mini rant on xianity

[maeve66]

Yeah, I think I'm doing that "X" thing to be rude... sorry, to any who are Christians who might read this. It's just that this particular religion's loudest proselytizers piss me off so much. Even fluffy confusing Christians who are famous guitarists -- that would be "Edge" from U2, also Bono -- come up with these wacky quotes that want to be all politically radical and revolutionary, but then invoke the notion of the Saved and the Rest.

I don't mind admitting that many of the central tenets of the historical Jesus were radical in their time, and still are, and can legitimately be part of politically liberatory arguments. But that's true of lots -- maybe even all religions. Humans are basically capable of great compassion and empathy; I believe that, so it is only sensible that human religions should aspire to that human capacity. Islam has some excellent core beliefs and principles; so do Buddhism and some of Hinduism, and Judaism, ad infinitem.

What pisses me off about Christianity is that it rigorously excludes any Truth but its own, and mentally condemns those who are not Christians. I don't know if Islam is quite the same in that. Historically, I think that many Islamic states were fairly tolerant of other religions, or at least those "of the book". But this exclusion/condemnation thing*... it pretty much eviscerates all the nice claims for me.

Anyway, the quote that kneejerked this tirade out of me is the following:

"I really believe Christ is like a sword that divides the world, and it's time we get into line and let people know where we stand. You know, to much of the world, even the mention of the name Jesus Christ is like someone scratching their nails across a chalkboard." -- The Edge (CCM Magazine, August 1982)

My kneejerk reaction was set off by the notion of drawing a fucking line in the sand with a sword, Christians on one side and presumably everyone else on the other. I am sure that that guitarist meant that the politically radical, tolerant, COMPASSIONATE, Christ-like Christians would be on one side, not the intolerant, rigid, condemning ones. But it doesn't play like that in today's religious/political rhetoric. And anyway, it doesn't matter, because on the other side of the identify-as-Christian line is all the rest of the non-Christian world. Then I looked at the date, and am slightly less pissed off, because at least when he said it, fundamentalism was just beginning its long climb to the political top, it wasn't already enthroned. Even so.

As a result of the current politics, sometimes even the name of Jesus Christ is like someone scratching their nails across a chalkboard. For me.

As an atheist, it's fair to ask, "why should I care?" Only because of the current political and cultural weather. I love many people who are Christians or Jews, and I've loved a few people who are Buddhists or Hindus. I don't think I've known any people of other religious persuasions, except Pagans, I guess. Anyway, /end rant.




*as I say, of any stripe, not just Xtian -- just, in the West, these days, the loudest fundamentalists are the Xtians, and it's the culture I grew up surrounded by, so the majority of my ire goes there.

Comments

[star-tourmaline.livejournal.com]

I'm not here to argue or defend, but, y'know, these guys have not actually listened very hard to the teaching of Jesus Christ.

I'm thinking in particular of 'he who lives by the sword dies by the sword', but there's loads of stuff. 'Love thy neighbour as thyself' is a good example.

[kneidlach.livejournal.com]

I am a religious person, a spiritual person. I'm a Jew.

But...

Christ is like a sword

Holy crap, can you IMAGINE believing wholeheartedly in a religion that taught you to think of your Lord and Savior as a sword? A knife? That's so violent. Kind of like crucifixion. I can't imagine coming from a faith based in elevating oneself above the rest of the world, and worshipping a vengeful god.

As Jews we do have the whole "Chosen People" thing, but I've been taught that this means we are *extra* responsible to be good, righteous humans... Not that we are special or get rights other people don't.

[celesteh.livejournal.com]

it's perfectly acceptable to say xtain and that abbreviation is even used by Jesuits. true dat.

A while ago, the Vatican decided that Jesus was so powerful and so mysterious that He could even choose to send people who didn't believe in Him to heaven, but that was one of those things that was just too complicated for people to understand. I'd laught at that, but they have soo much power.

[angel80.livejournal.com]

In my adult life I think I have met very few christians. I'm serious. I currently know, in real life, three people who are bold enough to say that they are believers (and in one case I doubt the strength of her belief, as distinct from a love of ritual). I know one person who goes to mosque on Friday. There are possibly others, but they sure keep it to themselves. I like it that way.

If I believe in anything, it is the power of humans to transform themselves. Relgion in all its forms is a counsel of despair. Even the tolerant ones, those who do charitable works, are basically in despair - applying bandaids to situations they feel they can do nothing real to change. Good enough to wait for the next life? Religious belief is a declaration that we cannot and will not change life on earth.

[nothings.livejournal.com]

As a result of the current politics, sometimes even the name of Jesus Christ is like someone scratching their nails across a chalkboard.

Exactly my thought when I read that part of your quote. (Note to Edge: biblical prophecy is not the same as self-fulfilling prophecy.)

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Well, if you get your theology from rock musicians...

[dobrovolets.livejournal.com]

I think I'm doing that "X" thing to be rude...

Ironically, any X'ian who finds the X rude is ignorant of their own religion's history. The X is not an X, but the Greek letter chi, as in Χριστος (Christos, i.e, Christ). The fact that it resembles, in a strange way, a cross being carried on the shoulder made the symbolism even more appealing to early Christians, so the X became a code word for their persecuted cult.

I'm as militantly materialist as angel80, so I think that believers, in general, are either temporarily duped, incurably stupid, or cynically taking leave of their rational faculties. But, having been raised by a Jewish mother and an anti-religious father who blames the Church for everything that ever went wrong in Greek history, I developed the prejudice early on that Christians in particular were especially duped, stupid or cynical. I recognize that it is a hereditary bigotry and thus probably wrong, but in all my years of trying to overcome it, the evidence hasn't helped much.

[oblomova.livejournal.com]

I have nothing really smart to add to this, but I'm glad you posted it. I too like angel80's link with consumerism. Most obvious in the huckster fundie churches (or the Catholic juggernaut of tithing) that link gifts to ministers or the church with "holy acts."

Which is perhaps my greatest peeve: I inherently distrust anyone who has to rely upon a book of fairy tales to remind them that it's a good idea to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, take care of the poor and the sick and the dispossessed. Seriously: If you can't figure that shit out on your own, I really don't trust you. Which isn't to say that there are no Christian or other religious groups that do marvelous work with poor, elderly, sick, hungry etc. people. But why can't we do it just to do it, instead of to feel right with some idea of God?

(Which, if I wanted to be insufferable, is why I would suggest that it's the atheists who do those things who are morally superior. We don't believe we're racking up brownie points toward a perfect life in the Great Unknown Beyond.)