joining the blogstorm

I had wanted to write a little something for this weekend's Blog Against Theocracy, but I hadnt come up with anything decent to write about, and so rather than burp up some random post that probably echoed a dozen others, I elected to keep my mouth shut. Then I read this statement by The Dallas Morning News' Rod Dreher, referring to a the life-sized chocolate, anatomically-correct Jesus titled "My Sweet Lord" by Cosimo Cavallaro:

Though I was as disgusted as the next Christian by the pleasure our cultural betters take in stunts like this, on reflection it struck me that this kind of thing might be appropriate for the Easter season. The world hated Jesus and mocked him unto his death on the cross. It should not surprise us that 2,000 years later, it still does.

You know how teenagers think that their problems are the end of the world? How that zit is some sort of attention magnet that everyone is staring at? That their opinions are sooooo important to the world that that anyone who disagrees with them is committing some sort of capital offense (unless it's someone they love, then disagreement is a crushing hammer-blow)?
That's what this dumb-ass statement makes me think of.
You see, to Rod and all you other Christians out there who think that your religion is under some form of attack, nobody is mocking Christ.

They are mocking YOU.

They're mocking your childish obsession with being right about everything. They are mocking your adolescent inability to see anything in any terms other than black or white. They are mocking your teenager-like blind flocking to (religious) fashion gurus. They are, overall, mocking your immature inability to see the world as anything but spinning in a tight orbit around your wants, desires and opinions.
If you'll actually pay attention, it is rare that your so-called attackers bad-mouth Jesus. No, even atheists and Muslims will admit that Jesus was a pretty swell guy. It's you that they dont like. You and your annoying habit of calling everything that you dont agree with to be a sin.

You've got this annoying habit of calling those who dont tow your line "sinners", then saying that you're not being judgemental, or, if you are, you're following "His Word". Well, I've got a bulletin for you, His Word it may (or may not) be, but your saying it is so does not make it so.
God has never told me that he wrote the Bible, he has, in fact, never told me anything. Therefore, I must make a judgement about whether to believe you. I can make that judgement, you see, because it affects my life, but not yours (and if my belief, or lack thereof, does affect your life, well, you might want to lighten up or seek therapy, 'cause you got some issues).

It's very sweet of you to be concerned about my soul. Now back off.

You say God came and spoke to you? Wow, cool. Have him come see me. See, I dont buy stocks from a strange stockbroker without checking, and that's just my money. You are trying to get to my soul. In God I may trust, but you're not Him. You come on too strong, like a pushy salesman, trying to get us to sign on the dotted line before we can think too carefully about what it is we're buying. Maybe your product is just fine, but I aint buying it from you. And if you try and force me to buy it, I'm going to cry "thief!".

To get back to Mr. Dreher; people dont hate Jesus. They hate self-righteous people telling them that they're wrong. Especially when "wrong" means "sinner". Especially when "sin" means "evil".

Do I have a point? I probably ought to wrap this up, so I'll get to it. I have no interest in living in an American Theocracy. I will not. I'll either fight or, if the situation looks really bad, bail (unlike, say, Palestinians, I'm not married to piece of land, especially if it's filled up with assholes).
I prefer to live in a place run by grown ups, who think and reason and make decisions based on empirical evidence, rather than wishful thinking or outright superstition. And what's up with unthinking adherence to the word of your leaders? Seriously, with the exception of God Himself, I cant think of anyone whose word or opinion I would consider either infallible or absolute, and even God's gotta talk to me in person, not a via a message sent through a 2000 year old game of Telephone. Just because someone says it's so, does not make it so.
I want adults running my country, but I dont need Big Daddies.

Nor do I need any pushy salesmen telling me what I need. You say you got a great product? Show me. Dont try to sell it to me, show me how great your stuff is, and let me come to you, begging to know where I can get some of it. And if I dont, well, tough titties for me.
But dont tell me how to behave and what to think. Your right to swing your Bible ends at the tip of my nose. Personally, I believe there is some form of Higher Being, but I'm not arrogant enough to think I know what It is like or wants of me, and I have a hard time believing that It is so small as to fit into that tiny, intolerant little box you've created for It. And I suspect that if you try to shove It in there, It's not going to be very happy with you.

But that's just my opinion. You may judge whether or not you choose to believe it. And I insist that you extend me the same courtesy.