Liberal community - please shelter us and defend us

[Selwynn]

Please overlook the emotion, which I can't help but have right now, and see the message --

There is so much talk about religion, "moral values" and everything else in light of this last week. Most of it us extremely angry, and understandably so. It's only going to get worse. Anger towards "religion" is going to get even more intense. So I make a request:

Please protect us.

All "Christians" do not hate gays. All "Christians" to not want to hurt women. All "Christians" are not pro-war. All "Christians" do not define "Moral Values" the way the media has. All "Christians" did not vote for Bush.

Fundamentalist fanatical extremists voted for Bush, and defined "moral values" as anti-abortion and anti-gay, and are pro-war, and hurt women, and hate gays.

IF there was EVER an important time to BE SPECIFIC AND CLEAR about who the enemy is it would be RIGHT NOW when millions of progressive Christians and innocent decent spiritual folk are going to be bashed, humiliated, assaulted, harassed and insulted in the name of fanatical extremists. PLEASE LIBERAL COMMUNITY - PLEASE PROTECT US.

Please keep strong and clear distinctions between fanatical extremists and the many many many persons of faith in this country who are innocent. Don't respond to this with saying "we" haven't done enough to oppose fanatical extremism. I just posted yesterday about all the religions organizations, institutions and communities that are doing everything they possibly can to get the word out and resist and OPPOSE this vile filth. It is not our fault that the MEDIA WILL NOT FAIRLY COVER THE ISSUES - we ALL KNOW how that works.

But there is a huge and organized movement of religious resistance to fanatical extremism, through Call for Unity, Sojourners, Progressive Christians Uniting, the Center for Progressive Christianity, Interfaith Alliance, John Cobb and Claremont Theological Seminary (which is very politically active), countless average joes like me in the blogosphere, and volume upon volumes of books and articles written from liberal Christianity speaking LOUD AND CLEAR AGAINST THE TYRANNY OF RELIGIOUS FANATICISM. TELL ME HOW TO DO IT BETTER AND I WILL! I WANT MY FAITH BACK. I WANT A DAMN DAY WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO BE ASHAMED OF MY SPIRITUAL LIFE. God this is making me cry....

We, Christians - we of spiritual belief and a compassionate progressive spirit - are doing EVERYTHING WE KNOW TO DO to fight this crap. PLEASE, PLEASE be a community that shelters, encourages and PROTECTS us, not makes us feel even more ALIENATED by refusing to qualify language about religion and religious people. It isn't "all Christians" - it is fundamentalist extremism. I know most people here already accept this - but please, for the sake of spiritual folks like me, in the name of mercy I beg you to please go the extra mile in trying to make a clear distinction in your language -- don't say "I hate religious people" when you really mean "I hate fanatical extremism." It hurts, and right now, we could use the shelter and protection of a liberal community that is ready and willing to defend those us who are BROKENHEARTED over the religious extremism so prevalent in politics today -- those of us who sob over it.

People talk a lot about how hard it is to be an atheist in America. I know that is true! But in the last for years and now after this election it is desperately hard to be a liberal person of faith - because fanatical extremists hate us, and most of the time, it *feels* like the left hates us to.

Please shelter us and let's work together to overcome this unspeakable evil. One of the ways to do that is by being willing to go the extra mile to distinguish between the fanatical extremism that we ALL disdain, and the personal spiritual faith of many liberal and progressive folk which is a kind of diversity in our "big tent" community that we all welcome and respect.

Thanks for listening.
Sel

[annabanana]

1. Oh my poor Sel...

It is time for you to GET OUT OF IDAHO! There are more Christians who feel like you do than who feel like THEY do....

You just have to move to where they are. Christianity has a magnificent liberal tradition. Don't despair.

[Menshevik]

2. I couldn't agree more with you (eom)

[sangh0]

3. In any war, it's important to KNOW YOUR ENEMY

and it's not Christians.

The enemy is "radical fundamentalists"

[Jo March]

4. I am so with you

I was scared to ask people if I could include them in a prayer on the 3rd. Scared! Scared because the fundies have hijacked my religion. They have clubbed Jesus over the head and have inserted a look-alike in His place.

I so understand. True Christians are kind, gentle, giving, forgiving, loving and true.

[Selwynn]

5. Somedays I just want to cry myself to sleep....

...I think it is the most tragic thing I've ever lived through.

[Jo March]

7. I thought so too until I prayed on Wed. night

Since then, it's been like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I can't explain it - it's like nothing I've felt before.

Love will always triumph over hate. Always.

I've felt that what is coming out now would start to come out. I felt that Kerry's belief in God would carry him through and inspire us.

I'm rambling, I know. I just feel as though God has given me the strength to fight. And I will fight.

[zeemike]

6. you need a big hug and a box of Kleenex

The hug is for you and the Kleenex is for both of us, cause I will cry right along with you.
I read you links that you posted And I know exactly where you come from. We (that is people like you and me) are the forgotten followers of Jesus who actually believe in what he taught and his philosophy. And this philosophy is not all that different from progressives, even the ones that are atheist or agnostic.
The truth is that they ( the progressives ) for the most part, do not know that we exist because we are not out there on TV trying to part the widows and orphans form their money. And so they think that Jesus was just full of shit like the ones on TV that use his name for fame and gain. I am doing all that I can to change that perception and I hope you keep trying too
Truth will soon have it's day as it is said that; "The truth will be cast down to the earth and will prosper."

[Selwynn]

8. Kick - you can decide if its deserved or not.

[Selwynn]

9. Final kick.