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veronica_richNow I would think the religious right of the United States would be happy - nay, grateful - to finally have full control of the presidency, both houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court. I doubt any single special-interest group could ask for much more in this country than major influence over the government's three branches.
Ah, but not so. Christianity teaches that God's will is never completely done, and I finally see what form that's going to take in the next few years. An avowedly religious elected official I know e-mailed me tonight with a link to an organization called "Godless Americans" - basically, it's an atheist organization that keeps an eye on government, like any dozens of other watchdog organizations. His post was the sad, sad tone of the hard-at-work never quite completing his To Do List. After all, there's all these souls in need ofconversion saving.
Put bluntly, not everyone in the country is yet converted to Christianity. Not everyone agrees an underdeveloped fetus is a human life imbued with a human soul; major religions don't even agree on this. Not everyone agrees two men wanting to legalize their committment is none of anyone else's business (never mind that straight people have long sullied the "sacred" institution of marriage on their own, in various ways, with absolutely no help from any homosexual).
As long as there's lost souls, I suppose there's work for the radical (mostly white) right. And the nice thing for them is, nobody will speak up against them, because not only are they respected by society at large for their affiliation with Jesus, they can influence public policy WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY ONE RED CENT IN TAXES for the privilege.
For all the jokes that can be made about what "liberals" demand, I have to say I've never known of one who took office and proceeded to tell Christians the way they were going about managing their religious practices and their personal faith was wrong and they were in need of conversion. Had any tried to do so, you can bet their political career would have come to a screeching halt; the closest I've ever heard is when Jesse Ventura made the comment that most people use religion as a crutch ... which is true. Religion is supposed to be a comfort when facing life's unknowns and the Hereafter, not a catchall net to be thrown over one's fellow citizens, forcing them to adhere to one's own superstitions even at the risk of their own health and welfare. (Far too many people also try to use religious precepts to explain those things they don't wish to expend actual thought upon, but I won't go into that here. It's too long a diatribe.)
Gee, maybe there's a place I can go to escape my home country's religious persecution and the imminent adoption of one belief system as "the" state religion? Oh, wait - I'm supposedly already there.
Ah, but not so. Christianity teaches that God's will is never completely done, and I finally see what form that's going to take in the next few years. An avowedly religious elected official I know e-mailed me tonight with a link to an organization called "Godless Americans" - basically, it's an atheist organization that keeps an eye on government, like any dozens of other watchdog organizations. His post was the sad, sad tone of the hard-at-work never quite completing his To Do List. After all, there's all these souls in need of
Put bluntly, not everyone in the country is yet converted to Christianity. Not everyone agrees an underdeveloped fetus is a human life imbued with a human soul; major religions don't even agree on this. Not everyone agrees two men wanting to legalize their committment is none of anyone else's business (never mind that straight people have long sullied the "sacred" institution of marriage on their own, in various ways, with absolutely no help from any homosexual).
As long as there's lost souls, I suppose there's work for the radical (mostly white) right. And the nice thing for them is, nobody will speak up against them, because not only are they respected by society at large for their affiliation with Jesus, they can influence public policy WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY ONE RED CENT IN TAXES for the privilege.
For all the jokes that can be made about what "liberals" demand, I have to say I've never known of one who took office and proceeded to tell Christians the way they were going about managing their religious practices and their personal faith was wrong and they were in need of conversion. Had any tried to do so, you can bet their political career would have come to a screeching halt; the closest I've ever heard is when Jesse Ventura made the comment that most people use religion as a crutch ... which is true. Religion is supposed to be a comfort when facing life's unknowns and the Hereafter, not a catchall net to be thrown over one's fellow citizens, forcing them to adhere to one's own superstitions even at the risk of their own health and welfare. (Far too many people also try to use religious precepts to explain those things they don't wish to expend actual thought upon, but I won't go into that here. It's too long a diatribe.)
Gee, maybe there's a place I can go to escape my home country's religious persecution and the imminent adoption of one belief system as "the" state religion? Oh, wait - I'm supposedly already there.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:56 pm (UTC)It won't happen, but it's nice to think about.
Personally, I was glad to hear Obama thank his minister the other night, in his remarks to NBC. I thought "ah ... one of us who knows how to play the game, FINALLY."
no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:49 pm (UTC)So I'm going to publicly agree with you. I have my own beliefs, but I'm sure as hell not going to shove them down anyone else's throat. And I don't think Kerry would have, either... one of the reasons I really respected him.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:58 pm (UTC)I was watching Obama thank his minister the other night in his remarks to NBC. Now THERE'S a liberal who seems to know how to play the game.