[Note: The Friendly Atheist[1] Hemant Mehta posted a blog entry yesterday about a book-and-DVD set called The Outsider Interviews by Jim Henderson, Todd Hunter, and Craig Spinks. Henderson is the person who “bought” Mehta’s soul on eBay. The question asked in the video is “If Christians would listen, what would you say to them?” Mehta asked readers to give a reply in the comments section.[2] I wrote a comment replying to the question, and I thought I would repost it here.]
If Christians would listen, I would say:
Please realize being a member of one particular religion is not a prerequisite for morality. Just look around you. You probably have coworkers, neighbors, and fellow classmates who are members of different faiths and no faith. They are regular people, just trying to live their lives. If you want to be pro-family, then don’t encourage people to be hateful towards family members and friends who convert or deconvert away from Christianity.
Before deciding to support a religious law or Christian organization, please imagine yourself in the other person’s position. Imagine that you’re living in a country where Christians are the minority and where another religious group is doing a lot of the same things which some Christians are doing. Imagine that your kids are going to a school where another religion’s creation story is being taught as science, that your tax money is going to organizations that discriminate against you, and that there are organizations doing biased fake science research to “prove” that discrimination against you is okay. Would you be okay with that? If not, then don’t support it when your religion does it to other people.
Lastly, on a more personal note, don’t assume that I only dislike religion because I’m from a Muslim family and that I would change my mind if I learned about Christianity. I actually considered Christianity and found that I disagree with it as well. I’m an atheist because I don’t see evidence for God; if I saw the evidence, I would believe in God.
[1] http://www.friendlyatheist.com
[2] http://friendlyatheist.com/2010/07/06/if-christians-would-listen-what-would-you-say-to-them/
Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.