Judges 2: Attack of the Phantom Religious Menace

Bring It On is excited about the opportunity to bring new voices into the conversation. Our Guest Author this week is Matthew61. His work can be found here. His blog is, in his own words, "Thoughts from a Baptist minister in Virginia who is trying to raise an alternate voice to the Religious and Theocratic Right". We hope your find his writing as poignant as we do.

Judges 2: Attack of the Phantom Religious Menace
I am eagerly awaiting the next Star Wars movie, thus the title to this entry.

There is an attack on Christians in this country. At least that is what I am being told.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/24/justice.sunday/index.html

According to James Dobson, Al Molher, and Bill Frist good Christians are under attack. I am so glad they have my faith at interest, because if they didn't I would have absolutely no idea that my faith was under attack.

"FRC President Tony Perkins said Democrats were using filibusters to exclude religious believers from the bench. Holding up a Bible, he told the audience, "What we are saying tonight is that as American citizens, we should not have to choose between believing what is in this book and serving the public."

And Dobson, whose commentaries are carried on about 3,500 U.S. radio stations, called the filibusters "unconstitutional" and "inappropriate." He said Bush's re-election in November means he gets to pick who sits on the courts."

Tony Perkins has set up a false dichotomy here. In other words Democrats' choice is not about choosing the Bible or serving the public.

But what he has done is a nice cornerstone for a theocratic regime, because if the American electorate truly believes that our choices are between reading and following the Bible and civil government, then we are heading quicker down the road of a government lead by religious leaders, that lead our government as religious leaders.

And second, Dr. Dobson saying that because Bush won re-election means that he gets to pick who is on the court is yet another sign that our country is in severe need of a Social Studies lesson.

No Dr. Dobson, Mr. Bush does NOT get to pick who goes on the courts, this isn't a kickball game at recess, he gets to NOMINATE who goes on the court and then the Congress debates. That is how our forefathers set it up.

Third, from the amount of frustration it sounds like ALL of Bush's nominations have been shut down by the filibuster. If you read the accompanying CNN story that is not true.

Only 10, TEN! Out of 205 nominations have been blocked by a filibuster or the threat of one.

Let me say that again. TEN!

5% of Bush's nominations are blocked.

Or in other words 95% get a Senate vote in a Republican controlled Congress.

I don't know about you, but 5% does not sound like an attack to me.

Again it seems that for the Religious Right 95% compliance is not enough. Only 100% total assimilation is acceptable.

And for those that claim there is an attack on religious beliefs seem to be invoking the name of God. For me that is a clear infraction of the second commandment, you shall not take the Lord's name in vain.

Of course the second commandment is not just about "cussing" but about using God's name for purposes that are not God's or using it for self-serving reasons. Leaders of the Right may not being saying "God is against filibusters" but when it is said that filibusters are against God's people, then you are invoking God's presence and purpose, for your purpose.

God is not mocked.

The true danger here isn't just democracy, but theologically. We are being lied to when we are told our faith is under attack.

Living in the United States we have the freedom to say, write, and blog what ever we think and feel. And yes even in public schools, although you might not be able to hold a Bible study during regular instructional hours, you can have one after school on school property. A lot of FCA groups can attest to this.

And to say that our faith is under attack here in the US is truly disrespectful to our Christian brothers and sisters in China, Korea, and other places where being a professing Christian can get you killed. Being a professing Christian here in the US means someone may just not like you, but you won't be killed by the state for it.

The real tragedy here is that we are being lied to. A false war has been conjured up to knock down a fake enemy.

When the Religious Right wins this fake war we will be under the rule of a Religiously run government.

And that won't be as great as it sounds, because then they will decide if you are really religious and how you are lacking.

I know that sounds far fetched, but lets think about our current situation. Senator Frist has said that people of faith are under attack, of John Kerry's or Ted Kennedy's Catholic faith doesn't count. And don't even think about Bill Clinton's church going or Jimmy Carter's faith, or anybody else that doesn't vote Republican.

Faith is being defined very narrowly and in doctrinal terms from the floor of the Senate.

We are in dangerous waters when a Senator is allowed to define who is the faithful and who is not.

Originally posted 4/25/05 at Thoughts of a Minister