Editorial: The Bible Used To Cover Prejudices

[Carolyn Marie]

This was posted on CNN.com today. Much has been written by members here about the religious right, primarily, using

its voice to drown the LGBT movement in hate and vitriol. I think Mr. Granderson addresses the issue very well.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/31/gran...gays/index.html

Carolyn Marie

[Guest Donna Jean]

Thanks again, Carolyn.....

I have to say that I really like LZ Granderson and have read him for quite a while now.....

The way he brings logic and truth into the equation is refreshing.

I get so tired of people and groups "cherry picking" and conveniently leaving off the rest of the verse...

Drives me crazy....

Granderson is a breath of fresh air.....

Huggs

Donna Jean

[Guest Jo22]

the christian moral subject in its hetero-normalizing hegemonic form, is in my opinion a crude and distorted vision of gender identity. i'm greatly concerned that so many people live their formative years at the behest of this fantasy, i can't imagine the damage it causes to the dignity and self-worth of homosexual and transgendered individuals. i sincerely hope this moral conservatism is simply a paradigm, which will eventually shift to something at least vaguely representative of the diversity of gender identity and sexual preference.

[Guest viv]

What the heck happened to religion , the bible , christianity, and all that is

supposed to go with all that ???? . I keep hearing the "" far right " wing has

jacked the whole concept or something like that . I do know this , its a very

frightening experience to see or read these reports and acts of pure hatred

from gods little jack booted brigade as the traipse through history soiling

goodness and decency and humanity . I cant even bring myself to comment

on the catholic church any more as I fear my brain exploding in anger !!!!!.

Sorry Carolyn,,,,,I cant do any more than rant rant rant when the subject

of religion raises its septic head ,,,,rant rant rant ,,,,,sorry Hun , way I feel.

luv,viv ...........

[Guest Ashley C.]

I agree, Viv. A lot of the people in my life who have trampled on my rights and rejected me have done so in the name of their god. I just don't understand it, and it makes me very upset.

[Guest Hoslers_wife]

That was perfect! Thank you so much for sharing!

"I am never ashamed to say I follow the teachings of Christ, but I am not always proud to say I am a Christian." <<<<PERFECT

Somedays I am so ashamed to hold the same title as these bigots

[Sally]

I have long stated that organized Christianity has little to nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus and that is where Christianity should concentrate - Jesus excluded no one so why do churches?

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Elizabeth K]

the christian moral subject in its hetero-normalizing hegemonic form, is in my opinion a crude and distorted vision of gender identity. i'm greatly concerned that so many people live their formative years at the behest of this fantasy, i can't imagine the damage it causes to the dignity and self-worth of homosexual and transgendered individuals. i sincerely hope this moral conservatism is simply a paradigm, which will eventually shift to something at least vaguely representative of the diversity of gender identity and sexual preference.

JO! Take a deep breath! These people aren't conservatives. I have met conservatives - some are even halfway decent!

Our enemies tend to wage all out, undisguised bigotry. These are the ones, like my grandfather, who said people in a certain ethnic group had no souls! He was a dinosaur - a child of a hateful past. So are these people who call us an abomination. God may want to have a little talk with them when they meet Him face to face!

Lizzy

Paradigm - FYI - in this context a bitter epithet - but generally:

The Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines this usage as "a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind."

In this case in other words - a group of thoughts that are way too unconventionally defined to be useful - tail wagging the dog!

[Guest NatashaJade]

That was perfect! Thank you so much for sharing!

"I am never ashamed to say I follow the teachings of Christ, but I am not always proud to say I am a Christian." <<<<PERFECT

Somedays I am so ashamed to hold the same title as these bigots

I don't believe you do. You are a Christian. They are Christianists. They practice a different religion.

luv

Gin

[JJ]

Loved the article!

I always said if I saw one of those people who quote bible verses as weapons and insist each is divinely inspired infallible word of God pluck out an eye after leering at a nubile young thing or chop off a hand for the sins it had committed or also preach that anyone divorced or worked on Sunday or ate pork was damned I'd at least have some grudging respect for them.

They wouldn't be any less wrong or stupid but at least they'd be sincere. What they wouldn't be is rich or powerful because that would be attacking the mainstream. It won't happen either - bullies carefully avoid those they know will overpower them.

Lizzy my grandad said pretty close to the same thing. He very carefully sat me down one day wen I was 10 and explained that they were they highest animal and should be treated kindly but weren't human and ad no souls. He followed that with the information that a certain religious group was planning to take over the world through financial institutions. He wasn't pleased with my responses. Not at all.

I may have been a tough, onerey kid who wasn't allowed in many of their friends houses but I was born with a burning sense of social justice and I wasn't about to let anyone-even someone who beat me regularly, get away with saying something like that. Living where I did -O those little Texas towns-and when I did I don't know why I felt the way I did but I was always upset and angry about the injustices I saw.

It hasn't changed. I still fiercely feel and will say outright that EVERYONE is entitled to live their life in peace as long as they do no direct harm to others-or encourage anyone else to do so.

Maybe we are here to teach compassion.

Oh no. Ranting again. I'm going to get a reputation!

JJ

[Guest Hoslers_wife]

Thank you Gin!

I don't believe you do. You are a Christian. They are Christianists. They practice a different religion.

luv

Gin

[Guest Kay_Donohue]

Love the article Carolyn.

I completely agree.

[Guest Amanda joan]

Caroline,

Great topic. I love the artical and it is very well writen.

I love my church and I love GOD.

I also know that there are not many churches like the one I go to.

This year my friend and Priest had the opertunity to give a sermon on ACTS 10 and it is the perfect reply to the jerks that want to use the bible to choose who is good and who is bad. In ACTS 10 Peter has a vision and God instructs him not to label anything that he has created as unclean. This cuased a great change in his teaching and a hugh upheavel in this early Christian community of mostly Jewish men. They had these old law about food and what could be eaten and what could not be eaten and God was telling Peter to stop following the old Jewish laws and accept that everything in this world that God has created is worthy of enetering his body and would not make him unclean.

This is a radical thought. For is you believe God created all things seen and unseen, then we who are seen or unseen are creations of God and are not to be labeled as unclean or sinful.

So next time some biggot with a bible starts to run off at the mouth ask him to read ACTS 10 and get back to you after he takes some time to understand it's meaning. This may take some time depending on how thick his scull is but, who knows maybe is will help him see the error of his ways. Then again it may not change him at all. He may just push it aside and stick with the passages he knows best and that help him discriminate against us and anyone else he dislikes.

I hope that those of you who are upset ( rightly!!!!) with the Christian Church will not let their disfunction stop you from communing with your God. There are many ways to experience Gods word, truth and love. Find one that works for you. I have some ideas if you need help.

Peace & Love Amanda