Damned Liberal
This past Tuesday marked the final "Lenten" bible study with my neighbor. (Yes, I realize Lent ended 2 weeks ago - but we missed a couple weeks) Let me just say this - had this been the first bible study, it would've been the last. This event brought out everything that has driven me away from religion - hate, name calling, and damnation. Worst of all, by the end of the evening, the fingers were pointed at me and I was being called a liberal *gasp*. I, being a liberal, was not offended by this. I think it was the part about "liberals ruining this country" that really got under my skin...that and the "men are morally superior to women" sermon. Apparently, women are weak creatures who must depend on men to show them faith. It was at this point that I reminded the group that when Jesus was crucified, the men fled. They got out of dodge while the getting was good. It was the women who stayed. It was women at the foot of the cross and it was Mary Magdelene whom Jesus first appeared to after the resurrection. Sounds like the men in that story could've used a little more faith. They didn't have an answer to my response. Then I had to listen to emails from the American Family Association (read - extremely right-wing conservative think tank). I replied to those by saying that I watch the real "fair and balanced" new - CNN. This went over the Fox News watching ninnies' heads. I stormed out of the house listening to my consceince tell me not to lose my faith. Those who know me well, know it's events like this that push me away from religion. But then I was reminded by my brother that Jesus himself was a liberal. He recommended that I tell my neighbor this the next time I see her - we both know she'd drop dead in the driveway. Liberal is one of those dirty words. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized my brother is right. Jesus crossed social barriers. In a time when the lower-class of society was cast aside, he was there entering into fellowship with them. In a time when women were viewed more like property than equals, he was standing side-by-side with them. He rebuked the system. He was a liberal. Damned liberals...we're everywhere. HA! :)
posted by ahsirt at 1:19 AM
1 Comments:
Jesus was THE Liberal. He was the voice of the voiceless. He was the NEW way, a progression from old entrenched ways to a new ideal. He was so liberal, he may even have been a Communist (read the New Testament shortly after the Resurrection to see how the Desciples began a new society inwhich individual possessions were shunned in favor of communal ownership and the greater good - all ideas of Jesus).
Before you have a heart attack - have no fear, I am not a born again Christian! However, I have come to see that Jesus does make a pretty good role model. You don't even have to believe in the divinity of Christ to appreciate the more tangibale ideas he put forth - Love and Tolerance. Of course, while those who profess to be followers of Christ seem to swell in numbers, the ideas of love and tolerance have become replaced by hate and judgement. Kind of an odd phenomenon when you think about it.
I'm not sure where my faith lies or what it is called anymore. But I do know this - love and tolerance are the answer. I don't care if its Jesus, Buddha, Vishnu, Mohammed, or Moses (or anyone in between) - the paths of faith that lead toward love and reject hate and violence end in the same place. Those paths that tolerate hate, excuse violence, and are steeped in sanctimoniuos judgement also share a similar end. And the path you are on is defined by your actions, not your words.
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