Forgotten the message and worship the creed

The one thing that seems not to be asked enough of Christianists (apart from "what the hell is wrong with you? is: why in God's name do you care about this shit? So you believe that the world was created in seven days six thousand years ago. Um, bully for you--but so what? Does believing this provide some sort of framework for moral conduct? And if it doesn't, what peculiar mental quirk would lead you to equate said belief with "morality?" I know, I know: "It's in the Bible, so it must be both true and holy!" You can't rationally argue with someone whose mind deals in such neat little tautologies. Nonetheless, the fact remains that Biblical literalism is just about the most infantile belief system imaginable, and has very little to do with "religion." Using Biblical principles to guide your life is one thing; obstinately insisting that the Lord told Noah to build him an arky-warky and that that is an INVIOLABLE TRUTH is something else entirely. That's why Eastern religions/philosophies typically seem so much less...silly to me. The conversations in the Analects of Confucious might have happened exactly as they're written, or they might not have, but that's immaterial: the point is the lessons and advice contained therein. You don't have people screaming that you're going to hell because you don't consider them to be absolute, indisputable fact. That would be silly. But then, silliness seems to have become the predominant belief system in These United States.

Edit: Tell ya one thing, though: because of the desperate, gasping attempts by right-wingers to feel persecuted, whenever someone wishes me a "merry Christmas" I DO find myself momentarily unsure of whether this is a sincere manifestation of holiday cheer or a defiant "fuck you" towards anyone who should dare to question Our Christian Hegemony Heritage. These people are so incredibly spiritual it boggles the mind.