So, now — you’re offended by the Paris Olympics?

 

 

MY MESSAGE TO CHRISTIANS “OFFENDED” BY THE PARIS OLYMPICS OPENING

Many Christians say they were “offended” by a short skit performed during opening night of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The fallout still continues a few days later and has even triggered an unnecessary apology by the International Olympic Committee that was released today.

Never mind that so many Christians somehow worship an Italian painting that was completed in the year 1498 which absurdly portrays European-looking White people feasting smack dab in the middle of the Middle East roughly 1,470 years earlier. I’ll skip that for now.

Also, never mind that so many Christians lack any knowledge whatsoever of ancient mythology and global history–more specifically the celebration of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, food, and merriment, which was the real intent of portrayal. I’ll skip that for now, too.

Also, never mind that so many Christians are upset and angry about a short performance and joyous imagery lasted for all of about two minutes during a four-hour long opening night extravaganza filled with music and celebration considered by many all over the world as the greatest Olympic opening ceremony of all time. I’ll skip that, as well.

Oh, and I’ll also skip over tireless and never-ending Christian obsessions with superstition, ritualized threats of punishment and damnation, preposterous teachings designed to stoke fear and chisel out the obedience of followers, unparalleled graft and corruption, unspeakable abuses of every kind, overt sexism, historical justifications for racism and military conquests, open collaboration and endorsement of slavery, propaganda use for wars and killings, prophesies and promises of mass destruction, and its grotesque own internal history of hypocrisies. Please, yes, by all means — go ahead and be offended about something you don’t understand and don’t care to learn about. Oh look, there’s another meme. Oh look, there’s another post. Someone else pledged to boycott the 2024 Paris Olympics.

As if anyone fucking cares.

Well, in fact, I’M OFFENDED too!

— I’m OFFENDED that so many Christians are not offended by decades and centuries of sexual abuse inside churches and covered up by clergy, numbering in the millions–all over the world. Fact: Far more children have been abused by ministers, priests, church counselors, and flocks of Christians than trans people or other groups often demonized by religion. Where’s the outrage over that in conservative religious circles? Where are those memes?

— I’m OFFENDED that American Christians overwhelmingly support and vote for a serial lying, adulterous, felon and traitor who relishes acts of cruelty, revenge, and retribution and is the very antitheses of every lesson and commandment taught by religious scripture.

— I’m OFFENDED that as a taxpayer I’m forced to pay my money for churches that do not pay any taxes. I’m offended by having to subsidize the construction and upkeep of their roads, electricity, sewer lines, safety, fire protection, and other government services for churches and religious followers, who demand and receive total tax exemption for their hundreds of thousands of temples of superstition. If Christians want to get all sanctimonious and rally around a painting that looks to me like a picture of the Allman Brothers Band, be my guest. Just don’t ask me to pay for it.

— I’m OFFENDED that Christians are determined to indoctrinate young minds with forced prayer in schools, Bible scripture posted on the walls, and forced coercion and blind obedience to such a cruel, and often indifferent “god.” I mean…seriously. Have you looked at this guy’s record? Fuuuuuck!

— I’m OFFENDED that Christians have largely dominated our daily lives for centuries, including marching and praying along to the well-documented historical imposition of unspeakable horrors, discriminatory practices, prejudices, wars of invasion, forced conversions, and so many other evils and human suffering — yet when a short alternative artistic display of inclusion is showcased at the Olympics which includes members of a group they don’t like, that triggers so much hate and threats of a mass boycott.

Go ahead, be offended.

Actually, It’s YOU so-called fundamentalist Christian believers who are offensive to so many of the rest of us. The undeniably gory history and inexplicable practice of Christianity is what’s truly offensive.