Conservative Christians creating God in their image - VIDEO
Posted on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 02:51 AM
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A few years ago the Los Angeles Times reported that the 'most rapidly growing category today is composed of those Americans who say they have no religious affiliation.'
It's really not hard to see why. Respondents claimed they were alienated from organized religion due to its increasingly conservative politics.
It's not as if the examples of the kind of outrageous intolerance they're lamenting have been in short supply. Last week the world watched in horror as Pastor Charles L. Worley made headlines for suggesting that America's gays and lesbians should be locked behind an electrified fence and left to die.
'Forty years ago they would've hung, bless God, from a white oak tree! Wouldn't they? Amen,' the pastor from the Providence Road Baptist Church in North Carolina said. His congregation immediately shouted Amen's in agreement.
Pastor Worley was advocating the genocide of gays who he said would 'die out' from their inability to reproduce. Critics have wondered where he thought gay people came from in the first place but the pastor didn't intend to puzzle over the details.
A week before him Pastor Sean Harris of Berean Baptist Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina also made headlines for encouraging local parents to beat their sons if they exhibited suspected gay behavior.
North Carolina, by the way, has just passed Amendment One, a needless piece of anti-gay bigotry that prevents gay couples from forming a legal marriage or even a civil union, banishing their relationships and their reality to a legal outer darkness. The only way the majority of heterosexual North Carolinians could secure their marriages was to prevent their gay neighbors from contracting their own, apparently.
In twenty years Amendment One will shame the sons of daughters of the people who voted for it now. In the meantime it's just another expression of the religious and social homophobia that now engulfs the state and right wing politics nationally.
The message from North Carolina is the message from conservative Christianity: God hates gays, God hates abortion, God hates liberals, God wrote the US constitution, Marxist Socialist Liberals have defied God, God will punish America for its growing Godlessness.
These were once considered the views of religious extremists, but now they are sentiments parroted by Republican politicians seeking your vote in a presidential primary.
Having made God in their own intolerant image, and having decided He hates all the same people they do, is it any wonder He's an increasingly hard sell to the rest of the nation?
56 Comments
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EamonnDublin | Jun 03, 2012, 09:46 AM EDT
"EiriAmach" - I take your point..... however! ..... it impedes debate because once they have called you a racist or whatever, regardless of what you then say (or should I say "try to say", in verbal debate) they repeat the insult and add that there is no point talking to you because you are a racist - or whatever. Result: no debate. BTW, one only has to read various comments in various media to see that the more aggressive between left and right is normally the left. I had thought that this view is pretty well accepted at this stage. For example, have a glance at the "debates" about Catholicism: most of the "pro" comments stick to stating facts or views without insulting atheists or whatever, whereas a lot of the "con" comments simply spew out vile insults about the "evil" church and "wicked" Pope, etc. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
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eiriamach | Jun 02, 2012, 11:19 AM EDT
EamonnDublin, I don't understand the point of your complaint. (And I don't believe it is true, or that it's more true of the left than the right.) Everyone has an obligation NOT to mistake name-calling for argument. And name-calling (the logician's "ad hominem") is logically irrelevant, a fallacy of relevance. It's easy enough to ignore the name calling and focus on the argument, and if the name caller HAS NO argument, ignore the comment! I have to agree with you that "insult hurling" can be annoying, but I don't understand how it impedes "debate." Don't let it confuse you!
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EamonnDublin | Jun 01, 2012, 03:48 AM EDT
"BulldogMania" - I think most people, such as myself, who hold more conservative, right wing, views, consider the opposite to what you say to be true - in that, surely, it is the left that immediately brands right wingers as "racists", homophobes", Islamophobes", etc., simply because the right seeks to put forward a point of view. Example: "I think Ireland has too many immigrants". Immediate response: "RACIST"! Or, "I don't really think single sex marriage should be allowed". Response: "Homophobe"! Instead of the foregoing, the response to the statements should not be an accusation, but should be a question:"Why"? Result - debate, rather than insult hurling. Éamonn, Dublin, Ireland.
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hollabackgurl | May 31, 2012, 10:41 PM EDT
The US is not a theocracy. If your religion tells you it's a sin to eat pork, don't eat pork. Don't make a law so no one can eat pork. If your religion tells you certain homosexual acts are a sin, find a church that doesn't condemn you. Don't make a law so no one can have a gay marriage. But if you do want to live in a theocracy, move to Iran.
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100thApefrom58 | May 31, 2012, 03:20 PM EDT
What ..You don't understand the political correctness two edged sword ? @BulldogMania..lol ..the two edged sword is actually a "sickle" and "Hammer" the ol' slash and smash...You disagree with them and damage control is infinite in reach and scope.
and yet acceptance is quite finite ,if not non corporeal at all , and only giving self serving lip service when "they" do..
Your contradictory political views ? Wow..That made Me think a little ..thanx..
It would be indicative of conflicting political views and not values as a whole ? beyond that ..could be time to examine Ye Ole' bean ? lol.. it's up to You to finish the view on out to a value, if it didn't fit the parameter..chop-chop..or ride the fence till the sliver's make You choose..
I don't want to personally ever; or my children -grandchildren to see overtly gay "antic's" in public, or "Hetero " tonsil examinations in the public library or other public area's..get a room people ! quit the miscreant militant mentality..people may find it easier to accept Your differences. leave the stereo type ludicrous lisp , and be heard, trying to out fem. Women won't help ..just looks obtuse ,weak ..animated for folly..They go out of their way to be sickening..daring You to say something , so they can call You intolerant...
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BulldogMania | May 31, 2012, 12:01 PM EDT
Can anyone explain to me why you are labeled as intolerant if you don't agree with the policies of the radical liberal left. Has it ever occurred to them, that they might be the ones who are intolerant by not agreeing with the those on the other side of an issue?
As an independent, I must confess that I enjoy the back and forth...it makes for great amusement, but sometimes I have to wonder why everyone that disagrees with the radicalized left is labeled as intolerant. I wonder what I am because sometimes I agree with them and sometimes I don't?
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Andrew007 | May 31, 2012, 10:16 AM EDT
Part 2: God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, and so whilst human societies have changed drastically, He and His standards have NOT. God is as intolerant of sin today as He was 4000 years ago when the Hebrews were first given their Laws, but He wants to grant us mercy through us repenting of our evil ways, accepting the salvation offered through Jesus Christ, and humbly turning back to Him.
The fact that those Christian churches which have remained righteous and haven’t watered down the Biblical message with liberal ideology are called “homophobic” and “bigoted” (especially by the self-serving ideologues who wish to justify their own shameful Godlessness and/or wickedness), is an indication of the extent to which truly unholy and Anti-Christian (i.e. “Christophobic”) attitudes have permeated liberal discourse in civil affairs. Indeed, it’s already being mooted in some quarters that “sexual liberty” should replace religious liberty, and even that the Churches should be FORCED to conduct homosexual marriages and hire homosexual staff!!!
Be warned: this revolution in civil society, if not corrected, will – in conjunction with other major trends – overturn the very foundations of Western Christian Civilisation, and in time undermine all of the institutions we hold dear which we have inherited from our forbears … and just as with the Romans when they abandoned the principles that made their Republic great, I fear this will come to our immense cost ….
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Andrew007 | May 31, 2012, 10:15 AM EDT
Whilst I'm repulsed and saddened by the merciless attitude displayed by Pr Worley and his profane preaching, and whilst I'm disappointed by the ignorance of the brave but foolish supporter, they are nonetheless correct in upholding Biblical standards of morality regarding sin in general and homosexual sin in particular.
Unlike the author of this article, who apparently believes that God should be some sort of liberal Santa Claus with post modern liberal attitudes to human sexuality, the Bible CLEARLY shows that our Creator is a God Who has created high standards of morality for all Mankind to live by, and through the ancient Hebrew Laws and Prophets (reinforced by Jesus Christ and the Fathers of the Church) has informed us directly of what He expects, and the consequences of our proud rebellion and wickedness should we decide to reject Him and His Word.
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EamonnDublin | May 31, 2012, 09:36 AM EDT
The post headed "BrianO", dated May 30, 6.22pm, is actually from ME - as signed! Don't blame me! Éamonn, Dublin.
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BrianO | May 31, 2012, 07:22 AM EDT
Why would anyone want to do these things? Good question, I have to guess because it is foreign to me. These things are wanted to move the country further towards a communist/socialist form. Utopia is the goal.
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BrianO | May 30, 2012, 06:27 PM EDT
if one group has more money just take it,
seems a simple solution. I'm sure you are destitute after giving away your evil wealth. You have given your wealth away right? Nothing better to build up ones self esteem like a handout, waiting in line for what an organization deems is your fair share. I'm sure you suggest to your offspring to help with good intentions, strive to be the bottom, because the bottom is where all dignity comes from, do not strive to rise from the bottom and achieve that is undignified. Together in your group mediocrity you can survive and be subsidized by the evil few who unfairly worked hard and attained wealth and knowledge. These evil people with their ambition, won't mind being fleeced and will still make inroads into science, medicine, If the don't want to give willingly again just take it. What happens when there are no achievers left to steal from? Ask the Greeks.
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EamonnDublin | May 30, 2012, 06:22 PM EDT
Thank you, Eiriamach - I suggest you and I should go into business together, showing people how we can differ greatly in our opinions but still be nice and civil to one another. Loads of clients on this board! Well, if only they would LISTEN for a change! Best Wishes, Éamonn. P.S. We could call the business "Gerry and Ian, Inc."
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Gearoid4 | May 30, 2012, 06:13 PM EDT
Marriage is a very unique institution that has survived social fads and mores for thousands of years. Every major global society, both religious and non religious, have recognized, that at it's core,it consists of the union of one man and one woman, which is open to procreation. This has remained constant over the centuries, with exceptional variations on the theme, such as polygamous practices in certain regions.
Marriage of itself, is not a universal right that can be granted whimsically to all who desire it. It constitutes the bedrock of society in it's long accepted form, which has nourished the mutual love of husbands and wives and their families and benefited wider society in general.
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eiriamach | May 30, 2012, 03:29 PM EDT
BrianO, why do you think ANYONE would want to do these things-- "the Gay issues are being used by the far left to destroy the family unit, religion, and the current makeup of society, not to help the average gay person"? We on the left have families we cherish, some of us are married, we work at keeping relationships strong, and at least some of us, if not most, also practice some religion. Get a grip-- no one on the left is trying to tear down anything of value from our shared traditions, from the past that you cling to. But we can strengthen our sense of community and human dignity by extending health care, education, financial opportunities, social institutions like marriage, and more, equally to everyone! How dignified does it seem to you that the wealthiest 20% of Americans control more of our national wealth than the other 80% combined? How dignified is it for one group, especially if it is the majority, to use its political power to deny to any other group the same civil rights it enjoys?
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