Dear Editor,
As someone who has studied Christianity and is still a non-Christian, allow me to request that you open your mind and consider the flaws of your personal philosophy.
While it may be harsh to judge Christianity by the Crusades alone, we do not have to search for long to find other tragedies committed by Christians. Bombing abortion clinics and burning innocent people at the stake are two of the more radical events that been committed “in the name of God.” But more personal and devastating acts of intolerance and hate by members of your faith can be found around you everyday. I can personally tell you that it is very difficult and painful to grow up being a non-Christian in this area (especially when your mother is a “born again” Christian). Intolerance and discrimination against non-Christians and people of “sinful” lifestyles is a very real, very damaging thing. And not at all what Jesus would condone.
It is not the Crusades that have turned many against Christianity, but Christians themselves. Furthermore, how can you focus on forgiveness if you don’t first focus on all the things for which you need to be forgiven? If we didn’t do such “awful” things, we wouldn’t need forgiveness.
Your faith makes people feel guilty for enjoying perfectly natural, normal behaviors. In fact, followers of your faith often make people feel ashamed of the way they were born or for committing crimes such as intelligent thought. You make the false claim that the “original moral code” was set forth by your God. You must have no idea about history or basic human nature to believe this.
There were many faiths before yours and all had their own moral codes. Also human beings, in general, are not amoral beasts running amok without the enforcement of God’s morals. Acts such as killing another person or stealing from your neighbor is generally frowned upon by all cultures, regardless of faith or lack thereof.
Morals aren’t something given to us by a deity – they’re something with which we are born. Also, your faith believes that we are born with an inherently sinful nature (thanks, Eve). How depressing!
Think critically about everything that you are presented and never take anything on blind faith alone. Life is so much better when you don’t spend it asking for forgiveness or waiting for the next one.
-Joanna Magner

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