The beautiful thing about faith is that you can believe something without having to bother with inconvenient things like evidence. Mankind doesn’t do well in a knowledge vaccuum; we’re always looking for ways to explain things beyond our limited conventional understanding. If you don’t know why something is the way it is, Divine Intervention is probably as good an explanation as anything else. That is, until you look at what Mankind has turned religion into over the course of human history. A concept that at its most basic is above peace, love, understanding, and coexistence has been turned into a justification for all manner of genocide and oppression. Sadly, Christianity- our own majority religion- has been perhaps the worst offender (Crusades, anyone??)
I understand that the (largely silent) majority of Christians are good, decent, and earnest people who honestly endeavor to live Christ-like lives. Unfortunately for Mankind, there’s a virulent and destructive strain of Christianity that defaults to repression, violence, and even genocide when their self-ascribed theological and moral superiority is questioned. Or perceived as threatened, which is pretty much all the time. There’s a very good reason I refer to these folks as the American Taliban. Given the opportunity, these faux Christians would create a theocracy in which the Bible (and their personal prejudices) would be the ultimate authority. These self-righteous zealots would turn American into a First World version of Iran or Saudi Arabia, where preachers are the law-givers and the passers of judgment against those who dare violate God’s law. People like Steven Anderson, Franklin Graham, and Bryan Fischer see nothing amiss with believing themselves to be the Chosen Ones, anointed by God to rule over the heathen masses with an iron fist.
That reality should scare the Hell (pun fully intended) out of those of us not “enlightened” enough to be members of the American Taliban. Welcome to this week’s freak show:
Beck: We Have 10,000 Pastors Who Are Willing To Die Resisting Anti-Christian Persecution In America: This might actually be meaningful…if anyone could actually find an instance of legitimate anti-Christian persecution…and no, being denied the “right” to discriminate against those whose lifestyle and sexuality you find “icky” is not ipso facto persecution.
Bible-waving California lawmaker blames state’s drought on God’s wrath over abortion: And here all this time I’d be thinking She was pissed about same-sex marriage.
Franklin Graham calls on Christians to blacklist LGBT-friendly companies: Because fomenting hatred, homophobia, and intolerance is EXACTLY what Jesus would have done.
Arizona pastor prays for God to rip out Caitlyn Jenner’s heart: ‘I hate him with a perfect hatred’: He teaches only the 1611 version of the King James Bible, and his idea of Christian love is to hate Caitlyn Jenner “with a perfect hatred.” He seems nice enough, eh? I’m thinking he has a reserved parking space in Hell waiting for him…or he would if I believed in Hell.
10 Things You Can’t Do While Following Jesus: The sad thing is that it’s even necessary to point these out to Christians, who you’d think would be able to a better job of following the religious teachings they profess to revere. Somewhere warm and breezy, Jesus Christ is weeping uncontrollably into his Dos Equis. Stay self-righteous, my friend….
‘Christian’ school board candidate held on $15 million bail for attempting to have wife murdered: If you believe women to be property, then why not just list your woman on Craigslist once you’re done with her?
Did Jim Bob Duggar Admit That Fundamentalist Families Have a Sibling Molestation Problem?: Perhaps. Perhaps not. But he certainly admitted that his fundamentalist family does. When you hold yourself to be superior moral beings, you can’t claim to be surprised when people revel in your discomfort and shame after your dirty little secret comes to light. Especially when it turns out that Josh Duggar may have had help from law enforcement that kept him from being arrested and charged with child sexual assault. Christianity: Membership has its privileges.
Purity Ball Dad: ‘You are Married to the Lord and Your Father is Your Boyfriend’: I’m not sure which is creepier- the invitation to incest that this represents…or treating one’s daughter as if they’re property for you to dispose of as you see fit.
How Big Business Invented the Theology of ‘Christian Libertarianism’ and the Gospel of Free Markets: Hmm…I may not believe in God, but didn’t Jesus once throw the money changers out of the Temple? It looks like they just moved on down the road and set up shop.
Sandy Rios: Duggar And Hastert Are Victims Of ‘Systematic Targeting’ Of Conservatives: I’ll accept that premise if and when Rios agrees that she and other members of the American Taliban are protecting and enabling pedophiles because they claim to be “Christian.” You don’t get to claim persecution when things don’t break in your favor.
Fear the Dark Art of Yoga! Why Conservative Christians Are Freaking Out After Yoga “Miracle”: The theocrats among the American Taliban hate anything they can’t control. Or understand. And there’s much they’re unable to wrong their tiny little brains around.
Mike Huckabee: Gay Marriage Will Criminalize Christianity by Elevating ‘A Lifestyle To The Status Of A Civil Right’: And yet he has no problem with elevating heterosexuality “to the status of a civil right.”
Nevada’s New ‘School Choice’ Law Will Fund Christian Homeschoolers: The separation of Church and State? That’s for losers and Liberals who can’t handle Jesus. REAL Americans love and obey Jesus…and the Republican Party.
Jindal: Left Trying To ‘Outlaw Firmly Held Religious Beliefs That They Do Not Agree With’: Oh, you mean in the way the American Taliban is trying to stamp out those whose lifestyle and beliefs don’t match their own? Hypocrite much?
Franklin Graham Upset Gay Sex Is Crammed Down His Throat, Urges Boycott Over Ad With Lesbian Couple: A particularly ironic metaphorical choice, don’tchathink? And God FORBID we should treat those who live, love, and believe differently as anything but second class citizens unworthy of the blessings of the Good News that is God’s Love. Never mind that God’s Love is only reserved for Conservative heterosexual White Christians.
How Evangelists Are Using ‘Church Planting’ to Retake Secular Boston: Because it turns out that conducting a Crusade and killing people who refuse to convert is illegal. For now.
Justice Scalia Blows Creationist Dog-Whistle During Graduation Speech At Catholic High School: Because if you ain’t got Jesus and you don’t believe the Universe was formed in seven days 600 years ago, you ain’t shit.
Albert Mohler at CNP: Freedom To Preach Gospel Threatened By ‘Erotic Liberty’: Is it just me, or is the American Taliban WAY too concerned with controlling the private sexual behavior of all Americans? Why are they so concerned about what happens behind closed doors? Perhaps the idea of consenting adults enjoying sexual pleasure is enough to ‘splode their pointy l’il haids.
GOP Senator: Churches Could Be Forced To Close If Supreme Court Rules For Same-Sex Marriage: Who Would Jesus Hate? Evidently, Republicans are convinced they know…and of course they’re certain that the man who taught love, acceptance, tolerance, and inclusion would hate Teh Gayz with the fiery righteous passion of a thousands suns.
