Received 1.10.2001

First, I would like to commend you on creating a terrific web site. Thank you. Here is one of my own little musings on Christianity and its seductive nature.

I have noticed that a large reason why Christianity creates such followers is fear. Don't you agree it's perfect fodder for a preacher? Do as I say, and have everlasting paradise. Don't do as I say, and burn in hell for eternity.

My parents were not religious at all, but my grandparents on my father's side were fanatically religious. The moment I could understand such things, they informed me to accept Jesus as my savior or I would go to hell. My parents weren't overly concerned, as they didn't have much of a problem with me getting taught such things, but my father started to get annoyed, particularly after one episode when I come back from my grandparent's house crying, saying "Dad? *Sniff* I don't want you to go to hell." (Dad's 
response: Jesse, you keep feeding me that shit, I'm already there)

In short, I was brainwashed from the minute I could understand what religion was. It was only when I was 11 that I broke free. During those years Christianity confused me, since my grandparents, whom I only saw once a year, would pelt me with new Bible teachings and rules. I felt so utterly hopeless and lost, misunderstood, and forever in fear of going to hell. I am forever bitter towards my grandparents for taking some of the best years of 
my life that way.

Ironically enough, its when I started to read the Bible on my own, and not selected verses picked out for me when I realized "Hey! This stuff's a bunch of crap!"

Also, in addition to the fear factor, I think it's really, as Jesse Ventura would say "A crutch for the weak-minded". Isn't that the truth? Think about it. Got nowhere else to turn? Don't have direction? Join our church! You'll be saved by a guy that you've never met and has never said anything to you before! In fact, if we hadn't told you about this, you would've burned in hell for eternity! But the Almighty has obviously decided to send us to save 
you! Isn't Jesus great? (Okay, that's my own little spin on the situation, but you get the idea)

For people with bad pasts (Like you have used so accurately with the drug addict examples), its an easy thing to fall back on. No matter what you've done or will do, God has saved you, and your immortality and happiness is protected forever.

Most conversion happens because of emotion anyway. Why are people Christians? Because they heard a particularly moving gospel song. Because their parents were. Because they just got such a good feeling.

And, probably, most powerfully.......because they want it to be true. Because they need something to believe in so badly. Because they want a way out, and Christianity provides an easy door.

Recipe for religious zealot:

1 person with messed up life. Heat with powerful good feeling, and convert. Bring up in church for few years, and slowly enslave his mind. Block out any other beliefs/ways of life with your church. Bingo! There's your fundamentalist, all frothing at the mouth and ready to kick some pagan ass!

This is mostly just rambling, but it IS all the frustrations that I've built up over the past few years, and I've never really got a chance to express them. Most likely these  views/arguments are stuff that's already on your site anyway. I just had to say it somewhere. :)

Even if you don't print this, thanks for reading it, and thanks for creating a great web site.

Sincerely,
Jesse

offloe@hotmail.com

My Reply:

Jesse,

Thanks for writing. It sounds like your experiences have left you little bitter, but you make some good observations nonetheless. Christianity is a clever meme. Central to its  contagiousness is that only those who believe in it can have eternal life. Believers who care about their loved ones naturally want to share eternity with them. These are powerful incentives to convert people. No doubt your grandparents were genuinely concerned about your soul, and in the face of an eternity of suffering, just about anything can be justified.

The Christian meme also establishes itself as the one truth. All religious memes in disagreement are shunned, creating a closed mindedness about other religious (or atheist) ideas to further strengthen its hold.

It also appeals to man's ego. As I have mentioned elsewhere on this site, it flatters believers by maintaining that the entire universe was created just for them, a third of the population on a single planet. This is a very exclusive group to be a part of. If one truly believed this it would be difficult NOT to have a bloated sense of self-importance.

It fulfills man's innate desire for approval from authority figures-- Freud's super-ego. Christian's can sleep easy knowing that they have received a cosmic "good boy" from the ultimate father figure.

It replaces any irksome unknowns about the universe with an unquestioning and blissfully simple answer: "God did it." Geologists, biologists and astrophysicists can all retire. 

Lastly, it eases our fears of death, comforts those who have lost loved ones, and relieves our anxiety about our finite existence.

You nailed the point in your note when you say that people believe "because they want it to be true."  God is wishful thinking personified; a bandage for all that plagues us, but with one very large fatal flaw.

Thanks for writing Jesse. Don't let the bastards get you down.