[Mb-hair] Bigotry In The Name Of Jesus

[Michael Butler]

Thanks. I have sent it on to Civic.
P&L M

> 
> Thought I'd share this article with you. Even though I consider myself to be a
> follower of Jesus, I'm not often proud to be included with those who profess
> to be "Christians" these days, and I truly believe Jesus would feel the same.
> Read on and you'll get my drift. ~ Jonathon
> 
> 
> 
> ----------------------------
> 
> Bob Cesca: Bigotry In The Name Of Jesus H. Christ Bob Cesca
> 
> Sat Sep 24, 9:05 PM ET
> 
> 
> 
> This week, 14-year-old Shay Clark was expelled from a Christian private school
> in California because her parents happen to be lesbians. And deservingly so,
> because we all know how much of a threat lesbian parents are; what with the
> fully loaded lesbian firearms they pack in their children's lunch boxes and
> how, by sending their child to a Christian school, they're clearly
> devil-worshipping heathens -- sub-humans bent on the destruction of all things
> American and Christian.
> 
> 
> 
> But that's not all. In a long overlooked section of the Bible called "Jesus H.
> Christ's Rad Blog", the Son of Man's online journal which he kept for a short
> time then abandoned when he lost interest, we find this passage dated March
> 10, 32 A.D.:
> 
> 
> 
> "Gays and lesbians shall be pwn3d for the rest of eternity. For they are
> really goddamn disgusting."
> 
> 
> 
> I know what you're saying. Jesus didn't invent the word "pwn3d". True that.
> It's probably an error in the translation. He did, however, invent the phrase
> "true that". What Mel Gibson didn't tell us is that when Jesus was asked
> whether he was the King of the Jews, Jesus responded, "True that! Um. I mean,
> it is you who say that I am."
> 
> 
> 
> Would it strike you as odd that Jesus never condemned homosexuality? In fact,
> as my friend John Christian Plummer pointed out this week, he never mentioned
> a single word about it. Probably because he was too busy saying things like,
> "Blessed are the peacemakers," and "Blessed are the poor." Here's an actual
> Jesus quote which is interesting:
> 
> 
> 
> "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you,
> and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man."
> 
> 
> 
> Within this sentence, Jesus condemns bigotry and persecution in his name,
> which today happens to define the policies and actions of the modern
> right-wing who ironically embrace Christianity -- the teaching of Christ -- as
> part of their strategy. Throughout his documented life story, Jesus’ most
> incendiary comments and actions were aimed at, 1) Satan, and 2) the men who
> mixed business and religion. Does that second item sound familiar? Nary a
> single word which denounced same-sex marriage -- well, except in the Bible
> used by the right-wing and Christian Fundamentalists known as the "Fake Bible
> Which We Made Up To Suit Our Bigotry: Large Print Edition".
> 
> 
> 
> The Bible contains a lot of hogwash which, in a modern context, has little or
> no validity. The Bible tells us that anyone who comes into contact with a
> woman who is menstruating must do penance. The Book of Leviticus, the section
> of the Bible which is the cornerstone of the frightening Christian
> Reconstructionist movement, condemns homosexuality under pain of death. It
> also condemns the touching of pig flesh on Sundays... under pain of death.
> That would certainly make football interesting. Whoever touches the ball dies.
> 
> 
> 
> One of the most dominant arguments against same-sex marriage has been the
> dictionary definition of marriage: "The legal union of a man and woman as
> husband and wife." That's a pretty weak argument, no? The dictionary? At one
> point in time, a definition taught us that a sperm cell contained a fully
> formed little man called a "homunculus". Just because George W. Bush cites the
> dictionary definition of marriage as "between a man and a woman" doesn't make
> it right and justified. This from the same man who thought "misunderestimated"
> was a word.
> 
> 
> 
> The Republican movement against same-sex-marriage is purely a political tactic
> which feeds off the unjustified fears of easily influenced Americans -- as we
> witnessed during last year's presidential campaign. Gay marriage does nothing
> to threaten you or your marriage, but the anti-gay right-wing wants to make
> you feel that way in order to consolidate their power. The Republicans have
> told you that there's a Toe Monster under your bed and if you don't vote for
> them, the Toe Monster will get your toes! Ooga booga! You allow yourself to
> buy into that? Seriously?
> 
> 
> 
> Plainly put, I can't figure out how our government, founded on freedom, can
> continue to make attempts at legislating bigotry. Ironic that the same
> officials who have sent our soldiers do die for the freedom of the Iraqi
> people (in-so-far as a theocracy will allow freedom) have also engaged in an
> effort to forbid the freedoms of an entire group of Americans. Ironic, but not
> surprising. Our elected officials have been the catalyst behind some of the
> most horrible events ever recorded, and most of those have been in the name of
> morality, fear, and ignorance. You know the list. It includes genocide and
> slavery, to name a couple. So in that respect, this latest effort is no
> surprise, however difficult it is to grasp.
> 
> 
> 
> But Christians? I'm ashamed of you. I'm ashamed to have spent the first 18
> years of my life in your service. I'm ashamed of the dollars I put in your
> collection baskets every Sunday. Shay Clark's parents wanted her to be raised
> amongst your teachings and you've inexplicably found a loophole to exclude
> her. But maybe, like our president, you're only a Christian as a convenience
> to somehow justify your hatred and nearsighted worldview. If you actually read
> that book on which you base your life, you'll find that Shay Clark's lesbian
> parents should be the absolute very least of your worries. What you'll find in
> the teachings of Jesus is that, if anyone, you are your own worst enemy. God's
> speed.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --
> 
> POSTSCRIPT: Christian Fundamentalists and their ilk should probably rethink
> the effort to blur the line between Church and State. If history has taught us
> anything, it's shown that policy is cyclical. If you want your Republican
> government to legislate your dogma, be aware that when the next regime takes
> over -- the group which has typically explored tax hikes as a means of
> reducing the federal deficit -- your tax-exempt status might be in jeopardy.
> If you want the separation of Church and State to be permanently blurred,
> prepare to be taxed. In case you didn't notice, our government loves to pursue
> anyone who might help pay the bills. And without a clear separation, that
> means you.
> 
> 
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/20050925/cm_huffpost/007818;_ylt=AurWbT58rwHn
> 4utmg2D_rAas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3ODdxdHBhBHNlYwM5NjQ-
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Good HAIR Days: A Personal Journey with the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical
> HAIR, by Jonathon Johnson. For more information on the book and how to order
> it, visit www.goodhairdays.net.
> 
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> 
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