In all the news about fundamentalist Christians’ moves to take power in America, let’s not lose sight of the forest while scrutinizing each individual tree.
Here’s the situation:
1) There is no restriction on the freedom of religion of American citizens. None. Each and every American currently has the right to believe whatever they want to believe, to pray whenever they want to pray, and to affiliate with whatever organized religion they want to. Furthermore, there is no restriction whatsoever on a person’s right to participate in politics based on their religion.
2) Organized religious institutions suckle mightily on the taxpayers’ teat without contributing a single penny themselves. Churches, synagogues, mosques and other organized religious institutions receive special government treatment in the form of tax-exempt status. They don’t have to pay taxes. Yet they benefit from all sorts of taxpayer-funded programs. They get police protection. They get to exploit parking set aside for them on streets paid for by taxpayers. They get to use the public roads. They get to exploit energy infrastructure. They get to use the internet. They receive the benefits of employees using skills gained in the public schools and universities. They make use of the banking system. In all these things, organized religious institutions get the benefits of taxpayer-funded programs without having to contribute to them. In this sense, organized religion is already heavily subsidized by every taxpayer in the country.
3) In order to gain their special tax-exempt status, organized religious institutions freely agree not to meddle in political affairs. But now the fundamentalist Christian organizations want to back out on the obligations of this agreement they have freely made, while maintaining all the inequitable advantages. Let’s be clear. Any religious institution can get involved in politics if it wants. They just have to pay taxes if they want to play that game, just like the rest of us. But, oh, no! That’s not good enough for these greedy organizations. They want to be able to meddle as religious organizations in political affairs, but they don’t want to have to pay a penny in taxes. They want to have their cake, eat it too, and let the rest of us pick up the tab.
4) What’s more, the fundamentalist Christians want to pass laws that force everyone else to follow their own parochial religious standards, with enforcement paid for (again!) on the taxpayer’s dime. They have introduced legal measures that would allow judges to be punished just for not having the “right” ideas about God, that force their image of marriage on everybody else, that codify discrimination against gay people in employment, parenting, education, military service and even medical treatment, that set jail terms for people who don’t use the right sexual positions, that use taxpayer funds to build and repair churches, that would create public prayers in the fundamentalist Christian mold that every student of every religion (or lack thereof) would have to sit silently through, that sidestep science and mandate the parallel teaching of fundamentalist Christian stories about creation, and that in dozens of other ways use taxpayer funds to endorse fundamentalist Christian teachings.
5) If you oppose this four-step program, you are “against people of faith.”
So let’s review. Fundamentalist Christian organizations:
1) falsely claim that religious citizens don’t have rights of political participation,
2) don’t pay a dime in taxes thanks to a special deal with government,
3) want to sidestep their responsibilities in the deal by getting involved in politics but still not paying taxes,
4) want to pass laws that require members of other religions (or no religion) to live according to fundamentalist Christian rules, and
5) want you to believe that anybody who opposes their scheme is “against people of faith.”
Man, what a scheme! What a scam! What a con! What a ruse! These people are shooting for the moon. And in order to succeed in their money-grubbing, irresponsible, no-account, freedom-smashing plan, they’re betting on us all to buy into the words of victimization they use and to ignore the acts of domination in which they engage.
Pingback: Irregular Times: News Unfit for Print
When I was little, I used to go to church on Sundays with my favorite aunt… not because I was forced, but because I wanted to. (I have to admit, mostly because I liked wearing a pretty dress.) My aunt is a very faithful woman, very well-dressed/mannered. It was very hard for me to admit to her years later that I didn’t believe in God. What she said to me may have been a little patronizing but it was her good intentions that made it special. She said, “That’s okay. He believes in you.”
I don’t expect everyone to act like my aunt. I don’t even mind Jehovah’s Witnesses coming to my door. (That’s when I like to answer the door naked)
I have no problem discussing religion with the religious; I rather enjoy it at times. I have had good experiences with people of faith.
But if THESE religious people start crapping on our rights (I should say FINISH crapping on our rights; they started long ago), and try to force me to sit still for prayer in the middle of Monday night football, or condemn and censor my private conversations, or throw me in jail for expressing my opinions within earshot of someone who doesn’t like it…
It’s gonna go over about as well as a reading of Mein Kampf at a Black Panther meeting.
They’re gonna have plenty a pissed off heathen to deal with, believe me. And you know us heathens… when you piss us off, our horns come out and the gloves come off.
Well said Jemmifer. I had a friend years ago who, when the JW’s came a’calling, would invite them in saying, “we’ll smoke a joint ‘n’ talk about it.” ( that worked really good, too.) Seriously there seems to be a small but VERY vocal minority that seems to pull this crap in every community. Personally I love ‘em…If they come out with hellfire and brimstone aimed at a particular activity in our community, I feel like having a look… it’s probably fun! Case in point: The local Christian Taliban about had a stroke when a “Gentleman’s Club” (Strip joint) opened for business in one of our seedier areas of my community. Their primary focus of objection to this business, aside from the “wickedness and SEE-in” taking place, was that it would lead to “drug abuse and prostitution”. The rest of thew community about laughed itself sick: We’re talking about a community awash with methamphetamine, and the attendant prostitutes supporting their addiction…though anybody who actually would think of hiring one of these women would have to be too lazy to masturbate. Still, it takes all kinds… The “Gentleman’s club is still there, doing good business. One of these “religious leaders” was observed by one of my clients leaving the place about 10:00pm last Friday night. Guess he was trying to get the girls to come to church…or something…
While I don’t attend any church, nor have I since I became an adult 40 years ago, I have generally supported the notion of non-profit status for them. Until the advent of televangelists and mega-churches, few churches garnered sufficient funds to keep their resident mice alive. And, I feel that they provide a public good for many people in terms of giving them emotional and social sustenance in a chaotic world. I’ve felt that many churchgoers have been on the forefront of volunteerism.
I’ve even felt a modicum of sympathy for the Roman Catholic Church and its internal controversies over birth control, the rights of women, etc. As far as I could tell, they provided a solid private schooling for many inner city kids. As for the huge issue of Priest child abuse, I feel sympathy for the bankruptcy of dioceses, but feel that there should have been stronger oversight and care for the victims during the past several decades.
I’ve even recognized how much church is intertwined into our social and political order. But, have accepted that traditions take a long time to transition to more modern thinking.
So, all in all, I would have to say that I’ve been relatively tolerant about institutions that I have no belief in and no desire to participate in.
I am no longer tolerant. I am no longer willing to appear to be tolerant. I’ve put up with their luddite ways for far too long. I’ve accepted that their right to practice archaic beliefs, based on a book that makes little rational sense for the most part. Except, they now want to shove it down my throat to the point of destroying all of my rights. It’s enough!!!
The Dominionists already have a new Pledge of Allegience, and it includes far more than “under God.” They use, I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe.â€
The line in the sand has been drawn, and I’m learning how to use a gun. I still support the Constitution and will fight to protect it.
Wouldn’t mind if Jesus (whoever he was) DID come again, really; he’d have a lot to say to put this lot in their place.
I used to go to church every Sunday with my mother. Gave it up because I found it boring, plus I could never really believe in the Christian god. Too many contradictions in their book, for one (after all, an omnipotent being wouldn’t need to rest, seventh day/age or not).
My mother’s still Christian (my dad, brother, and I are not, so she gets plenty of questions about it), but she’s not a whiney/fundamentalist type. She believes in evolution, just that God caused it (she got a degree in biology though, so it’s probably just as well she isn’t strictly into the fundamentalist approach on that one).
Agreeing with the majority; nothing against religions as long as they’re not breaking the law or such.
They’re people, we’re people, that’s fine; we’re all people. I wouldn’t expect redheads or such present to not have to pay taxes like any other people, really, but since the places of worship supposedly provide help and support, I suppose that’s okay.
But with the amount of spiteful comments I’ve heard from supposed Christians, it’s hard to remember that the religion itself isn’t the cause of it, just people who want power.
Mike, my ploy when the religeous hucksters come to the door is to invite them around back, we’re sacrificing a black goat. No takers so far. Wife says, “We don’t even OWN a goat anymore. One of these days you’re gonna get caught.” Plus she remembered the time one of them called the animal control officer with a report of cruelty. He came out, we explained, he was very understanding, even amused. As I’ve mentioned before, in my younger days I was dragged along to church until I found ways to skive out of it. Still, I don’t hold people’s religeon against them, they find some comfort, answers (some pretty dumb ones), but if you don’t look too hard I guess they’ll do. As a musician nowadays, I often perform in churches and it can be both interesting and frightening to hear what people are willing to sit and hear. Even nod their heads in agreement over. There are several billboards around here and some bumper stickers which admonish the passer-by to “Vote With Christ”. A person I know at the court house tells me that there have been calls asking what precinct Christ is registered in. I have also read some of what the Coulter woman has written, as well as Mona Charen, Dr. Laura, and others of that sort. They are emphatic beleivers, and feel that others must also beleive. I consider an eternity around such as they in what they would think paradise (here on earth as it is in heaven…shudder) and see oblivion as a blessing above all others.
Kudos. The process by which churches are being made into tools of political power is at the center of what’s wrong with Bush & co.
Nicely said Sarge. Sort of a Buddhist approach, no?
Though I don’t get what it is with the religious fundamentalists… Regardless of how the Bible’s interpretted, how can they really consider it enough to treat other people like dirt?
I think making sure people aren’t already living in Hell is more important than ensuring I don’t go there.
Fundamentalists are selfish, narrow-minded and self absorbed…
Unless there’s some sort of ultra-peaceful fundamentalist I’m unaware of. Monks and nuns, possibly (but not the Amish-like groups).
HareTrinity, where I live there is a very large fundamentalist population, and I think the point is that most of these folks ARE immatuure in their world view, and it gives a sense of belonging, plus, of course, the easy answer that needs no thought, militates AGAINST thought, and gives you the knowledge (?) that no matter what happens here, you’ll a be a winner “up yonder.”
People find safety in these rules and regulations which these forms impose. I used to be hired to play for dinners at the home of a prominent Jewish attorney. The fell in with some ultra conservative sect, and that all stopped. The wife was a very progressive woman, and I figured she would surely buck under the saddle, but she told me later that she liked it. She wasn’t being hit on by her husband’s freinds anymore.
A clergyman I know grew wroth (there’s a bible word for you!) with me because of my views. I want this to make sense, and the poor put-upon fellow shouted at me, “It CAN’T make sense or be obvious! IT wouldn’t be RELIGEON if it did, if anyone could see it!” Which of course tells you most of what you need to know about it.
Even worse, corporations own the government and pay less and less taxes every Republican term. Nader was right, and he had a very hard time getting the media to simply share his message. And before that, Perot was right – where are all the jobs now? We’ve been duped and will be paying the price from now on. Don’t look for your quality of life to get significantly better unless you are born wealthy.
You got it, tom, and it’s not as if we weren’t warned. I beleive Andrew Jackson had a real down on corperations, said something about “They have neither souls to damn nor ribs to kick.”
I want to point out that if you read scripture these so called Conservative Christians are not Christian at all. Check out Luke 16:13 and you will see that these people are just like the Parisees they worship mammon and not God. To love God a person must live a reasonably simple lifestyle, to believe in living large is to show how much one hates God. Check out the parable at the end of Luke 16.
Hey guys you all have points to be well taken. I myself am a believer in Jesus Christ. I also maybe a little ignorant to the fundamentalist view as you guys are describing. I really like your comment Oakley. I do believe in Heaven, God, Jesus, and the Bible. I don’t understand this concept of religion. Religion is of man not God. Religion in what man has made to come to terms with their lack of conforming to God’s Word. Relationship is my belief, my faith. If you guys or anyone else don’t want that then hey thats your descision, I will never force it upon you or anyone else. If you come to listen to the message of Jesus then I will tell you. Yes it is true that there are NO answers (with REAL proving facts behind them) that explains what will happen after our death, so we all believe in something (unless you are athiest)that is faith not religion. Well anyways I unserstand that you don’t like the Bible Beaters that is fine. But don’t group some narrow-minded So called “christians” with us those who are striving for a relationship with our God. Hey I am not saying that I wouldn’t witness to you on the street but if you refuse to hear then I would go away. I won’t beat down your door and I won’t take your money. I care less about politics they are all crooked and self-righteous in their own glorification. Hey you guys believe the way you want…..I will believe in my Jesus just the way He wants me to…I am not here to change your minds just here to voice my opinion just as all of you have done…and until the end….then we will see if my efforts are in vain…..and even in your movement against the arrogance don’t become arrogant yourself as I once did….I have been humbled by your words as and thank you
See, that is the kind of person that we need today. He knows where he stands on his religious view, yet doesn’t force it on others. Plus he sounds like an ok person.