(March 7, 2016 at 3:43 pm)GeneralDog Wrote:(March 7, 2016 at 1:50 pm)KevinM1 Wrote: Christianity is really masturbatory when it comes to the crucifixion. It's the part where everything gets twisted - the more he suffers, the more you owe him. Even though vicarious blood sacrifice is really friggin' immoral if anyone stops to think about it for even a second.
I mean, why should I be glad that this guy sacrificed himself for me if I'm the one who did wrong? How does his torture and death absolve me? And that's assuming I did anything so heinous and vile that the only fitting response is torture followed by death to begin with, which by my calculations I haven't even remotely approached yet in my 36 years on this mud ball we call a planet.
It's the ultimate guilt trip, designed to end all questioning and thought on the matter. "Jesus died for your sins!" Well, sin is a silly concept, one which flies in the face of reality. And I didn't ask him to do anything for me seeing as I didn't exist back then. I don't know this Jesus fellow, and really don't want to.
My family just says "You are rejecting the truth" I believe the contrary is true. They have yet to give me any reason why they are right and I have given them multiple reasons why they aren't correct, like flaws in out bodies only evolution could have made, failed prophecies that I have "misinterpreted", highly illogical scenarios, shown that we have no historical records of Jesus, and things the bible describes (Jesus conversation with god in a garden alone) that no one could have ever documented and yet it is discussed as truth.
Like Rob said, they're relying entirely upon emotion-based appeals because they have no actual refutation. They come from a place where Jesus and the Christian god are 'just the way it is', where it's such an integral part of their environment they simply don't question it and feel really uncomfortable when others do and aren't dissuaded by threats or the implication of displeased authority.
You don't know it, but you're actually conducting what's known as a breaching experiment (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breaching_experiment). Their reactions to you pointing at and questioning the underpinnings of their social norms is revealing a whole lot about the actual social structures in play. And it's uncomfortable for them to wonder if maybe the emperor really isn't wearing any clothes.
Did you ever play Metal Gear Solid 2? That game was also a breaching experiment. Gamers had certain expectations going in, and the game turned about all of them on their heads, especially towards the end. The same thing is going on here, in real life. You're their Hideo Kojima.
"I was thirsty for everything, but blood wasn't my style" - Live, "Voodoo Lady"