another win for the religious right

[BlueGirl]

Hello Everyone,
I just joined this group the other day. I look forward to getting to know you and joining in some of the discussions. I'm sorry that my first posting (besides introducing myself) consists of bad news, but I wanted to inform others who don't already know it, that fundamentalist hate and ignorance is alive and well in "Wild, Wonderful West Virginia".
A week or so ago, the West Virginia Senate passed a bill to ban discrimination against gays and transgendered people in employment and housing. The fundamentalists went to work right away to keep it from going to the full House for a vote but they didn't succeed. It did go to the full House but it didn't pass. Here are the website addresses if anyone wants to read about it.
http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200803050825
http://www.wvpbmedia.com/docs/news/g...ts-sum0307.pdf

Knowing that there's a lot of ignorant right-wing, fundamentalist red necks in this "Bible belt" state, I'm not surprised that it didn't pass. I'm only surprised that it passed the Senate.

BlueGirl

[antiochian]

I'm really sick of people who use religion to foster hatred. Fundamentalist Christianity makes me a sad Panda.

[BlueGirl]

Hi Antiochian,
That makes two of us. It makes me more than sad. It makes me very angry. When they use the name of Jesus to mistreat someone, they are throwing dirt on His name, in addition to being mean. They cause people who don't know the truth to not want anything to do with Jesus.
Fundamentalists have given Christianity such a bad name and made it look like something it isn't that I'm not going to call myself a Christian any more. I'll call myself a Jesus person.

[Unmasked]

In many parts of the world it is not good to be called a Christian. Christians are white conquerers who preach love and spread hate. I've used Christ-Bhakti as a substitute. Bhakti is a Sanskrit word meaning devotion (to a deity), so Christ-Bhakti would translate to Christ Devotee. Take it for a walk if you like. Wow...Christian doesn't look like a real word at all anymore...time to go look at other things.

[BlueGirl]

Thanks Unmasked. That sounds like a good idea. I'll give it some thought.

It's a real shame and a sin that people use the name of Jesus to mistreat other people and make it look like a religion of hate and intolerance. There's some people, including hate-mongering fundamentalists that I have a very strong dislike for but I don't say it's ok with Jesus for me to feel what I feel for them. It probably isn't but He did get angry at people like that and called the Pharisees of His time "vipers" and "hypocrites", among other things. Today's religious fundamentalists are modern day Pharisees and are hypocrites and vipers just like they were. Whenever fundamentalists don't like someone for whatever reason, they say they have God's ok to dislike them because, according to their evil, twisted way of thinking, God doesn't like them either. They seem to use Jesus for a fire escape but don't know or care about what He taught and said to do. What they really practice is Old Testament Judaism, which is not the same as New Testament Christianity.

BlueGirl

[daniel Ray]

Originally Posted by BlueGirl

Thanks Unmasked. That sounds like a good idea. I'll give it some thought.

It's a real shame and a sin that people use the name of Jesus to mistreat other people and make it look like a religion of hate and intolerance. There's some people, including hate-mongering fundamentalists that I have a very strong dislike for but I don't say it's ok with Jesus for me to feel what I feel for them. It probably isn't but He did get angry at people like that and called the Pharisees of His time "vipers" and "hypocrites", among other things. Today's religious fundamentalists are modern day Pharisees and are hypocrites and vipers just like they were. Whenever fundamentalists don't like someone for whatever reason, they say they have God's ok to dislike them because, according to their evil, twisted way of thinking, God doesn't like them either. They seem to use Jesus for a fire escape but don't know or care about what He taught and said to do. What they really practice is Old Testament Judaism, which is not the same as New Testament Christianity.

BlueGirl

I'd have to agree with you on some points. Jesus himself apparently distrusted the pharasees and saducees, wheather or not he disliked them i dont know, he certainly did warn against thier docterine. He seemed to dislike the arrogance with which they used to place themselves superior to others in thier community. He tried to teach them on several occasions but with little success. His approach, to teach them, is an excellent example for us. Educateing them so they are able to see in themselves the things you describe as hateful and evil, intolerant and twisted thinking would bring needed change, and healing for them. Unfortunately, many have closed thier minds and therefore are unable to change/grow. It will be our efforts, in love and acceptance of them that will have the most impact; one at a time.