It is currently 03/28/24 3:23 pm

All times are UTC - 6 hours




  Page 1 of 1   [ 7 posts ]
Author Message
 Offline
PostPosted: 12/30/10 3:46 am • # 1 
User avatar
Administrator

Joined: 11/07/08
Posts: 42112
It's tempting to placate Bauer's claims of Christian victimhood by actually treating the far-right Christians exactly as they treat Muslims and others ~ but why should we [collectively] descend to their level? ~ Sooz

A MISGUIDED SENSE OF VICTIMHOOD, CONT'D.... Maybe it's the season that brings out the worst in far-right Christians feeling sorry for themselves.

A couple of weeks ago, Fox News' Gretchen Carlson whined that in American society, it's Christianity that "always seems" to "take the boot." Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), arguably the Senate's most spirited culture warrior, added that "they always pick on the Christians." (It wasn't clear who "they" referred to.)

This week, it's religious right activist/politician Gary Bauer insisting in print that "in a variety of contexts, American Muslims are treated better than American Christians." (via BooMan)

By all indications, Bauer wasn't kidding. To "prove" his case, he listed a series of perceived slights -- the National Endowment for the Arts apparently funds anti-Christian art; Six Flags hosted a "Muslim Family Day"; and late-night comics hurt Christians' feelings -- most of which came across as lazy, trying-too-hard whining.

But there were a couple of Bauer's points that stood out for me. Take this one, for example:

Quote:

If Christianity were treated like Islam, Christmas and Easter would be publicly celebrated for what they are -- the signature events of Christianity, marking the birth and the death and Resurrection of Christ -- not stripped of all their theological meaning and transformed into secular holidays devoted to crass consumerism.

Bauer's confused. It wasn't non-Christians who stripped these holidays of their theological meaning; it was Christians themselves who stripped these holidays of their theological meaning. Does Bauer really think Jews and atheists got together to ensure that Santa Claus and the Easter bunny replaced J.C. as cultural touchstone of the holidays? That it was non-Christians who made it so that Christmas is celebrated in malls, rather than in churches?

Guess again. Christians did this all on their own. Indeed, part of the drive to secularize Christian holidays came, ironically enough, from those who share Bauer's worldview -- to make it easier for adherents to push these holidays into the American mainstream and grant them official support, Christians had to argue that the holidays weren't especially religious.

Bauer then concluded:

Quote:

At a time of the year when intolerance for public displays of Christianity is most acute, it is my Christmas wish that Muslims and Christians would be treated equally.

Bauer really needs to get out more. Take a drive around a typical American neighborhood, and count the Christmas trees, wreaths, and Nativity scenes on front lawns. Then go to a public place and count the folks with crosses around their necks. Then turn on television and count the Christmas specials, or athletes praising God during a game, or entertainers thanking God at an awards ceremony, or TV preachers begging for cash.

If there's "intolerance for public displays of Christianity," it's hiding extremely well.

As for the notion of ensuring that Muslims and Christians are "treated equally," when Bauer can point to a national controversy over converting a closed clothing store into a Christian community center, I'll be very impressed.

I continue to marvel at why folks like Bauer wallow in self pity. It's become part of their religio-political identity, but it's as absurd as it is paranoid. Christians dominate American society, in large part because they're a huge majority. The misguided sense of victimhood is getting tiresome.

—Steve Benen 8:40 AM December 30, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027310.php


Top
  
PostPosted: 12/30/10 6:34 am • # 2 
Until we have a holiday called "Kick a Christian" Day - I'll see their whining for what it is... crocodile tears.


Top
  
PostPosted: 12/30/10 10:13 am • # 3 
Psychiatrists call it "The Messiah Complex". It's necessary to see yourself as being persecuted so that you can feel more like Jebus.

That's why so many fundies, when challenged on one point or another will say "You know, they crucified Jebus too". It gives them the sense that they are Christ-like.

I see all religion as a form of mental illness. I know that galls some people, but everyone has some kind of mental illness. Not all of them are destructive.

It could be worse. I could be Sam Harris.


Top
  
 Offline
PostPosted: 12/30/10 11:16 am • # 4 
User avatar
Editorialist

Joined: 07/03/10
Posts: 1851
Image




Top
  
PostPosted: 12/30/10 11:21 am • # 5 
I love that post, Laffin...


Top
  
 Offline
PostPosted: 12/30/10 11:23 am • # 6 
User avatar
Editorialist

Joined: 07/03/10
Posts: 1851
Well, it's true!


Top
  
PostPosted: 12/30/10 11:35 am • # 7 
Yes it is, but it's not in the bible or on Fox News, so right wing fundies are unaware of it.

The naming of the days of the week is a nod to the influence that was once held by Vikings in Europe. Pagans all.

Those same people don't know that their alphabet is Arabic. Arabs are the source of the word Algebra. They also don't know that mathematics used to be called "algorism" and came from the name of a 7th century Arab scholar named Al-Khwarizmi. His name is also where we get the term 'algorithm'. He is the reason the west found out about decimal points and zeros.


Top
  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  

  Page 1 of 1   [ 7 posts ] New Topic Add Reply

All times are UTC - 6 hours



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
© Voices or Choices.
All rights reserved.