godlessgrrl Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Hm. Wow. Um. How to say this without it all coming out sounding stupid... Well, hm. Maybe it'll sound stupid but I'll say it anyway. I had this weird kind of sudden personal mini-epiphany yesterday. I was browsing along and posting and reading christianforums.com (I'm there as gwenmead) and I just suddenly realized that there really isn't anything good or special about being Xian at all. That probably sounds stupid because it's probably just Totally Obvious . But I think I finally actually got it. I mean you know Xians and Xianity set themselves up as having this monopoly on truth, and being special and wonderful because of it. Well, I've known intellectually for a long time that it's bullshit. But I guess it just takes me awhile to have stuff really sink in, down to a more automatic, instinctual kind of level. I think also that this sort of regarding Xians as being some kind of elite, special people is probably left over from being one, too. I've heard folks here talk about how hard it can be to shake off the shackles, even after intellectually rejecting Xianity - there's pieces of it that are more emotional, or are just hardcore learned habits, stuff that sticks around for a long time through the process, like residual guilt or the fear of hell or whatever. I think I've still been hanging on to the idea that I need to respect Xians on some level because of having been taught how special they are. And, well, that just went away yesterday. So I used to think Xians are special, worthy of listening to and believing. Why? I don't know, I just did. But I don't anymore. Now I know they aren't, not with a left-brain, intellectual, informational kind of knowing, but with an inner gut kind of knowing. I know that being Xian doesn't make anybody special, it doesn't make them elite, it doesn't make them worthy of my respect, or honor, or anything of the kind. Being a decent person or being smart or whatever, that earns my respect - but not some religious pedigree. Xians aren't any better than anybody else on the whole damn planet. Period. I think I found what I was looking for when I first started posting here and on christianforums.com. Which is an evening out of humanity. A reduction of Xians to the simple, ordinary humans they are. FWIW. Thanks for reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Priase the doG Gwennie... When we finally free ourselves from the shackles we keep on our body mentally, becoming Freemen and -women, its a damn good day.. Always worth a *read*... Thanks, needed. kevinL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 Good for you! Go grab a cold one. Get naked. Kick back and say, "Life is good!" Okay, so you don't have to get naked. I just threw that in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karissa Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 That is wonderful, and I know what you mean about knowing something that might seem totally obvious because you've sort of known it for a while. I have had similar experiences lately- it just hits you out of the blue that things are different. It's wonderful, I think. Congratulations on your journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted November 24, 2005 Author Share Posted November 24, 2005 Good for you! Go grab a cold one. Get naked. Kick back and say, "Life is good!" Okay, so you don't have to get naked. I just threw that in there. Dude. Thanks to all who've responded so far. Fwee's post has certainly offered the most fun advice! So I got me a cold one (Pyramid Amber Ale - woo! ) and life is sure fuckin' good! But I ain't tellin' ya if I'm naked or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 But I ain't tellin' ya if I'm naked or not. Okay. But if you're not naked, do you at least have your pants unbuttoned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted November 24, 2005 Share Posted November 24, 2005 I love epiphanies..that "aha!" moment when it all becomes clear.. Yup..they ain't anything special..no more than the rest of us, though most would have you believe they are. Oh and Fwee..I thought the get naked part was the best part.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted November 26, 2005 Author Share Posted November 26, 2005 Okay. But if you're not naked, do you at least have your pants unbuttoned? How'd you guess?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 Okay. But if you're not naked, do you at least have your pants unbuttoned? How'd you guess?? I'm glad you asked. Because you left the window wide open for an ever-so-slight-possibility that you might have had at least some slightly-nakey-tendencies going on there when you wrote this: But I ain't tellin' ya if I'm naked or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godless Wonder Posted November 26, 2005 Share Posted November 26, 2005 I think I've still been hanging on to the idea that I need to respect Xians on some level because of having been taught how special they are. And, well, that just went away yesterday. Hahaha. Yeah, Christianforums often has that effect on people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Gods Fail Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Yeah, that happened to me, too. For me, it was while studying up on the loathsome Martin Luther. It just hit me that Luther was a horrible person, and people who founded a religion in his name have to be crazy. How you could call yourself a 'Lutheran' and think you were some wonderful, moral person is beyond me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Yeah, that happened to me, too. For me, it was while studying up on the loathsome Martin Luther. It just hit me that Luther was a horrible person, and people who founded a religion in his name have to be crazy. How you could call yourself a 'Lutheran' and think you were some wonderful, moral person is beyond me... Um, they don't tell you all that stuff in the church. Really, they don't. I didn't know any of it until I left. I still know a lot of people who are Lutheran but good people in spite of what Luther himself was like. But yes, they are definitely good people in spite of the religion, not because of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All Gods Fail Posted November 27, 2005 Share Posted November 27, 2005 Um, they don't tell you all that stuff in the church. Really, they don't. I didn't know any of it until I left. I still know a lot of people who are Lutheran but good people in spite of what Luther himself was like. But yes, they are definitely good people in spite of the religion, not because of it. Oh, I know most Lutherans are unaware of the terrible things their church founder did. They certainly don't discuss Luther's rabid anti-semitism in church! But in a way that's even more distressing - why don't xtians learn the history of their various founders? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtdude Posted December 1, 2005 Share Posted December 1, 2005 ....I mean you know Xians and Xianity set themselves up as having this monopoly on truth, and being special and wonderful because of it. Well, I've known intellectually for a long time that it's bullshit. But I guess it just takes me awhile to have stuff really sink in, down to a more automatic, instinctual kind of level. I think also that this sort of regarding Xians as being some kind of elite, special people is probably left over from being one, too.... So I used to think Xians are special, worthy of listening to and believing. Why? I don't know, I just did. But I don't anymore. .... Being a decent person or being smart or whatever, that earns my respect - but not some religious pedigree. Xians aren't any better than anybody else on the whole damn planet. Period. I think I found what I was looking for when I first started posting here and on christianforums.com. Which is an evening out of humanity. A reduction of Xians to the simple, ordinary humans they are. .... Hey Gwenmead, I have felt the same way. It IS part of the brainwashing of the church: "we're special, we're chosen, we're doin' Big Daddy's good works, spreadin' the good news to all the lost souls, ad nauseum, blah blah blah." Add to that the complete and total victim/martyr complex of most True Believers, and Voila! No wonder it took us years to get over. Muchos Congrats! I still find christians who I respect, but it's because I agree w/ their actions, not their theology. My sister is a christian and she's kind, respectful and decent to all she meets. And she doesn't expect everyone to fall over her for her "sacrifices for god." She does good works because it's the right damned thing to do as one human being to another. Just like you said (and forgive me for quoting you again): "Being a decent person or being smart or whatever, that earns my respect - but not some religious pedigree. Xians aren't any better than anybody else on the whole damn planet. Period." Right on Sistah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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