Why am I so opposed to Christians pushing their shit on me? Well, firstly: it's relentless. In a society where I'm supposedly free to live without religion, I have had it in my face in one form or another my entire life. And I'm all for freedom of religion. If you want to believe some sort of fairy tale to help you sleep better at night, by all means: go ahead! It's when it starts to affect the lives of others that I get crabby. Whether it be slaughtering thousands in pogroms during the crusades, to destroying families to "convert gays" or just trying to "save as many souls" as they can just so they can justify to themselves that have made the right decision.
This latest offering of Christianity has been done with the slickness of a professional marketing company. The television advertisement uses the same type of patronising tone to convey that Jesus is the answer to your life's woes. Just as say, the latest Holden, washing detergent or financial institution may.
You can see it here
Interesting because in the "Jesus. All About Life" flyer I had put in my letter box the other day says:
"Every day we are bombarded with message about how to have a great life. Do this, try that, buy this product, experience that event , but the 'great life' never seems to get any closer."
I'm sorry, Nameless, Faceless Christianity, but isn't that just what this campaign is? Of course those that profit from the "product" are convinced and so are all the hapless, lost people who are looking for answers. Jesus is no different than Coke or McDonald's: it'll never satisfy that hole, no matter what the ads say
I used to be a lot more silent in my anti-religiosity, but more and more I am convinced that religion is one of the things that is holding back human progression. The Enlightenment was around 300 years ago and we're STILL debating whether or not Creationism should be taught in schools. Isn't religion something we should have grown out of as humans?
"The only appropriate attitude for man to have about the big questions, is not the arrogant certitude that is the hallmark of religion, but doubt. Doubt is humble and that is what man needs to be, considering that human history is just a litany of getting shit dead wrong." - Bill Maher in Religulous.
Religion is a convenient tool of Capitalism in that it (like all those products) distracts people from the real issues that create that hole in their lives: inequality.
Bill Maher again in 'Religulous':
"Faith means making a virtue out of not thinking. It's nothing to brag about. And those who preach faith and enable and elevate it are intellectual slave holders, keeping mankind in a bondage to fantasy and nonsense that has spawned and justified so much lunacy and destruction."
And really, take out the religious aspects of those that are religious and there is a strong case for mental illness.
This is a topic I could go on about for ages, but it's 2.30 and I have a 2000 word history essay that was due last Friday, so I'll end it there. Basically: I'm an atheist, I will never accept your delusional religion into my life and I take great offence at you suggesting I should. And I (along with the likes of Richard Dawkins and Bill Maher) strongly advocate that atheists speak out and make yourselves heard. I know it's bad form to end on a quote, but it's a good one and I'm tired. Bill Maher again:
"Rational people, anti-religionists, must end their timidity and come out of the closet and assert themselves. And those who consider themselves only moderately religious really need to look in the mirror and realize [sic] that the solace and comfort that religion brings you actually comes at a terrible price. "
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