Question Everything
My parents raised my sister and me in a very fundamentally christian home. So, naturally, I became an anti-theist for a while. ;) After a while, though, I realized that I was simply on the other end of the same spectrum I claimed to despise. Allow me to pick apart the religion I know better than the back of my hand...
WWJD - Just writing that brought bile to the back of my throat, but anyway. If one were to delve into this with a completely unbiased and open mind (I feel like I may have reached homeostasis in this, as I've been on both extremes, and am now attempting to find an un-extreme), one would observe these things from the written bible: commandments, red lettering (Jesus' words), and an outline for a good christian way of living. One would observe from new findings and history: people wrote the bible, not God; people fuck everything up, especially when things are going well; because of the vast number of time the bible has been edited, it should not be taken word for word; and there is no possible way to know anything definitively ever. period. end. Therefore, an un-fanatical point of view (in either direction) on the christian religion would be something like: the bible teaches great concepts, and I'd benefit from applying those concepts to my life in a way that is appropriate with the times. Among quite a few other things, but that would take forever. The point I'm trying to stress is that christians today, and most always have gotten lost in the rules and words, missing what really matters: the concept. If any christian were to dissect the WWJD concept by stepping back and thinking about how Jesus of the bible led his life, their little righteous bubble would be obliterated. J hung out with hoes, outcasts, homeless folks, and general miscreants. So who would he be hanging out with today? Hoes, outcasts, homeless folks, and general miscreants. The Pharisees (the christians who got lost in the rules and words back then) were really uncomfortable with J. He rattled their righteous little bubbles every time he opened his mouth. So, what would Jesus do? I could never begin to say. But, I know for damned sure he wouldn't refuse to talk to someone because of life decisions. Nor would he encourage people to stop thinking for themselves and take some book as the answer for everything.
This directly correlates (in my mind, anyway) to the over-educating of people nowadays. The more we are educated, the less we know how to think for ourselves. Have you noticed how people who've been through years of college have a ridiculously compromised helping of common sense?
I'm really trying not to be "anti-" at all. I feel like that would make me a hypocrite. The thing I am most uncomfortable with, concerning christianity is their propensity to ostracize anything that doesn't allow for neat packaging and labeling. I want to question everything, even my reason for questioning. If I am open to the concepts of Buddha, Wicca, Shadow work, and magic, why on earth wouldn't I be open to the concept of God? Isn't that just being on the other side of the same mirror? I don't want anything to do with that mirror. I want to think for myself, and I don't want the unsavory actions of the modern day christian to dictate how I feel about the religion. That gives them control over me. I don't want how the modern non-christian feels about the fanaticism of christians to dictate how I feel, either.
There are too many unknowns. There is no way I can definitively say anything. I'm comfortable with that. I'm comfortable with not understanding what's going to happen after I die. I've questioned that concept enough. I don't appreciate other people's opinions being foisted upon me. Therefore, I'm not gonna foist my opinions on other people. However, I love it when people question my opinions. It sheds light on areas I may not have examined. Therefore, I will question opinions when they are presented. I'm familiar with many concepts and beliefs, so I can recognize a parroted response. I ignore these. I want to hear what someone truly thinks, not what is drilled into their head day in and day out. Is there anyone out there who does not have one-dimensional beliefs? Who doesn't shut down at the mention of the wrong deity?
WWJD - Just writing that brought bile to the back of my throat, but anyway. If one were to delve into this with a completely unbiased and open mind (I feel like I may have reached homeostasis in this, as I've been on both extremes, and am now attempting to find an un-extreme), one would observe these things from the written bible: commandments, red lettering (Jesus' words), and an outline for a good christian way of living. One would observe from new findings and history: people wrote the bible, not God; people fuck everything up, especially when things are going well; because of the vast number of time the bible has been edited, it should not be taken word for word; and there is no possible way to know anything definitively ever. period. end. Therefore, an un-fanatical point of view (in either direction) on the christian religion would be something like: the bible teaches great concepts, and I'd benefit from applying those concepts to my life in a way that is appropriate with the times. Among quite a few other things, but that would take forever. The point I'm trying to stress is that christians today, and most always have gotten lost in the rules and words, missing what really matters: the concept. If any christian were to dissect the WWJD concept by stepping back and thinking about how Jesus of the bible led his life, their little righteous bubble would be obliterated. J hung out with hoes, outcasts, homeless folks, and general miscreants. So who would he be hanging out with today? Hoes, outcasts, homeless folks, and general miscreants. The Pharisees (the christians who got lost in the rules and words back then) were really uncomfortable with J. He rattled their righteous little bubbles every time he opened his mouth. So, what would Jesus do? I could never begin to say. But, I know for damned sure he wouldn't refuse to talk to someone because of life decisions. Nor would he encourage people to stop thinking for themselves and take some book as the answer for everything.
This directly correlates (in my mind, anyway) to the over-educating of people nowadays. The more we are educated, the less we know how to think for ourselves. Have you noticed how people who've been through years of college have a ridiculously compromised helping of common sense?
I'm really trying not to be "anti-" at all. I feel like that would make me a hypocrite. The thing I am most uncomfortable with, concerning christianity is their propensity to ostracize anything that doesn't allow for neat packaging and labeling. I want to question everything, even my reason for questioning. If I am open to the concepts of Buddha, Wicca, Shadow work, and magic, why on earth wouldn't I be open to the concept of God? Isn't that just being on the other side of the same mirror? I don't want anything to do with that mirror. I want to think for myself, and I don't want the unsavory actions of the modern day christian to dictate how I feel about the religion. That gives them control over me. I don't want how the modern non-christian feels about the fanaticism of christians to dictate how I feel, either.
There are too many unknowns. There is no way I can definitively say anything. I'm comfortable with that. I'm comfortable with not understanding what's going to happen after I die. I've questioned that concept enough. I don't appreciate other people's opinions being foisted upon me. Therefore, I'm not gonna foist my opinions on other people. However, I love it when people question my opinions. It sheds light on areas I may not have examined. Therefore, I will question opinions when they are presented. I'm familiar with many concepts and beliefs, so I can recognize a parroted response. I ignore these. I want to hear what someone truly thinks, not what is drilled into their head day in and day out. Is there anyone out there who does not have one-dimensional beliefs? Who doesn't shut down at the mention of the wrong deity?