Faith, Freedom, Family. All the things I believe in building our moral structure. I might even go so far as to say I want my candidates to put weight on all of those, but I draw the line when the three "F's" become a campaign slogan or metaphor, in the cases of many candidates running for various legislative offices who are preparing to run on a ‘family values’ platform for election in 2022. I don't think what they are spewing - uh, espousing - are the same things I'm thinking here. I remember, from American history that people came to this country to escape tyranny and religious persecution. They were tired of their lives being governed by theocracies so they came to a country that was founded on values - everyone's values - although the Founding Fathers were predominantly Christian. That's OK. We all want life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, and freedom to practice religion as we see fit - or not practice, which also is our right.
But the scary thing happening here in America is not our rights, but rather what is the right faith. We've got just a little too much faith here in America.
There are certain disciplines in my own faith, such as roles of women in society, people's preference of gender partners, gay or straight, or the issue of choice. But there's too much one-world, one-faith kind of thinking going on. And ever since prayer has been taken out of the schools, not to mention math books,too many are trying to throw it into the national political arena. Book banning is just as dangerous as book burning. Unless someone has been locked up in a cosmetic enhancement clinic in Scottsdale for the past five years and hasn't noticed, our way of life is under attack because of those extremists who believe there is only one true faith and only one true ‘truth.’
These "candidates of the people" do a "don't believe in them, believe in us" kind of strategy, excluding those who have different values. Some people dislike Americans because we are an open society, but recent decisions and platforms in our life here at home display anything but openness. One can argue that if you don't like the rules set down by a group, then leave and align yourself with those of similar values. Faiths tell us to accept everyone, not just those who fall in line with the teachings. I used to be open-minded enough to believe Voltaire: "I may not agree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it."
I resent hypocrisy in any faith, my own included. I don't like state referendums that seek to define unions or choice or education.
Freedom of speech, freedom to bear arms, freedom to practice religion, freedom to marry whoever, unfettered are real freedoms to ensure. Fight to preserve those; don't fight to destroy the ones that choose to give people certain rights and protections. It's time people figured out what worked for them and not decide what works for me.
Those who want to kill us for what we believe because it's not their way don't have to worry. They aren't the threats to our faiths and way of life; we are. We will make ourselves extinct by dividing instead of uniting. At a time we need to come together, religious and draconian agendas are driving us apart. I fear people like those I see running for office. They represent only people who agree with all their moral convictions, and I find that morally reprehensible. It's un-Christian-like, un-Catholic-like, un-Jewish-like, un-Buddhist-like, un-Hindu-like, un-Muslim-like…I could go on. And I just don't like it.
Agenda is already plural. Religious fundamentalism has been replaced by politically correct fundamentalism. It results in the same thing, people are afraid to open their mouths and speak their minds openly which is really the only way to resolve problems. By making people fearful by destroying lives, reputations and careers as a consequence of free speech we can not achieve any results. The old saying is to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I want to know what everyone is thinking so maybe I can understand their argument better. How else can I disavow them of an illogical notion? Or maybe that shouldn’t even be my goal. The basic model of social media has been to unleash the mob mentality like the sharks and jets, it depends which side has more participants on the playground but ultimately nobody changes their mind. It’s a brawl. It’s primitive. Larry David did something remarkable by featuring a clansman who’s costume needed dry cleaning. It brought things to a human level. Pigeon holing makes it easy to dismiss your enemies but is it not better to try to really hear people out and discover what fuels hate (which rages on both side). I think we all have more in common than we think. But to bring this around, fundamentalism is what immigrants were trying to escape, that and massive violence throughout the world. Now we have a new fundamentalism and we should be just as critical and suspicious as we have traditionally been of those who feel they are always right.
Well said!