I can't help but notice that in some social circles there's this cool non-conformist allure to be a total Christianphobe. A Christianphobe is a little like an arachnophobe or a homophobe: someone with an irrational misplaced fear or hatred of Christianity and its followers.
Maybe I'm seeing this problem because I move in the wrong circles, but it really irritates me when I hear Christian-bashing. I see the duality of hate between those who are Christian and those in any other persecuted group. But I also understand this situation is nuanced by the fact that Christians are definitely the majority group in Lubbock and that some Christians are just as hateful.
On that note, I'm equally irritated by people who shout and scream that there's some crazy secular "war on Christianity" (that dramatic headline is a great ratings booster for Fox News or Bill O'Reilly's books on culture wars). Christianity in America will be fine. Trust me. We put "God" on our money and money is everything.
But still, let's call attention to this reverse hatred of Christianity. It often starts with jokes and degrading comparisons: "Mindless sheeple," or "Yeah, that annoying girl is in my class … she's Christian." (Say Christian like a homophobe would say "fag," which usually comes out in a guttural spat of disgust.) Or the hate presents itself with unfair historical assessments like "Yeah, Christianity is responsible for so much death and so many wars in this world."
Not exactly. In my opinion, wars have usually been about economics with religion as an occasional and unfortunate rallying banner. Besides, Stalin was an atheist and responsible for at least 20 million deaths. We can say the same for Mao Zedong. So atheists should know their history just as much as Christians should.
But really, that's an unfair association as well. Stalin's atheism isn't what killed more than 20 million, it was government policy and brutal authoritarianism. Sometimes, actions have to be divorced from sweeping personal labels, because those labels aren't always causative.
Christianity isn't perfect. Neither is atheism. Nor is any faith, religion, ideology or worldview. That's probably a no-brainer, but I still come across people who fail to see that Christianity is bigger than a couple of its few embarrassing mean-spirited adherents. An atheist wouldn't want to be embarrassed by Stalin now would they.
I've heard many say Christianity is mental slavery. They're wrong. Ideological utopia is mental slavery. And ideological warfare is hell. So let everyone be. Anytime I hear someone belligerently attack someone's faith (an atheist to a Christian) I want to scream at the top of my lungs, "Faith is personal!" Attempted rape on someone's faith is a vicious crime. One isn't going to win any sort of contest against faith. Faith is an impenetrable firewall of human resolve and an oasis for personal strength and growth that I wholly respect even if I don't entirely understand it.
Now, I know it cuts both ways and that some Christians have a horribly judgmental missionary streak, but be polite if one feels a little accosted. Derogatory insults and behind-the-back belittlements only add to our social poison.
That's the true root of social ill in Lubbock. We're so culturally separated and we fill the gaps between red and blue, faith and non-faith, sect and science, with pure and utter malice.
So here's what I propose. I want a bunch of bitter atheist and agnostic hipsters to go to a Baptist meeting of some sort (say Paradigm or one of those other weird gatherings where people put their hands in the air) and then I want a bunch of hardcore Christians to go to an eco-anarchist-Goth-Wiccan-rock show (Probably none coming up in Lubbock, so try Dallas).
Some people will be mean. Feelings will be hurt. Fights could happen. But there will be those who are nice and will treat the "outsiders" like humans and equals - divorcing humanity from labels. There are the redeemers who look beyond ideology and the redeemers give me faith, not in Christianity, but faith in human potential.
I've heard of something called Christian humanism. It's the fusion of the idea of human potential, mental freedom and individualism with tenants of Christianity. I've befriended so many over the years who I would say are under this bracket because they're non-judgmental and can look beyond the labels (though they don't realize it).
So I guess I'd like to see some more atheist-humanists for a change rather than these bitter people with a chip on their shoulder trying to prove minority status with hatred.
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