Just the Facts said::roll:
People are really chomping on the bit to bash anything American around here.
Master was shaking his head at Western education, not Canadian.
I disagree, Facts. I have only been around here a short while but have read previous posts by most of my favourite members and have not found the place to be anti-American. What peapod was pointing out is the discrepancy in the logic of the American leadership.
Here in the frozen north we are not immune to such lapses of reality. Our politicos ride into office by telling us what we want to hear then spend their time servicing their own agendas. Personally, I vote for the “lesser evil” at nearly every election, striving more to keep the christian right out than to actually support any one party. To enforce religious beliefs via politics is both dangerous and evil. Ask the Jews.
But I digress. The topic is religion, not politics.
The christians are a most interesting bunch. I was raised catholic and had the good fortune to spend many years in my youth studying the bible. It was required. At the time I despised it, but now I appreciate the education. It has given me a foundation for the framework I live within today.
The christians, it seems to me, carry a sense of moral superiority. They sweep in and trample any belief that does not fall directly in line with their own. Case in point? The resident schools peapod mentioned. I have spoken with many native people about their experiences in such places. It’s horrific.
Throughout history the cruelty and arrogance of christians is well documented. When they were unable to frighten people with threats of hell and damnation – or, as in the Inquistion simple torture – they simply co-opted ideologies. Many of the christian holidays have been appropriated from Pagan celebrations. One of the biggies – Christmas – is actually the Pagan festival of Yule. Easter is determined by the moon, hardly a christian methodology. By adopting ceremonies and celebrations of other faiths, the christians more easily swallowed other faiths whole.
Are there “good” christians? Of course. I have met people from every faith that I have found to be wonderfully spiritual, who live to suit a higher purpose. Religion is the dress, not the soul of a person. Unfortunately, as with fashion, the dress can hide a multitude of sins.
As a lesbian and a closet anarchist, I find myself cautious about organized religion. My ideal society would be one of responsible anarchy where people were accountable for all their actions. I believe in the inherent good of mankind. Naïve? Perhaps. But I also believe that below the thin skin of societal rules and religion we all do exactly as we please anyway and mankind seems to be trundling along just fine
