So what?

So far, my blogs have talked about my journey out of Evangelical Christianity. I will continue to discuss those steps and how I felt along the way. But today, it is time for the "So What?" question. Is this blog just about Christian bashing or the evilness of religion? Absolutely not!


#1 - If I don't stand for religion (and Christianity in general) what do I stand for?


 For humanism. For the rights of others as they go through their lives and enjoy the same sunshine as everyone else. My goal is to fight for people who do not have a voice in the world. History is a powerful teacher in this context because we know why today's society looks the way it does and why groups are discriminated against and can't get a fair shake.


That's why women's rights are paramount to my worldview. Changing the norms and shaking the patriarchal tree of today's society. Making people accountable to each other and calling out misogynists and inequality. Included in this is the paramount objective of making sure women have the right to make decisions regarding their body and have the access to healthcare that they need!


The reality of racism and how we got there as well. Challenging the ignorance of the past and the historical facts of invasion, enslavement and degradation of people of color. From Native Americans to Africans brought over in the most despicable "trade" and the billions of $$$ that early Americans profited. Exposing the history of racism and the journey that brought this country to the civil war, reconstruction, the Jim Crow norms and scientific racist theory. And then discussing the biggest example of racist theory on display in Hitler's NAZI party. Those policies opened the mind's of the leaders to the reality of where racism could go. And of course, the civil rights movement that is ongoing today.


LGBTQ rights! The right to make choices as an individual regarding your choice of partner, your gender identity and to not be discriminated against for any of these choices. This is civil rights and activists in this area deserve that label. Not allowing any group, religious or not, to inhibit the rights of others based on their orientation or identity. Fighting for equal rights under the law! And fighting ignorance. Because I was once ignorant about this and I want people to realize the humanity of others.


Environment! My passion to bring science to the forefront of conversation and combat Climate Change. I'm new to this field, but it does not take any deep delving into the subject to see that this is a reality and that there are ways to combat this.


#2 - What is my goal in interacting with religious and non-religious people on twitter and out in the world?


Dialogue! Get people talking and seeing the world through different eyes! Shake the norms of the world and the barriers that keep people from talking. Find a way to challenge hateful expressions of belief (or disbelief) and instead discuss how important humanism is. Period. The common bond of fellow humans that allows us to look in each other's eyes and find something that we share. Call it "cosmic spark" or "soul" or "fellow sojourner" it doesn't matter. Find commonality! Yes, expose ignorance in a kind/frank manner. But get to the point where the discussion turns to ensuring the above mentioned causes find support.


Roger Williams was always my Rhode Island hero (besides Nathaniel Greene) and his writings on conscience were paramount to my journey as a humanist. He was a staunch puritan and yet he was kicked out of Massachusetts Bay Colony. He believed that matters of conscience belonged between God and the individual and that government could not dictate conscience (obviously a modern paraphrase with embellishment, maybe in another blog we'll get to sources.) That's the way I started to see the role of government and the role of humans to other humans.

#3 - What do I have to share and add to the conversation?


No doubt I will share why I left the Evangelical Church but I hope I can add more that "what I'm not." I'm also not a mechanic, nor a painter or a vegetarian. What can I add? My historical knowledge in context so that I can question and bring about discussion about rights and progress. And bring Love into the conversation because I would not be my mother's son without looking empathetically at others. What does each person value: family, their parents, children, friends... And bring the subject of love up to break down the barriers of loving someone based on an ideology. To see each person as a person!


I will continue to kindly call out the beliefs that show ignorance of history and science. Not to shame the person but to realize how those beliefs can inhibit the rights of others. That's my goal and that's where I'm coming from.