There is a big difference, folks, between being anti-Christian and being against some of the religions ’round these parts that preach a vitriolic version of Christianity.
I personally cannot stand the ‘cram-it-down-your-throat’ version of faith so many seem called to – and that is what a lot of the articles cited in a recent letter to this paper seem to be about.
I have nothing against Christianity, nor have any of the articles in this paper expressed a dislike of the faith in general. But I do have a problem with certain branches of the religion … and I don’t like my school openly favoring certain sects of Christianity over others.
Whatever happened to quiet faith? To leading by example? To allowing people to choose faith, instead of insisting on a certain interpretation of Christianity?
There is a difference, an important difference, a lot of Christians apparentlylike to overlook in favor of martyring themselves for the cause. By wrapping their ideology in the mantle of religion, they feel protected; because their actions are part of their faith, it is supposed to be above reproach – and they are offended if someone does not agree.
Let me give you an example …
I have three perfectly delightful children and, as children do, they were running around one Sunday afternoon when our neighbor came by. She volunteered to take my children to Sunday school at her church … no reason, she noted, they should not be saved just because my husband and I were not.
Now, I do not believe in organized religion – I think such expressions of faith lead to worship of the interpreter of the Bible, i.e. the preacher, over God – had I gone to my neighbors door and volunteered to keep her children with me Sunday mornings, so as to prevent idolatry and save their souls, well, I don’t think it would have been well received.
But could I point out her rudeness? Could I say, “How dare you?” No. I nodded and smiled and thanked her for her offer.
Those of us that do not follow the tenets of organized religion are asked to accept an awful lot.
But why should we? Why are we supposed to sit quietly and not say our peace about the Pledge of Allegiance, or the Easter bunny? Just because we disagree with the principles of certain religious groups, does not mean we are not Christian, or holy, or thoughtful. We are not against Christianity, the faith, we are against the idea we must all march in lockstep to the tenets of a single religion.
Christianity, folks, is a faith … not a religion. The church you go to, be it Baptist, Catholic or Quaker, is the religion.
In short, we, the non-religious, are the persecuted ones. We are the ones forced to be kind to those that insult us, forced to peel back yet another Campus Crusade for Christ poster to find the elevator button.
We are forced to see religion, hear religion and find religious groups supported by ETSU. We are bombarded with church signs and pithy quotes in the marquee and on table tents and everywhere else we turn.
Look, if you want to be religious, hey, more power to you, but why can’t you leave me out of it? I think you’re wrong, for Pete’s sake, and I don’t see why I am supposed to sit quietly.
Members of certain churches certainly don’t sit quietly. They stomp around beating the drum of organized religion whenever they can.
Why am I not supposed to speak?
Why is it automatically anti-Christian if one points out the domination Christianity has over this land of the free? I am tired of the faux-martyr complex so many people are taught in their churches. Enough already.
Tabetha Garman

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