The Diminishing of Christianity and Religion in General

I’ve been struggling for quite a while now, trying to understand the impetus for the various attacks on Christianity in our society. I don’t understand why so many people, and why our governments—federal, state, and local—seem bent on diminishing the presence of Christianity in our society. I mean, I just truly don’t get it.

First of all, I don’t understand how the presence of Christian symbols—the Ten Commandments, a cross, a verse from the Bible—threatens anyone. How are these things threatening? Why is it better for society if they aren’t present in public view?

I’m a Christian, but I don’t recoil at the sight of a synagogue, a mosque, or a statue of Buddha. I don’t feel threatened by those things. When I come across a verse from the Torah or the Koran, I often consider it and realize how similar it is to verses I’ve read in the Bible, how similar the sentiments are. I’m not going to jump religions and abandon Christianity because I’ve seen those images or those buildings or read those verses. I simply read them, observe them, or even ignore them sometimes, and I go about my day. I don’t feel threatened by them, and I don’t see any need to get rid of them or hide them.

So why do we have to diminish Christian symbols? How can those of other religions be threatened by those things? How can ridding society of Christianity and Christian symbols make those who believe in other religions feel better? I don’t think they do. I don’t think members of other religions are the ones at the forefront of movements to do this because I think they feel, for the most part, the way I feel about this.

However, there are the atheists. Why do atheists feel threatened by Christian symbols and the like? This one really confuses me because atheists don’t believe in any god at all. So why in the world are they so against Christian symbols, etc. in public places? How in the world can they feel threatened by or infringed upon by something they don’t even believe is real?

Pretend like you’re in San Diego and Comic-Con is going on. There are all kinds of people walking around in all kinds of costumes—there are aliens, there are Trekkies, there are zombies, there are superheroes of all makes and varieties—it’s a smorgasbord of fictional characters. (Yes, sorry, Trekkies—Klingons aren’t real.)

Are you going to feel threatened by these people who are dressed up in these costumes, representing characters and beings that you know aren’t real, that you know don’t exist? No. You’re not. And I know you’re not. You might laugh at them. You might admire their creativity in designing their costumes. You may think you want to go to Comic-Con next year.

But you aren’t going to feel threatened. You aren’t going to petition city hall to have those people removed from public space BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEY AREN’T REAL.

So what’s the deal with atheists and Christianity? God isn’t real for them, so why should they care if there are religious symbols—any religion’s symbols—out in public? Should the Easter Bunny not be allowed to come to town for egg hunts? He’s not real. Should Santa Claus be banned? Should we no longer allow any family to place a little money under their children’s pillows when they lose a tooth because—gasp!—the tooth fairy isn’t real and is a very threatening figure.

I just don’t understand. What’s wrong with religious symbols being present? Those symbols aren’t trying to convert you. They aren’t threatening you. They simply reflect certain beliefs, beliefs atheists don’t share and therefore can’t be threatened by.

Like I said, this has bugged me for a long time, and I thought it was time to say something. I don’t get it. I’ll never get it. I'll never understand, either, the government's willingness to diminish religion in public. We have to cater to those who don't believe. Those who do believe are persecuted. 

But I can tell you one thing, zombies don’t piss me off, and I don’t have a burning desire to prohibit them from walking around in public. I don’t believe in them, but I do admire their costumes.