Religion and Privilege

This is probably the only post I'll ever write that deals explicitly with religion; generally, I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm openly atheist, but without the years of questioning that other non-believers have gone through. Although I went to catholic schools, my upbringing was as secular as it gets. No one went to church and I largely ignored the theology classes I was required to take the same way non-elective I needed to graduate -- spit back enough dogma to pass. However, I realize now what bothers me isn't religion per se, as much as Christian Privilege.

Melissa McEwan wrote a fantastic post about Christian privilege a few years ago:

Christianity, at least (and especially) in America, is a privilege—and, like any privilege, it can be uncomfortable to face the ugly reality of what other members of a privileged class can do to non-privileged folks, even if you don't do it yourself. I'm white, I'm straight, I'm cisgender: I understand the impulse to distance oneself. But as a white person, I am obliged to acknowledge that the history of white supremacy in America is one of slavery, of lynchings, of segregation, of sundown towns, of internment camps, of genocide, and of all manner of institutionalized racism. I don't get to say (nor do I want to) that the KKK aren't "real" white people.

Christian privilege is my landlord putting up Christmas decorations, despite knowing that not all his tenants celebrate it, with an air of "You can do what you want in your own apartment, but here we celebrate Christmas." Christian privilege is someone asking, "Where do you go to church?" It doesn't have to be overt or proselytizing. That's the thing about privilege: it's often invisible.

Gentile/White-Christian Privilege Checklist  (courtesy of Alas, a Blog)