"Far-Right Politicians Give Christians a Bad Name"

[GreenPartyVoter]

would like to say something on behalf of Christians.

Whenever someone asks me about religion, my usual response is that I am a fallen Unitarian, which is about as low as you can go.

But anyone who has any familiarity with progressive politics is surrounded by Christians and deeply religious people all the time.

Whenever I go on a peace march, I am surrounded by Christians.

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/1009-29.htm

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Absolutely agree!

And far right Muslims give Islam a bad name, as well.

And far right Jews give Judaism a bad name.

Basically, being republican-ish, whatever the religion, makes that religion look bad.

Which is why God likes liberals.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

3. Rather than describing the religion with political terms,

i.e. "far right," wouldn't we be better off approaching the problem from their faith's aspect? In a word, aren't all these bad seeds "literalist?'

Isn't that what we're describing?

[Rabrrrrrr]

32. "literalist" or "fundamentalist", yes.

And you are right, trying to describe them with political terms is rather unhelpful and I shouldn't have done that.

Though there is a VERY strong tendancy (though not an automatic one) of this type of religious thinking to DEMAND republican-style politics: screw anyone who is "Not Us", we're right and you are wrong, we deserve more than you do, we're not racists you just don't work hard enough (or whatever racist reason is handy at the time), our God is on our side not yours, etc.

[sarcasmo]

2. Call them what they truly are. Reich Wing Christian Taliban Clerics.

WWFSMD

[lateo]

4. No...

Xians give Xians a bad name...

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. . I am a Christian, but I don't feel I have given my faith a bad rep

like Dobson, Falwell, and Robertson.

[GrumpyGreg]

7. A true Christian walks the walk-----the others just talk!

[AirmensMom]

8. That's right, GG.

:hi:

[lateo]

13. Good...

I wasn't saying all Xians give Xians bad names of course. MLK is an excellent example of a good Xian.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. He certainly is :^)

[AirmensMom]

6. That's not fair, lateo.

It's the extemists that give any religion a bad name.

[lateo]

14. That is maybe but...

An extremist Xian is still an Xian.

[AirmensMom]

15. No, they're not.

They are simply using the name.

[lateo]

19. If that is the case...

Where are the Xians standing up against them? Is it happening but we just don't hear about it?

[AirmensMom]

28. Will Jimmy Carter do?

http://www.alternet.org/story/18378

That's a little old, but it was handy. I would like to see more like it ... not like the MSM would cover them if there were more.

[lateo]

34. Jimmy is a good Christian.

I wish him luck in that endeavor.

[Bill McBlueState]

26. what are they, then?

[AirmensMom]

29. In Jesus' day, they were called Scribes and Pharisees.

[Inland]

9. Separating church and politics protects churches.

I don't know how many religious understand this. You go to a place like Europe, where religion and politics rode in the same cart, and you find legions of anti-clerics. Some European countries have settled this religion PROBLEM by creating studiously secular states, others by a populace voting with their feet in leaving churches, some both. I believe the reason why church-going has always been high in America is because we've worked hard to avoid that precise experience.

On the other hand, nobody really thought religion was a particularly DANGEROUS item in America until the eighties, when one started to get spefically religious political groups becoming a franchise to influence and control a political party. The association with politics has done a lot to damage christianity, and the specific association with Bush is going to be poison.

[GrumpyGreg]

11. I agree! Father Robert Drinan was my congressman and the Catholic

church recognized that a separation was necessary 30 years ago.

[tlsmith1963]

33. I Read Something About This Once

They said that Europe is more secular because the church was traditionally in with the state, & that made a lot of people turn away from religion. America is different because of our separation of church & state. People don't fear & hate religion because of it. Fundamentalist Christians don't realize how much the separation of church & state has benefitted them. If it weren't for this separation, America would be as secular as Europe.

Tammy

[MissMarple]

10. One of the most reliably left thinking person I know is a devout Catholic.

She introduced me to Daniel Barrigan, who seemed like a saint to me. He positively glowed with serenity and inner peace.

We have many centered, and centrist, clergy in Colorado Springs. Some are even quite left of center. For instance, Colorado College sponsored a panel discussion with questions and discussion following, on abortion last year. All of the panelists supported abortion rights, but, they were all genuinely interested in reducing the need for abortion. One woman said to support life, as in supporting a culture of life, sometimes an abortion could be deemed necessary. None of them thought the government should have a say in the decision. A Baptist minister said he tells the teens about condoms while discouraging premarital sex. (Yes, that can be honestly done)

Clergy were also quite active in reacting to the Fred Phelps family onslaught on Colorado Springs last spring. They organized a peaceful counter demonstration twice, and held a community discussion at one of the nearby churches.

I think the real Christians should take their name back from the Jesus God cults. Radio talk programs might be a thought. And the Coral Ridge guy on network TV on Sundays should be trumped. He is for destroying the public school systems.

[pretzel4gore]

12. real christianity is wonderful

even if most leftists/liberals, whom i admire, despise what 'christianity' has been and done, it is still the finest idea we humans have ever had, the idea that 'it's better to give then receive' etc.... the fact robertson, falwell, the kkk, bozo bush, john calvin, elements within the rc church, christopher 'rapo' columbus, ned flanders etc use the name of christ, and by extension his old man, to further their conceits on earth (well, Ned aint so bad, just naive) while deluding themselves that they're 'serving god' hahaha. I think it was saint augustine who said ANYONE who dares approach GOD with any idea that HE (or her) could DO ANYTHING for the creator of eternity....lol, you get the idea. True Christianity (St Augustine noted that while he and his 'erudite and sophisticated' friends prayed and fasted and studied etc, 'callow youths and unwashed milkmaids' took wing and flew, effortlessly, and the point was that some of his friends became jealous, angry, at god, for the injustice of it) isn't a test or a buncha kept rules....Gandhi believed and so did Isaac Newton and Einstein....William Blake and Tolstoy, Blaise Pascal and Simone Weill. Basic decency is 'Christian' (or Muslim, or Buddhist, or Hindi, or even communist/socialist or pagan) and no where on earth could it not prevail if ignorance and all those human 'sins' like greed and murder and hypocrisy were banned. That's where the problem starts. Banning stuff. Cohersion...

[kestrel91316]

16. There are only two types of "Christians":

1) Christofascists
2) True Followers of Christ

Ye shall know them by their fruits.

[Perky]

Spot ON and Amen!!!

Now if all the atheofascists/Christianbashers on this site would have the same enlightened perspective we would all be better off.

As on of serveral active engaged Christians on DU, I am more than a little insulted that more people don't stick up for inalienable right when some folks tend to stereotype and call us idiots.


No one on this site would tolerate certain racial slurs or female bashing. But the tolerance of those who bash Christians as a group is stunning.

I realize we are a small minority on DU...but we have just as much right to speak our peace so long as it not offensive as the next guy.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Someone called ALL CHRISTIANS "idiots"?

Link, please.

[kestrel91316]

24. Um, why are you demanding a link from ME??

[Warren DeMontague]

27. I'm not

check again which post that was in response to. Peace.

[kestrel91316]

23. I don't "practice" any particular religion, but I can't for the life of me

understand why some folks have to be HATEFUL toward anyone who is religious. It's really all about how you treat your fellow man, and how you treat God's creation. Why they have a problem with that I do not know. I hate the RW malignant fundies as much as anybody, but you just can't tar all Christians with the same brush.

Oh, well......

[Perky]

20. Spot ON and Amen!!!

Now if all the atheofascists/Christianbashers on this site would have the same enlightened perspective we would all be better off.

As on of serveral active engaged Christians on DU, I am more than a little insulted that more people don't stick up for inalienable right when some folks tend to stereotype and call us idiots.


No one on this site would tolerate certain racial slurs or female bashing. But the tolerance of those who bash Christians as a group is stunning.

I realize we are a small minority on DU...but we have just as much right to speak our peace so long as it not offensive as the next guy.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Why describe your belief system in terms of "fallen" and "low"?

I don't need to subscribe to a major religion- any of them- to feel like I am an active, inquisitive participant in the universe any more than I need to subscribe to Reader's Digest, TV Guide, or The National Enquirer to be able to read.

I find bits of Taoism and Buddhism useful at times, but I wholeheartedly reject the idea that one has to "be" anything in terms of a religious orientation. I'm no more permanently identified with the belief system I happen to be using today to examine reality than I am with the shirt I'm wearing.

Or, as the great prophet Peter Gabriel said, "DIY".

[Hotep]

21. Violence, bigotry & racism has

taught me that religion is not the right thing for me. Religionists are running amok on the earth killing people over who god's has the biggest dick.

[donco6]

25. I don't think I've ever met a "real" Christian, as you say.

It's hard for me not to continue being really skeptical. Maybe my circle of acquaintances is too small.

[GreenPartyVoter]

31. You may have met one and not even known it. Most of us don't

wear our faith on our sleeves. The only reason I advertise my beliefs is I got sick of the RW Xians and started to fight fire with fire by making a website for progressive believers to find resources on.

[texpatriot2004]

30. They do give true Christians and Christianity a bad name...and

they turn people away from Jesus Christ. People get down on God and blame God and the "Christians" because of their radical extremem behavior that is SO hypocritical.

www.christianalliance.org and www.sojo.net are two good Christian sites