Dear Elli,
There is this guy out there in "blog-land". I read his stuff all the time, because lots of my Facebook friends like him and share his posts.
He's intelligent, and also quite witty. I disagree with almost every opinion he has, but I nonetheless read his blog because I find him interesting. And I also fancy myself to be an open-minded adult with the capacity to respect opinions I disagree with.
So let me tell you a little bit about this guy. His viewpoint aligns with what I would consider a "Conservative Christian" viewpoint. Maybe he would agree with that title and maybe he wouldn't. That's merely my humble observation.
He is a really big fan of Jesus. He is NOT a big fan of feminism, public schools, abortion, or taxes. Just ask him.
I am also not a big fan of taxes. It's not a topic I typically like to discuss at a cocktail party....but neither is Jesus. I prefer to discuss shopping, football, or my plans for the weekend.
Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm writing a letter about this random guy from the internet. Good question. It's because he kind of makes me sad. He's a faker. He totally fakes the funk.
You see, he asks people to write to him with their thoughts. Some of these people disagree with him, and they attempt to convey counterpoints to his arguments in an intelligent (yet admittedly sometimes imperfect) manner.
This is a great idea that has the potential to encourage healthy dialogue between differing viewpoints. Except it doesn't. Because he is a condescending prick.
Instead of conveying maturity and respect for those with differing opinions, he belittles every technical imperfection, immaterial error, and sometimes goes as far as to question both the moral and intellectual fortitude of the dissenter, from whom he has encouraged the dissent in the first freaking place.
Now before you point it out, I'll admit it. Sometimes I'm also a condescending prick. But guess what? I don't declare myself to be a Godly human being. I'm not. I do the best I can, but that title is certainly not on my resume.
But that title is on his resume. Because he put it there himself. So, why does the President of the "Jesus Christ Fan Club" act like a condescending prick? Shouldn't such a person be nice, at the very least? Maybe a bit more tolerant? Less hateful and demeaning? More understanding and empathetic?
I'm no rocket scientist, but I think that might encourage greater membership in the "Jesus Christ Fan Club". And I'm also pretty sure Jesus is a big fan of nice people.
So, my dear daughter. My ultimate point today is not to single out this guy and jab him in the eye, but rather to encourage you to seek the truth in everything you observe. And the truth is often times hidden in an intricate web of absolute bullshit. Like condescending pricks touting religion as the basis for their outlandish behavior. That's called faking the funk.
This random, yet quite famous, internet guy doesn't deserve to be the President of the "Jesus Christ Fan Club" any more than I do. And I most certainly don't.
My resume clearly reads, "Condescending Prick Who Keeps it Real". His should probably read, "Condescending Prick Who Totally Fakes the Funk". Who's the cool one?
I love you.
Mom
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