Christians assume persecution complex

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

George Will actually writes something that makes sense for a change.

WASHINGTON -- The state of America's political discourse is such that the president has felt it necessary to declare that unbelievers can be good Americans. In last week's prime-time news conference, he said: "If you choose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship."

So Mark Twain, Oliver Wendell Holmes and a long, luminous list of other skeptics can be spared the posthumous ignominy of being stricken from the rolls of exemplary Americans. And almost 30 million living Americans welcomed that presidential benediction.

According to the American Religious Identification Survey, Americans who answer "none" when asked to identify their religion numbered 29.4 million in 2001, more than double the 14.3 million in 1990. If unbelievers had their own state -- the state of None -- its population would be more than twice the size of New England's six states, and None would be the nation's second-largest state: California, 34.5 million; None, 29.4 million; Texas, 21.3 million.

The president, whose political instincts, at least, are no longer so misunderestimated by his despisers, may have hoped his remarks about unbelievers would undo some of the damage done by the Terri Schiavo case. During that Florida controversy, he made a late-night flight from his Texas ranch to Washington to dramatize his signing of imprudent legislation his party was primarily responsible for passing. He and his party seemed to have subcontracted governance to certain especially fervid religious supporters.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/222844_will05.html

[CAG]

1. I was just searching for this article to post myself....

Great minds think alike.

Just the other day I had almost puked over a George Will column that agonized over those dern union workers pushing for decent health coverage (how dare them!), and then just a few days later he publishes this very straightforward dressing down of one of his party's bases. Very refreshing.

Anyway, I'm so sick of my fellow christian brothers and sisters on the right crying about how persecuted they've become. I always remind them about TRUE persecution (you know, lack of free speech, basic human rights, ability to organize, ability to meet in groups, concentration camps, genocide) to try to put some freakin perspective into their heads, but they just don't get it.

[classof56]

4. About 40 years ago there was a commercial...

Had a guy watching TV, then suddenly finding himself in the Coliseum in Rome, surrounded by hungry lions, and a voice saying, "There was a time when being a Christian was not a spectator sport." If we care to read about what happened to first Century Christians (the true Tribulation, IMHO), we begin to understand that the "persecution" my fellow Christians complain about nowadays is non-existent. You're right, though--they just don't get it. All they want is the freedom to "shove their dogma down others' throats" while stripping away the rights our Constitution guarantees our fellow Americans. At this point, I believe God is done with this country. How astonishing that Christians made that happen!

Tired Old Cynic

[evlbstrd]

2. This, and when he's talking about baseball.

Another snip>>

Religion is today banished from the public square? John Kennedy finished his first report to the nation on the Soviet missiles in Cuba with, "Thank you and good night." It would be a rash president who today did not conclude a major address by saying, as President Reagan began the custom of doing, something very like "God bless America."

Unbelievers should not cavil about this acknowledgement of majority sensibilities. But Republicans should not seem to require, de facto, what the Constitution forbids, de jure: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust."

[rodeodance]

3. presidential benediction."--love it!!

[Salviati]

5. Someone should ask bush if he agrees with Poppy on this one:

From Rob Sherman:


At a news conference in Chicago on August 27, 1987 (not 1988 as has been reported elsewhere), which I covered as a fully credentialed journalist, I asked Vice President Bush several questions. In response to one question, Bush said, "I don't know that atheists should be regarded as citizens, nor should they be regarded as patriotic. This is one nation under God." The March 3, 2002, edition of Liberal News & Commentary contains the full story about that news conference and my verbal exchanges with Mr. Bush.

...

http://www.robsherman.com/information/liberalnews/2004/0204.htm

[The White Tree]

6. I disagree with this statement:

'The president, whose political instincts, at least, are no longer so misunderestimated by his despisers,'

As a despiser, I never mis-underestimated this presidents political instincts. It was clear from the beginning that his political team was willing to do anything and everything it could to keep his political career alive and thriving in order for him to reach the presidency. No matter how low, conniving, false or duplicitous. It's really the only thing they are good at.

What I continually mis-overestimate is how much of the American public is willing to be swayed by anything this president says or does.

Seriously, most of the things he has proposed did not have broad support. They just keep lying about them over and over again until they find the right lie that works for a majority of Americans. They did this with the Iraq war and Tax cuts and are now trying it with Social Security. Then when the details come out everyone looks around and subjectively goes, "That's not what we thought he meant".