@The-Milky-Way--they-it

6 months ago

I love how put-together and well-researched your argument is, but I don’t really like the argument itself. Totally cool if you’re not looking for discourse, here, but if you’re willing to hear me out I’d also be willing to hear your feedback and have an open conversation.

As someone who identifies as agnostic, non-religious, I don’t really think about religion except when I’m forced to. I live in America, which means as a queer person and as someone assigned female at birth my rights are constantly under threat due to (self-proclaimed) christian values. Obviously not all christians agree with these things, and in fact, the most religious person I know, my grandma, believes these lawmakers aren’t real christians at all because Jesus believes in loving your neighbor, your community, as they are, and not forcing your lifestyle onto them. And that’s the thing, I don’t think it’s okay to force a religion onto ANYONE. I think the people who make fun of religions, especially christianity, because of their own negative experiences or because of crooked politicians are being shallow and spiteful. I think anyone who tries to pick apart your faith and tell you not to believe “because science” or because “look at this hypocrisy!” or because “well actually the bible is problematic” is seriously encroaching on your civil liberties. But I don’t think the proper defense is that your religion IS objectively true, or correct, or that they, in fact, are wrong. I think everyone should be allowed to believe what they believe!! And I think the main problem with the “but the bible doesn’t make sense” argument is that it’s immature, and, as you stated in your video, doesn’t seem to come from a place of even having actually read the bible honestly.

Basically, in summary, I don’t think it’s very kind to try to get other people to believe in your religion. Religion is a very personal thing and just because your religion is amazing for you doesn’t mean other lifestyles aren’t amazing for other people. I think it’s horrible that people make fun of christians, but I don’t think it’s very nice, either, to clap back with an argument that implies that not being christian in and of itself is the shallow thing. One of the quotes you read asked non-believers if they had all the answers, and I don’t think I do, but I’m very comfortable living with that. In fact, it’s a value I hold very close to my chest, doing my best to not seek comforting narratives for the sake of it. Because I know religious people, though, I know that religion is so much more than a comforting narrative to you, though, and it’s just not, to me. And I don’t think I’m WRONG for that, and I think a lot of non-christians can agree that it feels condescending to ask us if we’ve ever considered that what we believe is wrong, especially in America, because people have been trying to get me to be christian and align with whatever their personal definition of christian values is all my life. I’m very solid in what I believe, and I’ve had to be, making my way in a society that keeps asking me to change. Most non-christians feel the same, and we honestly hate the “ew religion stupid, christianity stupid” crowd. Their arguments aren’t indicative of non-christians not having really considered christianity before, they’re just middle school-level insults. It can. hurt, when you attack someone’s faith or belittle them instead of attacking the arguments themselves, and it can often feel impossible to talk to someone if they see christianity as synonymous with good.

Thank you for listening to me :)

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