Justified Faith (541 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 0.07 on 18 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Enter The Midnight (View user info) at 2005-01-02 05:20:27 EST
Many people look for the justification of the belief in God, or the faith in God, or the practice of a religion, and then scoff at us when we cannot offer it, or the logic we use isn't up to their standards. We as believers feel like a minority anymore, like our values are slowly losing ground to progressivism and that because we rely on evidence that cannot be seen or felt or smelled, that our views hold no intellectual ground and can simply be dismissed as fantasy.
I am not here to offer an earth-shattering proof of God, or a new idea that will stimulate the Third Great Awakening. Nor do I wish to convert all of Ubersite or the world to my view. My purpose here is to offer a defense of why I have the right to believe as I wish, and why my beliefs are rewarding.
Progressives proclaim their tolerance of everything and all views, and that they believe all cultures and religions are equally valid. Unfortunately, this is not true in theory or practice at all. What happens is that multiculturalism allows for the toleration and acceptance of everything *except* conservative Christianity and white, middle-class culture. I'm not putting these two together as a stereotype; I am placing them together as a target of the persecution of progressive politics. Progressivism is different from liberalism--liberalism is a healthy counterbalance to conservativism in America, whereas progressivism is the pandering to the sensitivities of every group that is not a majority--exemplified in excessive political correctness and the tyranny of the minority.
The main target of progressivism seems to be Christianity. The extreme measures to remove all references to God from all remotely governmental agencies or even private organizations, the obsession with keeping prayer out of anything governmental, and the counter-Christian movements in America. No other religion in America is hated as much as Christianity. Even Muslims garner more respect and protection, despite their religion's media status as a spawner of extremists. The majority of people on this website, the vast majority of college students, most of American "intelligentsia," and countless other groups actually campaign against the religion as though it were Nazism. It is one thing to believe something different; it is entirely different to slander, bash and insult a system of beliefs as idiotic, unfounded, or narrow-minded. Christianity in its ideal teaches love, peace and forgiveness. What is so hateful about that?
Now, the problem with this campaign against Christianity is not even the campaign itself. All Americans have a right to hate whoever they want. You have the right to be racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, etc, as long as it doesn't result in hate crime or discrimination in a work or public service environment. The problem with it comes from the logic of those who purvey it. These people preach tolerance of all people and religions, and yet they repeatedly scathe Christianity for no apparent reason, other than they "hate God" or "hate Christians" or "hate right-wing ideologues." If you are going to preach tolerance, then you have to tolerate intolerant views. Apparently, Christianity isn't the only thing that fits here. According to these people, you must tolerate all views, but you cannot tolerate a racist. Now, there is no logical reason for being racist, but there is a logical reason for following a religion--it gives you spiritual guidance, and under proper control, it is nothing but positive. So this perceived intolerance of Christianity baffles me and irritates me. It makes no sense, and comes from people where tolerance is the greatest virtue.
I have the right to be a Christian, and you have the right to be an atheist who hates Christians, or a Wiccan who hates Christians, or an agnostic who doesn't care, or a New Age Transcendentalist who thinks I might be right but Islam might be right too. But if your main doctrine is tolerance, then practice it. Otherwise, admit you are intolerant and favor minority views.
Now, why would I follow a religion at all? And if so, why Christianity?
Well, the answer is both short and long. A long answer would be a defense of the existence of God and the superiority of the Christian religion over others. The short answer is that I simply like it. I enjoy having faith in God. I enjoy the inner peace I experience, the answered prayers I can relate to you, the free gift of eternal life. I was brought up Christian, and the religion is part of my culture and part of who I am. Yes, I can formulate large theories and apologetics of my beliefs, otherwise I would have dropped it long ago in favor of a mechanistic, materialistic world. But I have had too many experiences with God--too much God-given faith in a set of core beliefs and values that is a very part of my existence.
I understand many reading this are fuming. Many are already clicking the -2 for daring to bring up a pro-Christian, supposedly right-wing argument on this site. I already have my set of people who hate me, though most of my fiercely dogmatic arguments stem from anger over the anti-Christian doctrine that infiltrates this site.
I'm not trying to make anyone mad. I simply want an understanding that Christianity is not something to hate--but something to tolerate just like everything else you put up with in life, like it or not. I know people who would tolerate terrorism longer than they'd tolerate a Christian. This disturbs me.
White culture isn't so much a target as it is simply ignored. Political correctness and affirmative action often make whites feel guilty for being white. Textbooks and newspaper articles are warned never to make references to white lifestyle or middle-class lifestyle for fear of offending minorities. This sort of pandering needs to end, and whites should be able to celebrate their heritage without someone bringing up slavery. And loving America is not limited to the whites in the South. It is not toleration to hate America, progressives.
Well, I've said what I feel needed to be said. Start the hatred.
User Reviews
Submitted by d_prime (user info) at 2005-07-03 00:10:17 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
"Well, I've said what I feel needed to be said. Start the hatred."
-1 for making decisions primarily based on feelings
-1 for 'predicting' that you'll get bad reviews
Submitted by xakarii (user info) at 2005-07-02 23:47:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
Maybe one day Christians in this country will be able to practice their religion openly and freely. Hell, we might even become open minded enough to accept an openly christian president, or over 40 consecutive ones.
Submitted by Sherman (user info) at 2005-02-24 01:27:42 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by Teephphah (user info) at 2005-01-03 08:42:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
A little all over the place, but still good.
Keep the faith, brotha. It is hard in a place like this. Just remember, Jesus said that you WILL be persecuted for following Him. That just means that you're doing it right.
Submitted by RouteTwo (user info) at 2005-01-03 00:15:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Oh, and:
http://www.ubersite.com/m/36318
Submitted by RouteTwo (user info) at 2005-01-03 00:14:34 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
ok, maybe just ONE more religeon poston Uber.....anyone?
Submitted by Schwarzes_Glas (user info) at 2005-01-02 15:08:03 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good work man.
Submitted by Chronicles_of_College_Guy (user info) at 2005-01-02 14:55:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2005-01-02 14:06:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 1
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:41:14 (#)
Ranking: 2
I hereby challenge any progressive/liberal to argue against the points made in this article without making threats, heaving insults. Please refrain from using ad hominem arguments and circular reasoning.
-------------------------------------------
Well, if you're gonna take all the FUN out of it...
:-)
Submitted by Phallic_Cymbals (user info) at 2005-01-02 12:38:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
"The extreme measures to remove all references to God from all remotely governmental agencies or even private organizations, the obsession with keeping prayer out of anything governmental."
If governmental agencies were covered with the slogans and filled with the propaganda of every major religion there wouldn't be any space for anything else. All or nothing.
I tolerate everything but intolerance, and when Christianity (or anything else)manifests itself as intolerant, i act accordingly.
Submitted by PyroBeast (user info) at 2005-01-02 07:20:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by dedre (user info) at 2005-01-02 07:14:39 (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a religion-hater, but not necessarily a christan (or buddhist, or anything) hater.
Good job with your writing, now I just wish I could write something so that most
of the hot Catholic girls can understand just because I believe in no god that doesn't mean I
can't worship their holy triangle.
_______________________________
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
+2 for this comment.
Submitted by PyroBeast (user info) at 2005-01-02 07:19:34 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Do people really hate Christianity? I think it's just another religion, just another god and just another holy book. It is the actions of some Christians that piss people off, not the religion itself, and certainly not all Christians either. Just like people don't really hate Islam or Allah, they just hate Muslim terrorists. So, remember that no one argues against ideals like "love, peace and forgiveness", those are good and should be adopted by everyone.
About tolerance. Let's bring in a cause and effect scenario.
Cause: Christians don't tolerate gays.
Effect: "Liberals"(Labels, labels, labels) don't tolerate Christian intolerance of gays.
Why is it that one form of intolerance is justifiable while the other is not?
Because ultimately, gays harm no one.
Christian intolerance of gays harm them, till the extent of denying them their right to pursuit happiness through marriage.
Which side is right? Of course the side that doesn't harm anyone, and that is the side that should be supported especially since Christians have so much power to whack them with.
Here's an analogy: A child is playing in a playground. A big boy comes in and beats the kid, for absolutely no other reason than his father saying that kids are evil. A hippie comes in and beats up the big boy. People start crying foul because hippies are supposed to be against violence.
Substitute the child for gays, the big boy for Christians (Or Dubya if it makes more sense), the father for the Bible, the hippie for liberals, and violence for intolerance.
The truth is this: It is impossible to have total tolerance for everyone and everything, because tolerating intolerance will still breed intolerance. The "lesser of two evils" rule come to mind here, because one form of intolerance is governed by logic, the other is not.
Just for the record, I am not a liberal, nor am I a conservative, I believe everyone is a mix of both. I have a conservative stance on crime, the economy and child discipline. I don't care about little things like "under God" or saying prayers in class, it's just a load of bullshit that only offend pansies.
My whole argument about religion is thus summed up: You have a right to your religion, and it is wrong to take that right away. Similarly, others have a right to be unaffected and unharmed by your religion, it is wrong to take their right away too.
Before you belt out the "but you must tolerate EVERYONE" line, please extend the love so touted by your religion to everyone first.
Submitted by dedre (user info) at 2005-01-02 07:14:39 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm a religion-hater, but not necessarily a christan (or buddhist, or anything) hater.
Good job with your writing, now I just wish I could write something so that most
of the hot Catholic girls can understand just because I believe in no god that doesn't mean I
can't worship their holy triangle.
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:41:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I hereby challenge any progressive/liberal to argue against the points made in this article without making threats, heaving insults. Please refrain from using ad hominem arguments and circular reasoning.
Submitted by hidden101 (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:40:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
i have no problems with any religion until they affect me and believe me, religion has affected my life negatively in many ways, not to mention the entire world. i used to be a Christian. i was born Catholic and decided that i prefered going to a Baptist church in my teenage years. then i started to really think about religion logically and came to a realization that religion was all about circumstance. there are people that will never ever have the chance to even hear the word "Christianity", so does that mean they are doomed to a life of eternal hellfire for not accepting Jesus because they never heard of him? Buddhists seem like a nice bunch. will they burn, too? if Christians really do believe the only way to Heaven is to be "saved", then that would indicate God has a chosen people. that seems rather contradictory to me, seeing as how God is supposed to be anything but selective, according to the Bible.
and then we have issues like homosexuality. the Christians at the church i went to seemed to think it was a black and white issue. many Christians believe that gays were not born that way and are giving into some kind of perverted fantasy. they believe that they can be changed back to "normal". i'm disgusted and appauled that Christianity does not allow a grey area. many Christians have said that God doesn't hate gays, He just hates what they do, but they also like to reiterate that they will go to hell. if God just hates what they do, that sounds like a "sin" to me. doesn't every single person sin? and doesn't the Bible say that all sins are equal in the eyes of God? so what's the problem with gays again? seems like fascism to me...
it just doesn't make sense to me. i see a lot of narrow minded thinking from Christians.
don't get me wrong. i respect your beliefs even if i don't agree with them and i'm not saying you are anything like what i just described. i'm just talking about what i usually see from Christians. religion has been the cause of so many bad things in this world since the beginning of time. war comes to mind, for example, and lots of them.
Submitted by Worm (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:36:36 EST (#)
Ranking: -1
I was going to -2 you for being a moron, but there weren't any glaring grammatical errors and your article, while it was ignorant at it's core, wore a very soft and fuzzy, non-aggressive shell. So
-2 + 1 = -1!
Hooray!
Submitted by lordofduct (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:26:06 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
that was fun! yey.
Submitted by lordofduct (user info) at 2005-01-02 06:25:05 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
Ummm, SKANK ASS WHORE. Another one of you dumb asses who think we don't like it that you worship this fictional shithead in the clouds. Go for it, have fun, do what you please. Most of our biggest gripes is that yall get down our throat about going to hell. Just shut up and quit your whining and go sacrifice another goat.