SectionsNonbelievers reject forceful push from Christians
J.D. Garretson
Issue date: 11/10/09 Section: Opinion
Every so often, any one of a handful of pastors decides to make a stand on campus and lecture us collegiate heathens about our respective paths to hell. I always try to watch for a few minutes when I see it going on - and, honestly, I think it's because some part of me wants to hear them say something real, something truly profound. So far, though, it' usually just some guy who needs attention misinterpreting a verse from Revelation.
That's the curse of the heartland - the Evangelical sense of entitlement to your soul and morality. If you don't belong to the Christian faith, and especially to the Evangelical sect, you're ostracized and constantly berated with other people's flawed beliefs.
Christians are constantly decrying their own status, claiming they're somehow being persecuted. The idea that kids aren't forced to pray to the Christian god in school really gets them down, despite the fact that kids are more than allowed - sometimes encouraged - to bring their bibles and pray in a personal show of faith.
The fact that the Ten Command-ments can't be displayed on government property is the source of constant litigation, even though you can just step outside the government property and erect a giant monument to each rule with no consequence or threat of persecution. Christians run this country, and yet they still pretend they're the ones being persecuted.
At the same time, they travel the world berating people of opposing beliefs and faiths. I've heard my beliefs mocked openly, as the centerpiece of a sermon, more times than I care to count. Constantly fighting other beliefs and unable to withstand criticism of their own - let's face it, Christians in America are bullies.
A great example - North Point Church recently did a month-long series called Religidiculous that examined several important questions of faith - like who the Antichrist will be. (Not crazy in the least, no sir.)
I did the unthinkable - research - and called North Point. First, I was told I couldn't speak with the pastor, because he was preparing for a sermon the following day; I had to speak to some underling whose only information was some cultish double-speak I assume he acquired either at North Point or growing up as an Evangelical.
That's the curse of the heartland - the Evangelical sense of entitlement to your soul and morality. If you don't belong to the Christian faith, and especially to the Evangelical sect, you're ostracized and constantly berated with other people's flawed beliefs.
Christians are constantly decrying their own status, claiming they're somehow being persecuted. The idea that kids aren't forced to pray to the Christian god in school really gets them down, despite the fact that kids are more than allowed - sometimes encouraged - to bring their bibles and pray in a personal show of faith.
The fact that the Ten Command-ments can't be displayed on government property is the source of constant litigation, even though you can just step outside the government property and erect a giant monument to each rule with no consequence or threat of persecution. Christians run this country, and yet they still pretend they're the ones being persecuted.
At the same time, they travel the world berating people of opposing beliefs and faiths. I've heard my beliefs mocked openly, as the centerpiece of a sermon, more times than I care to count. Constantly fighting other beliefs and unable to withstand criticism of their own - let's face it, Christians in America are bullies.
A great example - North Point Church recently did a month-long series called Religidiculous that examined several important questions of faith - like who the Antichrist will be. (Not crazy in the least, no sir.)
I did the unthinkable - research - and called North Point. First, I was told I couldn't speak with the pastor, because he was preparing for a sermon the following day; I had to speak to some underling whose only information was some cultish double-speak I assume he acquired either at North Point or growing up as an Evangelical.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
Howard Cavner
posted 11/10/09 @ 11:10 PM CST
You state that "Christians in America are bullies." Sadly some are but not all. If you only look for "bullies" of whatever stripe, that is all you will find. (Continued…)
Andrew Simpson
posted 11/11/09 @ 7:03 AM CST
Mr Garretson: When you take a long draught of religion you will always come up thirsty. Relationship satisfies. Until you come up with relationship you will alwasy be a mocker and a scorner of something you do not understand. (Continued…)
Jeremiah
posted 11/11/09 @ 9:18 AM CST
@andrew.
kind of hard for sane people to understand the nutty ramblings of the insane. I can understand for the life of me, why you believe in a Jewish zombie who want you to eat his flesh and drink his blood. (Continued…)
Jeremiah
posted 11/11/09 @ 9:49 AM CST
*edit of previous comment wrote on my laptop while it was running out of power. just saying I can't be held responsible for bad spelling and such
@andrew. (Continued…)
Andrew Simpson
posted 11/11/09 @ 12:37 PM CST
Mr Jeremiah:
Obviously another smelly man with some pretty insane teachings of his own is your god, and oh he is dead by the way so to pray to him is an exercise in futility. (Continued…)
Erin Trotter
posted 11/11/09 @ 1:03 PM CST
Another liberally biased, narrowminded, onesided viewpoint from Mr. Garretson. Wanting people to hear only what you want them to hear is called propaganda, comrade. (Continued…)
A Sims
posted 11/11/09 @ 11:03 PM CST
Mr. Davis - if you have actually read the Old Testament and the New Testament you'd find God doesn't contradict himself. He sets a law for people to follow while waiting for the time and place for the new law to be fulfilled. (Continued…)
Foreign Born Patriot
posted 11/11/09 @ 11:21 PM CST
Mr Davis:
The age old debate of whether God and Jesus is real continues on but angry fancy words and raising fists toward the sky won't negate the fact that there is a God who give peace and relationship. (Continued…)
Jeremiah
posted 11/12/09 @ 11:37 AM CST
It saddens me, that in this day and age, people still cling to supernatural beliefs in order to find happiness and self assurance.
Anyone with even slight reasoning skills can look at the bible, religion, and how the world works and deduce with near 100% certainty that there is no God, and the 0. (Continued…)
Beckner
Drew Beckner
posted 11/17/09 @ 2:19 AM CST
@Brandon Davis
"Funny how your vision of God works: sometimes, he teaches the lesson on the spot, sometimes he just lets you figure it out on your own. (Continued…)
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