Things found on the way to other things (Madison speaks on Christianity)

[Demeter]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_robert_r_061230_things_found_on_the_.htm


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January 5, 2007

Things found on the way to other things.

By Pappy


"During almost fifteen centuries, the legal establishment of Christianity has been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution." -James Madison

James Madison (1751-1836) lived fifteen centuries after the establishment of christianity . Even though he was Episcopalian, he still held this view of christianity. I suppose that lends more credence to his words. He wasn't some raving atheist, agnostic, or pagan (like yours truly). Therefore for him to critique his own religion in this way gives his words more power.

"What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy"...taking a quick look at the crop of Religious Reich's best and brightest, the answer seems to be yes. While the word "indolence" may not cover everyone in the Religious Reich, prideful covers them all very well...Scary Jerry Falwell. Is he prideful? Yes. He has self-righteously placed himself in the role of being the conscience of America. From seeing a gay conspiracy in the Teletubbies and SpongeBob Squarepants, to doing everything in his power to destroy the separation of church and state, he's there being his prideful self...
Then there's Pat Robertson. Is he prideful? Oh yes. Always quick to blow his opinion far and wide on the Christian Broadcasting Network, he seems think he is the preeminent American. What else could explain his calling for the assassination of Hugo Chavez other than pride? Would his Savior, the man who said, "love thy neighbor as theyself," have called for the assassination of Pontious Pilate, the man who condemned him to death by crucifixion? ...As to indolence, other than being on camera a lot on CBN, what does he really do? About the same things that Falwell does. I'm sure Robertson thanks his "lord" daily that his natural metabolism keeps him from looking like the bloated butterball Scary Jerry Falwell.

...ignorance and servility in the laity...

Once again, is there really a question about this? ... When I say ignorance, I mean unwillingness to question the bill of goods they are sold. I mean unwillingness to think for themselves or make up their own minds about what their "good book" even says. Finally and worst of all, I mean unwillingness to even question the moral character of those who claim pious lordship over them...In all these respects, the mainstream Religious Reich style christian is completely ignorant. What's even worse, they are seemingly proud their ignorance. The quote, "God said it, I believe it, that settles it," stands as proof of this reality. I am not the one who made this up, I am merely putting it out for the world to see. Because of their easily led nature, gays remain second class citizens, DUBYA remains office, and the rest of our federal government shakes in their piss soaked boots in fear of retribution from the political power of the Religious Reich.

On servility, let me say two words, Oral Roberts. The fact that he netted over six million dollars in short order after his crocodile tear-filled sermon where he said the "lord" was going to "call him up" if he didn't raise that much cash, can there be any question of servility? While the point could be made, and rightly so, that this incident is more proof of ignorance then servility, the fact that the money came pouring in, and the fact that he actually went over his mark by a few million proves the willing servility of the laity to send their hard-earned money to a charlatan.

..."in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution"....Superstition? Is it not the backbone of religion? I offer proof of this by saying one thing: "intelligent design". In the 21st century, for any group to hold on to metaphoric hyperbole as fact is nothing short of superstitious. This is even truer when almost no one in the world of science questions Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Some sciences, such as the latest and greatest science of genetic engineering are firmly built upon the Theory of Evolution. Evolution is a reality. It has been moved from theory to fact as the years have passed between Darwin's time and ours... A theory that says the world is no more than five thousand years old, and dinosaurs traveled with Noah on the ark can't be anything but batch of superstitious bullshit.

Bigotry? Do I even have to qualify this? If so, let me say, "homosexuals."

Persecution? See above!




Authors Website: http://www.bear-upstairs-studio.com

Authors Bio: Harpist, unemployed blue collar worker, and Bush basher living deep in the heart of Texas.


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[BOSSHOG]

1. My wonderful sweet Grandmother

God could she cook and was a very kind, loving human being, rest her soul. She was living on a meager social security pension and what little she earned by cleaning the big house down the road, sent Oral Roberts money regularly. Yeah Jimmy Madison hade them all pegged almost 200 years ago. He was a founding father huh??? And don't forget james dobson and that lunatic in tupelo who both make a living whining about the victimization of christians 24/7 (literally making a living off the ignorance of their flocks.)