One of the most overrated and trite phrases believers ultimately shout at atheists and skeptics, in their frustration when we retort with our evil reason and logic to their attempts of proselytizing is “Jesus loves you!”
Jesus loves you? What does that even mean?
When someone loves you, they go out of their way to show you their love for you. Think of your parents, your siblings, your closest friends, your life partner. Think of the people you love, you worry about their wellbeing, you do things to please them, you want them to be healthy, content, their needs taken care of, in a word — happy.
What could Jesus ever do for you? Does he look after you? Does he feed you when you’re hungry? comfort you when you’re sad? heal you when you’re sick? or at least if not magically, does he remind you to take your meds? Does he stay up until you get home to heat up dinner for you, and keep you company while you eat? Does he worry about you and give you a call when he hasn’t heard from you in a while? No, he doesn’t.
These are some of the things that anyone would do for the people they care about, and you probably do some of these things for the people you care about. Even if Jesus had existed, and was a real person and demigod two thousand years ago, he can’t do anything for you today. Heck! If Jesus had had the power the bible says he had, he could have done so many amazing things for all mankind; instead of healing a couple of blind men and a couple of lepers, he could have eradicated blindness and leprosy, and done so with much less effort than our scientists eradicated poliomyelitis; instead of turning water into wine for a wedding, and feeding a few hundred people with bread and fish, he could have appeared a freaking river full of fish for all Ethiopians to feed off; wouldn’t that be something awesome and worthy of someone with such powers and love?
If I had the power that the bible says #Jesus had, I wouldn’t cure one person of blindness, I’d make blindness impossible. #atheism #atheist
— Monica Salcedo (@Monicks) December 7, 2011
If I had the power that the bible says #Jesus had, I wouldn't cure one person of blindness, I'd make blindness impossible. #atheism #atheist
— Monica McGee (@Monicks) December 7, 2011
But Jesus loves you.
According to the Christian doctrine, no matter who you are, whether you believe in him and his heavenly father or not, whether you’re good or bad, if you’re worthy or not of his holy love, Jesus loves you just the same. Deservedly or not, you are loved by Jesus. Jesus loves everyone, and does exactly as much for everyone — nothing.
Love without a single demonstration is not love, it’s just a word. Now is when I should remind you of the millions of people suffering and dying from disease and famine in the world, right? I don’t think I need to.
What makes love meaningful and wonderful is precisely its uniqueness; you are loved because you are special to the one who loves you.
Jesus loves everyone.
Jesus’ love is meaningless.
You think differently? Prove me wrong, and I’ll change my mind.
