I'm not a stereotype.

[madamesilverspurs]

Just wanted to mention that, seeing as how this weekend has seen an uptick of nasty posts excoriating people like me. My alleged offense? I hold and practice a faith that is deemed worthy of unwelcome by many who post on these boards.

To be perfectly clear, I do not hate gays; in fact, I support full equal rights across the board, including marriage.

I am actively pro-choice.

I believe that pedophilia in any venue is worthy of prosecution.

I believe that using a religion - be it mine, yours or anyone else's - as an excuse to treat others horribly is nothing more than self-serving power-tripping using God/gods/religion as an excuse.

I believe that there are many spiritual paths, that I don't have the exclusive key to any heavenly door.

I also believe that no one is required to share my faith or, for that matter, to have any inclination to faith at all.

And it saddens me no end that there are those willing to pervert something of beauty by putting its name on something ugly, almost as much as it angers me when people like me are automatically lumped in with such counterfeiters.


So, given the season, I extend to those of faith the sincere hope for joyous observance.


And for those who don't like it, live and let live.

[Arctic Dave]

1. You need to rub off on a lot more people.

Too bad the idiots drown you out.

[The Straight Story]

2. I am a christian in belief, and follow a real simple rule from the NT

Jesus didn't tell his followers to change laws and make people live a certain way, he said to change the hearts and minds of people. Be in the world not of it.

And I think the Amish do that well.

The fundies don't.

But then, some on the Left don't either and keep telling me how I should live my life. So I am not big fans of them either.

But I agree with you, some folks create a stereotype of christians and that is ok - it is just not ok when you do it for other people/groups.

And if you DO do such things, they may consider it hate speech as it foments anger/hatred towards others. Which is bad. Unless it is against christians - even if said christians are nothing like the ones they are talking about.

[Coyote_Bandit]

3. .

:hug:

I'm right there with you.

Don't let the bastards get you down.

[Still Sensible]

4. K & R... For you have your head screwed on straight.

IMHO!

[patrice]

5. As I've been saying to folk recently: A God by any other name is still a God.

Anyone who thinks Rationalism has absolute power doesn't know what Rationalism is.

[patrice]

6. P.S. Try saying anything positive about the Catholic Church around here.

What you will experience may not be hate speech, but it might be the next thing to it.

Personally, I think the Golden Rule says everything we need to know about morality. And I think we need artists more than we need priests and ministers.

[The Doctor.]

10. The Catholic Church has sponsored many charity initiatives to positively influence people's lives.

Just giving it a whirl. ;)

[patrice]

12. It also has some of the deepest roots in Social and Economic Justice. Catholic Liberals

were sold out by the rest of the church for power "to do something about Roe V. Wade" problem is they sold their souls to phony Pro-Lifers who started an un-necessary War and got a bunch of INNOCENT people killed who didn't need killing, thus under-cutting what was once a legitimate coherent set of Pro-Life values, which included anti-Capital Punishment and pro-Peace, for the political football that il-legalizing Abortion has become.

The issues surrounding pedophilia amongst the priests are absolutely serious, and not to be under-rated, but I suspect at least some of the attack is also definitely motivated by the fact that the Catholic Church is one of the significant historical sources of true Liberalism in the U.S. If the corporate-state is severing itself from its Right Wing Fundamentalist base, it's going to want to take down its corelate on the Left too.

I was raised Conservative Catholic, I think the best thing for them to do is to return to true "seamless cloak" Pro-Life values and work to reduce abortions at the grassroots level, while actively opposing Capitol Punishment, and actively working for Peace.

Women won't have abortions if they feel like they CAN support their children and that there is economic and social security for their children to grow up in and have health care and complete and appropriate educations.

ABORTION IS A SYMPTOM, NOT THE PROBLEM.

[mitchtv]

21. they need a new pope

The Church supports the rich and aristocracy as ever, although there might be a few like you describe, they are pretty much supressed.

[patrice]

22. Suppressed, or, like me, gone. Yes, a re-incarnation of John XXIII would be a good thing.

I miss the Mass, but I am not strong enough to reform the church from within.

[mitchtv]

24. or like me , unwelcome

[jwirr]

7. My Christan faith is part of me. I do not let those on here upset me

and I try not to upset them. Each of us must live with our own beliefs and if we are going to fight all the time about which is right we will never find peace in this world. This to me is a personal choice.

[JerseygirlCT]

8. Thanks, and a happy Easter to you.

And I agree with all you've said.

[The Doctor.]

9. I am.

Oh... wait, not The Life of Brian thread.

[AwakeAtLast]

11. Well said

Thank you for being a voice of reason and tolerance.

Now, if only everyone on DU could read this....

:hi:

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Recommended.

Thank you.

[NJmaverick]

14. It would be fitting to have the solo clapping eventually grow to an over whelming chorus

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Uzybone]

15. well said

I'm not religious but the stereotyping by some on here is awful.

[varkam]

16. K&R. Even thought I don't share the faith, I do share the sentiment.

:kick:

[Maru Kitteh]

17. K'd and R'd and a hearty "Me Too!"

[elocs]

18. There is a lot of vitriol here at DU towards religion, particularly Christianity.

So many are smug and self-righteous in their intolerance of religion.

[omega minimo]

19. The voice of reason is always refreshing.

K/R

[mitchtv]

20. How nice; too bad you have been pushed aside

by the loud ,obnoxious, intolerant groups who claim ownership of most religions. Let's face it, If there were more like you profess we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now, I like your ideas.

[Number23]

23. Love it! Happy Easter, madame!

Happy to rec

[SpartanDem]

25. While i consider myself to be agnostic

I agree with the OP some in the non believer crowd show themselves to be just as intolerant and mean spirited as the very people they denounce