Just Thinking

Known as the Golden Rule, many Christians will know this as a Christian saying: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". It is also a saying of Buddhism, Hinduism (or Brahmanism), Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Paganism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism and others. For details of this claim, see these articles on the golden rule and the ethic of reciprocity (wikipedia). See also Peace be with you.

Recently my post Religious Belief and Social Problems received some discussion and it also resulted in me having long discussions with Atheists and Theists outside of this blog. In reply to one remark in the blog I stated:

... Better to understand that "as you give, so shall you receive" and "do unto others as you would have done unto you". These are practical guides to living. However these beliefs do not require a belief in God, the bible, prayer or attending church to work.

I have added the bold here, because I want to emphasize that atheists can equally well as theists believe in the golden rule. However when they do so, they believe in it for its own sake, not as a means of getting a reward in the hereafter. That is not to say that all religious people do that, but many think that way. Belief in the principle for its own sake is more pure and leads to healthier actions. Lip service is worse than useless.

One thing that I especially wanted to raise in this article is the awareness that I have had from a number of atheists that have been brought up in religious families. A large number of these people exist, and they are really tortured by the experience. If your response to that remark was that they deserve it, then you are not a Christian, for that is not Christ's teaching. This is the typical scenario for a person in a religious family that becomes an Atheist:

1. Have doubts about the existence of God or the Bible's divine inspiration. Keep it to themselves for a while.

2. Mention the doubts. Get told that they will go to hell if they don't believe. This keeps them pretty quiet for a while but probably makes them think even less of God as he is then seen as the ultimate bully.

3. Keep quiet about it for a long time and live a double life, pretending to believe. There must be huge numbers of such people who fill out the census with "Baptist" or "Catholic" or whatever but secretly do not believe.

4. Develop guilt and repress thoughts. This is unhealthy for a person to live this way.

5. Once they become independent from their parents they may meet others that think like them and gain courage. They then move in different circles avoiding the "bible-bashers".

6. Tell their families about it which leads to storms and accusations that "you will go to hell" but "I will pray for you". They are unable to be themselves around their families. That is unhealthy, as everyone needs love and acceptance from their families.

7. Either stop associating with their families or keep living a double life and trying to avoid the family. This benefits no-one.

Now, here is a question directed at Christians or other theists. How can you reconcile this type of behaviour towards your children with the golden rule? Admittedly it is not as bad now as the inquisition. But if you knew the torment that you put your children through and the lasting damage, and the way you drive them away from your religion, you would not do this. Christ's message is clear. Love everyone and judge them not. It is not your decision whether they go to hell or not, but if you think it is then you create hell right now in this life for you and your children.

I see so much Satanic music and videos come out of America. The energy for these things is fed by the denial of the believers. They create the atmosphere in which those that started with doubts learn to hate instead.

It amazes me that in the developed world, Americans preach more religion and go to church more than most other countries, and at the same time they have more guns, commit more murders, attack and invade far more other countries than anyone else, and often in the name of God. This is the utmost hypocrisy. If there are any people who really believe in Christianity in America, they should certainly not support such people as George W. Bush because all his behaviour is so much against all Christ's teaching. And yet so many of the religious in America do vote for Bush. I cannot understand this at all. They have all entirely failed to get the message. Turn the other cheek. Do not tell lies. Do not kill. Love your enemy. Do not covet your neighbours oil wells.

I have been told by an American Theist that all Atheists are Satanists. You cannot be a Satanist unless you believe in God and hate him. By definition an Atheist cannot be a Satanist. He also says that the roots of Atheism are in Marxism. Excuse me, but Atheism existed for many centuries before Marxism was ever thought of. Is it compulsory to think crooked and to abuse people if you are religious? You will note that I am criticising many religious people in America, but I am not abusing them. I am telling them, please think about what you do. If you are really a Christian, then follow Christ's commandments. That means you should:

a. Let you children speak their minds and kindly explain your beliefs to them. Allow them to reach their own conclusions. They will love you for that.

b. Do not vote for Presidents that you know have attacked other countries or suspect that they might.

c. Do not send troops to other countries. Speak out against this.

d. Cut down on your oil usage by getting a car that uses half as much gas so that your country can stop invading other places.

e. Read up on the news and find out the lies that your leaders are telling you. Bush, Cheney and Libby are criminals.

f. Teach your children to understand people from other countries and treat them with respect.

g. Love everyone including Atheists.

If you do all these things, then I will believe that you are a Christian and I will hold you in the highest respect for practicing what you preach.