Why can’t we all just get along?

If you’re a member of the religious right, meaning that you think that your (christian) religious beliefs should be enforced as law on everyone in this country, then you’re probably not reading this.

If you are though, we need to talk.

It’s not just that I find your idea of religion-based morality completely laughable. It’s not just that I don’t believe in the same god as you (or any for that matter).

It’s not even that we have different opinions on the majority of issues. The ability to have differences of opinion is one of the greatest facets of free speech and democracy. No matter how frustrated I might get with you, I will never propose that everyone should agree with me unequivocally (even though I really am always right). Though I disagree with your religion, and even though I think that your religion is poisoning humanity, I would never claim that you should not have the right to believe in it, nor would I ever support legislation or law that would infringe on that right.

Now why can’t you say the same? Why do you feel the need to impose your beliefs on others? Why can’t you just agree to disagree with those who don’t share the same beliefs as you?

I get it that you’re scared. After all, you honestly believe that if you don’t follow a strict moral code based on the bible, you’ll spend eternity in perdition. Who wouldn’t be scared of that? But here’s the problem: I don’t believe that. Maybe I’m wrong, and I’ll burn until the end of time. Either way, I don’t see how my non-belief is your problem, or even your business. If you honestly believe that everyone who is gay, has an abortion, uses contraception, denies god, or doesn’t stone their wife to death for not being a virgin is going to hell, why don’t you just let us?

And don’t tell me it’s “god’s love” that makes you want to “save” us. If god loved us (or existed), why would he sentence us to eternal damnation just for not believing in him? Why would he punish someone for following the urges he created in us? Why would he punish someone for not committing the very same violence that he prohibits  specifically in the ten commandments?

If you’re out there, religious right, this is what I really want to know:

Why can’t we all just get along?

Why can’t we live together, differ in our beliefs, and leave it there?

All you have to do is admit that if homosexuals get married, it really doesn’t affect you. Admit that your life does not somehow become less fulfilled when someone terminates a pregnancy or uses a condom. Admit that what people do in the privacy of their own homes is none of your business. Admit that your religion, your opinion, does not belong in the laws of our nation.

That’s all it takes.

Until you are willing to admit that, know this: if you keep trying to push your ideas and beliefs on us, don’t be surprised when we push back.

What if it all were true?

I want you to imagine, fair readers, an alternate reality wherein the bible (including both the old and new testaments) is universally believed to be pure and unaltered truth. What I mean by pure and unaltered truth is that every word in the bible is true as presented, with no room for interpretation or argument. In this world, the bible has been the only source of truth for as long as anyone can remember. Either you do as God commands through his holy writ, or you spend eternity in the lake of fire. Think about how different that world would be from our own. There would be no Atheists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, or any separate denominations other than the one church. Why would there be? The bible is true! After all, anyone who commits blasphemy or worships other gods must be stoned to death (Leviticus 24:16, Deuteronomy 17:2-5, Deuteronomy 13:5-10).

“Aha!”, you say, “But what about the dinosaur fossils? What about everything we know about astrophysics and the nature of the universe that directly contradicts with that ‘holy’ book?”.

Think about it. In this alternate reality, no one questions the word of god. It is completely and absolutely true. If anyone actually ever went digging around looking for fossils, they would simply assume that either the fossils were fake (remember that things like carbon dating would have been discounted as junk science as soon as anyone tested something over 6,000 years old), or that they were there simply as tests of faith. As for the astrophysics, why would the science of astrophysics even exist in this world? Who would look up at the sky and wonder “what’s out there”? We already know that heaven is out there, of course!

Imagine how little crime there would be in this Christian world. Everyone knows that if they violate God’s commands then they will suffer eternal damnation, so why would they bother to kill, steal, or commit fraud? It simply wouldn’t be worth it.

I wonder whether or not there would even be a police force and a judicial system in this world. There certainly are plenty of references to judges in the bible (try looking in the book of Judges), but most of these judges seem to be necessary only when there is some kind of injustice or rampant criminal activity. In the world we are imagining, there is no such problem. Also, there are many biblical references that would lead us not to judge one another (James 4:11-12, Matthew 7:1-2), and that in fact God himself is the only permissible judge (Romans 2:1-3, James 4:12). That might be tough to handle if someone murdered or raped someone you cared about, since they would be allowed to live their entire lives free from earthly punishment, but they’d certainly get their comeuppance in the afterlife right?

Also imagine how charitable everyone would be. God commands it, after all (Psalms 41:1-2, Matthew 25:31-40). No one who needs it would want for food, shelter, or clothing.

This world is beginning to sound pretty good, huh?

Let’s imagine a few scenarios using the parameters we’ve already set, shall we? I want you all to imagine that you have been raised in this world from birth.

If you are a male, I want you to imagine that it’s your wedding night. You are totally and absolutely in love with this woman. After the incredibly long ceremony (have you ever been to a Catholic wedding?), you finally go to consummate your union and discover that she is not a virgin. According to the bible, you must take her before the city elders to determine her virginity. In this incredibly embarrassing pseudo-trial, your wife’s parents have to prove that she was truly a virgin (in which case you have to pay a boatload of money to them) or else she gets stoned to death by you and every other male in town (Deuteronomy 22:13-21). Could you bring yourself to do it? You must either execute the love of your life or face an eternity of pain and suffering. Not an easy choice.

Also, don’t bother masturbating, otherwise you’ll have to cut your own hand off (Mark 9:43).

If you are a female, your life pretty much sucks in this world. You are not allowed to speak in church (1 Corinthians 14:34), have a short haircut (1 Corinthians 11:13-15), or be any kind of teacher or church leader (1 Timothy 2:11-14). Your role in society is pretty much only that of a cook, maid, and baby factory. Maybe you’d be happy in those roles if that was all you had ever known, but you certainly would not have the kinds of rights that women enjoy in our society.

I won’t even mention the parts where slavery is completely legitimate (rebelling as a slave means that you will burn in hell forever), or that murder, rape, pillaging, and infanticide are not only permissible, but necessary when commanded by god.

So I ask you, dear readers, to ask yourselves: “What if it all were true?”

Then again, what if none of it were?

Recovering from Christianity

My name is Sherise Greathouse, and I am a recovering Christian. This is my story:

Growing up I heard all the stories of baby Jesus and how he died for my sins.  As a child I didn’t really understand the concept of a sin and why someone needed to die for them.  Unlike a lot of children my age my parents didn’t make me go to church.  That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t exposed to Christianity or the story of Jesus.  Most of my friends would talk about going to church on Sunday and all the friends that they had made there.  I started to long for those friendships too.  So when I was a young teen I started visiting friends youth groups.  I was exposed the bible.  At first I was inspired by the story.  I was inspired by the miracles and the thought of an afterlife.  I was drawn to the companionship of the youth group.

In my mid teens I wasn’t really focused on religion. I was too busy acting out and rebelling against my parents.  In one of my darker moments I remembered the friendships I felt when I attended youth group.  So I attended a Christian retreat and ended up opening my soul to them. Looking for acceptance and forgiveness for the mistakes I had made.  At first I felt love and acceptance. I even went as far as to work on the next retreat. I mentored young girls in their quest to find Jesus. As time went on I started to realize that I never really knew the people around me. When I really looked all I found were people who were judging me behind my back.  I found judgement from people who were supposed to be “good Christians.”  I found people who liked to pretend that they had all the answers.

During this time I started to question my “faith.” I started to read the bible again.  All I could find was a good story.   But within this story there were too many contradictions.  I couldn’t ignore the facts.  The magical story that I had read was a lie. After coming to this realization I felt grounded.  I knew that I didn’t need some all knowing being telling me how should live and that there is some magical kingdom waiting for me.  I still have a longing for companionship and friendship.  But I want to be friends with people because they like me for who I am, not who I believe in.

Whether you believe in Jesus or are an Atheist like me, we all have choices in life.  I learned right and wrong from my parents.  I will continue to do what is right because I want to leave this earth a better place.  I don’t do it because of a promise of eternal happiness.  I want to accomplish something for humanity not a made up God.

I feel like I have come full circle.  As a child I couldn’t understand the concept of sin and why someone needed to die for them. I still don’t, no one is perfect.  We all make mistakes and hopefully learn from them. Those mistakes are what shape us into the adults we become.  It is freeing knowing that my actions are my own and that I don’t have someone’s death on my shoulders.  No one needs to die for me to know that I should treat people with respect, love, kindness, and equally.