Tag: religion

Christians Disrespect Soldiers’ Funerals

~ Clarissa ~ 7 Comments

The worst thing that ever happened to Christianity are the actual Christians.

A battle is currently going on where people who claim to be Christians try to force Christian prayers on the bereaved families of soldiers. These pseudo-Christians believe they have the right to do so even in those cases where the deceased in question were not Christian and their families expressed no desire for being bugged by Christians during the funeral of their loved one:

In Texas, three Christian military organizations — Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, the American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies — have filed suit against the VA because the Veterans’ Administration doesn’t include Christian prayers in vets’ funerals unless the deceased and/or the family request it. They are claiming that Christianity and Christians are being discriminated against when Christianity isn’t inserted into every funeral, whether the family wants it or not.

For some unfathomable reason, these folks identify as Christians even though it is crystal clear they have never even been in the vicinity of the Bible. As we all know, Jesus was opposed to public prayer and ridiculed those who believed that repeating a prayer ad nauseam would have some beneficial effect. As for forcing others into being exposed to your praying against their will – poor Jesus would have had a heart attack if anybody suggested that his ideas could be used to perpetrate this kind of atrocity upon people in pain.

These so-called religious folks don’t give a rat’s little tushie for religion or for the fallen soldiers as you can see from the comments made by one of these quasi-Christians:

[Nobleton] Jones said he has presented shell casings from the gun salute to veterans’ grieving family members at funerals in Houston National Cemetery for the past three years.

But after a burial ceremony May 16, Jones said a government official told him he could no longer recite the words he always says when he hands over the shells: “We ask that God grant you and your family grace, mercy and peace.”

The 66-year-old Houstonian said he felt belittled. “That makes me feel smaller, even after I spent my time in the military, fighting so that people should be able to say that,” he said.

This guy comes to a burial where family members of a dead person are saying good bye to somebody they love. And all he can think of is his freaky self-esteem issues? Who cares whether you feel smaller or bigger or fatter or thinner or hairier or balder at somebody’s funeral? Funerals do not take place so that some Stewart Little gets a chance to engage in self-aggrandizement. They exist so that families and friends can mourn their loss in peace. Without some creepazoid self-righteously sticking their unwanted religious beliefs under their noses.
Of all the people to exploit ideologically, people at a funeral seem like a really bad target. What next, walking around the mourners and sticking your business card under their noses? Seriously, how low can people sink?

Through the Eyes of a Stranger: Delegating Prayer

~ Clarissa ~ 25 Comments

I don’t spend much time in American churches, as you might have guessed, but today I visited one to attend a wedding. And was shocked to discover little cards that you could fill in to get the church staff to pray instead of you.

I'm sorry the image is blurry. I think I might need a new camera

On the other side of the card a space is provided for you to describe the request you want this prayer to contain.

I understand that people lead busy lives but there should still be things that we don’t delegate to others. Thinking, breathing, eating, loving, drinking, sleeping, learning, even going to the dentist are activities that nobody can do for us. Surely, prayer is one of them. How could it have occurred to anybody that you can get others to pray instead of you? What next? Pre-recorded prayers that are made at regular intervals for a low price of $19.99?

This is just mind-boggling. If somebody wanted to ridicule religious people, they couldn’t do it as well as the religious people manage to all on their own.

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen [do]: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 

I wonder what the guy who came up with the the above-mentioned suggestions would have had to say about this practice of getting others to pray instead you.

Women Are Turning Away From Religion

~ Clarissa ~ 10 Comments

Great news:

Since 1991, the percentage of women attending church during a typical week has decreased by 11 percentage points to 44 percent, the Barna Group reported Monday (Aug. 1).
Sunday school and volunteering among women also has diminished. Two decades ago, half of all women read the Bible in a typical week — other than at religious events. Now 40 percent do.
The survey also found a marked stepping away from congregations: a 17 percentage increase in the number of women who have become “unchurched.” “For years, many church leaders have understood that ‘as go women, so goes the American church,'” wrote Barna Group founder George Barna, on his website. “Looking at the trends over the past 20 years, and especially those related to the beliefs and behavior of women, you might conclude that things are not going well for conventional Christian churches.”

I hope that women are finally catching on to the sad truth that the Fundamentalists only see us as baby-incubators who should give birth, breastfeed and shut up.

I strongly believe that women will be a lot happier if, instead of the Sunday service where they will be told how inferior they are to men, they’ll just get extra sleep, read a book, take a long bath, sunbathe, or blog about how hateful organized religions have always been towards women.

Let’s hope this wonderful trend continues!