- Mar 25, 2020
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Which is what makes this situation all the more sad. That might sound like a dig at you, but it's really not. This post will be a bit long, but I feel like this needs to be said anyway.
By definition, it would be impossible to convince a crazy person that he is crazy. I realize you do not think of yourself as crazy, but I'm not talking about the typical kind of crazy where you think you're someone famous from the past, or that you have super powers, or which requires hospitalization.
This crazy is much more subtle and affects all humans to varying degrees. It starts with something called a blind spot. You've probably experienced a situation where someone is unable to see himself as he really is, right? He doesn't realize he has body odor, or that he interrupts others when they are talking, or that he chews with his mouth open, or that he he's lazy, selfish or immature. He believes he's more generous than he really is, or that he's more attractive, or more kind, or more likeable than he really is and he just won't take a hint.
I'm sure you've seen something like that; this is a real phenomenon all humans deal with in one way or another. By its nature, it's easier to see the blind spots in others than in ourselves. That's why it's called a blind spot.
However, sometimes we learn to recognize them and make efforts to deal with them. When this realization happens, the blind spot ceases to be a blind spot. It is recognized as a problem which requires a solution. Sometimes the solution is easy, and sometimes it requires a life-time to deal with.
But, for many people, realization doesn't come, especially if the truth is uncomfortable or painful. In fact any time realization is hinted at, they make efforts to deliberately keep the issue in the dark. They don't want to confront what they believe to be a horrible reality either about themselves, those they care about, or just some aspect of the world around them.
They maintain the blind spot and, as the horror of reality is more and more successfully hidden, the more appealing it becomes to create blind spots in other areas. Over time, these blind spots accumulate; they start to bump in to one another. The more they gather and grow, the less visibility there is.
In the worldly system of psychology and psychiatry this process is referred to as self-delusion. It's not an inaccurate description, but it does lack a certain specificity regarding motivation; why do people create these blind spots? I believe the Bible gets it right in a more precise way; it is referred to as a reprobate mind.
A common definition of reprobate is lacking principle. An unprincipled person does not act in a rational way, but rather a selfish way. These people become so engrossed in getting what they want that their perception of reality warps to fit their desires. Hurt, insecurities, inadequacies, lack of control; all these feelings create a need for protection and, step by step, their perception of reality will twist to accommodate each new measure of achieving this goal. They will blind themselves, most often by convincing themselves that what they are doing is for the good of others, much as you seem to be doing here, asking "innocent" questions about how unfair, immoral, and hateful this God is that you have no concern for.
It's interesting that religious people tend to be experts at this, as well. Jesus said a time would come when those who kill us (i.e. God's servants), will believe they are doing God a service. How reprobate must one be to do something like that!
Interestingly, in a few conversations with Atheists, some confessed that they believed it is right to ridicule those who express belief in an intelligent creator, for their own good. I was shocked at just how casually they believed this to be good thinking. You've not expressed your comments in such clear terms, but that does seem to be the gist of what your "imaginary friend" comment.
I mean, consider the "imaginary friend" comment in the context of what I've been saying so far. I commented on that quite specifically, but you chose to ignore that part in your response. Why? Isn't it true that you referred to my God being my "imaginary friend" as a way to make me feel ridiculed? Of course it was; I've heard used in that same way many times. Or, maybe that has become a genuine blind spot for you already; no matter how much I ask you to address your desire to ridicule me, you will simply "not see" it, as you've expressed in the comment above.
Perhaps you really have become blind to the ridicule you dump on those you disagree with and instead view yourself as some kind of moral crusader bent on convincing people to reject their God; a hero in your own reprobate fantasy.
Consider again the example of Pharaoh; he believed himself to be God-like. In his own mind he wasn't a tyrannical slaver torturing and oppressing hundreds of thousands for his own selfish ends; he was a fantastic, praise-worthy monarch leading his people, his kingdom, and himself into greatness!
The Bible phrases God's relationship with Pharaoh in a somewhat cryptic manner. God did not force Pharaoh to be stubborn. That would make no sense. However, he did challenge Pharaoh's perception of greatness. He challenged Pharaoh's authority and his pride, and Pharaoh hated that. He hated it with a passion, but what could he do?
God was demonstrating his own power in a way which completely dominated Pharaoh. Each capitulation on Pharaoh's part, each plea to Moses to end the plagues stabbed at Pharaoh's pride and resulted in him becoming all the more bitter, which was demonstrated through his treachery when he reneged on his agreement. This happened several times. I've yet to converse with an Atheist who even knows that part of the story, let alone is willing to genuinely consider it as part of the overall context regarding God's actions.
You fit right in to that category. All you care about is the opportunity to accuse the creator for daring to take life without your blessing. On some other thread, or in some other conversation you probably challenged Christians to explain how God could possibly condone slavery (which, again, is yet another misunderstanding) and yet here, in this discussion, you defend the slavers; those poor Egyptians being so mistreated by God the bad guy.
Jesus addressed this kind of fickle thinking when he rebuked the pharisees for their comments regarding him and John. John often fasted and the Pharisees accused him of being demon possessed. Jesus ate and drank publicly, and they accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton. He said they were like children playing a game in the street; they should cry or laugh at a moment's notice depending on the commands the game master shouted-out at any given moment. Any child who did not immediately cry or laugh lost.
You are like these children, ready to change your position at a moment's notice depending on what you think it will take to win the argument. In other words, you don't really care about genocide or slavery; you care about how you can use those things to blame the creator.
If you genuinely care about genocide and slavery, use your time to volunteer in areas where those things are actually happening today. That would be a good step toward lighting a candle rather than shouting at the dark.
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