You could call it infiltrating the enemy, I suppose, but I call it
compromise. Some things have happened in my life recently that I rather
choose to prescribe to God than coincidence. That's really all it comes down
to anyway, right? Whether or not shit in your life (And I have sworn off
cussing [not 'cursing, which is completely different] btw, except for the word, "shit," which I refuse to give
up...and it has nothing to do with religion, so get that out of your
heads now.) is good or bad, right or wrong, evil or clown-schtoopingly
evil is irrelevant. What you (we) need to concern yourself with is
community. For whatever reason, most of the world's population still
subscribes to a religion. I say it is our approach to religion in
general, rather than a belief in it, that is the true problem.
What
I have found in my bout with at first atheism and then agnosticism is,
well, nothing. There is no culture, no joy, and the only community I
found was populated by people who were so angry at Christians and
religion in general that they were completely incapable of rational
thought. As much as they go on about evidence, they're in short supply
of it individually, as people. They are quick to lampoon literally
anything that doesn't have a scientific modifier, and any theory posited
that doesn't fit squarely and snugly into their view of atheism is
summarily and soundly trumped and ridiculed . . . much like . . .
religious people? In my atheistic experience, I would have to say that I
dealt with people who were easily as intolerant of any views counter to
their own as any Christians with whom I've dealt. Atheism is the
antithesis of community, from what I can see.
I
used to say to myself often that I would throw my lot in with the
Christians if they would simply admit that the Bible was flawed. Then
suddenly here I have my best friend, a Christian, saying just that. The
Old Testament is fucked up. His words. But he will also proudly tell you
he's a Christian.
So I asked my friend one day, (a civil engineer
and no dummy) why should I align myself with these hypocrites? He
says...."you shouldn't. But you should align yourself with people
who will lift you up. Always." But where was I to find that? I couldn't
readily drop everything I knew to be right and good - because I've always wanted
to be right and good in my actions - then hand it all over to this
invisible being. I mean, I totally support the fact that Christianity
will survive me. Question is, has Christianity earned its ability to survive?
[more later]
