Religious Freedom For Reich Wingers; Everyone Else Be Damned.
In 1992, the GOP was officially taken over the by Christian Right. Since then they have used the reigns of the party to, as they put it, “defend the assault on Christianity.” But is there really an assault on the Christian faith?
Reich wingers have continually lamented the ACLU, and other independent organizations who work to protect the civil liberties of all Americans. With the ACLU particularly, the Cons have been most vocal with their work on preventing an establishment of religion by the federal government. While Republicans have pushed for the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public facilities, including public schools, the ACLU have worked to protect the religious freedoms of those who are not Judea-Christians.
The Cons have twisted this logic around, saying that they are the ones who are protecting the right of “freedom of religion”, apparently by trying to force their own religion down the rest of the country’s throat. But if this is the case, as they say, then one should expect that they would be protective of all faiths.
That logic quickly falls to the waist side, once you remember that we are waging a war on “terrorism”, which is essentially, Reich-wing code for waging a war against Islam. While the squatter in the White House may be too PC to say it out loud, he has a vast chorus of propagandists, Bill O’Reilly to name just one, who will gleefully attack the Muslim faith for all they can muster.
The Islam fly-in-the-ointment aside, one should at least expect the Reich wing not to attack a Christian church. Well, you would expect wrong.
Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that Bush’s IRS is attempting to remove the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopalian Church in Pasadena, California. IRS law states the churches can keep their tax-exempt status, so long as they do not endorse, or support a political candidate for office. Despite that several Catholic Churches publicly stated that they would not give communion to Kerry voters, much less Kerry himself, in the lead-up to the 2004 election, the IRS instead chose to go after All Saints for a sermon by Rev. George F. Regas, which discussed what Jesus Christ might say to George W. Bush and John Kerry.
The brilliant and moving sermon, which in part stated: “Jesus looking at the United States, the most powerful nation in the history of civilization, disavows any path that affirms grief must lead to war; Jesus refuses to accept the violence of war as the necessary consequences of our tragic losses on September 11th.
“Maybe you are calling Jesus naïve, but he points us to the truest reality in the universe: ‘Mercy brings mercy and revenge brings revenge.’”
Because All Saints preached a sermon that read from Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God”, the “Godly Man” in the White House sicced the IRS dogs on them. Meanwhile, on The 700 Club the “Christian Conservative” Pat Robertson gets a complete pass for his comments in October of 2003, when he said, “If I could just get a nuclear device inside [the] Foggy Bottom [section of Washington, D.C.], I think that’s the answer.” If Robertson had been a Muslim he would be enjoying the tropical heat of Guantanamo.
The Reich wing does not favor religious freedom for anyone. They simply want to force you to pray to their “Conservative” God, everyone else be Damned. And despite that nowhere in the Bible does it state that God is in need of the state to enforce Faith, you can count on the GOP for that little extra push. Just don’t tell them that the 10 Commandments doesn’t mention abortion or homosexuality, unless you wish the IRS to come knocking at your door.
Reich wingers have continually lamented the ACLU, and other independent organizations who work to protect the civil liberties of all Americans. With the ACLU particularly, the Cons have been most vocal with their work on preventing an establishment of religion by the federal government. While Republicans have pushed for the 10 Commandments to be displayed in public facilities, including public schools, the ACLU have worked to protect the religious freedoms of those who are not Judea-Christians.
The Cons have twisted this logic around, saying that they are the ones who are protecting the right of “freedom of religion”, apparently by trying to force their own religion down the rest of the country’s throat. But if this is the case, as they say, then one should expect that they would be protective of all faiths.
That logic quickly falls to the waist side, once you remember that we are waging a war on “terrorism”, which is essentially, Reich-wing code for waging a war against Islam. While the squatter in the White House may be too PC to say it out loud, he has a vast chorus of propagandists, Bill O’Reilly to name just one, who will gleefully attack the Muslim faith for all they can muster.
The Islam fly-in-the-ointment aside, one should at least expect the Reich wing not to attack a Christian church. Well, you would expect wrong.
Earlier this month, The Washington Post reported that Bush’s IRS is attempting to remove the tax-exempt status of All Saints Episcopalian Church in Pasadena, California. IRS law states the churches can keep their tax-exempt status, so long as they do not endorse, or support a political candidate for office. Despite that several Catholic Churches publicly stated that they would not give communion to Kerry voters, much less Kerry himself, in the lead-up to the 2004 election, the IRS instead chose to go after All Saints for a sermon by Rev. George F. Regas, which discussed what Jesus Christ might say to George W. Bush and John Kerry.
The brilliant and moving sermon, which in part stated: “Jesus looking at the United States, the most powerful nation in the history of civilization, disavows any path that affirms grief must lead to war; Jesus refuses to accept the violence of war as the necessary consequences of our tragic losses on September 11th.
“Maybe you are calling Jesus naïve, but he points us to the truest reality in the universe: ‘Mercy brings mercy and revenge brings revenge.’”
Because All Saints preached a sermon that read from Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the Children of God”, the “Godly Man” in the White House sicced the IRS dogs on them. Meanwhile, on The 700 Club the “Christian Conservative” Pat Robertson gets a complete pass for his comments in October of 2003, when he said, “If I could just get a nuclear device inside [the] Foggy Bottom [section of Washington, D.C.], I think that’s the answer.” If Robertson had been a Muslim he would be enjoying the tropical heat of Guantanamo.
The Reich wing does not favor religious freedom for anyone. They simply want to force you to pray to their “Conservative” God, everyone else be Damned. And despite that nowhere in the Bible does it state that God is in need of the state to enforce Faith, you can count on the GOP for that little extra push. Just don’t tell them that the 10 Commandments doesn’t mention abortion or homosexuality, unless you wish the IRS to come knocking at your door.
posted by Alva Goldbook at 9:43 PM
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