"Sell the Sizzle. Buy the Steak."
Someone I used to work with who thought he was clever once criticized Christianity to the point of instant dismissal by calling it a mental crutch for weak minded, uneducated, lazy people whose lives are miserable because of their own actions and who need God to make them feel better about themselves and their worthless lives.
His contention was that we should live life without this crutch, taking responsibility for ourselves, knowing that our life and our legacy will be written by our choices and their outcomes alone, and that improvement of humanity (the human race as a species) is the only goal in life worth pursuing. Individually, we don't matter. We live, we do stuff and we die. But humanity has the option to control it's own destiny, and each of us should be a part of that eventual destiny. Not that we have anything to gain from it, but huanity itself is the beneficiary.
I didn't give much credence to his criticism for a couple of reasons.
First, I happened to know he was taking strong doses of Zoloft every day. This 'mental crutch' is allowed but faith in God is arrogantly dismissed? Not in my world. Even if his perspective is true, he doesn't have the clout to say it. This violates the Third Rule of Criticism: "Never accept criticism from anyone whose life doesn't back up their own words."
Second, this same criticism of Christianity could equally be applied to the automobile. It's just a crutch I use to go back and forth to work or to experience places I could never see if I was limited to walking. It's just a lazy man's form of transportation. Well, look at the benefits.
I really can use my car to work in a much more gainful, fulfilling position than I could get if I had to walk to work every day. The places I've been and seen because I have the luxury of a car, and would never know if I could only walk, are very real places. The 'car is a crutch' criticism is bogus and down right stupid. So is this same line of thinking when used to criticize a faith based worldview.
In fact, if there is one scripture to me that defines the paradigm for believing in Christ, is is Ps. 102:3, "...forgot not all his benefits for he has forgiven you and sent his word to heal you. Remember all his love for you for he redeemed your life from death (futility, the Abyss) and crowned you with mercy."
If you take away (or let some moron talk you out of) the benefits of a car, there's no point in having one. They are expensive to buy, insure, maintain and fuel. The same applies to Christianity. I'll pay the price, and take the benefits.
There are two reasons I wrote this post. First, to congratulate my friend in AZ for getting his driver's licence. Keep the benefits of driving in mind, and don't be stupid with your car.
Second, for years I have avoided applying the benefits test to the gay world. I keep telling myself that I don't know enough about it, I haven't met the right people, I haven't yet fully shaken off the bias of a life spent in a world where gay is not an option, I'm too aware of what I don't like about it to see the inherent good, pure, right and true aspects of it.
These excuses are wearing thin and I think soon the gay world/part of me is going to have to pass or fail the tests that the Christian world/part of me passed a very, very long time ago. I've had all of the sizzle I care for. If there's no steak here, it's about time for me to be moving along.