From now on I call them what the are: the COS

[readmoreoften]

There are too many disputes here over the words "fundie", "evangelical", and "christian." We argue about who are "real christians" and who are "fake christians" and what Jesus "really said" and what he "really meant" ad nauseum. Frankly, as an atheist, I don't really care to argue over what religious figures "really meant". It's a straw man argument. The issue is that a group of people in our nation have become violent and hateful and despicable. Many of them are extreme Protestants. Some are Catholics, Mormons, a few are Jews. And of course there are groups of theocrats who adherent to Islam, usually overseas.

Of course there are also many wonderful people in these groups. So what do we call the enemy? (And they ARE an enemy.) I vote for the COS, the Cult of Suffering. That is really the main theme of all these human-hate groups. They want humanity to suffer for the glory of their particular godheads.

Exhibit A through Infinity:

I am terminally ill and in pain every moment of my life: obviously, God intends that you suffer.

I am pregnant and the fetus is dying in my body: let it suffer until it dies

I am pregnant and I am too unstable to raise a child: good, you will suffer for the sin of sex and your child will suffer. If you had an abortion, then neither of you would suffer. God would be displeased.

I need lifesaving research to heal my diseases: no, we are going to try to throw the research materials away.

I am gay and I want to visit my partner on her death bed: no, we want you both to suffer because your love sickens us

I am gay and I want to marry so I don't lose my home upon my partners death: god wants you to be homeless for your sins

I am a Iraqi child and I don't want to die: no, you must suffer God wants us to free you

I am a Lesbanese/Jewish child and I don't want to die: no, it is important that Israel expands because it is in our prophecy. If Israel does not expand, Jesus will not return and rain fire on all our adversaries, causing them to suffer. Also: while we need you now, during endtimes, you are a few of the adversaries that Jesus will destroy. But thanks for the help.

I am hungry and poor: we will give you a little charity just to show you how much God loves you, but we will give you no social justice because you are supposed to suffer and work your way up to below-subsistance living. If we let you struggle for social justice, then our power(I mean, our God's power) would be challenged and then you would no longer suffer.

I was raped and I need a morning after pill: it is terrible and sad, but we cannot allow an end to your suffering.

A woman was drinking at a party. Her skirt had a slit in it. She was raped: well, she had her fun. And now she's suffering.

I'm gay. I want to live out of the closet: Try reparative therapy and if that doesn't work, at least live in the closet and suffer with dignity.


********************

They are in love with suffering. It gives their lives meaning. From "disciplining" children in the woodshed with a paddle, to denying their sexuality, to forcing women to keep pregnancies, to denying gay people social integration and financial protection, to berating the poor for their own predicament, to shaking with glee as the middle east collapses. They are only one thing. They are not Baptists or Catholics or Fundies. Baptists and Catholics and "Fundies" have left leaning contingencies. These people are a cult, a Cult of Suffering. They are sadists and hatemongers living under a veil of religious rhetoric. And I mean the grandmas and the teenagers too. So let's spare the atheist/christian arguments, which really have not much to do with any of this. The religiosity or irreligiosity of progressives is irrelevant to this argument.

We are all at war with the COS. Down with the COS!!!!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. We are observing the changing of a concept

These people you describe have one concept of reality. Not only does it enjoin suffering, it also tends to seperate one group from another, and sees God as somehow seperate and yet responsible for things that go on in the world.

There are other reality concepts that see things differently. They see everything interconnected, and see a way past suffering to peace. This way comes by giving up the causes of suffering, which can also be said to be surrendering the false self to the Real.

Ekhardt Tolle, a mystic who became enlightened without following any spiritual or religious path, said in a talk recorded in September of 2001 that either consciousness will evolve to the latter concept described above, or that people will remain trapped in the old concepts, which will very probably result in the destruction of the earth.

[msgadget]

3. Good answer

Do you know if the mindset described by the OP is as prevalent as it seems or if that sort of 'Christian' is just more vocal?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

4. NO! IT IS NOT AS PREVALENT AS IT SEEMS!

But these folks are very good at using the media, the talk show hosts, mega church pulpits, you name it.

They are a minority, but a vocal minority. And they are motivated by self-righteousness, which is as addictive as heroin. It feel goooood when you know you're right and so does the guy in the next pew and you can be right together. That is, until the guy in the next pew makes a pass at your wife..or you make one at his son. These groups are very fluid and unstable because they are basically appealing to very troubled folks. And eventually something has to give, and it does.

I'd like to say they've reached their apex, but I don't think they have yet. The rootlessness of our society, folks looking for love through sex, drugs, excesses...they all eventually feel they need absolution and the churches are there. For a while. It's a paradox, but I don't think the religious right wing will go away until we develop some level of moderation in our society. Which is tricky, given the 1st Amendment and the sexual revolution. And it's interesting how different countries or cultures respond to this problem... some go secular, some bring back Ayatollahs.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. From my experience

those kind of Christians are just loud. My brother and his family are active in their Methodist church, and my sister in law's father is a lay minister in the Southern Baptist Church. They have a sane view of religion, basing their actions on the teachings of Jesus rather than just spewing dogma.

[msgadget]

7. Thank you both,

I also believe it's the latest justification for prejudice and segregation. These folks just can't live and play well with others.

[Redstone]

2. I think you're right. Absolutely right.

Redstone

[Stargazer99]

6. I'm not an atheist but do I ever agree with you

the fundamentalist, christian, etc should practice their own beliefs and leave the rest of us in peace. I believe in God but I also believe in leaving the rest of you alone...you will figure it out and no one has any business trying to force feed you anything whether you are atheist or agnostic or not.