- Joined
- Jun 11, 2009
- Messages
- 19,657
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- 8,454
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Libertarian
After a recent and fairly amiable discussion in a thread about living authentically, I came to the conclusion that it was fine for people to believe that homosexuality was wrong and that as long as people did not denigrate, dehumanize, or persecute gays and lesbians that their beliefs did not entail any degree of hatred.
I believe that believing in Christianity is wrong. I think it is wrong that some people believe that the Bible is God's authority on how people should live and that it is infallible and above any criticism. Furthermore, I find it wrong that some people put their faith in Paul who clearly held sexist and anti gay sentiments. Now obviously, he was a man who came from a culture very different than the one we live in now, but that is not how the people who follow his words view him. They see him as speaking on behalf of God. Personally, I think Paul was a con man, a guy who may very well have believed what he was preaching, but was ultimately nothing but a cult leader, perhaps even a Roman spy who became enculturated and then got too big for his own britches. I also believe that Christianity has often worked in opposition to progress, has been used to oppress groups like women and gays, and has even been used by its believers to justify horrible atrocities.
Now does that make me anti Christian? Does that make me a hater of Christians? If someone is entitled to believe that homosexuality is wrong, am I not similarly entitled to believe that Christianity is wrong? Can I do so without dehumanizing, denigrating, or persecuting Christians? Am I not as entitled to speak up about how I feel Christianity is wrong if others are entitled to openly share their beliefs that homosexuality is wrong? Can I hate Christianity without hating Christians? Where is the line?
I believe that believing in Christianity is wrong. I think it is wrong that some people believe that the Bible is God's authority on how people should live and that it is infallible and above any criticism. Furthermore, I find it wrong that some people put their faith in Paul who clearly held sexist and anti gay sentiments. Now obviously, he was a man who came from a culture very different than the one we live in now, but that is not how the people who follow his words view him. They see him as speaking on behalf of God. Personally, I think Paul was a con man, a guy who may very well have believed what he was preaching, but was ultimately nothing but a cult leader, perhaps even a Roman spy who became enculturated and then got too big for his own britches. I also believe that Christianity has often worked in opposition to progress, has been used to oppress groups like women and gays, and has even been used by its believers to justify horrible atrocities.
Now does that make me anti Christian? Does that make me a hater of Christians? If someone is entitled to believe that homosexuality is wrong, am I not similarly entitled to believe that Christianity is wrong? Can I do so without dehumanizing, denigrating, or persecuting Christians? Am I not as entitled to speak up about how I feel Christianity is wrong if others are entitled to openly share their beliefs that homosexuality is wrong? Can I hate Christianity without hating Christians? Where is the line?