Something that has been bothering me for a while is people who completely disregard reason for faith.
Now before this starts soundling like a trite scientist-pride speech, I should say that there is something that invokes this specific annoyed-ness. A sort-of-friend of mine likes to write on this publication (a blog, if you will) about the events of his life. Since he is extremely religious, they often turn into discussions about faith.
Now, I went to Catholic school for 4 years so I know a thing or two about theology, but boy, what this kid writes is pretty frightening, IMO.
First, he stipulates that God loves us unconditionally, etc., which is pretty standard. (I capitalized God in reference to a specific proper pronoun, the Christian god, like you would for Mom or Dad) Then he goes on to state how every single occurance in his life is a direct influence by God. Everytime something bad happens, it's God reminding him of something. Everytime he prays for something and it doesn't happen, it's God giving some sort of mysterious lesson.
And I think to myself - wow; what kind of life is that? I want a bagel, but they ran out. God is telling me to cut back on carbs, or God is reminding me that there are hungry people in the world. I got an A on my last test and that's God telling me I should continue to be an engineer. I prayed that it would be sunny. It rained today so God is telling me that I should appreciate the rain because it's one of his creations. Or worse, when I went into that building to get out of the rain, I met a new friend [i.e. the next relatively good thing that happens in his life] and that was God working in myseterious ways, so I should be eternally grateful.
I would quote this person instead of paraphrasing, but I don't really dislike him personally. But sometimes I wonder how self-loathingly arrogant one must be to first assume that everything bad or good that happens is caused by some moral fault or accomplishment and then going so far as to assume that it's the result of YOUR (and only your) moral fault or accomplishment(as though rain can't be interpretted as granting the prayer of some farmer or smiting of some poor drowned bug). It's such an endless cycle that puts more and more focus and morale-reliance on some being that, for all intents and purposes, is fictional. It boggles my mind. I have nothing against theology and actually find it interesting, but this to me is just rediculous.
GO!