As someone that went to church every week sometimes twice a week from just after birth to 14 years old. And still went almost every sunday till 16. I've been there. I've been to many different churches. I've read a large chunk of the bible(maybe all of it) and read many sections many times. I've studied it pondered it, sang about it, prayed about it.
Honestly put in the effort. I put in the effort to get that relationship with jesus. I tried. I mean fuck, I was going to hell if I didn't so I did my best and I think a stellar effort but nothing. In that time I encountered some of the most fake people I've ever seen(I can't stand fake people) Everyone putting on a face for church, judging other people incredibly hard, then continuing on their fucked lives.
As a person that actively supports critical thinking/expanding ones mind, I think it's pretty retarded to put a cap on it and think you "know" things you can't know.
I didn't seek out to prove christianity wrong. I actually tried to prove it right. I went off on a quest to question everything that I thought was real, completely challenge my reality. To either find out truth, if what I believed was false, or find some damn good support and proof of my original beliefs. It actually hurt me a little every step I moved away from religion. I wasn't trying to go in that direction but that was the path of logic and I'd be a fool to say fuck logic to stay in my own preconceived bubble world. Why would I want to go against everything my life had been based around, move away from my entire family(The whole fucking familiy is religious)I didn't. It just would have been stupid to turn my back on reason and try to go back to believing something I couldn't find any solid basis for.
Also. Most religious folk tend to frown on homosexuality. Actually that was putting it far to nicely. Most hate it, judge it, straight up condemn it, send money to stop progress, bash it, cry about it, and I could go on. Why the fuck would I want to support that. Whatever happened to "judge not lest ye be judged". I don't see it in the church anyway. Then you've got a fuck ton of churches preaching that gay people are going to hell unless they "change" magically become heterosexual, start a family, pop out 12 kids, and drill religion into the heads of all of them. What a great religion. Interested where you and some of the other religious ones on ns stand on that issue.
Then just looking at the bible piece by piece. Some of that shit makes no fucking sense what so ever. Also if you're a christian, most churches teach that you either believe it or you don't, you can't pick and choose, and I agree with that. Funny that they say that and then go out and pick and choose versus to justify hate on certain things.
Some people argue that you need religion to instill good morals. I'm nothing close to religious in terms of the organized religions, and I feel I have far better morals than most of those people. Especially the hypochristians. I see more love for other humans, respect, helping, general acts of kindness to strangers, in one festival than I encountered in all the churches I've ever been too. To me that says a lot. Preach one thing, talk about kindness, not judging, and other stuff, then go do the opposite.
Religion is like a giant blinder to logic. If you're convinced it's real, literally nothing anyone says will be able to impact you. Actually the more logical their points, the more it will harder your shell. That's all you have. Bursting somebody's bubble with facts is almost impossible. They have to be looking for the answers. If they're convinced they've found them, there isn't much you can do until there mind set changes.
Why the fuck would I support putting kids into a bubble of ignorance that in many places also comes with an extra side of hate, tell them they're going to hell if they ever question it. I'd be a real winning parent if I did that.
The problem with religion is that it's perpetual. I have a few kids and drill religion into their heads, maybe one is smart enough to break away but the others aren't, they have kids, they drill religion into their heads, and the cycle continues.
The reason why your religion makes sense and the other religions(and lack of religions) seem ridiculous, is not that you've found the truth in life, but that you're unable to look at the situation objectively. That's why you find it so shocking that other people believe in other religions yet can see no flaws in your own religion. It's just the perspective you're taking into it.
To answer
"act like anyone who takes part in a religion MUST be either brainwashed, or an idiot. "
Basically I've seen the cycle, I know how it operates, I've been in the churches, sunday school, vbs, christian music festivals, and I was there once. I was a victim of brainwashing thanks to my parents, pastors, others.
I had to go through a lot of shit to break out of that. Would have been nice if I hadn't been thrown in that box to begin with. Sad that many people never break out of that box. Also sad to see my sister starting the cycle again with her kid.
So yeah. Maybe it comes off as a little offensive and though I tried to tone that aspect down a little I don't really care. What I'm trying to say is kind of offensive if you're in that group, and there's no way around it. At the same time, that group has been sending hate my way forever so I couldn't give two fucks.
flame on internet.
/nothing was accomplished here.
http://www.seismologik.com/journal/2010/12/13/how-our-brains-threaten-democracy-the-logic-behind-self-delu.html
^ Good article regarding the situation more on a political level but the same problems associated with ignorance.