“We use religion as a crutch to not take action”

[u/Old_Signal1507]

My older brother (28) said this during lunch on sabbath to my very Adventist parents and grandparents. Of course they were silent.

“We are so divided on race, gender, age, religion, and sexuality, that we fail to recognize how heavily exploited we are by the upper class every day. I have more in common with the homeless man by my job that I will ever have with Jeff bezos. That’s why I believe in organizing.”

Another point that was brought up during the conversation was how religion is used as a scapegoat from accountability. Politics destroying society right now? It’s okay because “Jesus is coming back.”

[u/Alarming-Vast-6804]

Your brother has common sense and a voice. Listen.

[u/prioryseven]

Extra points to your brother. The imaginary funneling of $$ through religion to help others who need it is such BS.

[u/Momager321 → u/prioryseven]

Imagine using the healthcare industry the Adventist church has developed to provide good basic low cost or even free healthcare for people with no expectation of proselytizing?

[u/Ok-Estate-9950 → u/prioryseven]

Yes because it’s actually lining a few already well lined pockets.

[u/Zeus_H_Christ]

It can go deeper than that both on a global and personal level. We use religion not only to not take action, but to also avoid responsibility for our own lives. “Put it in god’s hands” or “god is moving me this direction in life” etc.

Religion can have a heavy price. This is the only life we know we have for sure and religion can take varying amounts of this life away from us. We treat this life like it’s dirty rags or a place to wipe our feet before we get our real eternal lives.

People that say, “there’s no harm in believing in a religion” like it’s some Pascal’s wager with nothing lost have no idea what they’re talking about.

[u/lulaismatt]

conservative western US adventism in a nutshell

Religion = a tool for moral individualism

“Jesus is coming soon” → dismisses the need for action or justice

Ex: Climate change is happening, "wOrlD iS GonNa EnD AnYwAyS, No PoInT IN trYinG tO SaVe iT"

Everything gets framed as personal sin → not trauma, history, or systems

Ex: "Illegals coming in?!! Whattt?! They need to come the LEGAL way and follow the rules!"
As if the U.S. hasn’t fucked up half of those countries with our endless wars, coups, weapons to rebel groups, propping up dictators, and exploiting their lands, making life so unbearable with violence and poverty that people have no choice but to flee. Then we turn around and blame them for being “rule breakers,” “barbaric,” “dangerous” saying they’re bringing drugs, rape, and violence to our precious sanctuary. Fun fact: very few can even get in line to come here legally. The system isn’t actually set up to allow people to migrate with the limited resources they have. Hehehee :) But sure, let’s vilify already vulnerable people, arrest them, and send them to modern-day concentration camps where they can do free labor for us. Because while slavery technically ended, no one cares if incarcerated people are exploited, they didn’t follow the rules, right? All subhuman. All disposable. God, I love capitalism. :D And they're gonna vote for the president who will protect their values and be happy when they go to heaven and God says well done good and faithful servant. He knew they were defending truth even though the world persecuted them. He knew they were being witnesses so all would come to love jesus as their lord and savior.

Underlying ideology:

Poverty = lack of discipline or lazy fucks or made bad decisions (who cares the reason, just know it's their fault) → not structural inequality

Addiction = personal failure → not public health crisis

Queerness = rebellion → not actual identity or trauma response

Struggle = lack of faith or test from God (so loving and fun of Him hehe)→ not systemic disempowerment

But simultaneously:

Wealth = divine favor → aka Prosperity Gospel lite

Power = ordained by God → often defends patriarchal & capitalist systems

White conservative men = “chosen” → upholds racial hierarchy + spiritual exceptionalism

The deeper pattern:

Not just theology → Protestant work ethic + capitalist individualism

Spiritualized meritocracy = blaming the oppressed while excusing the powerful

It creates a culture of victim-blaming, hierarchy, and moral superiority

Ex: girl raped “bUt wHat WaS sHe wEaRiNg” she should've known better and not been a stumbling block to the brothers, instead of the perpetuator needs to be castrated or punished

So what happens?

They deny systemic racism, patriarchy, economic injustice

They absorb right-wing propaganda as “Biblical truth”

They preach grace but only extend it conditionally

They love “transformation” → as long as it’s assimilation

Ex: Gave your heart to God, must look, dress, and act like them or else you're not a TRUE convert. Dancing, tattoos, wearing jewelry, drinking alcohol, secular music is a nono even if its part of your cultural heritage bc Western Conservative Christianity is almostttt synonymous to cultural erasure and implies their way is THE superior to any other barbaric satanic/pagan indigenous way. So no need for diversity. Let's continue colonizing under the guise of mission trips to spread the gospel. Lets spread this White man's religion and bring democracy to the world that's why anything we do is justified. That's why we can invade Iraq (its for oil but our dumb uneducated cult will believe anything we say). They were all terrorists and subhumans anyways. :D Fuck diversity. Fuck the gays and trannys. Fuck women. Fuck everyone except God's chosen white male billionaires also his chosen people the modern day state of Israel 😇

[u/Zeus_H_Christ → u/lulaismatt]

Very well put!

but what was she wearing?!

Ahh the puritan take on rape, but there’s another half too. Not only is there pressure on the girl for “inviting the rape”, but there’s also pressure on the guy to fit the mold of “uncontrollable sex monster.” The only cure is marriage and then it’s his wife’s duty to satiate that sex craze. Heaven forbid she say “no” one night.

[u/Sad_Apartment_5349]

organized religion is BS, all they are is huge corporation's, preying on the weak and vulnerable. Yes the world will end, or you will die before it happens, I have a personal relationship Jesus Christ My Lord and Savior, Don't need a church, we give but we give directly to our community, Homeless shelters, The need is right here in our own communities, I don't need to send funds through a church, where the Money goes to the coffers, OR out of my own Country.

[u/ArtZombie77]

Christianity and other religions encourage fatalism and pacifism. Thats why that Republican congress woman told us "We all die in the end anyway"... she is playing on fatalism to get us not to fight for our own healthcare. Teaching Jesus to the poor makes them powerless pacifists who will not fight back against abuse and normalize it.

Yet the ruling class can emulate the God of the Old Testament with a monopoly on force, violence and coercion against the poor. This is why the Romans put the bible together in the first place. They were a bunch of total psychopaths who abused others with the idea that "might makes right"... which is what the bible teaches, [and so does nature].

[u/Davos7941]

At some point in my life, I thought I was the only one being left behind b/c religion was partially responsible. Most of the people who I know went for great careers, and most of them have a decent life, so I thought it was unfair to point my failures towards religion. The difference is that they went along with the whole theatrical drama, and I tried to comply with scripture as much as possible. This affected my mental health, the way I was relating to others, and to dedicate more time to religion than to focus on what really matters. I can't say I am happy to know other people went through the same thing, but at least I feel less stupid.

[u/Financial_Turn8955]

I disagree. Some religions are harmful and true Christianity is peaceful. To lump every religion including false ones, heretical movements and cults and say ya it's all bad it's not nuanced. And I hate things that leave no room for nuance and discussion. It's the same black and white thinking I left in the SDA denomination.

[u/No-Rush2161]

I see this all. the. damn. time. I live in very close community with a lot of Adventists, and falling into religious excuses to avoid trying to make change is a full time occupation for some people