Holy Blasphemy

I admit it. I was raised Christian and many of my friends and family are still religious. Thus – not only do I attempt to modify my opinions with a fair dose of moderation and consideration for others, I also try to back up my arguments with evidence and research. You’ll find few (or ‘fewer’ at least) rough tirades against religion or Christianity.

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, this website is intended mainly as a forum to post my research into the historical Jesus (or lack thereof) not as an explicit condemnation of Christianity or modern faithful.

However: Obviously, simply by virtue of questioning those sacred beliefs passionately held by a grand majority of the human race, it is inevitable that I will confront opposition from time to time. I was recently asked (on my Facebook page, in response to one of my paintings) “When did you become so angry?” I hadn’t thought I was particularly angry, but I won’t deny it completely. I would argue FRUSTRATED. Frustrated that I cannot speak my truth quietly and simply without being satanized and damned to Hell.  The following is a recent comment I received on this website:

“Your HB website has to be one of the biggest insults ever …. there has to be some curb of speech! It’s not even clever. You’re not even having rational ‘debates’ about the existence of Jesus. Well, as a good Christian who’s supposed to pray for you .. I most certainly will pray that you rot in hell!!!”

I pray you rot in Hell? Not to bring up the obvious contradiction in this statement with absolutely everything good, moral and Christian, I can’t help but wonder how many people out there believe there must be some curb of speech. I’m certainly not opposed to it. I certainly think that anything said in public as a factual claim should be supported by logically sound and empirically proven evidences; that children be thought to reason and think and not believe; that insults and angry outbursts should be silenced, in favor of calm, polite discussion.

I comment in order to diffuse tension and increase understanding. Obviously I must be doing something wrong. I’m really not such a bad guy. I try to do right by my friends and family, I give money to the poor, I always help out a stranger in need…WTF does Jesus want from me that I’m not giving him?