Why I "was" angry at atheists

As a Christian I'm getting upset.  Really really upset.  So upset I'm blocking some people on my Facebook. That's how crazy upset I am.

Why?

Because of images like this:

Not pictured: Mr Christian is not impressed

Every time I see these kinds of pictures floating around the internet - conclusive, simplistic proof that religion generally is a bunch of malarkey.  Boom! Religion bested in one quick round.

So of course every time I see these kinds of pics/memes/etc show up the internet I immediately feel defeated and throw away my bible, denounce my God and go do something useful, like binge watch Game of Thrones on Netflix.

Wait! no actually I feel something else.

I feel angry.

Really angry.  Not because I'm threatened by their argument.  Not because I feel the need to defend God.  But because you fundamentally belittle me, by taking the most fundamental belief I have and reducing it to a glib image byte.

Actually the image probably doesn't annoy me as much as the 10.2k comments and likes of people who readily agree and use it as their "take that" to religious people.

And really that is quite disheartening.  I don't like the school yard bullying of those that seem to be able to shout the loudest.  Their gloating and flippant argument sound loudly over everyone else.  Like an unruly mob everyone joins in and the shouting gets louder.

If there was a real discussion going on - thoughtful, insightful, then lets discuss it.  Bring it on.  I'm always open for discussion.

But don't treat me like an indoctrinated sheep, dumb and dogmatic.  That's not who I am.  I'm not leaning blindly on what I've been taught, through kindergarten, or through by religious teachers feeding me deliberate misinformation, desperately hiding the truth at every turn.

In fact throughout my whole life I've been schooled by people who are in the very essence, searching for truth themselves.  They have found it.  In the God of the Bible.  These are not clergy growing fat in an outdated institution. Far from it.  They are men and women, of independent mind and will.  They have discovered the beauty of God and the revelation of His word.

I’m not an idiot.  Don’t treat me like one. So why do your arguments sound like your treating me like one?  I suppose on one level it’s easy to join in the taunts.  And we seem to be hung up the creation of the universe argument right now.  Which as I said before, I admit we are missing the point with. But I continue to take it in my stride.  The daily snarky comments and memes.  And the more I try to ignore it, to put it aside, the more it bothers me for some reason.  As I think about it.  Study it, watch it bombard me, I’ve changed from being angry like I once was.  Slowly my righteous anger changes to a quiet pity. What I see is a daily rejection of God and a group reassurance that your off doing your own thing, your own way and nothing can stop you.  The more I see it, the more it feels like children rejecting their parents.  “I don’t need a helmet Dad!” I’ve grown up in a Christian family all my life.  I have no idea what it must be like to be without God.  Without knowing His truth, and His plan. Is that scary for you guys?  Being out in the world on your own?  We argue creation forever, but while we debate about the how it happened, are we too afraid to contemplate the why? ·        Why are we here?
·        What is our purpose?
·        Where are we going?
 These are fundamental questions that nobody seems to be asking.  I feel the standard man on the street answers are: ·        “Nobody knows/By chance”
·        “To get as much “enjoyment” out of life”
·        “There is nothing after this life so live it up while we can”
 If we can’t reasonably answer the first question, then the rest of the questions lack any conviction in their answer.

Joe Biden is quick with a equally strong retort

The Exodus

One thing that I always thought was a little weird in the bible was God's continued, reminder of his power by bringing the Israelite's out of Egypt (see link, hint there's lots of them). While it's amazing and worth mentioning the real centre of the bible is Jesus and his death and resurrection.

I've been thinking about Easter a lot lately (being that time) and the numerous parallels between Jesus and the Passover itself (hint there's loads). Even trying to note them all as an exercise for myself to do.

Thinking about both things today, it struct me God keeps pointing out this event as a high point of saving His people from slavery. I just didn't realise he was talking about me too.