I spent a couple hours on Thanksgiving day in an online meeting with some secularists. Mostly I listened to them talk about the horrors inflicted upon them by religious people. They used words like, ‘trauma’ and ‘abuse’ to describe their church experiences.
I’m confident that this rhetoric has helped them abuse Christians in past conversations. Their skill at shifting the blame for their bitterness onto the shoulders of others has no doubt prompted their victims to apologize for the ‘harm’ they’ve caused these fragile pagans. Church people LOVE to apologize to pagans!
When Christians don’t read the Bible, they think apologizing to pagans shows humility. They think displaying zero loyalty to Christian orthodoxy will turn sinners into disciples. Because they don’t read scripture, these Christians truly believe the kingdom of God advances when the church retreats.
The secularists have openly declared war on ‘religion.’ They are standing outside the church building with torches, convinced that those inside deserve to be set on fire. After all, the mythical beliefs of the saints are the reason these hapless heathen are all alone on Thanksgiving. The secularists have repeatedly stated that world doesn’t need religion. In fact, mankind would be better off without our ‘Bronze Age superstitions.’
Let me suggest something to you Christians who never read the Bible. The secularists owe you an apology. If you’re uncomfortable with this idea, I’ll put it another way. The secularists owe ME an apology. They have set fire to the institution which taught me to tell the truth, keep my promises, and show concern for the welfare of others. They want to destroy the source of my morality. They offer NOTHING to replace it. They have no water in the desert but they still insist I pour the contents of my canteen onto the sand.
You Christians who don’t read the Bible should start a new tradition this holiday season. Instead of apologizing to every wretched ex-Christian who claims to have ‘suffered’ because of your hypocrisy, tell them to apologize to me. They can send an email or PM me on Facebook. If the pagans are going to be abominations, the least they can do is say, “I’m sorry.”
(Proverbs 24:8) Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind.
2 Responses
Regarding those who claim abuse/trauma from the church:
I appreciate your perspective, and as always, it has provoked my “comfy cozy” safe zone. We all need (whether we acknowledge it or not) to get uncomfortable, which (hopefully) activates our brains, hearts and souls to ponder, pray and wrestle. This seems to be the path to true growth/change.
I don’t enjoy assuming (we all know what may happen) so I must ask:
Does this post presume that a human representing/within the church has refrained from committing abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, mental)? As we know, the Church is comprised of humans; therefore, true abuse has/does/will occur. The abused should be able to turn to the Church for guidance towards ultimate source of healing. This is an entirely different category representing (I hope) a small percentage of those claiming abuse by the Church.
If I understand you correctly, you’re referencing people (religious folk) claiming the Bible as the ultimate source of Truth. If it contradicts what someone holds as their truth, the religious folk are being abusive/inflicting trauma.
Thank you for your ministry,
Heather Stratton
Thanks for the comment!
The term ‘abuse’ has been co-opted by sinister forces. Anytime someone’s religious or philosophical beliefs are challenged, it constitutes ‘abuse’ in the minds of many people. Accusations of ‘abuse’ are hurled at Christians who do nothing more than state a biblical position.
I’m not talking about actual abuse (physical violence, etc.). Real abuse is condemned by scripture in multiple places.