One thing that infuriates me to no end is that so many Christians think that they can get away with saying offensive things simply because the Bible says it. There’s the song and dance routine that’s all too familiar: “Oh, I’m not saying it. GOD’S saying it. It’s just the way it is.”

It’s not that I don’t get it. I’ve been a fundamentalist Christian before — enough to know that getting into a back and forth regarding what Scripture supposedly really says regarding some of the more offensive things is largely a waste of time. But what I do care about is that, regardless of how accurate your interpretation of the Bible is, you choose to worship a God who says absolutely disgusting and offensive things about me and about others I care about.

That’s not OK. It’s not cool for you to look at me and tell me I’m lost for eternity and then shrug off any negative reaction you get from that statement with, “Hey, it’s not me. It’s what God says.”

If you follow a God who would condemn me to hell for eternity, that’s an indicator that you’re being a shitty human being. I don’t care how much you say you “love” me when you say it. If you can sing and worship and dedicate your life to someone who is that much of a monster, then, frankly, I have very little respect for your sense of morality. And you don’t get off by saying “It’s God” — No. YOU made the choice to be OK with this warped sense of “justice.” Own that shit.

And shut up, those of you who say that this is not the hell all Christians believe in. I know there are all kinds of definitions of what hell is, but that does not change the fact that a hell of a lot of Christians out there worship a God who says atheists are going to hell, and try to pawn that shit on God. I mean, even if you believe that there is a God who said that, it is YOU who is making the choice to follow that God.

And for what? So that you can have your “sins washed away” and feel morally superior? So that you can go to paradise while I rot in hell? So that you can worship a God who created someone who would spend eternity in hell?

Maybe this will indicate how despicable I find that:

I do not know, but I would like to think that even if God WERE real, and even if I WERE going to hell if I didn’t obey Him, I’d give Him a big middle finger if He expected me to worship Him while condemning any of my friends to fiery torment (or eternal separation from God, or what ever the hell your particular version of hell is).

I’d like to think I’d rather fucking burn in hell for eternity than give one inch to such a monster. Because no one deserves eternity in hell, and if your God thinks that, He’s an ignorant idiot. I mean, even Hitler doesn’t deserve that. I think it’s rational to think that after 100,000 years he’d have done more than enough penance without having eternity to go.

See — that’s what bothers me. So many Christians seem so selfish and have such tunnel vision that they would, in a heartbeat, worship a God who commands all the morally bankrupt genocides and despicable laws in the Old Testament, and who seems fine with hell in the New Testament — without once asking themselves if that’s actually fair to the flesh-and-blood people in front of them.

If you choose to worship a God who has commanded genocides and says I deserve eternal hellfire, own it. Stop hiding behind the Bible as if you don’t have a choice. You do. You could leave. You choose not to.

And this goes towards individual commands, too. You can’t say, “Well, I’m against gay marriage because it’s just what the Bible says” and think that gets you off. No. Not a good enough excuse. You could still look God square in the eye and say, “Fuck you, God. I love people, I think this is beautiful, and I’m gonna love these people anyway.” I’d like to think that’s what I’d do.

None of this business about, “His ways are higher than our ways.” No. You decided to follow this God — out of the thousands of options available. You. You did this. I don’t see anyone else forcing you to do this. This is your choice, and something about this God appeals to your sensibilities. Something about you is twisted enough to worship this monster.

Own that shit, and stop making excuses.

That’s all I’m saying.

Thanks for reading.