Open Thread

*rob* –

“Corky” works in 666 Bway. Seriously. I used to work in that bldg too and would see him on the elevator.

Montrose;

What you write above is a sermon, and I do not take well to it.

You are entitled to your beliefs, and to proclaim them. So are others. Even if I do not agree with someone’s beliefs, I respect and tolerate them.

I remain in my stand that your statement – “Just as today’s fundamentalist Christianity is NOT the movement begun by Jesus, who would be appalled by the venal, self-serving, bigoted, often murderous behavior that goes on in His name.”
– is highly offensive and intolerant. I also find it highly presumptuous of you to speak on Jesus’ behalf.

Enough said. I have no desire to discuss these topics with you again, given your shrillness. I can set up bogeymen too, and rip them apart on the internet. I’ve got better things to do with my time.

bxgirl, email away. I was thinking the same thing–too much Binghamton for the Open Thread.

Benson, I find your indictment of my take on fundamentalist Christianity well in the realm of the ironic, considering my personal beliefs. I’ve now been a card carrying Christian far longer than I haven’t been one, and my sorrow that some of these people claim to have the same God I believe in is palpable.

Actually though, they don’t have the same God I believe in. My God is powerful enough to make the universe in any way He sees fit, whether I understand it or not. I am more in awe of the complexity of creation, and of God’s power, the more science learns and invents, not intimidated by ideas that things may exist that are beyond me, and certainly beyond the descriptive powers of people living in an agrarian age thousands of years ago.

I marvel that in that complexity, we have the capacity to love, deeply and without self. If that kind of love is between two people of the same sex, who am I to deny it validity, or call it evil? Having seen the same dedication, selflessness and commitment in gay couples, especially through illness, old age and the passing of many years, as I see in hetero couples, who am I to call this wrong, or deny it existence or worth? God is love. Love is the most powerful and beautiful force in the universe. ‘Nuff said.

We have been blessed with the gifts of imagination and creation. We create works of art and music, dance and literature, architecture and have discovered the beauty of fractals and pattern. Yet how can we raise children to deny those powers of imagination, to tell them that the worlds of fairie, talking animals and wizards is false and evil, and that books, movies and stories that work out the complex relationships of good and evil, compromise and standing firm, friendship, sacrifice and love cannot be “Christian” because Christ is not mentioned, or the hero is a wizard?

Fundamentalists of ALL ilks are afraid of the world they live in. They are so fearful that their beliefs can’t hold up to any scrutiny that they structure their lives in permanent protective mode, holding their ears shut and their eyes closed lest they let any kind of new ideas in. That’s bad enough, but then to solidify this paranoia, everyone else must not only be wrong, they must be evil, and on their way to hell and damnation. Many also see no problem in sending everyone else to that damnation themselves, and doing their version of God a favor in the sending. I’m sorry, but I stand by my statement. It holds true for all forms of fundamentalism, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, whatever. I happen to believe that God’s infinite ability to embrace all of us, and all of our creativity and diversity is what makes Him God.

Forgive me for the sermon.

bxgrl, by the way thanks for the kind words.

In my life I’ve gotten some interesting propositions indeed, ranging from “I want to do business with you.” to “I want to do you.” But nobody, ever, ever has told me, “I want to do my thesis about you.”