I’ve never met Mike Treder. In fact, I’d never even heard of Mike Treder until finding this meme. But I’m very grateful for him.
The thoughts of Mr Treder – a former managing director of the U.S.-based Institute for Emerging Ethics and Technologies – gives me a gift-wrapped opportunity to deal with so many charges made against people of faith. So let’s get to it:
- I’m not the least bit offended by atheists. I respect many of them because they’ve gone against our culture and actually thought (usually long and hard) about what they do and don’t believe and why.
- I oppose ALL religious wars, jihads, crusades and inquisitions. No exceptions. And I’ve never met a single follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is the Son of God) who thinks differently. In fact, Jesus gave this advice to all of us who follow Him: “If someone hits you on the side of your face, let them hit the other side too. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop them from taking your shirt, too.” Does that sound like someone who would ever advocate a holy war or inquisition?
- I’m absolutely against censoring of free speech. That includes censoring people of faith. Are you that inclusive too, Mike?
- Brainwashing of children is wrong. But denying information that would help children make their own decisions about something as important as faith is a form of brainwashing, in my opinion. And that’s equally wrong. So is brainwashing children to oppose faith. Where do you stand on this, Mike?
- Murdering albinos?? Well, if there’s a wacko religious cult doing that somewhere, then I’m certainly as offended as you, Mike. In fact, ‘offended’ is too mild a word for how I would feel about something like this.
- Forcing girls into underage marriages is demented, in my book, and no serious Jesus follower would ever advocate it.
- Male and female genital mutilation is barbaric. So is stoning anyone for any reason at any time. Serious Jesus followers have nothing to do with either one.
- I had to look up pederasty. Now that I know what it is (a homosexual relationship between a young man and a pubescent boy outside his immediate family, according to Wikipedia), I can say that I’m far more than “offended” by it, Mike.
- Homophobia is definitely wrong and I’m always sorry and grieved when a fellow Jesus follower strays into that territory.
- Rejection of science and reason? I love science because it’s God’s way of showing me how He works, so I’m offended when anyone rejects it. And so are many other Jesus followers. In fact, I wrote an essay about all the Jesus-following scientists out there, Mike. Here’s a link to it: http://bit.ly/Tgrt9p
How about you…did you ever expect an atheist and a serious Jesus follower to have so much in common? Post your response below and let’s have a conversation.
Frank's Cottage 