I hate Evangelists... of ALL kinds.
Sep. 8th, 2008 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
polimicksSeriously... Today while browsing my local paper online during a break, I accidentally clicked on Billy Graham's column. And I do mean accidentally(they messed up the usual positioning and I wasn't really paying attention), I know that there is nothing for me there, and so generally don't read it. It's part of my ongoing campaign to not have a stroke by the age of forty.
So there I am, expecting to see Carolyn Hax, and what I read is a letter from some woman who says that she has approached her co-workers about religion, and that they have politely informed her that they're happy she has a belief, that they don't share that belief and are perfectly content with that. She asks the Rev if it is possible to be happy without God, and how she should try to minister to these folks.
Instead of telling her to leave the nice people alone who do not wish to be pestered by a God-botherer, he proceeds to talk to her about slipping God into the conversation any way she can, and to realize that these poor fools need her ministering more than anyone.
There's a reason Mr. Yuck is my icon of choice for the account.
HOWEVER, this does not excuse Atheists for similar bad behavior. Oh freaking no. Just like I don't need someone nattering on and on about Jesus and his buddies, I do not need Atheists telling me I'm a delusional fool for having imaginary friends in the Universe. I do not need to be reasoned out of my Pagan beliefs, my belief in an afterlife, reincarnation, or the concept that the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. I don't. I'm a militant agnostic, albeit with Pagan leanings: I don't know, and you don't either. This means you, Atheists.
Haranguing passers-by with the word that God loves them and they need to convert is just as offensive to me as it is to try to sit me down and "reason" me out of any spiritual beliefs I might have. It's obnoxious. Both sides. Totally fucking obnoxious, and leave me out of it. And don't even try to tell me that Atheists don't do that, because I can point you to several folks, and books, that do that exact thing.
Look, as long as someone's personal beliefs aren't infringing on my right to believe or not, I don't give a flying fuck if they worship a purple penguin in Halo3 body armor riding a hot pink dragon and buggering the great big Homo in the sky.
I. Don't. Care.
And neither should you.
Seriously, Christians, I appreciate your concern, but fuck off. Atheists, I appreciate your concern, but fuck off. Same goes to Hare Krishnas and anyone else who thinks I need converting.
Feeling so desperately the need to convince other people of your rightness just smacks of a fundamental insecurity in your own beliefs (or lack thereof) to me. The harder you try to convince me you're right, the more secure I am in the knowledge that you have doubt. An assload of doubt. A METRIC assload of doubt. And I don't care what you're trying to convince me of.
Yeah, I spend a fair amount of time questioning the existence of some form of primal creative force in the Universe, and whether or not it's out to get me, has a sick sense of humor or just plain doesn't give a shit. And if I want your input, I'll ask you. But you don't need to inform me or attempt to correct my misguided ways.
And no, this is neither the time nor the place to get into a slap fight over who started it.
So there I am, expecting to see Carolyn Hax, and what I read is a letter from some woman who says that she has approached her co-workers about religion, and that they have politely informed her that they're happy she has a belief, that they don't share that belief and are perfectly content with that. She asks the Rev if it is possible to be happy without God, and how she should try to minister to these folks.
Instead of telling her to leave the nice people alone who do not wish to be pestered by a God-botherer, he proceeds to talk to her about slipping God into the conversation any way she can, and to realize that these poor fools need her ministering more than anyone.
There's a reason Mr. Yuck is my icon of choice for the account.
HOWEVER, this does not excuse Atheists for similar bad behavior. Oh freaking no. Just like I don't need someone nattering on and on about Jesus and his buddies, I do not need Atheists telling me I'm a delusional fool for having imaginary friends in the Universe. I do not need to be reasoned out of my Pagan beliefs, my belief in an afterlife, reincarnation, or the concept that the world was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. I don't. I'm a militant agnostic, albeit with Pagan leanings: I don't know, and you don't either. This means you, Atheists.
Haranguing passers-by with the word that God loves them and they need to convert is just as offensive to me as it is to try to sit me down and "reason" me out of any spiritual beliefs I might have. It's obnoxious. Both sides. Totally fucking obnoxious, and leave me out of it. And don't even try to tell me that Atheists don't do that, because I can point you to several folks, and books, that do that exact thing.
Look, as long as someone's personal beliefs aren't infringing on my right to believe or not, I don't give a flying fuck if they worship a purple penguin in Halo3 body armor riding a hot pink dragon and buggering the great big Homo in the sky.
I. Don't. Care.
And neither should you.
Seriously, Christians, I appreciate your concern, but fuck off. Atheists, I appreciate your concern, but fuck off. Same goes to Hare Krishnas and anyone else who thinks I need converting.
Feeling so desperately the need to convince other people of your rightness just smacks of a fundamental insecurity in your own beliefs (or lack thereof) to me. The harder you try to convince me you're right, the more secure I am in the knowledge that you have doubt. An assload of doubt. A METRIC assload of doubt. And I don't care what you're trying to convince me of.
Yeah, I spend a fair amount of time questioning the existence of some form of primal creative force in the Universe, and whether or not it's out to get me, has a sick sense of humor or just plain doesn't give a shit. And if I want your input, I'll ask you. But you don't need to inform me or attempt to correct my misguided ways.
And no, this is neither the time nor the place to get into a slap fight over who started it.
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-08 10:38 pm (UTC)My repect for my father doubled they day he had a civil, extremely rational conversation with a Mormon who showed up at his door, and the man walked away crying. Never once did Dad mention his religion. let alone that he was a member of the clergy.
It is better to follow someone who's seeking the truth than someone who thinks they have found it. -Terry Pratchett
no subject
Date: 2008-09-08 10:49 pm (UTC)I'm talking about people who feel the need to EVANGELIZE regardless of what they're selling.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-08 11:02 pm (UTC)That's why I LIKE evangelists... its one of the only times I feel OK about totally messing with people. I occasionally even seek them out at large public gatherings, because you always find a few at places like the Fair, or Hempfest.
no subject
Date: 2008-09-08 11:04 pm (UTC)