Videos: I don't negotiate with terrorists (and by terrorists, I mean God)

I don't negotiate with terrorists (and by terrorists, I mean God)

6 December 2009

ZJ: Previously, I posted a video drawing attention to the genocides of the Bible, which were typically assisted by God. I wanted to know if Christians, as followers of this god, were willing to acknowledge that these genocides were wrong, in the same way that everyone is able to recognize that genocide is wrong. And there were many interesting responses to this, many of them defensive, some of them just incredible, but one in particular stood out.

If you're watching this, you know who you are. You are the person who argued that I should accept that your god holds a position of moral supremacy, and consequently, that the genocides ordered by this god were in fact a moral good, because if I don't agree with this, that very same god will send me to Hell to be tortured forever. And therefore, I should worship this god and follow its accompanying religion.

That's quite an argument.

The first thing that came to mind when I read this was the genocide that took place in Rwanda 15 years ago, in which at least 500,000 people were killed, possibly up to 20% of the country's entire population. Men, women and children were murdered indiscriminately, hacked to death with machetes by organized militias in an attempt to eradicate an entire people. The government ordered citizens to kill their own neighbors, and if they refused, they were killed as well. According to a man who was forced to take up arms against his fellow countrymen, "Either you took part in the massacre, or else you were massacred yourself."

That is what your god would bring to this world: a demand that we support his genocides, or else become his victims.

Tell me, are you at all ashamed that you condone genocide out of the fear of a cosmic mass murderer coming after you next? Do you feel any regret whatsoever that you've been compelled to give your approval to atrocities? Because it certainly doesn't sound like you do. No, you seem almost proud of yourself for worshipping a god who would gladly have you tortured for disagreeing with him. Not only that, you actually expect the rest of us to find this a compelling reason to follow that god and agree with genocide.

Do you even understand what genocide entails, or is it just some abstract concept from ancient history, blunted by time and distance? Picture this, if you can: Thousands of women, raped in public by militiamen, sexually mutilated and infected with HIV. A church, a sanctuary, invaded; terrified children dragged out from under the pews, and then slashed in the face. All of this simply because of who they are. That happened, and it happened in our lifetime. And that is exactly the kind of thing you and your god expect me to celebrate as just and morally right.

And to think, you actually consider this a persuasive argument in favor of your religion. Now where did you get an idea like that? That is not convincing, that is appalling. You are not going to convert me with that argument, you are only going to repulse me.

Even if your alleged god's hypothetical threat was credible, what makes you think that I would change my mind and openly proclaim that his genocides were the right thing to do? Do you actually think I would want to be rewarded by such a god for saying that the nightmare of genocide is morally good? Perhaps you do, but that's where we differ.

You see, not supporting genocide is something that is very important to me. It is more important than any religion, and it is more important than any god, especially yours. The god that you've described is a god of fear, a god of slaughter, a god of death—a god that I will never follow. And if Hell is the penalty for refusing to accept that your genocidal god has a stranglehold on morality, then so be it. If your god would condemn me for saying genocide is wrong, I consider it an honor. The last thing I would ever want is for that god to judge me favorably.

I care deeply about not endorsing senseless violence and murder, so please listen carefully: Now and forever, I do not comply.

As for everyone else, you might be tempted to dismiss this person's views as an isolated eruption of theological insanity from the fringes of religion. And I wish that were so, but it most likely is not. If there's anything I've learned from discussing these issues with Christians, it's this: If there's one person who believes something, no matter how outrageous, there's usually more of them out there. And if you can bear to read the comments, that's where you'll find them, defending their god, and defending genocide.

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