Enough Already!

Just an FYI, my father was a baptist minister for over 20 years, and managed to NEVER molest any child. In fact, he was a wonderful father that gave me a perfect childhood, and treated my mother like a queen! I know many men in the ministry who are fabulous people. Are they mislead? you bet. Do I think they are misguided or brainwashed? yes indeed! Not all of them are all hell fire and brimstone, and not all of them are greedy money hungry power whores. I know many who have given their own money to help others. These people would have been good people whether they were christians or not because they were just good hearted and good natured. I have many family members that are genuinely good people at heart, and I guarantee you that when a child molester is found to be present in a church, they are just as angry, disgusted, and sick about it as we feel. To generalize all of these people in the same category is the same as saying ALL Mexicans are lazy, or generalizing any other ethnic group, or organization we do not like. It is the same as saying all atheist are hateful and spiteful toward religious groups, or all atheist are devil worshipers (as if!) I see a lot that is wrong with religion, but I see a lot that is wrong from many atheist too. I know that the prisons are filled with far more christians than atheist, I realize there are many crooks among the christians, I also make no apologies for feeling that christians are needy or gullible, otherwise they would not buy into the BS much like fat people buy into the 'lose weight overnight' scheme, or the poor are always chasing a 'get rich scheme'. But when something is said about pastors in general, I feel it is a slap in the face to wonderful people like my father who gave his time and money helping others, and I feel I must remind that these people are not all bad, after all, not all pastors, not all christians, are child molesters and not all atheist are the epitome of goodness and wholesomeness.

I knew this person for 6 years, we had a causal friendship through work. One day the topic came to church and she asked where I attended. I told her I did not attend anywhere because I am an atheist. She was shocked! She said "But you're so nice, and giving, I would have never guessed?!" At that point she realized Atheist does not = bad, hateful, or spiteful. I like to win people over by letting them get ton know me and seeing for themselves that we are indeed good without god. I have won more people over to my way of thinking this way than I ever could have by cutting them down and being nasty to them. Do we need to be firm on our position on government and political issues? you bet we do, but we can be firm without being nasty and disgusting. I have never needed to be loud and offensive to get my point across and have learned that that is an automatic turn off. Let them look like an ass, I refuse. I have far more respect for those who can keep their cool and 'one up' their foe with wit, charm and facts than I am am with the Sam Kinnison "in your face bull shit" I mean, isn't that what turns you off about christians? the "in your face, shove it down your throat" crap?