Christians have put the “kitsch” back in Christmas!
Do you think that actually trademarked the product tagline? Oh who cares. Isn’t this fantastic? A brightly lit cross in the middle of a fake red, white, and blue tree! I’m almost in tears from delight. What a genius idea. Here’s what the shop says about this amazing product of patriotism:
LIMITED SUPPLY – Order your CHRIST-mas Tree today! Beautiful Christmas tree that we are sure all patriots will love! Celebrate Christmas American style by showing that Americans do love Jesus and YES, we are a Christian nation! It’s not just a tree, it’s a movement! Display inside OR outside of the home all year long for all to see as a symbol and reminder of our Christian Nation heritage!
Nothing says “Americans love Jesus” like a plastic tree movement! If you are so inclined, you can buy it here.
photo by hipposrunsuperfast.com
It’s really not.
When I began this blog, I had this sense of being part of a great discovery, a wondrous evolution of mind. I felt exhilarated and puffed up. In some ways, I felt like a new convert. My ferocity and passion about my new journey away from religion seemed so important, so radical.
But being an atheist isn’t a big deal. Not believing in one deity or a thousand deities doesn’t make me a revolutionary or unique individual. It’s actually kinda bland. My life isn’t packed with people flocking to hear what I have to say. It’s more or less packed with my everyday activities: I sleep, eat, goof around, work at my job, hang out with friends, talk to my boyfriend, daydream, read, enjoy entertainment and the internet, and sleep some more. Somewhere in there I might have a thought about someone else’s religion or a question about some philosophical idea, but more or less I’m just your average person living life.
Being an atheist isn’t a big deal. There are heaps of us … everywhere. I’m sure I see more atheists every day than I could ever guess, and these people aren’t any more cool or outstanding than I am. We’re just experiencing life in somewhat unremarkable ways, just like everyone else. We walk right past religious people all the time and no one explodes or runs away in panic. The world doesn’t end because we don’t believe in the supernatural.
Being an atheist isn’t a big deal. In fact, we’re all born this way. I’m not sure why we make such a fuss about it, especially here in the USA. In fact, atheism is so “ok yeah, whatever” that I’m not sure I should even need to blog about it. It’s just your average state of being. Atheism is just another ordinary trait. It’s a shame not everyone sees it that way. That’s why people think we need awareness campaigns and books and slogans and symbols and media icons and organizations and blogs and public speakers and rock stars.
But being an atheist isn’t a big deal. It’s actually quite… normal.
Which is more difficult: asking for forgiveness or forgiving someone else?
I think they’re both tough, so let’s focus on me for a second while you ruminate.
It’s humbling to ask someone to forgive me because it requires a public admission of wrong that could have otherwise been swept under a rug somewhere and forgotten. I don’t like bringing something to someone’s attention if they didn’t know about it already. Even if they are fully aware that I’ve done something stupid, it’s still hard for me to suck it up, swallow my pride, and focus on that mistake, blunder, or vile action. I fear embarrassment, and would really enjoy being right all the time (even though I rarely am). What can I say? I have a ridiculous ego. Asking for forgiveness means doing the hard work to repair a broken trust and relationship. It means owning up to one’s darkest behaviors and thoughts. It’s difficult.
Granting forgiveness to someone else challenges another part of my me. I don’t often hold grudges, but when I have been deeply hurt, I tend to pick at the emotional scar until it bleeds all over again. I have the kind of mind that dwells on or over-thinks words others have spoken or ways I’ve been treated. And when I scratch those painful scars, they never get the chance to heal even if I know that letting them fade away would be best. As strange as this sounds, I must want to feel angry and hurt if I keep rehashing those old wounds over and over again. Forgiveness means letting go completely that need to over-think and dwell upon old pain. It means taking the biggest step towards letting go. It means moving on and giving freedom to the person who owes a debt to me. I’ll admit that sometimes being able to forgive is hard.
So what about you? Which do you think is the most difficult to do: asking or giving?
Why should outsiders have to work so hard at pointing out the flaws in Christianity when Christians do it just fine on their own?
I can take that vacation now!
What you’ll hear: an interview on Way of The Master Radio with Todd Friel interviewing an ex faith pentecostal faith-healer, Mark Haville. They discuss how “being slain in the spirit,” faith healing, and revival services are a sham. The irony is that the same arguments about emotional manipulation, pastor preaching styles, and it all being in the person’s brain still work for fundamentalist anti-pentecostal Christianity. Maybe they’ll realize this one day.
Your thoughts?
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