As many who grew up in Oklahoma and/or Wyoming, I was brought up as a Christian...at least until I reached the age of reason, which for me was age 14.
As a child I never "really" believed, but I wanted to because everyone else did. I seemed wrong, bad, and like God will punish me because I really didn't believe. I compensated by acting ultra religious and hoping the belief would just stick. It never really did. At 14 I learned that atheists exist, and it gave me hope that maybe I wasn't bad to not believe.
As a child there were many traditions I didn't understand, doing hair and makeup, and wearing clothes at all. If God made you in his image, and made you perfect, altering, hiding, and acting as if his creation is dirty, sinful, or bad, would be highly insulting to his creation. And that was well before Doctor Who decided you can't wear clothes to church. Maybe Matt Smith was onto something there...
But at 14 shortly after being in the debate community heavily filled with atheists one of my friends was kicked out of her church because she was outed as bisexual. She picked up on Wicca. At the same time a previously catholic friend went through issues involving divorce and incest and turned to Satanism. I decided to read up on both. My mom caught me reading into Wicca and declared that non christian literature to be a threat and not welcomed. I decided at that moment there was no truth to Christianity. Any faith challenged by education on others isn't a true one.
I read Wicca was against indoctrination, or preaching to those that don't ask for it. I'd believe Wicca to be more valid.
Satanism is more an acceptance of human nature and a more flamboyant way of being an atheist. At least that's what it was for me when I was identified as a Satanist for 2 years.
I've since let go of it, while still accepting that most of the teachings are more valid and moral than Christian teachings. All beliefs have their flaws and I currently follow none.
Now it seems as a former Satanist, and a former Christian (one of maybe 20 in the whole state) I am right in the middle of this state capital controversy.
I am against infringements on the first amendment. If you allow one, you must allow all. I'd rather the Satanic symbol be of the 11 Rules of Earth than the silly statue they picked. But then again, I'd rather they have nothing at all. Leave the public land for our constitutionally secular laws and representation. Leave our private lands for us to express our personal ideas and beliefs, including religious.
I'm not going to advocate against the satanic statue simply because I believe currently our state needs that controversy to see what is wrong with the 10 Hebrew commandments being erected on public land, and they already have done that.
I am however annoyed when someone implies or explicitly says that one is worse than the other.
I have no value in Christianity, but many do. I see it as an immoral religion that is mostly a political tool in my country these days. Satanism however better represents The United States, pro greed, anti child/animal suffering, anti rape, pro learning from the past, pro accepting human nature, etc.
Neither is more valid on state grounds.
Neither should be on state grounds.
If either is on public land, the other must be as well, and so must other religious symbols of those who wish to be represented in such a silly show.
The controversy is ridiculous.
I am very against Christianity and organized religion as a whole.
However I am not anti christians or religious people.
I am against organized religion because I think as a whole, especially when there is a central leader, it is open for corruption, cherry picking, and cult like use of people as political tools. I see little value in organized religion. There is value only in socializing with those of similar opinions, which you can do without churches and popes.
I do dislike religion, all of it, but that doesn't equate into hating every religious person. I feel most people have to cope in one way or another. Some religions bring the hope and peace someone may need. Some are just terrifying and you just gotta ditch them.
I don't like organized religion however, because I feel it is easily a tool for certain few to decide how you should think, act, and what you should do.
I think my state needs to grow up, and accept that not everyone agrees.
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