why are you so seemingly immune to the atheist fantacisim that is gripping America right now?
Because atheists don't try to convert me to athiesm. Atheists do not stand on street corners or ambush me at social functions and threaten me with hellfire if I have religious beliefs. And when the topic of religion does come up, they're usually fantasically more willing to listen to my perspective than christians are. The simple act of having a conversation with an athiest rather than listening to a sermon from a christian makes atheists tend to be far more comfortable.
Yet somehow when an Atheist or anti-Christian comes out and does something radical, like attempt to eradicate creationism, prayer and other 'Christian' activities from public life, they are seen as a hero, not an extremist. Why?
Radical events are not the source of the angst. It's small, regular, recurring personal experiences. The twin towers may have been destroyed by muslims, but that was a once-in-a-lifetime event that happened a thousand miles away to people I don't know. It doesn't affect me. Christians, on the other hand, are routinely manipulative, and the source of discomfort. For example...you're at a company party, having a good time, when all of the sudden a manager asks for everyones attention and starts a group prayer, and starts babbling about Jesus. Instantly, everyone in the group who isn't christian is uncomfortable. For a good minute, we're compelled by social custom to sit and be quiet and listen about your religion. All the while we're thinking "umm...what am I supposed to do? He's bowing is head. Should I bow my head to? But I'm not christian. I don't want to mislead anyone. But I don't want to be rude either. Even though I think it's extremely rude for him to be putting me in this situation, and I'd really rather be talking to Sally over there and...uh-oh, should I say "amen?" Hmm. Well, too late now. Wait...Sally over there said amen. I know she's not christianm but she said it anyway. In fact, most of the people said amen and I didn't. That's awkward. Was that rude of me? I don't feel like it was rude, I feel like they were being rude by putting me in this whole situation, and it's especially awkward that it was a manager who did this...I mean, I'd like to be up for promotion next week, and now I've just advertised to the christians that I'm not one of them and...and..."
Yes. This is the kind of thing that's going through our head whenever you guys do your group prayers. And stuff like this happens all the time. I've never seen a muslim, or a jew, or an athiest, or anyone else pull this kind of stunt. And this is the sort of thing that bothers people. Not "radical" events thousands of miles away that happen to other people.
Here you go: Read the first post of this thread. Watch the video. The performer offers a prayer to satan at a public event. Imagine how uncomfortable that would make you.
Now think about how often christians talk about jesus in public.
[edit on 20-10-2009 by LordBucket]
is in itself the great work!!
