Post by elalacran on May 27, 2012 21:28:02 GMT -5
Here's a comment I made to a letter to the local newspaper by someone who felt that the comment "Taliban-type GOP men" should not have been censored. It appears at lubbockonline.com/editorial-letters/2012-05-27/letter-ridiculous-letters-shouldnt-be-published Quote--
Wonder what percentage of hometown folks here in the Hub City believe that women should keep silence in the churches? That was the directive of the apostle Paul, you know.
That's the thing about religious conservatism. It is based on a rigidity of thinking about gender roles and of male dominance in all aspects of society.
The dfferences between our own religious conservatives and the Taliban are of degree more than kind. And so, we are fighting two wars, one in Afghanistan against the Taliban to whom we do not allow the freedom to practice their religion in their own country, and another similar war here at home against our own religious conservatives who like to play the freedom of religion card in order to stifle freedom. And so it goes.
Interesting that Palin and Bachmann were brought up[ in another comment to the letter]. These were two totally unqualified candidates with major skeletons in closets who were led to the fore in GOP national politics because ... well... because they were pretty and certain Republican back-roomers thought they might pull some votes because they were pretty and because they were women and the GOP desperately needed women.
I agree it was a horrible thing to do to them. Horrible on the GOP's part too.
I was too strong on the Taliban comparison. The legions of American religious fundamentalists don't typically go around with AK-47s. Well, some do.
The battle against religious fundamentalism is less violent, so far, than in Afghanistan, but it has definitely been joined, in spoken word and print. Has been for a long time.
We were taught in school and even before that "the Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom." That statement while partly true is overall a lie.
The Pilgrims came to America for the freedom to practice their own brand of religion and to oppress those who disagreed with them. Their religion was symbolized by the beadle's whip and the stocks.
Before the 17th Century closed, the most distinguished "divines" of the colonies were caught up in the witch-hunting frenzy.
The history of America has in part been a history of religious extremes, of hostility and violence and superstition. Good reason in itself for a wall between religion and government.
More to follow...
Wonder what percentage of hometown folks here in the Hub City believe that women should keep silence in the churches? That was the directive of the apostle Paul, you know.
That's the thing about religious conservatism. It is based on a rigidity of thinking about gender roles and of male dominance in all aspects of society.
The dfferences between our own religious conservatives and the Taliban are of degree more than kind. And so, we are fighting two wars, one in Afghanistan against the Taliban to whom we do not allow the freedom to practice their religion in their own country, and another similar war here at home against our own religious conservatives who like to play the freedom of religion card in order to stifle freedom. And so it goes.
Interesting that Palin and Bachmann were brought up[ in another comment to the letter]. These were two totally unqualified candidates with major skeletons in closets who were led to the fore in GOP national politics because ... well... because they were pretty and certain Republican back-roomers thought they might pull some votes because they were pretty and because they were women and the GOP desperately needed women.
I agree it was a horrible thing to do to them. Horrible on the GOP's part too.
I was too strong on the Taliban comparison. The legions of American religious fundamentalists don't typically go around with AK-47s. Well, some do.
The battle against religious fundamentalism is less violent, so far, than in Afghanistan, but it has definitely been joined, in spoken word and print. Has been for a long time.
We were taught in school and even before that "the Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom." That statement while partly true is overall a lie.
The Pilgrims came to America for the freedom to practice their own brand of religion and to oppress those who disagreed with them. Their religion was symbolized by the beadle's whip and the stocks.
Before the 17th Century closed, the most distinguished "divines" of the colonies were caught up in the witch-hunting frenzy.
The history of America has in part been a history of religious extremes, of hostility and violence and superstition. Good reason in itself for a wall between religion and government.
More to follow...