Note to Self:

 

“Devout religious people cannot be reasoned with. Just don’t bother trying.”


I guess it’s just so puzzling to me how religious people can be so myopic in their views and unaccepting of different viewpoints. I won’t go into details but there was a, uhm, “discussion” about same-sex marriage today which wound me up no end. The winding up was because even after I have presented my counter-argument in what I feel was a convincing manner, it still wasn’t getting through.

No point being vague, so here’s an excerpt from the exchange:


Me: "(…) Sure but just so we're clear, you agree that religious beliefs and written law should not be independent of each other? Because, having read your article, it provides no rational reason against same sex marriage beyond "the bible says it's wrong" and some vague statements about "not right to build society on it", whatever that means.”


Friend: “ my idea is simple, give Caeser (sic) to Caeser, and give God to God...
coz the kingodm that im longing for is not in the land,everytyhing (law/teaching), if it is within the Scripture contexts,then it will be good for me...”

Me:

All I was thinking after that was, “That passage implies the separation of church and state, you imbecile! Why then are you against the legalization of same-sex marriage if “the kingdom you’re longing for is not in the land”?!”


I didn’t say that, though, not because I was afraid to but more that I was actually stunned into silence. There is a Latin phrase which I can’t recall about a person being so dumbfounded by the utter stupidity of the response that he’s rendered speechless. Yeah, that’s kinda what I felt.


I mean, I can at least see the rationale behind arguments against same-sex marriage if for example, you argue that same sex parents are not ideal for raising a child. Using “the bible says it’s wrong” to restrict the rights of others, however, is just inappropriate, to put it mildly. Religious views should count for fuck all when it comes to passing or amending laws. I forgot to ask him point blank if he would be fine with hudud law being enforced on every Malaysian, irrespective of religion. Damn you, spirit of the stairs!


Their responses aren’t even logically consistent, for fuck’s sake! I mentioned an example up there. Another one is one of them saying: “Hail Jesus, because of Him we are saved by God's grace, not by any Laws” So why do you give a damn about any of our puny human laws? Besides, marriage is a state, not a Christian, institution; who cares how the Christians define marriage?


I realize this is my second religion related post in the last three or four, but I think this will be my last for a while. It’s mentally taxing, not to mention pointless to try to reason with people with such extremist views. The following quote by Sam Harris is still one of my all-time favourites:

Sometimes you just have to accept that “ignorance is bliss”. So the next time this happens, my response will be:




Christian Extremist: But, but, the Bible said, and I quote, “Thou shall…..








So there!