Playing the ‘Offended’ Card
While the holiday season is fresh in my mind, I wanted to talk about yet another aspect of Christian hypocrisy. During the holiday season, fundamentalist Christians often yell at the top of their lungs that if atheists are offended by Christmas crap, that’s too bad. O’Reilly friends have are happy to inform us that the Constitution doesn’t protect people from being offended.
Personally, I totally agree with O’Reilly and friends on this. In general, I am not really offended by Christmas crap (just disappointed). In some cases however there is a Constitutional issue but that is not what I want to discuss here. The issue that I want to discuss today is O’Reilly and other fundamentalists complete opposite view during the rest of the year.
It seems to me that in America the number one group of people who seem to be constantly offended and who play the “offended” card the most tend to be fundamentalist religious people (usually Christians). Whether it is radio, television, movies, or print media, Christian groups are constantly setting up letter writing campaigns and call-in campaigns to program sponsors and the FCC because they are offended.
The fact is that we choose what offends us. That being the case, maybe atheists and people of reason should choose to be offended by stuff too. For example, most Christians (fundamentalists and non-fundamentalists alike) tend to wear a symbolic torture device around their necks. Sometimes even with a mostly naked guy being tortured right on it. Now sure, I understand what this symbolizes to most Christians, but do you know what it symbolizes to me?
I see the Christian Crucifix as a symbol of intolerance. The Christian view is that if you don’t believe in Jesus you will be tortured for all eternity in Hell. I find that offensive. Do you know what else I find offensive? Have you every watch the 700 Club or Fox News? What about all the wacky religious radio shows, the televangelists, and church sermons which are hateful to gays and non-Christians? I find a lot of that stuff offensive.
So let’s write to the FCC and let them know that we find these threats of eternal damnation are offensive and hateful. Maybe instead of cracking down on curse words and baring a little skin, there bureaucrats will start knocking down church doors with fines of millions of dollars and the American people can get al least some of our tax exempt church back.
Filed under: Blasphemy, censorship, Christmas, culture war, free speech, Political Activism, Religion
