These days Christians seem to be growing rather fond of playing the victim card and claiming to be so oppressed by the political climate in this nation and its people. What a bunch of hogwash and propaganda that is!
Christians are bringing it upon themselves from where I sit. They let a bunch of extremists run around threatening to burn holy books and items of other religious sects, call the fallen dead from this nations war faggots and other invectives, and basically run around trying to keep international relations in an uproar with their ignorance and bigotry.
They and their political mouthpieces, who are attending orgies and deviant sexual escapades that would have made Larry Flint blush, bandy about insinuating that they have received some kind of holy imperative from the great spirit in the sky, that all of us should abdicate to because they know more than the rest of us do.
This while they practice obstructionist politics and imply that the "right thing to do" is to deny other religions the very freedoms this country was founded upon, and that they seem to want to claim some kind of exclusive claim to.
And when they are called upon all of this, the first line of defense is to disassociate themselves from the individuals in question, and claim they are not representative of "true Christians". (The whole time they adjudicate every single individual of Islamic faith as if they themselves are guilty of the 9/11 attacks- practicing the very stereotyping initiatives they accuse others of and swear the immigration laws being enacted by states will not do).
They are being oppressed and victimized for their religious beliefs and practices. Yeah, rigggght. And I have a flock of golden geese that I will let you have cheap!
I never see any of the high level religious leadership making public statements disavowing these closet nazi candidates the tea party is attempting to ram down the ignorant voting public's throat! I don't see, hear, or read of any of them coming out an defrocking the likes of Faldwell, Baker, and the rest of these wolves in sheeps clothing either. I don't see them being banned from the religious organizations they lead either, nor are they censored; indeed most of them gain increasing popularity despite the fact they are first class hypocrites who want nothing more than to keep the flock fleeced and their pockets lined with gold.
So that leaves nothing but for the critical thinking public to automatically assume that the perceptions these idiots create, and the spectacles they produce, are representative of the desired path the organized religion wants to pursue. Moreover, as each year passes it becomes increasingly apparent to even the most casual observer, that religion is making a headlong charge toward taking over the governance of the people of this nation, its laws, and yes even its very constitution!
Religion has always jockeyed for position with the governing bodies of any nation within it has existed since the beginning of time; and after all these centuries it is no different now than it was in the dark ages. The difference is that todays leadership of organized religion has centuries of pre-conditioning toward acceptance of the churches desired path to rely upon. And in the process it has become a multi billion dollar industry, tax free in the United States.
You want to stop being viewed as the overbearing, war mongering, power-hungry, greedy, robber barrons that you are? Then I suggest you stop throwing stones and start cleaning house. Leave the governing of the people to the government, and stay out of the business of government. It's a free country so you are free to worship as you please within the laws of humankind, but don't expect the free ride you have enjoyed to this point to continue for much longer. If you want to claim constitutional rights then you will be expected to pay for them like everybody else does; via taxation of your property and income. That day of reckoning is coming, but it won't be the great spirit knocking on the doors of your rectory and churches. It'll be uncle Sam, and you had damned well better pay up or lose your mansions of glory and your tax free cadillac. . .
Humanities 101 clearly shows religion was the very first form of government. How better to rule the masses than to make a claim a higher power was guiding the hand of one man?!
Damn that Socrates and the others after him! Damn reason and logic! When the laws of man fully asserted themselves, religion has been on a quest to reassume the seat of power, and they will not give up on it, ever. Religion took a big hit when the Catholic church was in the spotlight, but proof of pedophilia is not enough to make the masses truly question what drives organized religion. There must be exposure of the subculture, the puppetmasters, the clandestine meetings of persons in power and their little secret handshakes. >:(
One of the problems with "Christianity" is that there are so many different versions. It's like the term "Rock-N-Roll". There's thrash metal, easy listening, electronica, Christian contemporary, rockabilly. etc. We have people that believe God wants them to talk in tongues or sing without music or wave their arms during the sermon or dance around in a trance or play with snakes or eat the ACTUAL body and blood of Christ. Many of these churches will denounce the others as misguided or even Satanic. ALL this is because the Bible is so vague and it contradicts itself in a lot of places. Colorful parables are looked at by some as factual accounts. Other passages seem to justify the oppression of certain humans by some believers. It's just a mess and it causes more problems that it solves. On top of that, it's the MOST powerful religion in the US. Even if some believe that it's under fire, I think they're safe for the time being.
The guy in Florida lost me when he stated that his reasons for the protest were because Islam is "of the Devil". I have no use for Islam but this is the type of thinking that has hurt so many throughout the centuries. A handful of humans claim to have the REAL story di-rect from the Lord and people fall all over themselves eating it up!
The problem with government and religion is that we already have enough problems with our governments being led around by the nose by big business. We DO NOT need some religious organization mucking things up worse. In America, we have freedom of religion and we should have freedom from religion!
We do have freedom from religion. . . but the zealots will not allow it!
If you look at various books of religion, what's right about them are the common threads each of them possess; i.e., think of the 10 Commandments - similar language exists in all others. The basic premise of each was to set minimal guidelines for human/social behaviors.
Where organized religions have repeatedly erred is rather than respect each other and work with each other to ensure the forward progress of the human race they invariably enter into a shouting match as to whom is the most correct in their theologies. NO book of religion is/was written by a diety. For instance, the Christians swear the Bible is THE word of God, but history has shown Constantine requested a compilation of various scholars' social teachings, and commingled those things (and threw out alot more) into one book of religion. People today refuse to accept that truth, and refuse to accept logic and reason because they are afraid to face the truth.
If the loud reverand with the pompadour says it, it must be true to a lot of people. It's comfortable for them and anything that goes against what they have gotten used to believing(such as that pesky billboard), it really shakes them to the core. That's why, at work, I tend not to discuss WHY I'm not in church on Sunday. To explain it, it requires me to shoot down their belief system.
A lot of Christians will, if faced with non believers, band together in a single force of God. If left to themselves, they will eventually turn against each other and argue their particular takes on certain facets of scripture like warring tribes. People are funny that way! This happens in several types of groups. If there is no outside invasion of opposing thought, many will find differences amongst the others. It's just the old "Enemy of mine enemy is my friend" concept.
Why can't we all just love one another?
Jesus said: As you can tell a tree by it's fruit; so you can tell a person by their actions. (summarized) Matthew 7:16
one can CLAIM to be Christian all day long.... and what's the other one?
Going to church makes one a Christian like standing in my garage makes me a car.
We can. We COULD be more of a community but there are just too many distractions. Those distractions are in greater numbers than ever before. Electronic toys have isolated us and at the same time made us more vulnerable(cellphones and Facebook, for instance). I've seen families driving in their car and everyone was either talking or texting. Add to that, the concept that being busy somehow is equal to ambition and you get a lot of people speeding around from job to soccer field to music lesson to playdate to fast food restaurant and them home. These folks, IMO, are acting like gerbils on private exercise wheels.
One thing GOOD about religious buildings where people gather is that People Are Gathering. This is a miniature society where people go and actually spend time together before they return to their self-imposed rat race. Meet-N-Greets fit that model too. Whether they're made up of likeminded folks or like the ones we go to where we care about one another despite our differences in opinion. Before television and air conditioners, front porches were "community action centers" where many constructive ideas were born.
If I see someone in need and I can help them, I will. I don't do this because of any religious text or teachings from an ancient prophet. I do this because I know how much it helps to have someone prop ME up when I'm down. I know very well the cold, clammy feeling of being alone with nothing in a country of excess. I'll never forget that feeling and I'll always try to help others that are down because I want to. If religion helps others to make this decision, so be it but we DO have it in us on our own!