Religious Zealots Who Think They Own The Country

[cincinnati_liberal]

Once again, the pseudo-religious holiday season of capitalist earnings has befallen us. An issue of grand proportions (not to me) has arisen every year around Christmas time:Whether or not to allow Christians to put up religious displays on public property. Personally, I'm an agnostic, an sound one at that. I didn't used to resent the religious nearly as much as I do know, since I realized under Bush's administration how the zealots wear Christ-colored sunglasses. Here in Cincinnati, the Christian fundies were appauled when they were told they couldn't hang religious shit all over god's green earth. So they let them, and guess what? The KKK decided to hang up a cross in the middle of downtown. So they get even more pissed that someone else could put their religious shit up in THEIR city and it set off all kinds of racial tension. Thanks you Christian asses. I'm so sick of being trapped around these fucking Cretans. Alas, I was denied Canadian citizenship for the time being, so in my exile I happen to be in a quandry about how to approach the matter. How can we possibly begin to illustrate to Christians that they do not own this country, even if they are the 'moral majority'? Unfortunately, I fraternize with some of them(not by choice, they are family). I'm looking for new arguments. PS-I realize this is a lost cause for the most part, I'm not naive, I'm just brainstorming.

[InvisibleBallots]

1. so, the GOP turned you

from not resenting the religious to resenting the religious. GOP Mission Accomplished!

[Ian David]

4. Take a page from Jesus' playbook

Do you know where the phrase, "go the extra mile" comes from?

In Rome, Jews were required to carry the packages of any Roman citizen who asked them to. But the law said they only had to carry it for one mile.

When Jesus was asked what to do, Jesus told his followers to carry the bags for TWO miles.

So, here is my proposition.

Go the extra mile for them.

Make your houses and storefronts look like this:



That is, after all, what they REALLY want, isn't it?

[InvisibleBallots]

5. no, it's not what they really want

Also, I believe that your story of Roman law is an urban legend. I could be wrong - can you provide me with a reference to a primary historical document that makes this claim? Thanks in advance.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. this explantation of the "go the extra mile" was given to me by

a minister at my church, who went to SMU seminary and Yale Divinity School. I pretty much trust any info he gives us because he is well educated and very liberal.

He has also taught at SMU and Brite Div School at Texas Christian Univ, also a very liberal seminary.

[InvisibleBallots]

9. Like I said, its a common urban legend

I remember hearing it too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. What part of history

isn't common urban legend? And so what?

The quote itself fits with the true teachings of Jesus. Unless you happen to read Aramaic and Greek you have no way to know exactly what Jesus or the gospel writers said about anything.

[Jesus H. Christ]

14. Matthew 5:41

"And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Here's what I'd like to see happen:

Some representatives of a non-Christian religion ask to put up a huge symbol of their faith in a public place. Let's say a Jewish group wants to put up an enormous, lit-up menorah in front of the courthouse or in the city park to celebrate Hanukkah (I know this sort of public display is not in their tradition, but just for the sake of argument...). The First Amendment says the government can't "establish" a religion, which means that if the city allows a nativity scene they have to allow the menorah. What would the fundies do if the Jews wanted to celebrate their holiday with a symbol of their faith on public property? I sure wish something like that would happen -- it would prove the point that the fundies think of themselves as a beleaguered and persecuted minority sect, and that the First Amendment applies only to them. I sure wonder how not having nativity scenes all over town prevents them from celebrating Christmas?

[koopie57]

3. I was thinking along the same line as you

on the news there was a story about a small town putting up a navity scene at the entrance to the town. It was not intended to be controversial and they said that next year they will either not put any religious scenes up or do it in a way to include all religions. But it got me to thinking.

I may be wrong, or grew up naive, but I don't remember any big deal concerning putting up a nativity scene or religious icons during Christmas. It was not a big deal and people were willing to overlook and cooperate, etc. Sort of like mutual respect for one another. I think now though, that people are so tired of having Christianity shoved down their throats that they are starting to stand up for their rights and to enforce the law.

What a shame.

[yellowdogintexas]

7. it is only a big deal to those who wish to protest, IF it is on gov't

property and tax money is paying for it. I know one of the towns around here has one but it was paid for by one of the civic groups, like Rotary or Kiwanis, or something, it just happens to be on the courthouse square.

[arwalden]

11. Mutual Respect?

I don't think so. I'm guessing it's fear of the tyranny of the majority that kept the minority quiet. If there was any "respect" going on, it certainly wasn't coming from the majority.

You're right about the reasons that people are starting to become more vocal in opposing such state-sponsored or state-endorsed displays. The Christian majority has just pushed the envelope of what's legal and what appropriate too far and too often. They have tried to impose their will and their beliefs on too many people who are simply FED UP with it.

>> What a shame. <<

I completely agree with you! Sigh.

Happy Holidays! :hi:

-- Allen

[DoYouEverWonder]

12. First of all

most of the born again fundie chrisians are not followers of Jesus. If you look at early Christian history, you will see that they are actually followers of Paul of Tarsus. Paul was the fundie formerly known has Saul. IMHO, if Saul hadn't become Paul the world would have been a lot better off.

Anyway, Paul hijacked Jesus and melded him with the pagan god Mithras. That's when Jesus became a supernatural being and all the blood sacrifice stuff got going.

Then the Paulines hooked up with the Holy Roman Empire and the other christian sects such as the Gnostics and Jewish christians were deemed heretics. Most of the heretics were killed and/or went underground and with them the 'true' teachings of Jesus.

Paul is the one who introduced oppression to christianity. Women were denied their equal status in the community. When the New Testament was put together, the Paulines & the Romans purposely excluded most of the positive references to women and discarded writings such has the Gospel of Mary.

So even way back at the beginning, most christians have been following the deceivers and Bush is just another reincarnation of the deceiver.



Disclaimer: All of the above is a simplified version of my personal opinion based on the historic record. If you want to 'save' some fundies, you're going to have to speak in their language to some extent. I do believe that most fundies really are good people who are just seriously misguided. If we can show them the 'truth' maybe we can wake them up? Anyway, good luck and just be sure to have fun, it will drive them crazy.

[kk897]

13. DoYouEver Wonder: great line!

"Paul was the fundie formerly known has Saul."

Love it! Have to assume you've read Elaine Pagels...

edit: typo