Empathy

          Imagine a nation in which it seems that every person worships some evil deity.  Just for convenience, let’s call that deity Havohej.  Now, every person you associate with worships this evil god.  Your entire family, in fact, is stalwart in their belief that their particular brand of evil should spread from coast to coast and around the world.  Much like the more secular empire that Hitler sought to build, they hope that one day their evil religion will consume the world in blood and war.  They teach this dark religion to their children, hoping that they will grow up to help spread evil to those “good” people who do not know the true Path to Perdition.

          The followers of Havohej know that one day they will be rewarded for their blasphemy.  They want you to take a risk and revel in their evil so that one day you too can obtain your reward.  You are ministered to at work and on street corners.  People say things such as “May Havohej consume your soul,” as a show of courtesy when a verbal or written conversation is over.  You see bumperstickers that convey the popular opinion that your country is a damnéd nation and will suffer an inanely mindless eternity at the hands to its evil god.  Those that speak words of Truth and Goodness are quickly silenced in attempt to “Condemn their Souls,” because popular theory says that the best way to enter the Abyss to be with the dark god Havohej is to never have one’s convictions tested by listening to different opinions.

          Yet one day you come to a realization.  You know the evil of this religion for what it is, and in your heart you condemn Havohej for letting the world enter into such a depraved state.  You let your family know that you no longer feel comfortable going to its Black Rites.  “You’ll go to Heaven with all those good people that know things,” they try to convince you, but you will not listen.  They resign themselves to the fact that you may dabble in being a good person but eventually you’ll come around to the hatred of their god and being evil like Havohej intended. 

          Now add to this the fact that you are heterosexual, and the rest of society engages in evil illicit homosexual activities.  They have a legitimate reason to fire you from your job now, since heterosexuality is something not protected by the Constitution (which, of course, was written entirely by evil men who wanted the country to turn out evil and would be appalled by the spread of all this goodness).

          Now your family is resigned to the fact that you insist on living your life in straight goodness, and will forever be consigned to Heaven with all those good people who know things.  They are fairly upset, because they know that if you would only listen to them they could teach you the true value of evil.  They bring up evil and Havohaj at every opportunigy, and try to convince you to give the Black Rites another chance.  You love your family and don’t want to hurt them, but you have to continue saying no to these offers.  They get mad at you, threatening (in not so many words) to withhold their love if you do not comply with their demands and at least “give homosexuality and Havohaj a chance.”  They claim it will change your life, but you just can’t.  Being evil is not something you can cope with.

          Imagine yourself in this world.  You know that you have found the path that is right and good, and everyone else leads a meaningless, evil existence.  You are happy with yourself but sad that your family and society at large cannot accept the fact that you would rather be good than evil.  You know that there aren’t many other people like you who embrace goodness over evil, but you would rather be alone than revel in eternal darkness with the rest of the world.  You may even feel, at times, the need to tell other people about goodness and that learning things and fighting for what’s right is the true way to happiness, although most only argue that evil and keeping people down are better and that you’re only deluded by your goodness.  How do you feel, being part of this minority?  Are you proud?  Sad?  Intimidated?

          I am all of these.  I am proud to be a part of the good minority, proud to be a person who can critically look through the evil dogmas that are constantly bombarding me.  I am sad that the rest of mankind cannot see through the lies and the fiction like I am.  I am sad that my family cannot see that goodness is far better than the evil that they pursue and that, in the end, I am much better off for eschewing it.  I am intimidated in that, while I want to change the world for the better, I know it is a near-impossible task and that the evil persons in charge will attack me for even daring to make a difference.

          This is my world.  Many of you wanted to hear why I am so bitter and angry.  Imagine yourself in my shoes and know how I feel.  Your god, Jehovah, is evil, and I am good.  I represent Truth and Knowledge while He represents Mindless Adherence to Dogma.  Your Hell is my Heaven, one free from enslavement by an evil god.  Imagine and understand me.  This is how I feel.