Fear and loathing in the USA
Yesterday, Prop 8 was overturned in California. A monumental baby step towards marriage equality, absolutely. My thoughts on the topic have been posted here many, many times. I so completely understand, actively support and will argue to the death with anyone about this. And likely, I'll win. Not because I believe in it so very much but because I understand the religious zealot side too. I was one.
This issue has nothing to do with gay rights for them. It isn't a human rights issue. It isn't even about the defense of marriage or right and wrong. It has nothing to do with morality. No, this is a fight for them that has to do with something even deeper.
This issue is about the breakdown of organized religion.
It is about what they see as the death of "The Way Things Were." The idealized version of growing up in a "traditional way" with "family values" and "down home beliefs." They see the end of a way of life somehow tied up in this battle. All the choices they made, all the decisions and prayers and holding onto something are mixed up in this. They have spent generations believing in the Bible and holding onto to its concrete beliefs and keeping their eyes planted on a heaven that may not even exist. Fear led us to church and it is this fear exactly that keeps the Bible thumping along.
It is absolutely terrifying to discover the truth behind the writing of the Bible for a Christian. Once your eyes are open to its history, you are forced to question every thought and idea that you have. Once you read the texts and understand the politics around our modern-day churches and how they really came to be... it is quite frankly like skinning oneself. Letting all your insides out and standing before the world completely bare to the core.
I know because it happened to me.
This is something that is happening to our world. People, in large part due to our quest for knowledge and the internet making it so easily accessible, are asking big questions. Those questions that we think will lead us to further enlightenment and further understanding of God's wishes for us often lead us to the path of the opposite. We find that the modern-day beliefs are just regurgitations of beliefs held for thousands and thousands of years. That who we refer to as God long pre-dates modern Christianity. And let's be honest here, Christianity is the opponent of this fight.
As attendance drops and folks stop going to church, and therefore stop donating their money, churches are digging in their heels. They're finding causes to fight and ways to find their names in our newspapers. As more and more adults come out against pedophile priests, the church digs in. Controversy will weed out the "sort of" members but strengthen and re-affirm the zealots.
As we as a nation move away from "traditional" religion and learn to embrace all faiths, never underestimate the power of fear. It worked for President Bush and justified an unjust war, at least for a while. Christians hold onto a fear much greater: an eternity burning in hell. And really, isn't that what we're fighting? It has nothing to do with two people who love each other. It is a selfish battle, that of saving oneself from a burning pit of sulfur for all time. It sure got my attention back in the early 90's.
Gay marriage will likely become the new abortion issue. It will probably come to the Supreme Court and that decision will likely fall on the side of the gay rights advocates. There is no way around this and the current Supreme Court justices certainly lean left. Future generations will cast votes for certain political parties based upon this issue. Candidate A will be pro-life and anti gay marriage while Candidate B will be pro-choice and pro-equality. The issue will be found in high school debate teams and become a course in Liberal Arts colleges. Parents will raise their children to fall on one side or the other.
I firmly believe this has nothing to do with gay rights. It has everything to do with a crumbling Christian empire whose collection baskets and pews are more empty every Sunday. It will be fear that will continue the fight. Not homophobia. Fear for one's eternal soul as defined by a book that was bought and written by politicians so many, many years ago.
Its one thing to question something, its entirely different to know what questions to ask.
This issue has nothing to do with gay rights for them. It isn't a human rights issue. It isn't even about the defense of marriage or right and wrong. It has nothing to do with morality. No, this is a fight for them that has to do with something even deeper.
This issue is about the breakdown of organized religion.
It is about what they see as the death of "The Way Things Were." The idealized version of growing up in a "traditional way" with "family values" and "down home beliefs." They see the end of a way of life somehow tied up in this battle. All the choices they made, all the decisions and prayers and holding onto something are mixed up in this. They have spent generations believing in the Bible and holding onto to its concrete beliefs and keeping their eyes planted on a heaven that may not even exist. Fear led us to church and it is this fear exactly that keeps the Bible thumping along.
It is absolutely terrifying to discover the truth behind the writing of the Bible for a Christian. Once your eyes are open to its history, you are forced to question every thought and idea that you have. Once you read the texts and understand the politics around our modern-day churches and how they really came to be... it is quite frankly like skinning oneself. Letting all your insides out and standing before the world completely bare to the core.
I know because it happened to me.
This is something that is happening to our world. People, in large part due to our quest for knowledge and the internet making it so easily accessible, are asking big questions. Those questions that we think will lead us to further enlightenment and further understanding of God's wishes for us often lead us to the path of the opposite. We find that the modern-day beliefs are just regurgitations of beliefs held for thousands and thousands of years. That who we refer to as God long pre-dates modern Christianity. And let's be honest here, Christianity is the opponent of this fight.
As attendance drops and folks stop going to church, and therefore stop donating their money, churches are digging in their heels. They're finding causes to fight and ways to find their names in our newspapers. As more and more adults come out against pedophile priests, the church digs in. Controversy will weed out the "sort of" members but strengthen and re-affirm the zealots.
As we as a nation move away from "traditional" religion and learn to embrace all faiths, never underestimate the power of fear. It worked for President Bush and justified an unjust war, at least for a while. Christians hold onto a fear much greater: an eternity burning in hell. And really, isn't that what we're fighting? It has nothing to do with two people who love each other. It is a selfish battle, that of saving oneself from a burning pit of sulfur for all time. It sure got my attention back in the early 90's.
Gay marriage will likely become the new abortion issue. It will probably come to the Supreme Court and that decision will likely fall on the side of the gay rights advocates. There is no way around this and the current Supreme Court justices certainly lean left. Future generations will cast votes for certain political parties based upon this issue. Candidate A will be pro-life and anti gay marriage while Candidate B will be pro-choice and pro-equality. The issue will be found in high school debate teams and become a course in Liberal Arts colleges. Parents will raise their children to fall on one side or the other.
I firmly believe this has nothing to do with gay rights. It has everything to do with a crumbling Christian empire whose collection baskets and pews are more empty every Sunday. It will be fear that will continue the fight. Not homophobia. Fear for one's eternal soul as defined by a book that was bought and written by politicians so many, many years ago.
Its one thing to question something, its entirely different to know what questions to ask.
Do you have any rec reading for the truth about who wrote the bible?
ReplyDeleteI am writing a post in response to your question, sorry it took so long to get back to you.
ReplyDelete