The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) had to weigh in on the "Jesus blows me away" stunt you may have recently heard about.
Christians often whine about how they are discriminated against and persecuted when in fact Christians enjoy the most privilege of any group in the country, except for maybe old white guys.
About the only advantage to "desecrating" a statue of Jesus in this country is that you will not be hunted down and killed for doing something like this to Mohammed. That is significant, but criminal charges are ludicrous.
About the only advantage to "desecrating" a statue of Jesus in this country is that you will not be hunted down and killed for doing something like this to Mohammed. That is significant, but criminal charges are ludicrous.
Christian privilege and the "desecration" of a Jesus statue
September 12, 2014
Christian privilege is an insidious cancer prevalent in this country. This time the victim is a 14-year-old prankster with an irreverent sense of humor. The unidentified teen posted pictures of himself and a Jesus statue in which it appears the Lord is fellating the teen.
Sure, the photo is tasteless. But poor taste is not a crime (and Christians should be thankful for that). Neither is desecration of a venerated object. Yet the boy has been charged in juvenile court with that crime.
First, there was no damage done, the kid took some photos. Second, desecration is not a crime. FFRF's litigation attorney, Bob Tiernan, won a nearly identical criminal case in Colorado in 2000. Rodney Scott was charged with "desecrat[ing] an object venerated by the public" for removing illegal and unlicensed roadside memorial crosses. The court found that the roadside crosses were "litter" so they could not be venerated.
But so what if they were? "Desecration" and "venerated" are clearly terms meant to protect religious sensibilities—and religious objects—from harm. But we already have laws in place that do just that—laws that prohibit vandalism, property destruction, and theft. Why do we need a separate law for religious property?
Obviously, we don't. But these laws, which exist in other states, are a codification of Christian privilege. Other examples abound. Christian privilege is also codified in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which Hobby Lobby recently used to impose its anti-scientific, anti-woman religion on employees.
Christian privilege abounds in laws and symbolism:
Christians think our nation trusts in their god. We do not.
Christians think our nation is united under their god. We are not.
Christians think America is great because their god ordained it so. Those who behead journalists and fly airplanes into skyscrapers believe something similar. They're both wrong. Freedom makes a country great. Equality makes a country even greater. And privileging one class of people because they all believe the same 2,000-year-old myth is not freedom or equality.
And, perhaps most of all, Christians think that their god is not to be mocked (something else they have in common with cartoon-hating Muslims). Both are wrong. According to their own book, god is a genocidal tyrant and a blackmailing scapegoat. Even if such a god did exist, he would not be worthy of worship—he would be worthy only of mockery.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, other like-minded groups, and the burgeoning ranks of godless Americans are working tirelessly to end this unjustified Christian privilege. Soon, Christians will no longer be able to call the police when somebody makes fun of their imaginary friend.
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