| 
|
Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
| Total Views: 4,943,268
|
Article: 12392
[Religious]
Date Posted:
3/1/2005
10:02:18 am EST
Wvox Stats
Views: 12,554
RSS: 4,068
Comments: 13
|
A Sad Rise In Religious Bigotry
Author: Rev. F. Vernon Wright Source: Helena Independent Record (MT)
Title: A SAD RISE IN RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY
  I am concerned about the rise of religious bigotry in this country. According to Webster's Dictionary, the term "bigot" is what the English used to label the Norman conquerors of England. "Why are you destroying my lively hood [sic], why are you seizing my daughters?" the English would ask. "I do this by Got!" was the translation of the Norman answer. We have a history of by Gotry in this country. Why were witches hung in Salem? By Got! Why did the south feel so convinced that slavery was justified? By Got! Why shouldn't women vote? By Got! Why shouldn't races mix. By Got! Why was Darwin wrong? By Got! Why are gays and lesbians children of Satan? By Got! We, like Jesus before us, have to name the demon for what it is and reclaim the good news of our faith.
We are by now familiar with the by gotters from the Westborough Baptist Church. But I am afraid they are only the most easy and colorful to target. Since the 1980's the by gotters of the Moral Majority and Focus on the Family have tried unceasingly to apply their version of Christianity to reproductive freedom, sexual mores, art, literature, science, and intercultural dialogue.
While this is not wrong in itself, it would be a vast mistake to think that the Christian community is of one mind. Each day our legislators are swamped by e-mails and letters organized by religious/political organizations of a rather conservative bent, while the voice of mainline churches is comparatively silent.
| Options: [Read Full Story] [Comments Locked]
[Email to a Friend]
|
|
Community Thoughts: There are 13 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Truth In Etymology | Mar 2nd. at 9:15:32 am EST
|
Siara (Annapolis, Maryland) - Email Me
I wonder if this is really the etymology of the word "bigot"? If so ... how appropriate! We should all do our best to bring this factoid to the center of public awareness. It's insulting to spirituality in general when religious dogma is used as a carte blanche to abuse the people around us.
I often wonder why Christians who oppose the evangelical right don't speak out more in defense of their faith. Loud-mouthed, uneducated wackos on the extreme right are redefining Christianity because more tolerent people don't rebut their twisted rhetoric.
|
| Good Article BUT | Mar 1st. at 11:45:56 am EST
|
Rowan Foxfyre (Indianapolis, Indiana) - Email Me
"Since the 1980's the by gotters of the Moral Majority and Focus on the Family have tried unceasingly to apply their version of Christianity to reproductive freedom, sexual mores, art, literature, science, and intercultural dialogue. While this is not wrong in itself, it would be a vast mistake to think that the Christian community is of one mind."
"While this is not wrong in itself, " YES IT IS.
Whether Positive or negative, forcing your religious stance on someone else against their will is WRONG.
Sorry, if I ask you about Same-sex Marriages, Abortion, the Death Penalty etcetera in the possibility of deciding a Legal Stance on the issue, I expect a logical secularly based answer, but if you start in with "The Bible says, " or "Jesus said, " I concider the answer invalid.
I do not want to know nor do I care what your religious teachings say, I am not a Christian, your "rules" are irrelevant to me. I want to know what YOU think on (insert subject) and that is what I asked, if you cannot answer yourself without starting a religious lesson to base your arguements on, to me you have absolutely nothing to say. If you base your arguement on religious teachings, then by all means, apply them to yourself, but you have no right to apply them to me and MY life.
I understand this Gentleman is saying that the loud groups do not speak for all Christians, but, MY point is, if you do not actively oppose them the "silent" ones are thought to agree with the Loud groups, and you too, are concidered to be members of the opposition (by both sides, usually) .
|
| A Mere Convenience. | Mar 1st. at 11:30:26 am EST
|
bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
God, demons and a lot of other spiritual things under the sun these days make a wonderful excuse to justify the most heinous and the most grievious of actions toward our fellow human beings. It allows the perpetrators to believe that they are allowed any corrupt and brutal action that supports whatever they do with impunity because God -or whomever-- wanted this to be done, and he is always right of course.
Actually the truth is, they need this justification in order to blunt their own feelings and curtail any empathy toward their victims so they can commit these acts or justify anyone else doing the dirty work they assign. And if you notice, it is always their own opinions that are voiced by God himself. How convenient for these so called prophets.
Actually, such a God really doesn't need any servants to be his mouthpiece or to do his work at all. And if he does, he's not really THAT omnipotent, nor all powerful. Nor are they worth following, because it is just them using God as a convenience for their actions and pet opinions.
They would advance much in this world if they took just care of it, in the knowledge that this is the only one we will get that is uniquely ours, and stopped worrying so much about what other people do-- unless it actually does physically hurt them, cleaned up their own mistakes -- and stop blaming other people for the mistakes and problems they create for themselves.
|
| Standing Ovation | Mar 1st. at 11:24:25 am EST
|
Titania (Smallville, New York) - Email Me
I stand up and applaud this pastor for having the intestinal fortitude to call out his fundementalist counterparts. It almost makes me want to convert back to Christianity. My only hope is that more mainstream Christians, the lay people and congregants, will also stand up and be counted.
A concerted effort on thier part to flood the phone lines and e-mail inboxes of our representatives in Washington (much like the fundementalists do) would make it very clear that the likes of Phelps and Dobson do not speak for all Christians and certainly not for God.
This is indeed a Bright Blessing!
Titania
|
| What A Great Guy! | Mar 1st. at 11:03:41 am EST
|
AnnieBW (Laurel, Maryland) - Email Me
I wish there were more like him, especially in the "Red States".
|
Disclaimer: The Witches' Voice inc does not verify the accuracy of the details stated in this listing, nor do we vouch for the value of the goods or services presented here... As with all contacts and financial dealings in cyberspace, we encourage you to use caution and wisdom in your dealings with strangers.
Political Statements: Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren's Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches' Voice, Inc. TWV is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization.
|
State/Country flags created by 3dflags.com and are used with permission
Web Site Content (including: text - graphics - html - look & feel)
Copyright 1997-2009 The Witches' Voice Inc. All rights reserved
Note: Authors & Artists retain the copyright for their work(s) on this website.
Unauthorized reproduction without prior permission is a violation of copyright laws.
Website structure, evolution and php coding by Fritz Jung on a Macintosh G5.
Any and all personal political opinions expressed in the public listing sections (including, but not restricted to, personals, events, groups, shops, Wren’s Nest, etc.) are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinion of The Witches’ Voice, Inc. TWV is a nonprofit, nonpartisan educational organization.
Sponsorship: Visit the Witches' Voice Sponsor Page for info on how you
can help support this Community Resource. Donations ARE Tax Deductible.
The Witches' Voice carries a 501(c)(3) certificate and a Federal Tax ID.
Mail Us: The Witches' Voice Inc., P.O. Box 341018, Tampa, Florida 33694-1018 U.S.A.
| |
