You find me in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Not, fortunately, in the water but on the world’s only ocean liner, the Queen Mary 2. Dennis and I have been in U.S., both in New York and Washington DC, on a diplomatic mission to the White House. Well, a tourist visit anyway. As I dislike flying (a slight understatement) we are sailing home on the ship. It is a much more dignified and pleasurable way to travel.
Our visit left me wondering how you guys over the pond that I currently find myself on, cope. Not with your president (though heaven knows that too) but with the proliferation of evangelical Christians.
While visiting the Washington Monument in DC we had a small book pressed on us by a young boy whose father(?) stood a little way off. The cover suggested it was about America’s 250th. Inside it was the fourth gospel and the letter to the Romans. It ended up in the trash alongside dozens of others.
On the Metro we were treated to songs about Jesus by a small group of musicians who knew a captive audience when they saw one.
Outside the Capitol we were accosted by a young man on an electric scooter who asked as he glided by, ‘Hey guys, do you know God loves you?’ (He didn’t hear our reply. Perhaps just as well.)
I mean, how do you put up with this?
Worse though was my Facebook feed. I know I’ve grumbled about this before, back home in England, when every other post is about Jesus. But in the U.S. it was worse. I would say 9 of every 10 items items were about him. (Fortunately there are fewer now that we’ve put a few nautical miles between us and the Land of the Free.) You can see a small sample of the hundreds of inanities I received up top.
I did venture to put comments on some of them (Dennis says I was just winding up the witless. Someone’s got to). Responses varied, telling me that,
as I didn’t know Jesus I had no right to comment;
I would one day soon be on my knees at His feet (I did tell them this was more than unlikely given the state of my knees);
the Bible doesn’t suggest women shouldn’t be preachers and Jesus doesn’t say Christians shouldn’t pray ostentatiously in public (both, of course, are the case);
homosexuality is a grievous sin (I assured them it was a lot of fun too). Christians shouldn’t attend same-sex weddings (this one was particularly sad as one Christian couple who commented said they wouldn’t be attending their daughter’s wedding to another woman. As result their daughter now wouldn’t take their calls. I advised them to go ahead and attend and that it’d be okay. Loving Christians™ then swarmed in and told me how evil I was for encouraging the couple to endorse sin.)
I didn’t comment on the numerous posts I was unfortunate enough to receive about Creation, which happened exactly as recorded in Genesis; Noah building his ark and collecting animals to survive a worldwide flood and ‘Evilution’ being Satanic. I was informed too that the resurrection, the Bible as the infallible Word of God and Jesus coming back soon are not ‘up for debate’. I mean what would be the point? Sometimes though the level of ignorance was so staggering and I took it upon myself to mention it maybe once or twice. Can I get an Amen, brothers and sisters?
Amidst all this, I encountered a couple of new stars in the Christian fundament: Martin and Millicent Sedra, and I’ll share my thoughts on this pair next time.
rejectingjesus, 
Don here again.
The ocean liner ride back across the pond sounds fantastic. I had no idea there still were ocean liners.
Gotta apologize for the Jesus fan encounters. But it got me thinking. How is it that Jesus is still a thing after 2000 years? And everywhere. I mean, I keep up with the church around the World, but in particular Pakistan and Kenya. Both are experiencing a Jesus revolution. Not surprising in Kenya, but in Pakistan it is amazing. If you step back a bit and get the big picture, it is puzzling. One guy, 12 students to 2+ billion and growing. 2000 years. Yeah, some of them are nuts. But there ae a lot more who are day to day feeding the poor, healing the sick, digging well, educating kids, helping people get off drugs and off the streets.
Seems almost Jessus-like. But you know all that. I guess I am inclined to focus on that rather than on the nut cases.
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Only the one ocean liner left. The rest are cruise ships and not built for the Atlantic (though they do occasionally cross it).
Yes, how is it Jesus is still a thing? I can sense another post coming on…
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Yes, and how is Buddhism still a thing after 2600 years. Must be True™. It’s the only possible explanation! Or Taoism, about the same. Or, Confucianism, about the same age? Jainism? Same age. Shinto’s a bit older at 2700 years. Oh, and Zoroastrianism, where Judaism got so many of their ideas is 3500 years old. Judaism also still around claims 4000 years old. And of course, Hinduism is about 9000 years old and is still around. They must all be True@ to have lasted so much longer than Christianity!
You’re an idiot, Don.
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Hey there, Don.
My cat says I should be nicer to you. So, I’m going to try to explain why your 2000 year argument for Christianity is stupid.
You should have learned in high school social studies that people groups develop cultures. And religion is part of those cultures. And cultures evolve over time due to a number of factors including technologies, agriculture (including climate), disasters (drought, floods, plagues, etc.) and contact with other peoples/cultures.
A peoples’ culture (and thus religion) continues as long as the group maintains its independence or finds some way to maintain identity despite loss of independence.
I have a few Native American friends. All of them are Christian. They are Christian because they had Christianity imposed on them by the Europeans that conquered them. They remain Christian because if they were to convert to another religion or return to their native beliefs the Christian majority in this small American® town would stop doing business with them.
The religions that have lasted, Christianity being one of the younger ones, have lasted because their nations and cultures have survived.
Christianity and Islam (both Abrahamic religions) spread primarily by the sword. They have been rewarded with becoming the largest and second largest religions in the world. Nothing beats the threat of death for making converts. Abrahamic god would be SO proud.
Yes, Kos, but that was then, this is now! Today, Christianity is all cute puppies and warms hugs! And it’s still spreading in remote corners of the world!
The western colonization of the world continues. The weapon today is western capitalism.
My Native American friends are craftsmen and tradesmen. They remain Christian because they will lose work/sales if they don’t. They’ve seen it happen for generations. Safer to put on a suit and tie and attend Sunday meetings then lose your livelihood.
I recently listened to a podcast featuring former African Mormons. The Mormon church is mostly shrinking worldwide. But they tout their AMAZING GROWTH in Africa. These former Mormons revealed that the growth is only really happening in poorer nations or areas. It’s a part of a larger (and sadder) idea of proximity to whiteness. The west is seen as rich. And white. And many believe that if they can be seen as more white, they will be hired by western companies and be able to make real money. Joining the Mormon church is seen as one way to appear more white. What’s more American and more white than Mormonism? (There is also a disturbing, and dangerous, practice spreading of bleaching there skin.)
These people haven’t gotten a warm fuzzy feeling about the truthiness of Mormonism. They are being swallowed by western capitalist culture. Their culture is being replaced and they are trying to fit in. Again, a horrible way to win converts. Abrahamic god would be so fucking proud! (Sorry, Neil. I’ll put a quarter in the jar.)
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Jesus-lovers are all to happy to share the “Good News” … and rebuke those who think it’s (Trump-style) “Fake News.” Hope you were able to overlook the ignoramuses and enjoy the States.
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We did enjoy the States very much, thanks. It’ll probably our last visit. Though we’ve been many times before, insurance is becoming prohibitive.
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