You know it's not every day that an atheist like me gets to tell a Christianist bigot that I'm a better Christian than she is.
But that's what I'm telling the Big Blue Blobber
Because while I'm not surprised that the ravings of Archbishop Nazir-Ali get her vibrating sympathetically. He is after all one of the best-known Christianist nut jobs in Britain.
In 2000 he said that having children in a marriage was not an "optional extra" and there was "a real lack" if people decided not to have children. Last year, he said Islamic extremism was turning parts of our cities into "no-go areas", and complained about the amplified call to prayer. He has also denounced multiculturalism as "newfangled and insecurely founded" and in 2007 announced he wouldn't be going to the Lambeth Conference, in protest at a gay bishop in America.
Nor am I surprised that she approves of the Old Testament, that hideous novella of mass murder and incest. Or that she believes in carrying down the "traditions" of the hairy desert dwellers who wrote it....in between bouts of beating their many wives, killing their neighbours, and screwing their goats.
It is clear from Scripture and Tradition that homosexual behaviour is condemned... Tradition is important, because unlike "Bible-Only" Christians, Catholics and other churches that subscribe to apostolic succession believe in the inerrancy of Sacred Tradition...
You know Sacred Traditions like this one:
"If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them."
Or the one about not eating shrimp or else....because that's a really scary one too. Along with the one blessing the inerrancy of SLAVERY.
But when she says the following she crosses the line between intolerance and insanity:
As far as we're concerned, Jesus rejects homosexual behaviour, as well.
Because even an atheist like me knows that's nonsense. And if you don't believe me ask my mum.
You see she's an Anglican and a good Christian. She believes that Jesus' message is one of love. And she doesn't talk that message, or preach it, she LIVES it. She doesn't judge people she just tries to help them, from feeding the poor and the elderly, to taking disabled children for horseback rides.
And of course she loves me for who I am. She loves Sébastien like a son for loving me so well. And believes that just like those of her straight children,committed loving gay relationships should be celebrated not condemned...
Contrast that with the hideous judgemental ravings of those who believe they own the word of God. And you decide who is a real Christian.
Which is why I believe I've got the best mum in the world.
Why I believe that love beats hate any old day.
And why I believe that if Jesus really did exist. And he found these Christianist frauds in his temple. He'd sweep them out with a broom.
And spit in their faces...
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P.S. My dad is a good Christian too. But while my sister went with my mum to the Anglican Church. He took us boys to the Church of Scotland. Until the day he realized he loved golf too much. And we wuz SAVED !!!!
Whenever I start feeling completely fed up with Christians, I go back and re-read Bishop John Spong's "Rescuing the Bible From Fundamentalism". Just to remind myself that not all Xtians are like that, and that Jesus hisself was actually kinda cool. What with the whole 'Centurion's servant' story and all.
ReplyDeleteYour mother is the type of Christian who has more influence in the world than all the jumped-up Bible-bashing God-botherers.
ReplyDeleteI had the fortune to attend the installation of Rose Wolfe as Chancellor of University of Toronto and one thing that stuck with me was her phrase, "the learning comes from the doing."
Your mother does it and it is she and millions of others who put the
"talkers" to shame.
Now I wonder how much of a "doer" is Stephen Harper. Or is he just a "talker"?
Its funny how the Bible says to "love thy neighbor" on the one hand and that "Jesus loves everyone" and then has that infamous phrase about homosexuals.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, decent people interpret their religion for good, like your mom does, not for oppression and prejudice.
Hi Jennifer...although I am an atheist because I don't believe in Gods and I believe our heaven and our hell are right here on Earth, some of the finest people I've ever met are Christians who work in dreadful dangerous places helping the poor and the sick.
ReplyDeleteI admire their bravery and their commitment,and share their desire for a kinder,gentler, more just world.
Of course I don't believe in the fairy tale that inspires them, but I figure if you have love in your heart you can't go wrong.
On the other hand I looked up Spong's version of the Centurion's Servant...and I found it quite ...um...stimulating. If they had taught me that story in Sunday School I might have been a believer... :)
Hi Torontonian... I wish more Christians were like my mum, but unfortunately so many of them seem more obsessed with hate than love.
ReplyDeleteBut yes...Christians who act like Christians are people I get along with very well.I like kind people and hate bullies as you know.
Which of course disqualifies Harper on all counts.
Because he's a hideous bully, he has no capacity for empathy, and although he claims to be a Christian he certainly doesn't act like one. As far as I can tell the only volunteer program he's enrolled in is a kitten adoption one. Which is featured on his website and is an obvious attempt to try to make him look human.
Every time I look at those poor little pussycats I feel like calling the SPCA... :)
Hi Hannah...my mother says she takes her faith from the New Testament and doesn't much bother with the Old one.
ReplyDeleteAnd the one thing she did manage to convince me about was how important it is to love your neighbours...even when it's hard. Because if we don't do that we'll never have a peaceful world.
I hope the voices of the decent Christians can drown out the hateful ones, because they're not only hurting us, they're undermining their own religion...