Arguing Religion -- Are You Kidding Me?

There's been a bit of a spitting and hissing match going on in our comments from the last post.

It really got started because Master (and I) both referred to the relative dearth of right-wing, fundamentalist, Christian-crazies at the Pride parade on Saturday. Amber chimed in with her own "hear, hear," and that set off Bridget, who took exception to the lumping of all Christians into the same intolerant, "wingnut" pile. She wrote:

"...I don't think being religious has anything to do with being intolerant...there are more religious intolerant people than not, but I've met ... intolerant gay and kinky people ...as an Orthodox Christian ...I fully support gay rights...I ... think being open minded means ... being open to all opinions...I ... deplore a lot of the behavior ... from others who claim my religion...I'm just sick of high and mighty people ...I really don't have anything to say about the need for religion. Everybody has an ideology and value system that they base their actions onReligion is one way to get there."

Now, we don't moderate comments here at The Heron Clan. People have, upon occasion, taken exception to things that we say, and we have a small but dedicated cadre of critics that just love to take pot shots at us. However, in all the time we've written here, I don't remember anyone ever using OUR comments to go after another reader. That feels a little like having someone who is a guest in my home decide to pick a fight with another guest, and that is unacceptable. I'm pretty sure that Amber is perfectly capable of holding her own in this little dust up, but this is my place, and I will have my say.

So, here it is, in case anyone (including Bridget) is confused -- and I can't imagine why anyone would be. We are sensible and intelligent people. We are not oblivious to the fact that we live in a culture that is awash in the trappings of the mythology that has been promulgated by the christian church through the centuries -- we just don't subscribe to the common delusion. We don't care what you choose to believe, and we apprecite our friends of various religious stripes who offer their own ideas and wisdom knowing full well that we do not believe as they do. There are a number of our regular readers who are people of honest religious faith who are able to accommodate that difference between us without getting into some sort of stomping snit fit when they encounter the "heathen and heretic" aspect of this place. Those friendships are a valued part of our lives.

I've spent more than just a little time listening to Bridget go on and on and on about her own Christian Orthodox faith, and I've never once made a single move to counter any of the somewhat fantastical parts of her belief system. It matters not at all to me what she or anyone else chooses to believe. But, there is no legitimacy in my view, to the claim of personal christianity that then denies some shared responsibility for the bad, mean, intolerant, crazy, hatefulness of the whole. I understand the discomfort that can arise from the association -- after all, I work for a Catholic school, but being uncomfortable does not grant permission for being stupid about the reality. Christianity has been and continues to be (at least as it is practiced in the extreme mode) a force for wickedness and hatred in the world. Religious fantasy does seem to do that to people -- Christians don't have a corner on the market in that regard.

No one should assume that this is the place, to come and bang the drum for the poor, down trodden, mistreated and misunderstood Christians. If you, Bridget (or anyone else for that matter) are into that sort of thing, please use your own space -- your own forum. We don't want to deal with it, and I won't tolerate the use of my space for brow beating others on the subject.

swan