Special by Shush, PolitiPorn Religion Correspondent. Visit Shush’s blog Here
As a church-going Christian, I witnessed two elections in which George W Bush was affirmed from the pulpit as God’s choice for American president. There’s this part of me that feels if God truly did anoint the W, he did it out of a deep hatred for our country.
All I have to go on is what I see. What I’ve seen is the erosion of my local economy as manufacturing jobs are lost, and the jobs that people can find are out of town and white collar. Not everyone can afford to go back to school to study up, so people leave. Downtown erodes. People get desperate. The issues that matter the most to us aren’t about Bible-Based education, Abstinence based Sex-Ed and the war on terror. As a country girl out in Bumblebum Nowhere, I’m not worried about my farming town getting bombed by terrorists. We care about the worth of the cash in our pocket, where our harvest is going and if the RV industry that built our town is going to last out this recession. We care about the fact that people are getting paid ten dollars now for a job that used to pay twenty three.
We care about crazy things like the peeling paint in our schools and the fact that our health care plans are getting worse and worse.
I hear someone say, “this is a Christian Nation that needs a Christian Leader” and I think, just because something is made by Christians doesn’t mean it IS Christian. We don’t have Christian toilets that need Christian plumbers. I think I want my president’s advisors to know economical policy. I want them to be reasonable people, not people who think that you can make your son less gay by showering with him and showing him how round pegs fit into round holes.
The pastors say, “this country was founded on Christian Principles and we need to maintain them.”
I reply, “this country was founded on the greatest principle of Creation. Not that of morals, but that of freedom of Choice. Autonomy.”
If we surrender our rights and values, our priorities, for the propagation of morals that not even all CHRISTIANS share- we do a disservice to God’s greatest gift: freedom.
Oooh, you’re good.
I especially like “We don’t have Christian toilets that need Christian plumbers. “
Shush – great article by the way, welcome to the politismut business.
I remember how after 9/11 a few on the religious right claimed that the attacks were punishment from God for our country losing its moral compass. I kinda thought it was punishment for electing Bush.
I remember the “punishment” argument. As if allowing gay people to be treated like, you know, PEOPLE, is somehow a sin. I’m just waiting for Dobson or someone else to say something insanely ridiculous so that I have more fuel for the fire.
I’m sure it won’t be long. It never is.
and thanks for the compliment persistent illusion!
Great article Shush. One thing you have to give to Bush, he made sure that none of us will have to try and squeeze a camel through the eye of a needle for a while.
And by the way, everyone should check out “If I was Gay” on her blog. Its phenomenal.(http://shushnow.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/what-if-i-were-gay/)
Its so good that after I read it I actually spent the next ten minutes being gay… well not like… …its worth a read.
Shush,
Double thumbs up!