Every time I talk with an atheist about religion I receive a lot of anger. Anger which is based on the “evils done by religion” throughout the centuries.

But I am not an archbishop.

I am not the Patriarch.

And even if I was, should I be held responsible for mistakes performed by people who claimed to be “Christians” centuries ago? In the same way science is not in any way responsible for atrocities performed in its name (e.g. eugenics), Christianity cannot be held responsible for atrocities performed in its name by people who obviously did not follow the Christian values of love, forgiveness and repentance.

We love attaching labels. (you are a “Christian”)

We love categorizing. (you are a “Christian”, thus the same as people who called themselves “christians” and killed people in the past, as if Christ taught murder)

We love deducing conclusions. (you are a Christian so you like killing like some people who called themselves “christians” and killed people in the past, as if Christ taught murder)

Methods which are nice for creating science.

But which are terrible for human communication.

Let’s all see the other for the man he really is. Let’s not judge people as if they represent crusaders, atheist eugenics researchers, the Pope or Hitler. Let’s just talk to each other as if we talk to… each other!

I am a Christian.

I am not a “Christian”.