This is our final politicast of the year, but we’ll be back sometime in the first couple weeks of January—and with some announcements and new things. Today we talk about a lot of things, starting with the mess in our old home state of Illinois. We also have an extensive discussion about religion and politics, same-sex marriage, and we even talk about the divisive online rhetoric of the left and—especially—the right. I say that far right christianists are not”victims”, and it’s offensive for them to say they are. Jason is annoyed by far-right christianists falsely claiming to speak for all “people of faith”. Later, we talk about the bailouts and the twilight of the Bush years. Are Bush-Cheney guilty of treason? We end by talking about the optimism of the impending inauguration. Comments let us discuss a few more things, too.
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Hi Arthur! I am an Episcopalian and yes, I agree with you and Jason about how incredibly offensive it is for some ‘Christian’ minister to proclaim that they speak for us all. The principle tenet of Christianity is not to judge others and I am bitterly offended by people who use judgment as a weapon against others. Jesus was quite clear about not judging others or using spirituality as a weapon to bolster one’s ego. I would also point out that Jesus was quite popular with dodgy company like prostitutes and losers. But fuck if you hear that from whoever these idiots are that espouse political shit and pretend they speak for Christianity. Its rude. Jesus help any one of these people who hide behind the teachings of Christ in order to further their personal agenda. Nothing makes me angrier (seriously). It’s a slight on my beliefs, a slight on the Church and a huge slight on our collective intelligence as a people. Christianity is not a fixed set of regimens set down 2k years ago regardless of what some jackass would have others believe. Spirituality is an intensely private issue that does not need be vetted before a council of self-interested fucktards in order to have meaning.
And yes, I have no issue confronting bigotry where I find it, whether inside or outside my personal beliefs. That is, to me, my duty as a Christian, to celebrate all our differences with equal enthusiasm whether I think they are wrong or not. I am not and never will be Christ. I am myself and no better or lesser than any other person. But I can choose to find wonder in the divine which resides inside every living being and possibly some inanimate ones as well.
It’s incredibly hard not to judge others. Witness how I judge those who offend me. I am not perfect and do not expect perfection in others but fuck all if I don’t expect them to be humble about their idiocy. It’s such a thin line between judgment and hipocracy. I don’t have all the answers. I never will. All I can do is strive to be honest about it.
Anyway – love listening to you and Jason 🙂 Forgive me my bad language and Thank God you and your partner live in a place not fascinated with your nether bits and what they do. Please consider running a half-way house for displaced Americans.
Rhonda
Great comment, Rhonda! Made me laugh at all the right places. I can agree with and appreciate what you’re saying, even though, personally, I’m no longer a practicing Christian. I think you’re especially right about how hard it is to not judge. I think it’s a completely normal human thing, since evaluating and judging was necessary for survival among the first humans. I think the difference is that the far right puts their judgementalism into action while the centre and left tend to avoid confrontation so as to NOT do this.
But I also think you’re right about the teachings and examples of Jesus, and it seems to me that his followers on the centre and left need to be more forceful about promoting their understanding, and yes, that means standing up to the right wing. After all, the right has no problem saying theirs is the only correct way to believe.
Thanks you for challenging bigotry. Quite frankly, I think that very often bearing witness to another interpretation is all that’s necessary to stop the march of hate.
Thanks for listening, and for your kind words! And, as the comedian Dave Allen used to say, “May your God go with you.”
Oh yeah, one last thing: Don’t worry about language—I don’t censor comments for language. Besides, I hardly have any room to complain!