I remember viewing atheists as antagonistic and depraved

By fjell

Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
--George Bernard Shaw


Luckily most of us here are veterans of Christianity. As former Christians, we know exactly how we once viewed atheism. This small but explosive fact is regularly ignored by scores of the Christians who post here in hopes of "witnessing" to us. They often wonder why we're "angry". Amongst countless other affronts, could it be because they often post as though we've never heard the "Gospel", and not as though we used to be the ones trying to preach it?

We used to be on their side. They simply can't grasp this. They have to explain it away, marginalize it. Cap it. Shut it up. Pretend it isn't true. Overlook it at least.

I myself can remember viewing atheists as horribly antagonistic and depraved. I wonder if the Christians who post here can conceive of the fact that I used to view atheism as the greatest of all crimes! Completely void of anything redeemable. I can remember hearing the criticisms atheists would hurl at religion and instead of actually listening to the details of their claims, simply responding with Bible verses, quotes from apologists, and stories of my “relationship” with Christ. I can remember hearing atheists talk of morality and scoffing as I knew beyond a doubt that morality without God was impossible. As a Christian, I was certain that atheists had an agenda. I was certain that they were dishonest, at least with themselves. I never once stopped to consider that it was I, the Christian, who desperately needed certain things in the universe to be true, so that my world view could continue to survive. I never realized that an atheist is not so much a person who denies God as they are simply someone who has no requirements for what reality must be.

Christians. If you're out there. Let me tell you something from someone who spent a long time proclaiming "Jesus is Lord": There is truly no more reason to believe Christianity is an accurate representation of the universe than any of the other multitude of religions past or present. Had you been born elsewhere or elsewhen, you would probably be a believer or elsewhat. Do you know that twinge of fear you get when you imagine what it might be like to read the Qur’an? That’s the part of you which knows that it is your ignorance of certain things which helps guard your faith.

And that is a ridiculous thing to know.

fjell

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