In Response to a Friend

A friend sent me the following in response to one of my blog entries:

"You know..., I know that you are upset and seeing red, but the best way to change someone's mind isnt by insulting them. When you call someone's religious views "acinine" they are automatically going to get upset and go on the defensive side and more than likely be offended, which isnt going to help your cause. Maybe the best way to handle christians isnt to attack their religion but to use is to sway them. As a christian, I know that the Bible is God's word, and that each individual is to interpret it according to their own views and life situations. I think if you take some time and look through the Bible, as someone who hasnt grown up with religion, you could find some sections in there that could help you."

I'm sharing my response to her in an effort to make clear some of my views concerning religion and my personal experiences in the matter:

"Dear...

Are you claiming I didn't grow up with religion? I'm really not sure. If so, I assure you I absolutely did, in the Catholic Church nonetheless. I went to "Sunday School" ever since I could remember, had my First Communion when I was 7, Confirmation class for two years by personal choice from the ages of about 15-16, and made my actual Confirmation when I was 17, at the same time as (two of our mutual friends) did. In my late teens and early 20's, after my friend,..., if you recall, was incarcerated, I went to Mass nearly every Sunday with my grandmother in hopes that I would find some motivation to help him through a difficult time in his life. So let me assure you, I am very familiar with religion, and not just Christianity. I am a student of religious studies; I have examined various religions from an intellectual standpoint, beyond my personal experiences in faith. So to suggest I'm not familiar with any religion, especially Christianity, and further propose I didn't grow up with religion is completely erroneous. Again of course, I'm not completely sure if you were trying to state you grew up without religion, or I didn't. If it's the latter, I apologize for my initial interpretation, but even so, I think it's important to state I'm not just pulling my feelings about religion out of my ass.

I'm coming to realize how many people I am just simply incompatible with, not only as an absolute agnostic, but as someone who feels very strongly that people who so fiercely adhere to uninformed, misguided points of view, seemingly and selectively devoid of any shred of true human compassion for people who actually live life along side us in the present day, should be called out. I feel such individuals should be challenged to formulate a viable argument and if unable, told as such.

My "cause" is not to sugar coat things. I call things the way I see them, and I suggest if you prefer not to hear or read it, please look elsewhere. I'm not into making things seem nice and pleasant so people will find appeal in it; that's something someone with a weak justification might resort to, not unlike religious folks trying to convince others they have all the answers to the questions they seek.

I feel religion is a production of man, created in response to unanswerable questions, for times of agony and despair, and in order to exert power and facilitate control. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the good parts of religion; charity, a sense of community and belonging, treating others as you would like to be treated, being honest on a personal level, along with many others. However, incorporating those qualities into your life does not at all require religious belief and if fact, in a counterproductive sense, those who claim a religion often dramatically assault these basic guidelines of human interaction, in the name of their religion tragically enough. Furthermore, when faith gets to the point of intolerance and degradation of some of your fellow humans by utilizing selective parts of the "Word of God", that is unacceptable, senseless, and shameful.

I will always sacrifice personal comforts for the sake of standing up for what I know in my mind and feel in my heart is the right, just thing to do. It is not in my character to do otherwise. If ignorance is bliss, I choose to lead a very discontented, miserable existence. More importantly, however, I am open to new information that may change my thinking and assessment of an issue or subject. I think that's what bright, capable people do in search of intellectual growth.

And if I may make a levelheaded suggestion as a friend, if you're interested in any religion, might I refer you to Unitarian Universalism? From what I know about their spectrum of practices and beliefs, they are the most enlightened religious group I'm currently aware of.

With Warm Regard..."