Easter Irony

I just came across this cartoon on the Internet:

Let me explain why I think this cartoon is ironic. Most of the fundogelicals I know are conservative in both religion and politics. When they wear their political hats, they invariably tell me that, unlike “nanny state” liberals, conservatives believe in “personal responsibility.” They oppose the Affordable Care Act because they believe it undermines personal responsibility to adequately care for oneself and one’s family. They oppose gun safety laws because, in addition to allegedly infringing on their right to own firearms, such laws – they say – are symptomatic of big, intrusive “nanny state” government. People who own firearms can take care of themselves, their weapons, and their homes and families just fine without any stinking government telling them how to do so, thank you very much. Mind you, many of these people who don’t want government to regulate what types of weapons and accessories can be owned and used by citizens, and don’t want government regulating their health care options any more than it does now, have no difficulty expecting the government to regulate citizens’ most intimate reproductive and marital options. Government that does those things is not too big at all.

What I find immensely ironic is that these people (the ones I know, anyway) who allegedly embrace “personal responsibility” in all things political, have absolutely no difficulty fleeing personal responsibility when it comes to their religious lives. They’ve sinned and deserve to burn in hell? Fine – surely they’ll own and admit their guilt and accept their just desserts, right?

Uhh, not quite. Their religion not only encourages these “personal responsibility” proponents not to accept their punishments like adults, it actually requires them to push their guilt onto someone else – ideally someone who was perfect and therefore didn’t have to atone for his own sins – and let him serve a sentence in their place. They have absolutely no difficulty accepting the idea that their “salvation” comes at the expense of an innocent man, an idea that I find abhorrent. The irony astonishes me. Godless liberal that I am, if it happens that I am wrong about the existence of any gods, I will accept responsibility for my error and endure whatever consequences that may entail. As far as I’m concerned, that is the only morally acceptable option available.

– the chaplain

 

A Darwin Award and More…

You’ve probably heard by now that another snake-handling preacher in West Virginia died from a poisonous snake bite last week. Pastor Mack Wolford probably knew he was disobeying West Virginia state law by handling poisonous snakes in a worship service, so my guess is he figured that god’s law supersedes state law. Even if that were true, Mother Nature made it pretty clear that her law trumps god’s law.

I’m not on the official Darwin Award panel, but I think Wolford may qualify as a nominee. However, since he was 44 when he died, he may have disqualified himself by leaving offspring in his wake. If that’s so, perhaps he could be considered for an honorable mention certificate instead of an award winner’s medal and plaque.

Rachel Maddow’s latest This Week in God blog post mentions Pastor Wolford, a couple of stories about the political shenanigans of American Catholic bishops and a Southern Baptist preacher and the ongoing revolt of American nuns against the Church’s male power structure. I wish the nuns would quit the church, but I’m pulling for them anyway. Maybe this revolt is simply the first step on their journey out of their oppression. Maddow’s blog is worth a read and she provides juicy links for those who want to get additional details. She also mentions the story I’m going to write about next: the homophobic toddler video.

An apostate friend of mine posted that video on Facebook last week. On Thursday morning, I left this comment:

Sheez! A kid that young has no idea what he’s singing about – a clear sign that he’s indoctrinated (i.e., brainwashed), not educated.

On Thursday night, a Christian responded to my comment:

A child being told over and over that murder and theft is wrong is also indoctrination. i bet you wouldnt feel the same if the child sang the same song with murder substituted for homo. whos to say that in 200 years time that singing that same song but with murder instead of homo wont be seen as brainwashing? lets not forget, it wasnt long ago that you were put to death for being homosexual! btw, for the record, i dont condone the song nor the obvious pleasure the pastor derives from seeing and hearing it being sung.

On Friday morning, I responded to the Christian:

Telling a child anything over and over again without providing a rationale for the assertion is, indeed, indoctrination. When people teach children that murder and theft are wrong, they don’t have to resort to mindless repetition, they can appeal to the child’s empathy. Nor do they have to resort to external control factors, i.e., “murder is wrong because it’s against the law.” Children can be educated, not merely indoctrinated, about why societies need rules against practices that harm others. Furthermore, if that young kid had been singing, “murderers won’t get to heaven,” I would indeed call it mindless repetition of indoctrinated content.

I fail to see what relevance the fact that homosexuality has been viewed, in some times and places, as a capital offense, has to this video and song, unless you’re implying that today’s Christians are kinder and gentler than yesteryear’s Christians. How do you/they justify that shift? How can you continue saying that homosexuality is wrong because the Bible tells me so, but we don’t have to stone homosexuals anymore, even though the Bible says we should?

He hasn’t responded to that comment. I hope he does because I’d like to continue the conversation, but I’m not expecting it to happen.

And now, I have to wrap up this post. My dogs are clamoring for their Sunday morning walk. While others go to church, we enjoy the world around us. I hope you’ll take some time to do the same today.

– the chaplain

 

Kudos to Home Depot & Target

One of the advantages to getting emails from the American Family Association is that I learn which companies are on their hit lists. Home Depot has been a recurring target for them as the company has steadfastly refused to be intimidated by religious wingnuts. Here’s an AFA report of their latest failed skirmish with Home Depot:

Another AFA target (can’t help the pun, it’s in the name, FFS!) is Target:

You’ll notice that I highlighted the bit about calling Target. I’m going to call and let them know that I support their efforts. I’m also going to call local Home Depots, per the AFA’s suggestion (which I didn’t highlight), and let them know I support the company’s policy on inclusion. Maybe you could do likewise. If the AFA is going to give out the information, we can use it to subvert their efforts. Are you with me? Let’s show support to companies like Target and Home Depot who are standing against prejudice and injustice.

– the chaplain