Hello

In Response To: "Radical Atheism"

(I have a lot to say on this topic and it was wayyyyy too long to stick in a comment, especially since I tend to say way too much.)

So, hi :) Haven't been around in a while. I'm not entirely sure anybody has ever read this (which is definitely not a cry for pity or whatever, I'm just stating that fact), but I wanted to stick this somewhere; this seemed like the best place to do it. This is in response to Jess's (tardisofBaskerville - she's amazing in every way possible) (Hey, Jess, if you're reading :) ) "Radical Atheism". I'm really just playing off what she says in her rant, and inserting my opinion because what else is the Internet for?

I'm pretty religious (I mean, I don't, like, pray constantly, if that's what you thought, but I go to mass and I participate in my parish community quite a lot), so I, quite obviously, disagree with atheism. I respect it and I definitely see where they're coming from. I completely respect their opinions, and I hope that any atheist (or, you know, anyone who happens to come across this) respects my opinion. 

It's really, really easy to be skeptical of religion. It's also really healthy to be skeptical of religion. Not everything an organization preaches is correct, as history has proven time and time again (The Inquisition, anyone?), so forming your own opinion is important. Being able to agree with what they preach is also important. Balancing this can be hard, but it really just helps you to form a stronger belief (in my opinion, anyway. Not everyone agrees :P ). I mean, if you realize the mistakes as they're happening, you can do your best to stop them (or improve in the future, at least). I don't agree with a shit ton of things my religion says is right (*cough cough* love between the same sex is beautiful - just like love between the opposite sex *cough cough*), but I still am apart of it; this is of my own free will, as well. My parents would respect my decision to leave my religion, but I don't leave because I love every good thing that happens between the bad. 

It's also really, really easy to criticize religions, especially since the media is like, "OO OO OO!!! SOMEONE'S GONE AND MADE ANOTHER MISTAKE! LET'S GO MAKE THEM A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PUBLIC FIGURE" (another rant for another day.) and the rest of us are like, "HOLY CRAP! LET'S LAUGH AT THEM AND IGNORE ALL THE GOOD THINGS THEY'VE DONE!11!!!!1111!" (the Internet, ladies and gentlemen!). A lot of religions do amazing things and no one recognizes that. So, I think that the public has to be a little less skeptical and little more respectful (I also would like to point out that I respect your opinion no matter what, and while I may be trying to change it with this,  I'm not going to force you to do anything. I mean, I'm just a person you don't know behind a computer screen. I really can't do anything :P ) Jess makes a really, really good point in "Radical Atheism". She points out that, yes, religions can breed hate and everything other negative thing on this earth (artichokes included), but so can every other human being on this planet. IT'S HUMAN ERROR! IT ISN'T JUST RELIGION!

I also really don't see how you can get along without religion. When something horrible happens, you have something to rely on. This entity is there to comfort you. To reassure you. To remind you that there is good in the broken world. And even if God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are not tangible, you have a community of people to fall back on. You have a belief that someone out there loves you wholly and completely. That person will never stop loving you, either. A lot of people respond to this with (I'm also taking this from Jess's rant, PS) "If your God is loving then why did this bad thing happen to me? Why didn't God stop it?" And I get that. So much. But, I like to think of it like this: Things happen. I don't think that God necessarily has it out for you if something bad happens to you. I think that things just run their course, and He's there for you when you need Him. I've gone through a lot of crap this past year (yes, I'm aware there's only been 3 months of 2015. It's been a long 3 months), and while I have an incredible and amazing group of friends (hey guys, by the way. I'm okay :) ) and a loving family who I know will always be there for me, I really have needed God. I've needed to know that whatever crap was happening to me, it was going to be okay. It is going to be okay. 

To everyone who is a radical atheist: I get it. I know that you can't physically see God. I know that it is incredibly hard to find the good in between the bad with today's media. I know you don't see the point. But that's what faith is for. Faith is a beautiful, wonderful thing that helps us all get along. As I said just a bit ago, I can't see how you can survive without a religion to fall back on. I'm not going to get into the Bible and that, but this is a really important issue. I think that not enough people are accepting of religion in the way they should be, and I think that this issue really should be discussed.

So, Have a pow-wow in the comments! (it's a thing. I'M MAKING IT A THING)

(Just an end thought: I RESPECT YOU AND YOUR OPINION - PLEASE RESPECT MINE!)

(Also, this is pretty scatterbrained - sorry :P )