In nearly every conversation with the religious that either Megan or I have been involved with, we always see the exact same deflections and arguments come up if the discussion goes on long enough. In the last segment of this series on common religious tactics, we took a look at the practice of “quote mining,” or taking something out of context to make it sound like something was said when the opposite was actually intended.
One deflection in particular has been used more and more frequently lately, as it catches on with Christians who spread it across the Internet. An interesting aspect of the particular tactic we’ll be looking at next is that it relies on the belief that most Christians aren’t “true” Christians, and yet it is used by an increasing number of theists every day. Like many of the arguments we see from the religious, this particular tactic is used because it’s a snappy catch phrase that seems, at first, to shut down any opposition.
Anyone who spends any significant amount of time conversing with the religious about their supernatural beliefs will eventually hear the phrase “I’m not religious, I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” This statement is usually brought up as a defensive mechanism when the many horrors caused by religion are discussed, or when someone mentions that all Christians claim to belong to the one true denomination.
I recently posted an editorial on Metalunderground.com dealing with the subject of Christian musicians playing a style of music known as black metal, which is traditionally known for being vehemently anti-religious. You can check out the article here. In the arguments that ensued in the comments on that article, we saw a Christian use this tactic of claiming to have a relationship with a religious figure, while not actually being religious himself.
The following quote comes from “Adonijah,” the drummer for the Christian black metal band Frost Like Ashes:
“Funny that many here actually believe that Christianity is religious.
Actually, a personal relationship with the Creator is the antithesis of religion. Jesus was 100% against religion, as are Frost Like Ashes.
Religion IS enslavement, and it serves the purposes of corruptible man who uses it to bend the weak to their fleshly desires; be it money, power, fame, or simply to feed their ego.
What I have transcends the confines of religion. I don't pray to a god with ears that cannot hear, nor an idol with eyes that cannot see...I have communion with the Father of all Creation. No simplistic and narcissistic religion such as paganism and satanism (or any other pitiful attempt at deperately grasping for some kind of meaning in life aside from acknowledging that God is the Author of Life) can touch that. Not even close.”
For another take on this particular deflection, check out this video of a spoken word poem about how loving Jesus and following the Bible is somehow different from belonging to a religion that's been making the rounds on pro-Christian Facebook pages lately.
Even a cursory glance at this argument reveals how incredibly attractive it is to anyone who believes in the supernatural. The argument lets a Christian continue to hold on to literally every aspect of their religion – the zombie savior and his talking snake nemesis, the parting seas, the immediate distrust of science and denial of biology, the contradictory and frequently immoral edicts of the Biblical deity – all while allowing them to distance themselves from any aspect of their religion that causes problems for them in a discussion with atheists.
Even a cursory glance at this argument reveals how incredibly attractive it is to anyone who believes in the supernatural. The argument lets a Christian continue to hold on to literally every aspect of their religion – the zombie savior and his talking snake nemesis, the parting seas, the immediate distrust of science and denial of biology, the contradictory and frequently immoral edicts of the Biblical deity – all while allowing them to distance themselves from any aspect of their religion that causes problems for them in a discussion with atheists.
It lets them back away from a church that routinely rapes children and then protects the rapists, while still holding to the beliefs put forth by that church. It lets them claim to be different from the parents who let their children die by refusing to seek medical attention for illness, while still believing that prayer can cure ailments as well as medicine. It lets them side step the absurdity of Ken Ham’s Ark Park, while still believing that every single species of animal in the entire world lived within walking distance of Noah’s house and got along just fine on the ark without eating each other.
Looking at this tactic from a rational and reasonable standpoint shows that it’s not actually any better than just outright saying “I’m religious.” A grown adult should definitely take pause and consider whether or not they really want to tell the world they have an ongoing relationship with an invisible friend whose existence can’t be proved in any way.
The amazing thing about this argument is that literally anyone can use it. There’s no litmus test for who really has a relationship with Jesus and who doesn’t, and it’s a pretty sure bet that (the supposedly all-powerful and omnipresent) God isn’t going to come down here and tell anyone who has it right and who doesn’t, even though it should be well within his power and would actually be in his best interest to do so. A Seventh Day Adventist can use this tactic just as easily as a Pentecostal. A Charismatic can spout it off just as quickly as a non-denominational. People with truly bizarre takes on Christianity that blend in occult concepts or aspects of other religions are just as free to say it as the most mainstream, right wing, gun toting Evangelical.
Based on my own extensive discussions with Christians of many, many varieties, it would seem that only the person you are currently talking to is the “real” Christian, while all the rest are fakes somehow. Since no one can decide which denomination is the right one or who is really interpreting the Bible correctly, there’s nothing preventing religious people of any leaning from claiming they aren’t religious, they just have a true relationship with Jesus.
Claiming to not be religious, while admitting to having an active relationship with a religious figure, is nothing more than attempt to separate oneself from the absurdities and abuses of religion – while still retaining all the benefits offered by religion. Claiming to not be religious gives the theist the opportunity to try to separate their supernatural beliefs from other absurd beliefs that have no evidence to back them up. It’s meant to create a barrier between the person using this tactic and the crazy beliefs of Mormons or the followers of Fred Phelps or any other Christian group worthy of ridicule – even though a critical examination will inevitably show that the person making the argument believes things that are equally ludicrous.
This tactic is similar to the way Christians will attack science whenever it conflicts with the Bible, but then continue to make use of electricity, connect to the Internet on a computer, check the weather forecast, drive a vehicle with an internal combustion engine, fly in planes, use medical therapies and vaccines, etc. They are more than happy to “sleep with the enemy” when it suits them, but then drop their allegiance whenever it causes them problems.
This tactic is a roundabout way of saying “I’m not religious, I’m just religious.” There’s no practical difference between someone who says “I’m not religious, I have a personal relationship with Jesus” and someone who just says “I’m a Christian.” Both use the same book as the basis for their supernatural beliefs. Both believe that a big invisible man in the sky impregnated an engaged 13 year old girl named Mary to give birth to himself and then die and rise from the dead. Both belong to some denomination or school of thought within Christianity.
It’s clear that this phrase doesn’t have any actual meaning, other than to give the person making the claim an opportunity to distance themselves from other religious people while still retaining their religious beliefs.
James, another contributor for Metalunderground.com, offered this succinct response to the idea that “having a relationship with Jesus” is somehow less absurd or more grounded in reality than “being religious:”
“Websters does define the word religion, go look it up and tell me which part of your Christianity (since yours is the one true one, right?) is so incongruent with each of those definitions that the mere mention of the phrase religion should be struck down as you do.
“Or, let me tell you why you and other Christians pull that line. It's because you're either embarrassed at the state of the Church and want to distance yourself from them (with weasel words) or you're embarrassed at the fact you believe in supernatural forces so you cover it up to make it sound different to, say believing in ghosts or aliens visitations (with weasel words). In case you haven't guessed, I hate weasel words.”
