefs would be extra ridiculous. But almost every ideological change Christianity has made which makes it more conducive to actual human progress has been made kicking and screaming at those who embraced science and reason. Modernity has made Christianity more reasonable, but Christianity as a system of belief is still kicking and screaming.

Now in the age of nuclear weapons and global climate change, the kicking and screaming of those who wish to hold to ancient myths has become much more dangerous to us all. I’m frustrated and I think you should be too.

Filed under: Religion