Original photo by piccadillywilson

Question for you… Why do so many intelligent people have a beef with Christians? If what we teach really is from God, you’d have thought they’d be a little more receptive…

If you go on sites such as Digg, Reddit and so on, you’ll often find articles such as this, this, this and this. You’ve got admit, when you’re tarred with the brush that paints those people, you’re pretty much stuffed from the outset. However, in an attempt to make the Digg-nation types understand what Christian’s are actually about, I’m going to lay out some guidelines as to our common ground and differences.

1. We Actually Believe What We’re Saying. Weird, I know, but try to understand. Neither side are being intentionally dense or anything, we just actually do believe in what we’re saying. Christians really do believe that the Son of God came and died to save mankind. Atheists really don’t, and don’t believe in any kind of God. People have died on both sides for refusing to give up on these beliefs, so try and keep it respectful.
2. We’re Not Evil. Seriously, sometimes the Christian right pisses me off. Treating everyone who doesn’t think exactly like them as though they’re the spawn of Hitler and Saddam Hussein. This may be a shock, but there are good atheists! And there are good Christians too! To be sure, there are so real screw-ups on both sides of the fence too, but actually, that doesn’t mean we all are. So let’s stop acting like we’re all Doctor Evil and throw each other a frickin’ bone… Which brings me on to my next point…
3. You Can Do Evil In the Name of Either. Again, no real shock. Look at what Guy de Lusignan tried to do to Saladin in the Crusades. Marched out against an army that had caused no offense, to start a war with a man who wanted peace, and got his entire army annihilated. All the while saying “God wills it!”. Yeah, right… Mind you, atheism’s track record isn’t a whlie lot better either. My theory? People can be really lousy to one another, with or without God as an excuse. It’s down to us, not Him, what we do to one another.
4. We Like to Party! (Everybody Does…). Jesus partied hard. Anyone who turns water into wine pretty much has to party hard, you know? I mean, jeez, He dished out food to a group of 5,000 men plus women and kids. He’s not feeding the five thousand here, he’s feeding half the local population. And whilst it may come as a surprise to some of you atheists out there, some of us Christians like to kick it lid scholi too. I like to party too. I like to drink as well. I even have other Christian friends who like drinking and partying. Weird, huh? And to all those Christians who think that having fun is the road to hell, feel free to flame away. You know what the world needs? A giant party with Christians and atheists and nachos and beer. It’d rock lid Testament style.
5. R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Like the diva sang, all we really need is a little respect for each other. Remember that they’re people too. Give them the same respect and open mind you’d want from them. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

So come on then… What do you think?…