Timely article today - well, ALL of your essays are timely and thought-provoking, but today’s article is especially prescient for me.
You know that *I* am considered “a heretic”, at least by the Trump-worshiping evangelicals.
1. I’m a socialist. I’ve been a socialist since I was 15. I have very little love lost for American capitalism, particularly the end-stage capitalism we’re experiencing now, which is unfolding exactly as Marx predicted.
2. I’m Christian, but to evangelicals I'm "Not The Right Kind Of Christian™". We let poor people, people of color, women who have had abortions, families with a single head of household, LGBTs attend services and be active members of the church. Hell, we even let them be priests! Martha! Canst one scarcely imagine such a thang!
3. We dug up a quarter of the church grounds to put in raised bed boxes, and donate the fresh food to our local food pantry.
4. Jesus is NOT returning, there is no "Rapture", and people have been looking at the sky for something to happen which is not going to happen. I believe Jesus returned as the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Christians have been ignoring Him ever since.
5. Since the Republicans in our our state Assembly believe in “limited government”, so that librarians can face felonies for allowing people under the age of 18 to read “banned books”, and trans kids and women who need abortions cannot get the care they need,
my parish organized and stocked a Banned Books Library, and we’ve organized a caravan to take women and trans kids over to the next state over so they can get the care they need. Since we’re a church, the Republicans in the state Assembly can’t touch us.
6. I’m “uppty”, and I Don’t Know My Place. As a “faggot” (also German for “bassoon”, though evangelicals don’t know that) I don’t bow and prostrate myself in sniveling subservience to the Great White, Straight, Trump-Worshiping, True Christian™ Master. In fact, the Republicans in the state Assembly roll their eyes when they see me coming because they know they’re about to be taken to task and called to account for their votes, and they might as well deal with me face-to-face rather than read about their misdeeds in all the newspapers of any size. Like Ann Richards, Molly Ivins and Mother Jones, I Don’t Know My Place and right-wingers think I Am A Royal Pain In The Ass. Current project: identifying all the Republican legislators who are also landlords, identifying their properties and finding out the physical condition of those properties since Indiana has the weakest tenant protections of any state in the country.
How odd. I used to blog on a site called The Secular Outpost, where we debated issues of theism vs. atheism. I did not notice that theists were the least hesitant to offend me. You quickly learn the real meaning of "Christian charity." For instance, I was told that the only reason that I was an atheist was so that I could have illicit sex guilt-free. (I guess, like Christians, you should have your illicit sex with guilt),
When I consider that a blasphemy law written today would not convict our Cheeto-tinted Savior, I conclude that we're already well through the looking glass.
Timely article today - well, ALL of your essays are timely and thought-provoking, but today’s article is especially prescient for me.
You know that *I* am considered “a heretic”, at least by the Trump-worshiping evangelicals.
1. I’m a socialist. I’ve been a socialist since I was 15. I have very little love lost for American capitalism, particularly the end-stage capitalism we’re experiencing now, which is unfolding exactly as Marx predicted.
2. I’m Christian, but to evangelicals I'm "Not The Right Kind Of Christian™". We let poor people, people of color, women who have had abortions, families with a single head of household, LGBTs attend services and be active members of the church. Hell, we even let them be priests! Martha! Canst one scarcely imagine such a thang!
3. We dug up a quarter of the church grounds to put in raised bed boxes, and donate the fresh food to our local food pantry.
4. Jesus is NOT returning, there is no "Rapture", and people have been looking at the sky for something to happen which is not going to happen. I believe Jesus returned as the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Christians have been ignoring Him ever since.
5. Since the Republicans in our our state Assembly believe in “limited government”, so that librarians can face felonies for allowing people under the age of 18 to read “banned books”, and trans kids and women who need abortions cannot get the care they need,
my parish organized and stocked a Banned Books Library, and we’ve organized a caravan to take women and trans kids over to the next state over so they can get the care they need. Since we’re a church, the Republicans in the state Assembly can’t touch us.
6. I’m “uppty”, and I Don’t Know My Place. As a “faggot” (also German for “bassoon”, though evangelicals don’t know that) I don’t bow and prostrate myself in sniveling subservience to the Great White, Straight, Trump-Worshiping, True Christian™ Master. In fact, the Republicans in the state Assembly roll their eyes when they see me coming because they know they’re about to be taken to task and called to account for their votes, and they might as well deal with me face-to-face rather than read about their misdeeds in all the newspapers of any size. Like Ann Richards, Molly Ivins and Mother Jones, I Don’t Know My Place and right-wingers think I Am A Royal Pain In The Ass. Current project: identifying all the Republican legislators who are also landlords, identifying their properties and finding out the physical condition of those properties since Indiana has the weakest tenant protections of any state in the country.
Thnx, Mark!
I would never say something using ten words when I could just as well say it in a thousand words!
You can give me a guest essay anytime, friend
I am *honored* that you regard me as a friend.
I deeply admire you and have the highest regard for you.
How odd. I used to blog on a site called The Secular Outpost, where we debated issues of theism vs. atheism. I did not notice that theists were the least hesitant to offend me. You quickly learn the real meaning of "Christian charity." For instance, I was told that the only reason that I was an atheist was so that I could have illicit sex guilt-free. (I guess, like Christians, you should have your illicit sex with guilt),
I’m gay (and an Episcopalian Christian) and I *love* my illicit sex!
Ha ha! Thanks!
Thnx, Keith
When I consider that a blasphemy law written today would not convict our Cheeto-tinted Savior, I conclude that we're already well through the looking glass.
To the Gulf Coast Freethinkers.
Thnx