scott wrote:And BTW, I don't really take the personal offense at all the generalizations that folks like to make about Christians that I might take if I was so inclined. I kinda look at it like, if you're gonna be prejudiced about an entire group of people, and attribute the worst aspect of that class to the entire group, then go ahead and do it. That's fine. It sucks, but go ahead.
It's kinda like really believing, in your heart of hearts, that all black people are criminals because you know somebody that was jumped by a black guy. Or believing that all women are psychotic because all your ex girlfriends were. It's not good logic, by any means. You'd have to be a fool to believe that your generalizations apply to the entire group, the ENTIRE GROUP. And if they don't apply to the ENTIRE GROUP, then they represent bad logic.
Go ahead and talk shit on the whole group. It'll win you the approval of your peers here. Go you!
Yeah, maybe it does bug me a little, I guess. But whatever, go ahead and fight the easy fight. Feel big.
Please. The put-upon Christian pose doesnt suit you, scott.
There are at least a couple not-unimportant distinctions between the above examples of bigotry and the specific case you are crying about.
1) No one is born a Christian, and even if one is born into a Christian household, continuing to practice is a choice you make. Not so for all the women and blacks and everyone else you've partnered all the poor, powerless Christians with. And perhaps more importantly, unlike blacks and women, Christians dont have to fight against prejudice every day. They just dont in the US, even as much as they'd like to believe they do.
2) Status as a Christian carries with it, inextricably, a contemporary belief and action system (Christiianity as it exists today) that many people find objectionable. Being black or a woman doesnt. You cant be a Christian and turn a blind eye to this. You have even commented on this in one of your earlier posts in re: finding a church you could stand. So, when people hate on Christians, I think you know precisely why.
In light of this, the more accurate presentation of your analogy above is something like "believing, in your heart of hearts, that all criminals are bad because you were jumped by a guy who was a criminal once. Because, y'know, some criminals just sell dope."
And y'know, this is accurate. Some Christians dont suck, just like some criminals dont. But I'd be more inclined to say that there are a lot more criminals I'd be comformatble hanging around with than Christians.
But of course this whole victim mentality is part and parcel of Christianity. Hell, the religion is built on example after example of it, right up to the big guy himself in his starring moment. It's one of the most insufferable things about the religious right, swinging a big bat and crying about it the whole time. Fuck you for this, religious right. Own your status as bullies.
So get on your knees and pray to whatever big daddy you want, scott. I wont dislike you for it in light of the many things about you that I like. But dont think for a second that your status as a Christian should be a plus, or even a null, in my or anyone's book. That's just silly. We love you in spite of it, but we arent obliged to turn a blind eye to it.
Christianity = teh suck.
