I used to be a Christian

Over the past two years I have drifted (run) away from my Christian roots as the religious sect has become more paranoid, bigoted, hateful and deceitful.  Although mainstream Protestantism may still exist, they've allowed their voices to be lost amidst child molesting Catholics, thieving fundies and lost sheep Baptists. 

Honestly though, this situation is really only making headlines over the past few years with the fundies trying to take over the Republican party along with the fight for equal rights by the LGBT community.  However, this goes back at least 30 years.  I had my first run-ins with people telling me I was going to hell in my early 20's.  It still surprises me that I became one of those people for two years and spent the next thirteen recovering from all that hatred. 

This morning it dawned on me that "christians' are succeeding in their hate-mongering, fear distribution and dumbing down of this country with two simple tactics.  The first is ramping up fear.  "God's gonna get America if it doesn't...", "Everyone else is out to get us because God sent them after us", etc.  The other game is playing the pity card.  The fundies are oppressed and picked on.  They get members by making them feel bad.  Sadly humans are big enough suckers that it works.

Yesterday good ole Pat Robertson again played the "The nation will fall because we've made God angry" card in his remarks about NY passing the marriage equality bill.  However, this time as I listened to the nonsense spilling out of old Pat, I realized that he is a mere hare's breath away from falling into cahoots with Fred Phelps.  Yep, Robertson hates fags and thinks that Americans recognizing that gays, lesbians, bi's and trans folks have the same inalienable rights as straight people will bring the demise of this nation.  With Pat having more money and a bigger platform (television) than Freddie-boy, this does not bode well for a country that has been lulled into fear, entitlement, sloth and isolationism.  The ground is fertile for the planting and cultivation of these seeds of hate.  The fact that people like Michelle Bachman are running for the presidency is proof of how stupid Americans have allowed themselves to become (note: my definition of stupid is 'those born with a brain who CHOOSE not to use it.)

For those who really do read what Jesus said and subscribe to it..."love you neighbor...", "treat other people..." along with the whole clothing the naked, feeding the poor, doctoring the sick, etc. It is time to stand up to these fundies who are robbing and raping your religion.  Find some balls.  You know...that whole "Fear not" thing.  Remember, at the beginning of the Jesus story it says "For God so loved the world."  Apparently "he" was over all that smiting stuff and decided "he" loved you.  Me personally, I don't subscribe to any of that any more either.  My gods and goddesses are not as petty, jealous and immature.  But that's me.  But for you guys, I love you too and I don't want to see your beliefs get crushed by morons like Pat Robertson, the Phelps family, Tony Perkins, NOM and Focus On The Family.  I sure as hell don't want my civil rights peed on by religious zealots overtaking the government.  Remember, separation of church and state. 

As for New York?  Yay!! Thank you for joining my state in protecting the rights of all committed couples in your state.  Thank you for giving them more legal muscles when fighting greedy family members who swoop in to gut the estates of a gay relative they haven't spoken to in years leaving their life's partner homeless, without memorabilia of their life together, stuck in long court battles while trying to grieve.  Thank you for making it possible for kids and parents not to have to fight with schools with regards to their 'non-traditional' families.  Just thank you.

As for the other forty-four states left, it's time.  America has stagnated and moved so far backwards.  We have lost our nerve.  The hippies became bloated, arrogant, nuevo-riche.  They became THE MAN.  All of their cries for sexual freedom, community and peace have turned into greed, avarice and paranoia.  America was founded on risk-taking, innovation and adventure.  Today we no longer invent, manufacture or explore.  We either work a million service jobs to keep life and limb together or we have some "suit" job running or advertising companies that send all the work that pays enough to live on overseas.  Look at us!  We're America!  We have the best environmental protection laws!  But we're too cheap to pay for things made here in a way that doesn't destroy the environment so we send it all to China.  Really hippies?  Wake-up...move forward.  Give us power sources and transportation that doesn't kill the planet, come up with ways of providing healthcare for the community and GIVE EQUAL RIGHTS TO ALL OUR CITIZENS.