Alana Massey: Taking Christ out of Christianity

[chervilant]

Alanna Massey writes:

When I tell my socially progressive, atheist friends that I’m “culturally Christian,” they’re momentarily concerned that I have a latent preoccupation with guns and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Using the term with devout believers gets me instructions that I just need to read more sophisticated theology to come around. I’ve tried hard to accept my fully secular identity, and at other times I’ve tried to read myself into theistic belief, going all the way through divinity school as part of the effort. Still, I remain unable to will myself into any belief in God or gods — but also unable to abandon my relationship to the Episcopalian faith into which I was born and to the ancient stories from which it came.

Although I am without a god, I am not alone.

***

I have not heard the term "culturally Christian," but I recognize the pull of thousands of years of history and tradition. This, I think, is why my adjurations are laced with "oh, God!"s and "Jesus H. Christ on a Cracker!" (I still don't know whence came that one...), and why it is certain isolation for me when I acknowledge that I do not believe there exists some jealous, vindictive, old, white guy in flowing robes holding forth in the heavens and watching (judging) our every move. (Actually, I count among my friends quite a number of "non-believers" whose honesty about their atheism gives me the courage to be more "out" with my own.)

I think the insistence that we are all born in sin was the first chasm I chose not to span. There have been others, but this is the most salient from my childhood. Now, with nieces and nephews who cling vociferously to their own versions of christianity--as well as a few who are creeping towards their own versions of atheism--I am reminded of my own journey away from the pervasive and persuasive minions of the fear-based fallacies of religious mythologies.

Like Ms. Massey, I miss the sense of community and support I found in the one church I attended for a wee time. However, I am finding my own sense of community and support with my fellow atheists. This new-found community with kindred spirits is proving far more enriching and intriguing.

I remain hopeful that our younglings will continue--in ever increasing numbers--to relegate fear-based mythologies to the dust bins of history, even as I recognize that our imminent extinction event will likely render such intellectual freedom moot. If you are interested in reading the rest of this article, you can find it here.