Idk

Source

what do we know about god, really?

everything i thought i knew about him is actually about us: our creation, our salvation

what are god's hobbies?

how does he spend his time when he's not obsessing about us?

who would god be without us?

Humans are programmed to be cooperative. Things that can upset this programming are:

Evil successfully masquerading as good - people think they’re helping when they’re really causing harm

Personal relationships (terrorists usually enjoy the camaraderie of the group more than their ideology itself)

Tribalism/ us vs them thinking

Can’t help thinking about how weekly church services reinforce ALL these things.

Of COURSE they have to reinterpret evil over and over to explain that bad is good and it’s actually loving to chastise your friends so you can keep them from hell.

Of COURSE the church had to say we have a personal relationship with God. That relationship is the most important, most loving ever.

Most people won't acknowledge or don't want to talk about the second one. It's why atheists are consistently ranked as the least trustworthy and least electable religious minority, it's why there's not a single open atheist in Congress and only .2% who are unaffiliated, it's why Jewish and Muslim faith leaders are joining evangelical Christians in suing to force prayer to be allowed in public schools, it's why people are fine with others talking about their faith but if an atheist brings up their beliefs it's viewed as inherently rude and aggressive, it's why there are people who may not like other religions but they hate atheists because they genuinely believe that you cannot be a good person without religion in your life, it's why there's so many posts on this website about how "you don't have to be religious but you DO have to believe in something!"

as a little kid until i was about 11, i cried when my mom said i couldnt go to church on wednesdays bc my homework wasnt done. i cried and begged and begged bc i thought if i didnt go then id die and go to hell. the shame and guilt i still feel nearly 10 years later is completely undeserved. that liitle elementary school kid did not deserve to be terrified of death bc "what if i didnt believe hard enogh?""what if i didnt convert enough people?""what if i didnt bring enough money from my mom to get into heaven?".

maybe no one's a real christian?