I follow a few anti-theists on Twitter. I’m not sure why — maybe it goes back to before I was okay with being religious again myself — but I do. I’ve been wondering whether to unfollow these folks. I mean, I’m not AGAINST religion, am I? I’m not here arguing that all forms of religion are backward, evil or whatever, am I? I’m not here saying that no good can ever come of any religion, am I?
Except that that is what I’ve been saying about the Catholic Church. I’ve looked upon those fighting statute of limitation reform as cowards, or worse. I have looked upon every good that the Church has done, and is doing, as being completely nullified by the sexual abuse and the cover-ups. I haven’t cared if a particular diocese, or the entire Church itself, goes bankrupt. Let it burn, I’ve been saying.
People like Bill Donohue don’t make it easy, mind you. He’s the president of the Catholic League. He says that victims are “out to rape the Catholic Church.” I just want to take him by his lapels and throttle him. HOW DARE YOU, SIR. How dare you appropriate the language of rape for what the victims want from the Church, you sleazy little man. Part of me wants to write him a version of the same letter I sent a few dioceses way back when.
No one and nothing on this plane of existence is completely good; no one and nothing is completely bad. My anger at the Church’s sins is justified; my hatred is not.
So to those willing to work with the Church to find solutions and move forward, I say to you a heartfelt “good luck.” Hopefully justice can exist without bankruptcy.
Please leave your comments below.
Kemetic vs. Atheist 
Seems to me that Atheism frequently shares has a common viewpoint with paganism (appreciation for science, concern for living a good life here and now)…and then the “god’s graveyard”happened. Even though that angered me, I still see and appreciate the sanity in much of Atheism. I just wish Atheists would take off the blinders and recognize that there’s more to religion than monotheism.
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I hadn’t really seen the common viewpoint between atheism and paganism; thanks for sharing that (I guess I thought I was the only one, lol). I had to look up “god’s graveyard.” That is kind of disturbing, how easily some atheists think they can write off believers like that. Maybe you’re right, but I don’t think it’s just atheists that need to take off the blinders; monotheists need to do it too.
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I thought I was the only one, too! *lol*
My philosophy is that people generally have more in common than they have differences – but seems like it’s default behavior for people to put up obstacles rather than build bridges – witness the pagan/polytheist divide, of which I, too, and guilty. And I suppose if Atheists and monotheists ever acknowledged their commonality with pagans/polytheists, they’d eventually have to acknowledge their commonality with each other, too…so neither group will probably ever start down that road.
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Congratulations for beginning to come to terms with your religion of origen. As an outsider, I have always been amazed that an institution that seems so corrupt often inspires some great individuals.
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Thanks, Mel. It’s been really tough for me for some reason. Hopefully I’ve turned a corner.
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