He doesn’t except it from what?
I’ve recently been accused of being a bigot because I think the fact that the bigotry of the theocratic conservative right — which as near as anyone can tell consists almost entirely of Republicans — is a natural result of their being poor and uneducated. This was despite the fact that they themselves answered an ABC poll that showed they were. To be fair, I added to that — based upon my experience and what I’ve read in the news — that they are easily led by the likes of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and, lately, James Dobson. And when you scratch the surface of your average theocrat, you’ll find that most of them aren’t able to build their own arguments; they reproduce almost verbatim what they hear from these wonderful “leaders.” (And, again, to be fair, there are people like this “on the left,” as well. But as I explained in a reply to Mark Byron, these folk are less dangerous and therefore get less of my attention. I also think they’re less numerous on the left.)
I’m not exactly sure why my pointing out what the poll and my experience have shown is bigotry. At any rate, what I said about theocrats is not nearly as bad as what one of those theocrats said about the early childhood he and every other boy who grew up on a farm in Georgia experienced. (What’s truly amazing about this interview is to hear this theocrat readily admit to having sex with a mule, state that this is perfectly normal for Georgia farm-boys, but he goes ballistic over the idea that he pressured two ex-girlfriends to have abortions!)
Fact is, the only real difference between theocratic followers and their leaders is that their leaders usually have gone to school long enough to gain more than second-grade-level reading skills.
And if that’s not proof enough of their ignorance, all you need to do is turn your eyes towards the Midwest. Scientists these days have every reason to identify with the words of Dorothy to Toto: “We aren’t in Kansas anymore.” And no amount of clicking heels will get them home, either, because while Kansans apparently believe in magic, they just don’t believe in science.
Part of the trouble is that christian theocrats not only can’t spell, they don’t understand the difference in meaning between a scientific theory and a fairy tale, or an hypothesis and a guess. (For the record, gravity is a “theory,” too.) And this, as much as their ignorant dependency on words written by primitive men with theoretically (oops!) less knowledge of the world than even these ya-hoos, helps account for their continued bigotry. (Amazing to think how far we haven’t come in several thousand years.)
For while they insist upon the idea that sex with mules is normal God created the entire world in six days and evolution is thus an affront to Him, they do so in spite of the fact that their Creator apparently deliberately manufactured a few individuals with a propensity to love members of the same gender — something strictly forbidden by, even if often practiced by, christians through the ages.
There was a time when I was concerned about America’s return to serfdom. No more. It’s exactly what those folk deserve. The only thing that bothers me these days is that I can’t avoid them just by staying out of Wal-Mart.
Oh and my belief that they’re easily led? Just watch them.
Incidentally, for more discussion on the justification for believing that I’m a bigot, see Poorer, Less Educated, but not Easily Led over on Mark Byron’s blog. Mr. Byron, Mr. Bradley and myself each have something to say about it there. After my final exam in Constitution al Law is out of the way (it starts at 1:30 p.m. today!), I’ll be posting a reply to Mr. Bradley’s latest comment to that article.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Bob // May 11, 2005 at 9:21 am
I have to apologize, I am writing this comment from work and cannot spend as much time on it as I would like but I hope to make my point.
This comment is addressed to Mr. Bradley, Mr. Byron and their readers.
First, let me identify myself as a Christian. My perspective is different from Rick’s but my opinions may not be. I stand on the sidelines and watch, often with horror, at what was once a religion of tolerance becoming a blunt instrument. I can empathize with non Christians when they voice frustration and confusion because even I don’t identify with many of the talking heads that spout “Christian” ideals while applying a scorched earth policy to anyone who opposes them.
What it comes down to for me is this: hypocrisy.
Jimmy Swagart, Jim Bakker, some priests in the Roman Catholic Church all involved with sex scandals.
Oral Roberts locking himself in his tower until monies were raised (http://www.equip.org/free/DR170.htm).
Pat Robertson praying for the deaths of Supreme Court Justices.
Using Terry Schiavo as a weapon of morals against Democrats (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Schiavo/story?id=600937).
Does any of this sound Christian?
Or how about this recent item?
Jim West is just another in a too long chain of examples of “christians” causing division between people for personal and political gain, only to be discovered as frail hypocrites.
How can an outsider to Christianity even consider the “christian” agenda when 1) because they’re not Christian they’re likely not included and 2) they see so many Christians not able to live up to the values they espouse?
Here’s how Mark Morford puts it at SFGate.com:
I don’t agree with everything Morford writes but I do identify with his observation that too many times, the preachers end up as predators as they hunt money and power.
And if the hypocrisy was not enough, has anyone ever noticed that those who are trying to legislate morals are often the ones who are caught violating those same morals?
How about we spend more time on Christian education of ourselves and our children and less time trying to pass laws to enforce morality? If we Christians did that, there may be fewer “christian” politicians and preachers being busted for the very immorality they claim to hate.
2 Sean // May 15, 2005 at 1:34 am
Hello.
I noticed this, titled ExxonMobile’s echo chamber: well-funded pseudoscience — an article by the fellow with the handle, Plutonium Page at DKos — and I thought that I’d pass the word on.
Excerpted:
I’m not sure if it’s new info, to you; it seemed pertinent, anyhow.
My hat is permanently off, with no politicking intended, to all reasoning lawyers and persons.
3 Viki // May 16, 2005 at 9:17 am
Let me echo Bob’s comments as well. Having grown up in a Christian (Methodist) home, I have over the last few years grown disenchanted by the religious politicking done by zealous theocrats in this nation. They have done more harm by dividing this nation so deeply than I can ever come to terms with. I grew up believing in a loving God. But this has more to do with hate than love.
I cannot agree with the tactics I have seen used in the current administration to USE religion so divisively in politics. If you check back in history, Hitler’s regime used similar tactics.
I no longer identify myself as a Christian because of this. My beliefs are in a loving God/Spirit but I respect all faiths equally. I believe in tolerance. I believe in the freedom to choose one’s beliefs. I believe in the separation of Church and State.
I do not believe in allowing those of one faith to insinuate their beliefs on others through our government institutions.
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