Something I am often faced with is called a "testimony". What happens is that often during a discussion about my lack of faith, someone will take a moment to state quite emotionally that "they know that god lives" and usually something about how much it has improved their lives. Surely this is harmless right? I would disagree.
There are many things within religion that try to turn a healthy skepticism of ideas, into an unhealthy doubt of self. I believe the "testimony" is one of these things. The point of the testimony is not based on merit or any appeal to reasoning, but rather the person uses does their best to make sure that you feel insecure about your beliefs because they some how "know".
consider how silly it would be if I said very emotionally, "I KNOW that there is a unicorn on the dark side of the moon, and doing a tap dance to praise it every night has greatly improved my life, and I really just want you to have the same happiness that I have found."
Clearly when someone offers a "testimony" they are not appealing to your intelligence. They are appealing to something else entirely: Intimidation. "I KNOW I am right, I can't tell you know I know it, its too magical, but I know..."
If they truly care about you, then their actions will speak for themselves. If god has improved their life so much then their own well being should be perfectly clear without them trying to convince you.
But I have never gotten the "testimony" from someone that actually did care about me, or someone who actually did have a wonderful life.
Maybe they aren't the worst people, maybe they don't have the worst life, but that's the point. If you life is just average, and you treat me pretty averagely but you tell me how much you care about me, and how much your beliefs have changed your life for the better... well then you kind of just look stupid, and it becomes pretty clear that you haven't examined your own life, or you are just trying to intimidate me, rather then reason with me.
The "testimony" is just a cheap shot that works on people with a low self-esteem.
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3 comments:
i know you're wrong, I just had a revelation about how terribly wrong you are, you are Satan's whore!
actually...you're right. but the thing is if you examine the teachings of the religion that is the source of this "testimony" most of the time you will see virtues which help you be happy and live a better life. it is rebellious and proud to deny the religion based on the actions of the hipporcrites that promote it. just because you haven't met someone who cares about you while claiming to care for your well-being doesn't mean that they are not right about the fact that if you worship a tap dancing unicorn you'll be happier.
I have examined these things, and I am quite convinced that religion does not make people happy. At least not any more then average. If that was the case the testimony would be pointless because the joy would be self evident.
I have written other blogs on religion that might cover some of these topics.
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