I'm frustrated.
My Facebook is flooded with messages regarding the horrible events surrounding the children today. Which is fine. It is a terrible thing. I like that people are thinking of the kids and their families.
What I can't stand is preachy-ness. Lately, I've found myself fighting against people who are posting religious stuff on their walls. In a perfect world, people wouldn't get mad and attack, I mean, Facebook is free range - if you're going to share something, expect SOME opinion. I try to unsubscribe to these people since that's an option. There's so many of them. All religious. All Catholics.
Anyway, I'm trying to keep my fingers shut, but one lady I had graduated College with posted this:
Of course, it gets like a billion "likes", which isn't a big deal, but another person posted it on my news feed, and I hastily typed:
I just don't understand these sort of messages. Kids have perished, yet we're using this an opportunity to spread religion? I understand that you are religious, and I respect this, but it seems like you believe the lack of God was what created this tragedy...there are numerous issue involved. There was mental health issues. Society's. I understand prayer comforted you, and that's good. Pray, do what comforts you. But since people have different religions and different beliefs, perhaps we shouldn't be using this as a time to preach. I comprehend my opinion will not be popular with those who are religious, but something has to be said when these messages come along bringing more politics and religion...whoever made this message has an agenda, and I find that wrong - those kids need to be remembered, not dragged and used for this agenda. (Ie; God's not in the schools so obviously it was bad or had something to do with the shootings)
But I didn't say it to her. I knew I was going to get into a war and it'd reflect negatively on me. Basically, I feel like religious people get free rein during this awful time. I knew I would start another issue, with people biting back at me including her unstable self.
I see this message differently than her. To me, the message implies a lack of God created this problem. It didn't. It deters from the real problems: the mental health issues, the gun laws, ect. It also implies that schools freely rid of religion, which really isn't the case. High schools and University's/Colleges have religious prayer groups and allow it. They merely don't permit prayers to be said in the morning. (And it's fair, if you attend a Public school, and didn't have a Faith, or followed a different one, why would you want to participate in a prayer?)
The person who had originally made this has an agenda. I'm basically unsubscribing from all of these people because religion's hold on society drives me insane. I don't care if someone chooses to believe in a supernatural force. That's their choice and if it comforts them, all the better. I DO care when it deters from the real issues which need to be addressed. I don't think it makes sense, but I can't really fight it without people judging me on it. A lack of God didn't create the problem. A lack of prayer may comfort children, but it's lack of at the time wasn't what caused the problem. God isn't technically not permitted in schools - it's the religion which isolates people. And there's something VERY wrong about using recently perished children to spread your religion.
Facebook really gets you to despise people you had no issues with because they insist on posting what goes on in their heads - and it's terrible.
Anyway, seeing as my society/friends/family are dominated by religious people, I seldom have anywhere to vent or rant. I just wish people would leave religion where it belongs: in their homes, in their Church, and NOT assume everyone HAS or WANTS to follow it.
(And hi, I'm sorry. I'm an old member from this board but I don't come on often. xD Except, apparently, to vent to a community of like-minded individuals.) T
