Freedom of religion means one religion?


Election year pandering
I was listening to All Things Considered on NPR yesterday.

Yes, despite the rumors, I don't actually listen to much radio. Most commercial radio lives me cold. I'm not into pop songs or country western. Talk radio usually bores or annoys me, although I do enjoy reading the transcripts of Rush Limbaugh's show, and I do follow Tammy Bruce's site and sometimes Hugh Hewitt.

So ATC did this piece on faith issues and elections.

Now think about this.

Conservatives and the Republican Party have been identified with the "Religious Right" and Christian extremism in America. Now I am not commenting on if that label is justified or not. I will say that one thing that bothers me about President Bush is his desire to impose his morality on everyone else, and excuse that behavior in the name of his faith.

Here's a golden opportunity for the Democrats. They could show that while apparently Republicans are only open to evangelical Christians, Democrats are open to all people no matter what their faith or beliefs.

Obviously I have a vested interest, I am a person of faith even if it isn't one of the Big Three monotheistic ones.

Instead, the Democrats here read like Republican lite. It's only "Christian values" that they are quoting. It comes off as election year pandering, and I get the distinct impression that after the election the Democrats will drop the whole "concerned Christian" schtick and get back to the "really important" issues. They are only interested appearance of piety so they can get elected.

Personally, these individual Democrats may have deep faith. That is good, I believe faith is an individual choice that can only be honored by personal commitment. But there is nothing in this article to convince me that the Democrats as a group are interested in religion or values. Certainly their recent behavior doesn't show that.

And it got me to thinking. You see, despite all the noises about inclusiveness, today's Democrat leaders don't want minority groups in the decision making. Oh, they are willing to trot them out for the Victim of the Day parade, but they want them to be quiet.

If you don't spout the modern liberal rhetoric, you are not a true minority. You aren't oppressed, you are a sell out.

Frankly, most of the noise about religious and racial persecution in America is so much codswallop. For all our heated arguments, no one is slicing off anyone's head. Outside of an out of control State, kidnapping people for their beliefs or political affiliations is practically unheard of. And for those who "Blame Bush" for the Federal State, I suggest you take a closer look at his predecessors.

I don't buy into power from victimhood. I don't want favors because of guilt. I don't want to be tolerated or protected.

All I demand is my humanity. I have rights because I am human, not because I am Pagan, libertarian, or any other label.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Fri - October 20, 2006 at 05:58 PM  Tag


 ◊  ◊   ◊  ◊ 

Random selections from NeoWayland's library


Pagan Vigil "Because LIBERTY demands more than just black or white"
© 2005 - 2009 All Rights Reserved