So I was just reading some posts on here since I just discovered this site today, and it got me wondering about some things that I've read. I noticed one person's feeling of being offended at people's remarks toward Christianity in particular, and I noticed that this is reflective of leaders in our government as well, this feeling of persecution from people on the "left".

My general feeling is this: How can Christians claim to be so persecuted when this is the religion that is the most open and dominate in the U.S., if not the world? As someone who was raised Christian myself, I do not see fault in the church (The Church mostly meaning White Evangelicals, but also any mainstream religion that holds these extreme views) , but rather the church's political leanings, its leaders, ITS persecution of other faiths, its condemnations of people with different belief systems and its discrimination of gays and lesbians. Allow me to elaborate on some of the issues the church prides itself on and just some of its contradictions.

One thing that I have noticed in particular is this whole thing about "judges legislating from the bench" after the whole Terry Schiavo debacle and the horrible politicalization of this family's tragedy. But when I hear about how these 13(?) judges, who from my understanding were mostly appointed by Conservative Republicans, decided not to reinsert the feeding tube, isn't "legislating from the bench" exactly what they did not do? I fail to see why this has never been pointed out. This man was offered a million dollars to keep his vegetable of a wife alive and did the honorable thing by not taking it. On her headstone is written "i kept my promise", and the only thing that these Christian leaders have done is condemn him. I fail to see how keeping her alive on man made machines would be God's Will. I don't mean to bring up past arguments,but this is probably one that sticks in my mind the most.

The issue of abortion is also. While we could argue people's views on abortion all our lives if we want to, it's the tactics of opponents that need to be re-evaluated. Seeing the arguments on both sides is something we can all do if we all want to try, but the outlawing of abortion obviously is not going to curtail the practice. Back alley. disease infested abortion clinics will pop up everywhere, creating a situation in which many women Will be disenfranchised from family and society in general. Is not the way to eradicate abortion, if that is one's goal, through education, contraceptives, and the morning after pill, all of which are opposed by the Church?

Taking this one step further, opponents of abortion are also peeved about the Supreme Court ruling outlawing the execution of juveniles! While I cannot speak for other people, it is also my impression that many of these same people are also proponents of the death penalty in general.

Global warming and the environment are also issues which are considered to be more "left-leaning", and The Church's views on these are also scewed. Why is it that sound judgment and science are so insignificant, and why can't God be on the same page as both? I'm sure many people would like to believe that God gets mad and throws lightning from the sky when he's mad at us, but to believe that is also to be, I think, somewhat loony. When oil and energy companies are deregulated and given tax breaks to pollute our air some more, and fossil fuels burn more CO2 than ever, are those of us with sound minds to believe that Hurricane Katrina happened because boys were kissing? According to people like Pat Robertson this seems to be the case. Most of us have dismissed his remarks by now, but his show still reaches millions of people every day, and the longer he stays on, the worse off the Church will be.

As far as the Gay community, homosexuality is as old as man himself, and will continue to be accepted as the younger generation grows and the older ones die out. Most of the people opposing gay marriage and civil unions have children who are gay, and if not, have friends who are. I would have to conclude that this battle is over for the church, and as time goes on, civil unions for gays will be accepted in every state.

And finally, this unwavering support for George Bush and all of his failed and succeeded policies. George Bush is a rich man's president, and my bible tells me that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get to heaven, so how can he be the church's president also? Cutting social programs like welfare and education, underfunding NCLB, cuts in environmental protections, more oil drilling,and a host of other things, all to benefit big corporations like Haliburton. The war in Iraq and the mess over there. The corruption of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby, the unaccountability for anything even remotely resembling a mistake, all because this man wears his faith on his sleeve. A man can be a Christian, but he can also be wrong.

I could go on, but I'm sure I've pressed enough buttons for now. Please discuss.

Nothing gives a Christian a bigger hardon than playing the martyr even when they have to fabricate such nonsense as "culture wars"-see also O'Reilly's faux War on Christmas. They're the biggest milkers of the "victim mentality". Yes they're the majority--definitely not a persecuted minority--but until they establish their own Talibanish chokehold on government, including their own version of Sharia Court, they're always gonna pretend to be unfairly treated, if not outright persecuted.

Persecution, even when a figment of their imagination, is what they live for. See also Don Quixote and his windmills.

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I shall continue to be an impossible person as long as those who are now possible remain possible.
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