There can be only one…

“There have been about 3,000 gods so far, but only yours actually exists. The others are silly, made-up nonsense; but not yours. Yours is real.”
~Ricky Gervais

No Need for Collection

As anyone who has read this blog will know by now, I have not only left Christian Science, but Christianity as well. I am not religious at all. The Judeo-Christian/Abrahamic “God” is a capricious, sadistic, insecure concept of deity I have rejected. I would say I am perhaps a variety of agnostic: I believe there is a higher power, but it remains somewhat undefined for me. I feel like I have an idea of what I think it is, but is that how it actually is? I don’t necessarily know. I am forever suspicious of anyone who claims to “know God”.

Hate in the Name of God (Warning: I’m ranting)

“I live in West Hollywood, CA and the Gay Pride parade is going on beneath my window. A man with a microphone is yelling continuously about the sin of homosexuality, saying God hates gays, they’ll burn in hell and so forth. People are simply singing in response. Stand strong, gay friends. May angels cover your ears and God give comfort to your heart. God loves us all with an inestimable love. Falsity and lies cannot touch you.”

This was posted this morning as the status on a Facebook page I follow. The poster was observing a scene outside her window. This is a vivid illustration of one thing I absolutely abhor about religion, and an illustration of one big reason I have completely rejected religion in all of its destructive and evil forms. I can’t stand the misogynistic and hate-filled spew that many religious people put out. Even more, I can’t stand their apologists within the wider mainstream society who try to excuse their religion from its complicity in the promulgation of this hate.

Trials Are NOT Proofs of God’s Care

Image credit: The Atheist Pig (www.theatheistpig.com)

In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy writes: “Trials are proofs of God’s care.” (p. 66) A recent post in a Facebook group of former Christian Scientists inspires this post. The person started with this quote, and asked what our thoughts were on the sort of universally Christian idea (as I see it) that suffering brings us closer to God, and if we still accepted that belief. Answers amongst the group varied, but a general consensus of us who responded do not really accept this belief anymore, whether we be atheist, agnostic, or of other belief. However, most of us agreed that we do experience positive personal growth from rough experiences, and I certainly agree. As I thought about all of this, I considered my own relationship to the “Abrahamic ‘God'”, especially as it stands now.