You know I am starting to feel badly for the every day people in this country who think of themselves as Christians. They are being represented nationally by the craziest people on the planet it seems.
I have to admit that virtually ALL of my relationships have been with self identified Christian women. Even though I have been out as an atheist since high school it was never really an issue.
I did have a very good friend whose super religious new wife would not let him hang out me anymore, but that was an unusual response to me.
But now days it seems that every time I turn around that a Christian group is trying to take Christmas away from everybody, screw up our public education, strip women of their human rights, hate on the gays, or get some wing nut elected whose goal it is to sabotage our government.
In all this time I don't feel like I'm the one who changed. I am just responding to the increased oppression, insanity, and aggression demonstrated by my Christian brothers and sisters.
I am all about harmony, but I would be a totally worthless human being if I let all this happen around me without doing my small part to help put a stop to it.
Don't you agree?
The saddest - and most dangerous - part of this is that there are a lot of idiots too stupid to catch the insanity and actually BELIEVE these pieces of shit!
ReplyDeleteThese so-called leaders ARE as crazy as Jim Jones - and as stupid as his followers!
She didn't really say that, did she?
ReplyDeleteOT BIG TIME!
ReplyDeleteLadies and Gentlemen present and participating on IM:
May your holidays be safe and your time spent with loved ones. May your time together be free of strife and peaceful, with bonds reaffirmed and strengthened, and pain softened. And may your next year be all one could possibly hope for with the safe return of loved ones if they are in harms way.
Love. Understanding. Compassion. Forgiveness. Tolerance.
Thanks, Leland. That is just what I needed to hear today.
DeleteI wish the same for you.
I agree one hundred percent. Not speaking up against these nut jobs makes one just as guilty. I try to do the same although it has cost me quite a few relationships. I'm probably not as charming as you.
ReplyDeleteTEXASMEL
Michele Bachmann, Lou Gohmert, and Steve King - Congresses' own version of the Three Stooges. There should be a law against idiots like them taking a secret trip to Libya, Egypt, and Lebanon. Too bad that they weren't taken hostage in one of those countries and been stuck there for a couple years.
ReplyDeleteI would guess she is no student of history. My husband's ancestor, William Tyndale, was burned at the stake in part for translating the bible into English. In 1536.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Tyndale
They’ve become more aggressive. Growing up, everyone knew some guy who ran around with a Bible or a bottle, depending on where he was in his bender. Those people had naturally extreme personalities and gravitated toward the folks who would tolerate them. Those groups grew with time, and due to safety of numbers, they became more assertive. The Charismatic Movement, Speaking in Tongues, Fishers of Men, Born Again, Holy Rolling Baptists, all that existed in my extended family. But they were the unbalanced ones. They have multiplied and feel empowered.
ReplyDeleteWhat's really offensive is how ALL of THEM scream "God bless" at the flippin' drop of a hat! "I was a veteran" God bless! "I'm sick" God bless! Which god? Allah? Pan? the GODDESS?
DeleteWhich god exactly will "Bless me"?
And I hate that POTUS is MADE to say that shit everytime "And god bless america" WTF
It is very offensive.
These assholes and the Seven mountains.
One thing shuts them up tho.
Swear alot...or tell them to go to hell!!!
Scares the crap out of them. Like garlic for a vampire!
Happy Holiday's IM'rs!!!
Darlene,
DeleteYou have absolutely nailed it! Well said!! I hope Gryph will pick up and riff a bit on your most excellent post.
"Those people had naturally extreme personalities and gravitated toward the folks who would tolerate them."
Additionally, this also creates a "race to the most extreme, extreme" for those caught up in the gravitational attraction of this cultish group think mentality.
Religion was forced down my throat until I graduated from high school and got out on my own. I'm a senior citizen now and am not a 'christian'.
DeleteI/we raised a daughter (now in her 40's) leaving the doors open for her to attend any church type thing that interested her (w/her friends) during her jr. high and high school years.
Our intent was to allow her to form her own opinions and choices and to stay out of it except when she asked us questions - which she finally did as an older teenager.
Christmas was, and is, always celebrated in our home in grand style and it truly is a favored time of the year to spend w/family and friends.
I'm sure that most thought/think us to be 'christians' even though some friends are aware we don't go, or have, a church!
We are not 'christians'!
Our daughter turned out to vote for President Obama (as did we!) both times (w/no influence from us!) and does not attend church. She is raising her daughter much the way we raised her (who is a teenager now) in that she is letting her find her own way. So far she doesn't seem interested and has not even been in a church! It appears to me that her teenage friends are not attending a church either....interesting, huh?
I am happy in my life and would not trade the comfort of where I am today! I suspect many other folks are living like this - across the U.S. I'm really sick right now of seeing how the supposed 'religious' are shoving their beliefs down our throats! Think I'm going to start standing up to any that might approach me.....it's way past time for me to do so!
Happy holidays everyone!
I think is more about power than it is religion. Religion has been used throughout history as a means to control the populace. The crazies have been loosing their hold on dictating other people's behavior since the sixties. Folks are thinking for themselves these days and are not listening to the stories about how they will go to hell is they don't do as the crazies say (not as they do of course). The crazies don't wike it. They don't wike it one bit.
ReplyDeleteCaroll Thompson4:13 AM
DeleteExactly!
" Folks are thinking for themselves these days and are not listening to the stories about how they will go to hell is they don't do as the crazies say"
Well you know, if the Bible is written in English, then Jesus must love ENGLAND the most.
ReplyDeleteWe homeschool and when I told one of the other moms that I do teach evolution, she suddenly started to ignore me. Such a good christian. Her daughter began putting religious damnation pamplets in my daughters gym bag and inviting them to their baptist church. Now, I think they have given up on us as lost. :)
ReplyDeleteMel68
You'll be lucky if they just give up on you as lost. Most likely you are being viewed as an agent (willing or otherwise) of evil.
DeleteFirst of all, Happy Holidays to everyone here at IM!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I agree with a lot of what you say here Gryphen. Although I try to live my life being the type of Christian that Gandhi might not be disappointed in, I stopped identifying myself as a Christian during the Bush II years. I didn't want to be identified with that faux brand of christianity. Since then, it has gotten far worse. It is very depressing.
AFAIC all Christians can go fuck themselves. The "good" Jesus-is-love ones are too busy patting themselves on the back about how much better they are than the "bad" Jesus-hates-sinners ones to rise up against the latter and expose them for the power-hungry hypocrites they are. Fuck 'em all for their part in continuing to foist this dangerous fantasy on us all.
ReplyDeleteWhy The Religious Right Is Losing 'The War On Christmas'
ReplyDelete...According to David Silverman, president, American Atheists, this shift from activism to pluralistic accommodation "sends the clear message that the season is not owned by one religion, but rather everyone, and reinforces the idea that Christianity is one religion of many. While this is correct, ethical, and American, it's a clear defeat for those who prefer the old days of inequality."
A recent survey by the Public Religion Research Group points to a shifting toward such pluralism, with close to half of Americans (49%) surveyed agreeing that stores and businesses should greet their customers with "happy holidays" or "season's greetings" instead of "merry Christmas", out of respect for people of different faiths. This number is up from 44% when they conducted this survey in 2010.
Michael Dorian, co-director of the documentary Refusing My Religion notes, "many now understand that most people – whether believers or nonbelievers - can appreciate the holidays and just want to celebrate the season by socializing with friends and family, and that can be easily achieved with or without the trappings of religion".
As the number of Americans who understand what it means to live in an increasing pluralistic country continues to grow, those faithful to the Fox News brand of Christianity – and its need to be ever dominant and combative around the holidays – will continue to look ever more foolish and out of touch.
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-the-religious-right-is-losing-the-war-on-christmas-2013-12
Anonymous5:35 AM
ReplyDeleteWhen I got married my mom thought it a great idea to have her pastor marry us. So the church is up the street and he psychically CAME to our house to "invite" us to church!!!!
They have no shame. Its b/c they actually think they are saving your soul!
I consider pastors of churches to be similar to used car salesmen. More people in the pews puts more money in the collection plate. More money in the collection plate puts more money in the pastor's pocket. It is all a sales pitch.
DeleteWait, what? How did a pastor psychically come to you to invite you to their church? I thought most religious types were against psychics....
DeleteHappy Holidays to Gryphen and to all here at IM.
ReplyDeleteAs for our family HolyDays, a war has broken out over the Duck mess. It's all so "christian-y" and so predictable.
Many of the supposed 'christians' that I know and have known throughout the years, do not live the teachings. They seem to feel themselves superior. Some of them have referred to their financial care of the poor and needy and the fact they financially support their particular church which some attend every Sunday.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt at all they provide financially to groups and have throughout the years. But, I also can't help but think they do so because they can write off a substantial amount of donations on their particular annual income tax returns, which decreases the amount of taxes they might have to pay.
Some have told me they think President Obama is a Muslim vs being Christian. I'm talking about wealthy, educated, college degreed folks! Some have amazed me w/their thoughts and statements.
Sad world these days - so much division between family members and friends and I'm actually a part of that group!
Happy holidays everyone!
"Keep the cannabis in christmas".
ReplyDeleteperfect 'season' for the season.
happy high holidaze IM. Chill.
We're in the middle of a "War" in my family, over "Christmas". The problem with the Radical Right Wing christians is they pick a side FOR you if you don't agree with them.
ReplyDeleteMy son is dating a young woman, both are freshmen in College, and her parents have tried (and failed) for three years to get us to join them for Christmas Services at their dual level theater seating non denominational mega church.
We've done our best to stay out of it, the couple gets along just fine, and it's not our place to demand she uses our secular traditions. This year, her mother showed up packed for bear, bible tracts and biblical "Shaming" their daughter and telling us where the Bible says we will end up if we don't accept Jesus as our personal savior. The daughter decided to spend her Christmas Eve with her boyfriend's family, so now WE'RE the ones "brainwashing" her against them.
Nothing can be further from the truth, when kids reach the age of majority, they can make their own choices in life. Telling them they;re going to hell isn't going to win them over.
Happy Holidays, fellow IM'ers!
I can imagine Sara Palin saying "Jesus Loves America the most That's why the Bible is Written in English" but I don't believe Michelle Bachman would be this stupid. Contrary to popular belief, Bachman is educated and actually has a degree (in law) and although she is given to absurd statements, they are mainly twists of logic (not reality) to fit her agenda and to get elected. This statement is a total abdication of sanity fit for a Palinesque mindset. Besides, I have heard it before, attributed to someone else...
ReplyDelete