the immoral majority-speaks for DU Christians like me!

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

brilliant piece from http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/




Much is being made of the exit polls that show "moral values" were one of the driving forces behind this election (Ted Olson has a nice roundup of articles on this).
The only people doing exit polling in my precinct were me and the other Moveon volunteers. But if, as I exited the voting booth, some pollster had been there, clipboard in hand, and asked me if "moral values" had played a role in my vote, I would have said, "Yes, absolutely."

"Moral values" led me to vote for John Kerry. "Moral values" are why I oppose the Bush administration and so much of their agenda. "Moral values" drove me to spend the last two months knocking on doors and harassing my neighbors into getting out in record numbers to vote 2-to-1 in favor of sending Bush back to Crawford.
"Ah, no," says the pollster. "That's not what we meant. By 'moral values' we mean that you believe that two dudes kissing constitutes an intolerable threat to freedom and democracy."


Then why didn't you say so? "Look," the pollster continues, "other factions have claimed the term 'morality' as their own. We've decided to accept this uncritically and, therefore, to brand you and everyone who thinks like you as immoral. We never imagined you might find this offensive."




I do find this offensive.




"Moral values" is not an equivalent euphemism for "opposition to gay marriage." Neither is "faith" or "evangelical Christianity" or any of the other misleading shorthands that pollsters and pundits have been using for the phobia that dare not speak its name.




And it's only slightly less offensive when the euphemism is qualified as "traditional moral values." It's a fine tradition that stretches back through the magistrates of Salem to the Sheriff of Nottingham to Annas and Caiphas. But the Pharisees and the Robber Barons have never had exclusive claim to what constitutes "moral values." There's another tradition that's just as old and stretches back just as far. And defenders of this tradition have fought against the Pharisees all along the way.




The exit pollsters and many who are now quoting them accept the faith and morality of the Pharisees as the only legitimate faith and morality. They therefore advise people like me to stop advocating for "immoral" causes like equal rights for "immoral" people.




You have to learn from elections, they say. The people have spoken and their choice is clear. If you want to win in the future, you're going to have to learn to be more like Barabbas.

[IrishBloodEngHeart]

1. bump

i really like this and hope people read it!

[pk_du]

2. Me too...

pretty much sums up my feelings.

"How fucking dare they..."

[bliss_eternal]

3. I'm fucking immoral, so what!

I cuss. I'm porn friendly. I think nude art is beautiful. I would pose for Playboy in a heart beat. I would drive a woman to get an abortion and shield her from the rocks and garbage of pro lifers. I'd hold her hand before and wipe her tears after. I've drank, gotten high and while I don't do either of these anymore I don't disdain or judge others that do.

I cry during Disney cartoons. I laugh like a fool when I see children playing or doing something insanely cute. I believe everyone should be able to worship anyone or anything that they choose. I don't feel there is a right or wrong in religion. To me it's all the same higher power, each religion is just speaking to the entity in a different language. To me that is beautiful and powerful, to respect that and allow it unconditionally.

I think two people loving each other and choosing to love and support each other in life is beautiful and should be commended and respected not denounced or shamed. Life is hard and ugly too much of the time and many people are alone and lonely. I rejoice that two people, no matter what their sex can come together and share this journey together.

If all the above makes me immoral, I don't give a shit. God made me this way for a reason. How dare anyone say any of what I am (or anyone else) makes me bad, immoral or undeserving of God's love. What a crock of shit.

[prof_science]

4. Please marry me.

:loveya:

[Abelman]

6. Dammit!

I was going to ask her!

[bliss_eternal]

9. (blushing)--I'm flattered, guys but I'm already spoken for..

... ;)

[mopaul]

7. hubba hubba

you remind me of my dear wife

[Widgetsfriend]

5. My idea about this.

Billboards across the country that say:

Rape Sodomy Murder of innocents Voter fraud

Lying Hatred Those Moral Values???

[RevCheesehead]

8. Media: acting like the Romans trying to understand the Jews.

"it's a religious thing"

"Give us Barabbas" was a cry meant to infuriate the Romans...release our worst criminal, you bastards. Jesus never had a chance...and Barabbas didn't mean shit (to the Romans OR the Jews).

(personally, I like Monty Python's take in LIFE OF BRIAN: Give us Bawabbas!)

>sigh< what can you do? :shrug:

I'm a part of the religious community that is "dying." Mainstream Protestantism is dead, or so "they" tell me. People lump all Christians into one category: THEM. or US.

I hope that we, the Church of Jesus Christ, can once again find our voice and not only speak, but ACT like true Christians. But it sure is hard when people lump us into one category, and treat us ALL as if we were delusional. And we're guilty of that here at DU as well.

Thank you for sharing this - I will ponder it in my heart.

[bliss_eternal]

10. kick

more should see this article--interesting

[Ladyhawk]

11. Kick!

I am an atheist.

I can only wonder how pissed you liberal Christians must be at the religious reich. Me? I'm furious at them because I was raised by them and feel totally betrayed.

They brainwashed me to be a fascist!

I hope the left-wing Christian movement gets a big boost. GO!

http://www.liberalslikechrist.org

[zeemike]

12. I think that the big problem is

That the media thinks the RW owns the language, and whenever they assign a meaning to a word or phrase it is held as truth.