Giving the Finger to Religious Fanatics

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In today's New York Observer, there is an excellent article written by Nicholas von Hoffmann that summarizes perfectly my opinion re: mixing religion and politics. He covers a lot of ground -- from the cover-ups concerning child-molesting Catholic priests, mushbrained comments by Chimpy on Islam, and the endless mau-mauing of pro-Israeli PACs.

I am beyond sick and tired of religious fanatics -- Jesus freaks, Allah freaks, Torah freaks, Krishna freaks, whatever -- forcing their beliefs onto an unwilling and/or brainwashed world and fucking everything up. And I know I'm not alone.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Let me say that I'm not against people using their religious beliefs to inform their political beliefs. I'm not against folks like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and folks in that vein doing that. What I am against, however, is whenever a religious faction tries to obtain, or actually obtains, control over a government and then uses the powers of government to force its beliefs onto others. I am resolutely convinced that the lion's share of the world's problems boils down to that. I know that this isn't an original thought, but considering how PC have become about peoples' religious beliefs I think it's imperative that those of us who care about secular values stop fucking around with religious fanactics and speak up when they try to impose their will on either individuals or their governments.

The only thing I would add to von Hoffmann's linked article is a discussion about how religion fucked up Paula Yates. I find it very interesting that little to no mention about how her hardcore Christian fundamentalism might have affected the crime of which she has just been convicted.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Free-market ideology surely counts as a primary offender here re: "gaining control of governments"

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well...If I read von Hoffman correctly, he seems to quite seriously entertain the blood-libel that "louche homosexuals" must be behind these cases of child molestation. So that somewhat tempers my enthusiasm about him.

― Michael Daddino, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Free market ideology," or maybe more precisely the mindless soundbites extolling a shamelessly Randroid version of that ideology, is another form of religious belief AFAIC, Tracer. Esp. since tax cuts and deregulation are pushed more as dogma than because they actually do what they are purported to do (i.e., Enron and Chimpy's budget).

To bring it back home, televangelists are some the best and most active "free marketeers" around.

― Tadeusz Suchodolski, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

how would your political beliefs not count as religious or fanatical?

― keith, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm not against folks like Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, and folks in that vein doing that

I actually am against those people, to the extent that they felt they had to hide their personal beliefs behind organisations, agendas, and supernatural deities.

The 'evil' of religious fanaticism slips in very early on in the process, for me. It enters at that point when I have an opinion and, lacking confidence that it will stand on its own merits, I seek to link it to a supernatural diety, a bureaucratic hierarchy, or a pre-existing political dogma.

When I notice myself doing that, I should stop, take a deep breath, and meditate. Hey, it's a new religion! Let's call it 'Delinking'.

― Momus, Monday, 18 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Did you mean Paula Yates? I thought she was dead? Is it possible to separate religion and politics? I mean, in theory it should be, but in practice? I guess it has something to do with the amount of people who believe in a certain thing. If there's a minority influencing/ controlling politics and there is a larger less powerful majority who are subject to the beliefs of this minority then there will be people who are damaged by religion and this is wrong. Governments should strive to be good for everybody, not just those who believe the same thing. The thing about Ireland and abortion really really fucks me off, because religion has been given too freer rein. I don't know. religion can be great, but most of the time it goes wrong and gets corrupted and then it shouldn't be allowed near politics. My gut reaction though, which is unpractical is 'run, run away from the nutters and don't let them near anything important' that's only because they believe different things to me though.

― Alix, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

tad means andrea yates i think

― mark s, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is she the child murderer?

― Alix, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am just as sick and tired of secular fanaticism as well as the idea that the entire world is brainwashed if it doesn't agree with you.

― Kris, Tuesday, 19 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three years pass...

Did you know that the Christian right is "secular to the core"? And very, very PC?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

Meanwhile, over in the House, more fun is going on:

AFA religion debate erupts in D.C.

tho, that's not what actually happened; wasn't much of a "debate".

...The debate heated up when Hostettler accused Democrats of being anti-Christian.
"The long war on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives," Hostettler said. "It continues unabated with aid and comfort to those who would eradicate any vestige of our Christian heritage being supplied by the usual suspects - the Democrats."
He continued, "Like a moth to a flame, Democrats can't help themselves when it comes to denigrating and demonizing Christians."
Hostettler later withdrew the remark about denigrating Christians.
Air Force Academy officials reported last year that a survey of cadets found a perception that Christians were favored over non-Christians.
A Jewish cadet has reported anti-Semitic treatment. Another cadet said he was dubbed a "heathen" when he declined to attend religious services. And a report found that a chaplain urged cadets to "tell their fellow cadets that those who are not born again will burn in the fires of hell."
Such reports prompted Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, to put language in a defense spending bill condemning "coercive and abusive" proselytizing.
Obey said Monday that Hostettler's statement was "a perfect example of why we need to pass this amendment..."

― kingfish (Kingfish), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 16:26 (twenty years ago)

eight years pass...

there is no inverted cross character in unicode

i'm being oppressed

at least there's a skull and crossbones

sigh

― j., Sunday, 16 February 2014 22:16 (twelve years ago)

So what is the state of play now in America re Christian fundamentalists and politics

― cardamon, Sunday, 16 February 2014 23:57 (twelve years ago)

Dwindling, cornered, lashing out.

― lewd, pulsating rhythm 4 lyfe (WilliamC), Monday, 17 February 2014 01:31 (twelve years ago)

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