BLACK LIVES MATTER (BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PLEASE SOME GODS)

The American Family Association is a Christian hate group, but they mostly reserve their hate for gay and trans people. What could they possibly have against Black Lives Matter? The usual: Satan.

AFA blogger Meeke Addison assures us that “god cares about justice.” (I swear I was on the edge of my seat.) But she also says Black Lives Matter doesn’t “square with the Bible.” I agree there’s probably not much in the Bible about getting the cops to stop murdering black people, but who gives a damn?

As it turns out, the Association’s problem is that Black Lives Matter is too inclusive, welcoming, and charitable. Notably, the movement includes transgender affirmation, queer empowerment, and intersectional diversity in its Guiding Principles document.

That seems altogether reasonable. Presumably, BLM wants LGBT people of every color to feel good about supporting and engaging in their movement. What an entirely normal thing to do, right?

Or, as Addison calls it, a “Satanic attack.” Sigh.

Now, there are plenty of Christian groups who support BLM. Indeed, that’s what Addison was upset about in the first place. Here’s the reason I bring it up anyway: Ever notice that people’s gods always agree with their politics? Whatever their opinion is, god supports it, and there‘s always something in the holy book to prove it.

That’s incredibly convenient, isn’t it? Imagine how weird it would be if you were a Republican and god was a Socialist. You’d have to keep worshiping him (he’s god, after all), but prayer meetings would get SO awkward.

“Get a load of this fucking bleeding heart over here…”

Luckily, it never comes up. If you’re a racist, god is racist too. If you’re homophobic, so is god. People who hate women or sex find god agrees. Meeke Addison (who is black) worries about police violence, but she hates gays and distrusts Black Lives Matter. So god does too.

Of course, my concept of Satan very closely resembles my own values and politics. But I’m an atheistic Satanist. I don’t claim that Satan is an actual, supernatural entity with opinions of his own (that just happen to always be mine).

I don’t like the idea of any deity who conforms automatically to people’s racism, sexism, phobics, and personal prejudices. What people alone do with their bigotry is scary enough.

I can’t promise that no atheistic Satanist will ever say or do something crazy, crass, or bigoted. (Sadly.) But they’ll be speaking only for themselves, with no allegedly all-powerful deity to make things worse.

“You want me to say what?! No. Hard no. You’re on your own, pal.”