I was just reading
this article about the BTK serial killer - and while I'm not trying to equate the President and GOP with a serial killer, the way in which the Church has been used as cover for a hidden agenda is uncomfortable to think about, but frighteningly similar.
I read this quote, and it struck me that it could apply to the killer, as well as a larger strain of political duplicity currently being practiced by the GOP.
- "Were we used? Did he use the church and all of his friends as a cover?" said Kevin Smith, 52. "Were we all fooled? Could we have done something?"
- "But the man I know is not a monster. He just can't be."
We want to trust and believe in the people we've taken into our lives. We want to believe all people operate with the best motives. I imagine if someone had come to this Church a few weeks ago and sad that Rader was a serial killer, the congregation would naturally protect the one they've brought into their flock.
I could not send soldiers to die for the profits of oil and auto industry interests - without first trying to implement a program of fuel conservation and alternative fuel systems for future automobiles. I also can't imagine binding, torturing, and killing people. To me there is no difference if one is operating on a consistent moral framework. The death caused by my own hand is equal to the deaths caused by the decisions I make.
The Church has truly become the last refuge of scoundrels like Pat Robertson and the GOP plutocrats currently running our country. The sooner we as a nation realize the truth of this adage, the better.
Our Religious institutions are wonderful places for human beings to connect with our innate spirituality. But it's also a place where those trying take cover for their crimes seek refuge from scrutiny.
Take the lesson of BTK as a sign that no matter how long it takes, justice will be served.