When I was twelve, I went to a Billy Graham evangelical healing service [View All]

[MoonRiver]

with my parents. They went out of curiosity, having no interest in joining this type of extremist religion at all. They didn't expect their kids in any way to fall for the b.s. Instead, I and my siblings reacted to the show very intensely. At the end, when they were asking for volunteers to walk up on the stage and "be saved" I was crying and pleading with my parents to let me go!

My parents were horrified, but observing the depth of my and my younger siblings' (I think they were just following the leader) emotions, they ALMOST let us go. Instead, they ended up ushering 3 hysterical youngsters out of the auditorium. Later we all processed what had happened and why I reacted as I did. My parents said that this is what occurs in group situations where drama and hysteria take over one's ability to reason. They also mentioned that some people are desperate for help, and when they can't find it through the usual means, i.e. the medical community, they go to these extremist groups.

My point is that people are easily swayed by religious nuts, and Billy Graham is actually one of the more reputable among them. The young, the mentally disturbed, and those going through traumatic life changes such as divorce are particularly vulnerable. We need to offer these folks rational alternatives to what is in essence religious quackery. I think that the growing numbers of fundamentalists spreading across the country is a reaction to an uncaring and non supportive society.

Instead of selling out to special interests, we must demand that our Democratic leaders support basic human needs, including but not limited to food, shelter, mental and physical health care, Social Security. All sellouts to this guiding principle should be brought to task. Either they change or we eliminate them in the primaries with more progressive nominees.