My Open
Letter to All Offended “Christians”
by Rev. Paul
J. Bern
Dear Offended Christians,
All of my
regular weekly readers know by now that I can – and have – posted
commentaries on my blogs, my website, and social media that has been
sharply critical of the mainstream churches – both Protestant and
Catholic – here in the US. While I have received praise from many
of my readers for these postings, I have also been on the receiving
end of no small amount of vehement condemnation from numerous
'religious' individuals, combined with weathering criticism from many
(but not all) atheists. I've been told I'm going to hell when I die,
I've been accused of voluntary stupidity, I've been verbally
assaulted and abused on social media, and I've even had my personal
safety threatened. So far, nobody has made good on any of those
threats, which doesn't surprise me at all. Still in all, I’m
terribly sorry that I hurt your feelings. None of us likes to be
criticized, so I totally get it. I feel badly about that. I know I’ve
said some pretty hard words to many of you “Christian” folks, and
maybe I’ve been somewhat less than gentle in my delivery, but that
happens when you’re tired. And I am really freaking tired! Allow me
to list all of the ways I am fed up to here with the hypocrisy shown
by so many 'religious' people!
[1] You wrap
yourselves up in the cross, your piety is second to none, and yet you
have seemingly forgotten to read the Book you proclaim to set your
moral compass to. I’m tired of hearing you telling gay people that
they can’t simultaneously be both gay and followers of Christ. You
quote Romans chapter 1, verses 26-27 and Levitical law when you
condemn gay people, but you forget the counsel of the apostle James
when he wrote: “Speak and act as those who are going to be
judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy
will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs
over judgment!” (James 2: 12-13)
Instead of judging gay people, why not show them some mercy and
compassion? Moreover, I’m tired of you regularly dispensing
damnation on the queer community, and then offering empty “thoughts
and prayers” before resuming your normal schedule.
[2] I’m
tired of arrogant pulpit bullies who believe they’re entitled to
tell people where they can pee, who they can marry, and whether they
really love Jesus or not. I'm particularly tired of your demands for
10% of my income. You're not going to get one stinking penny from me!
After all, you preachers spend much of your churches' proceeds on
yourselves and your wicked and vain desires. You buy luxury cars for
yourselves and your wives and live in extravagant homes while people
sleep in their cars as they and their children go hungry. Rest
assured that your punishment is coming, and it will be most severe!!
[3] I’m
tired of you being more outraged by red coffee cups at Starbucks, or
school and department store restrooms, than by poverty, racism and
America's crumbling school systems. Ditto for the hypocrisy of your
homophobia, all that institutionalized racism, and the anti-science
sentiments of many Christian groups. God gave you a brain! Try using
the damn thing once in a while! You'd be surprised at how well it
works. Thinking with your emotions instead of your brain always ends
badly for you anyway. If you were using your head, you would be able
to remember that.
[4] I am
thoroughly exasperated with your simultaneous condemnation of
abortion while you beat your war drums. The US military has killed 2
million people in the Vietnam War and 1 million more innocent
civilians in Iraq. The fact that all those dead Iraqis were Muslim is
besides the point. Have you forgotten what Jesus said at the Sermon
On the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be
called the children of God”? (Matt. 5: 9) Yes, it's true, there
are roughly 50,000 abortions performed each year in the US alone, not
counting the rest of the world. While I am by no means pro-abortion,
I refuse to condemn those women who have abortions for the same
reasons as #1 above. Why? Because there are two main reasons why
women are having abortions. First, the last time I checked, a month's
supply of birth control pills costs many hundreds of dollars here in
America thanks to our greed-based medical care system. Second, if
America's employers paid a living wage, a lot more women could afford
to use birth control, hence fewer abortions. Oh that's right –
America doesn't have any more jobs that pay a living wage because our
brilliant leaders outsourced all the good-paying jobs overseas for
pennies on the dollar so they could make a whole lot more money!!
Please
excuse me, I just realized I probably hurt your feelings yet again,
Mr. and Mrs. Churchperson. So I really do get that your feelings are
hurt. I understand that you’re offended, and that’s not my
intention. The thing is, if you’re going to tell an entire segment
of the population that they’re going to Hell simply for existing,
and if you’re going to continually target those people through the
Church and the Law and your social media accounts, don’t get angry
with me when I tell you you’re being hateful and judgmental and
ignorant. It could be worse. At least I’m not damning you for all
eternity. You know, like you do to others every day of the year?
Sincerely,
A Very Tired Christian
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