my mom is my partner in crime. i wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her curiosity- and her admirable ability to stomach listening to hate media and christian media. i guess that i am perplexed at the christian right's incredulity that more and more americans are turning away from their religion. i mean, despite their best efforts, folks are not sheeple to be fleeced. that's reserved for special morons on the right- those twenty percenters who have difficulty spelling, i imagine.anyhoo, many right wing christian types have argued that because the founders were largely christian or deist- the intent that america is a christian nation founded on christian principles is there. therefore, we should return to christianity to unite us in the common good through morals and ethics. except that argument falls very, very flat. the constitution may have been created by men who believed that there is a god- but they specifically, and deliberately stated that there will be no state religion. folks can worship as they please- but no one religion will dominate the other at the federal level. period. you can google it- it's there.
and on the hypocritical end- well, let's suffice to say- with all of the 'family values' scandals and the pious christian leaders succumbing to just about every deadly sin there is- and the fact that they assisted the politicians in ruining this once great country for worldly gain- that they are lacking quite a bit in the moral authority realm.
i guess that the biggest puzzle for me to try and piece together- is how they present christianity versus what they really stand for. i am going to guess that's why folks are leaving in droves. the christian right alleges to stand for the right to life of all- because your life belongs to god and your body is his temple- and you need to keep it pure and clean for him. you don't have the right to euthanasia or suicide- because your body isn't yours to begin with. god will decide when you live or die. uh huh. jesus- and god- are love. they love you despite you being a sinner or a heathen- and flowers bloom and birds sing, yah, yah, yah. how then to explain the christian stance on 1) capital punishment and 2) torture.
so, let's see- god is love but he sanctions the torture of other people at the hand of the folks who won. mmmmm.... which chapter and verse in the bible sanctions torture? i've read it through twice but i may have missed something. i do, however, distinctly remember something about 'vengeance is mine, saith the lord.' but it may be different now- i have a king james version bible. and please cue me in as to where god says- or jesus- that it's ok to kill someone based on a crime they committed.
i am an admitted 'heathen'- athiest, i suppose to those who must label. i oppose the death penalty and torture. i also would not personally have an abortion but i am completely in favor of contraception. i also support euthanasia- under restrictions and suicide- because it's a personal choice. now, that's not to say i advocate either- but each human being is autonomous. they have the right to decide their own fate. they do not have the right to torture and kill other human beings- or other beings- wantonly and at their whim.
i also have a real problem with christians blaming victims for man made disasters. for example, the christian right blaming the victims of hurricane katrina for the army corps of engineer's failure to make the levees safe. their 'sins' did not bring the wrath of god down upon them- climate change did. and the levees breaking was most decidedly not the fault of gay folks. get real.
i have a feeling that many run as far away as they can from christianity these days because these folks come off like a band of thugs- forcing their way of life on others and ganging up on minority groups- like gay folks, immigrants, non wasps, etc. they behave like the crazy relative that folks don't invite to family holiday dinners. and it's unfortunate because i really believe in the constitutional right for folks to worship as they please- but these folks are turning the houses of worship into extremist group havens where they are tax exempt- and can plot their course with impunity.
the 'say one thing and do another' philosophy is what is driving thinking folks away from religion- especially christianity. just an fyi. my fervent hope is that religion extincts itself- and i hope i am around to see it happen.
7 comments:
Betmo: My family is Christian, however, they aren’t the extreme. Just like we aren’t the extreme right on political views, either. I think you might be referring to the Uber Christians. They are the ones that believe the wrath of God caused Hurricane Katrina. The Uber Christians take everything to the extreme, just like the Uber Left and Right take everything to the extreme. You have the Uber Right who will kill the abortion doctor to save the baby. Then you have the Uber Left who will chain himself to the tree to save the tree. It’s quite unfortunate because the Ubers in every arena give the normal groups very bad names.
By the way, Time referred me to your blog. I hope that's okay. I'm a Conservative and I debate respectfully.
pamela, absolutely, welcome! :) i do understand that there are many christians who are not extreme. it is unfortunate that the fringers are the ones we have most to fear from- but it is they who hold positions of power. i like to have respectful debate- and time is someone who keeps me honest and makes me think. so, i welcome anyone he refers :) i genuinely believe healthy debate and the exchange of different povs are important.
i actually tried that when i started my blog but one by one- the right wing folks got harsher- and so did i. they wouldn't listen to respectful disagreement and i began to believe that there were no sane folks on the right. and the left got shriller and shriller and wouldn't even listen to middle of the roaders like me- and i left the left. i am not even an independent anymore- i am just me. without that agenda- i have to rely on what i know and my own common sense- and my faith in the moderates of both sides was renewed when obama got elected.
not because i believe he will save us- but because so very many people were pushing back against the last 8 years and before.
about organized religion, i am firmly entrenched with my belief that it should go away. i won't advocate forcing it away- but i won't be sad when it fades away.
Betmo: May I invite you to my blogWhere my blogging policy is CIVILITY to ALL. I encourage Liberals and Moderates to visit, because I like opinions from all sides. There’s nothing more boring than having everyone agree with me!
"Be the change you want to see"... so no religious affiliation in this house.
Besides, as for christians, how many have realised that the "eating of flesh and drinking of blood", goes back two thousand years, to the dark old days...in ancient Israel... when the priesthood ruled by fear, the congregations cowered.., and the altars ran with human blood.
Sacrifice a few, to gain power over the many, call it religion or politics, same formula.
Cheerfull it wasn`t, but most folks have moved on, organised religion has become more transparent, and indeed, thank the gods for such mercies... :).
Too bad the non-Uber types never make the news. If that were the case, then maybe we wouldn't have to defend our freedom from the extreme right wing zealots that force their so called christian values down our throats.
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