I’m not normally a ranter, especially not on serious topics. I’m not really a very serious person, to be honest. I’m not sure if you’d noticed.
However.
I’m going right off Facebook for a number of reasons, and one of them is how SHOCKED I am by what people I obviously have considered to be friends think they can bung up there. Oh, there’s no racism, no sexism and no homophobia on my feed. But apparently there is one group of people you’re still allowed to slam, even if you call yourself an open-minded liberal. And that is anybody who believes in God.
I can’t count the number of times I have read status updates that belittle anybody with faith, and it makes me FUCKING angry. I’m all for freedom of speech, but mocking people for what they believe is small-minded bullshit. Do these people think atheism is a radical new concept to the other Guardian reading woollies on their friends list? Whose mind are you trying to change? And I notice it’s nearly always Christianity that gets the belt as well, because these people wouldn’t want to knock a different culture, because, you know, that’s SO NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT.
Stop thinking about the big stuff for a minute, and think about how spirituality works for the individual. I’m about as far from a theologist as you can get, but I have enough of a brain to know that how much faith matters and why. Challenging concepts and ideas is one thing, but calling people stupid for their way of life is just rude and pointless.
When did people become so intolerant? Isn’t THAT the thing that starts the wars?
YES! Sorry but this really bothers me too, friends I have known for years and who know I'm a fairly intelligent thoughtful person are comfortable with blatantly calling me a moron and a gullible fool just because I have some kind of faith (sort of confusedly agnostic Christian... try finding a tick box for THAT on forms!)
ReplyDeleteUm, excuse me? I've read Richard Dawkins too, thanks, as well as books on religion, and faith and spirituality and agnostism and choice... and guess what? I made my choice to believe in something. You made your choice not to. I won't insult your choice or your intelligence so please don't insult mine and stop assuming that if you repeatedly point out how stupid I am I will miraculously change my faith for your gratification.
Bah, now I'm ranty, and it's only 8.15. I'll go read the Metro... that'll calm me down surely?!
K x
Totally agree. It has become somehow acceptable for so-called open-minded liberals to openly mock Christianity, when nobody would ever dream of mocking Jews or Muslims or Buddhists. I'm not a Christian, but I love a man who is, and it makes me angry. It's the same old "everybody is entitled to their opinions, as long as their opinions are all the same as mine". The hypocrisy is flabbergasting.
ReplyDeleteKatie - ha ha I'm not sure the Metro is the ideal solution! Although the Good Deed Feed does always restore my faith in humanity, just a little bit...
Well said, Penny. I think you've hit a big zeitgeist nail on its head.
ReplyDelete