Dearly beloved dKOS friends,
I've been reading the diaries requested by PastorDan, and I've found them intelligent, heartfelt, and often moving. But I'd like to offer a slightly different point of view on this. I know it won't be popular with everyone, and I'd be the first to admit that I don't quite have the language down here yet, in terms of framing and whatnot. This is mostly a strong emotional response to the last few years of politics and media in this country, and around the world for that matter.
Here is my main point, put bluntly:
I'm sick to death of being told to respect "religion." Fucking sick of it.
I an dog tired of that word being pulled out like a magic talisman, for all manner of charlatans, creeps, and criminals to cloak themselves in virtue.
The cowardly corporate media fell all over themselves echoing the rightwing talking points after the Nov. 2004 election, to wit: religion is somehow not respected, or is ignored, or is even persecuted by liberals and elites and -- basically -- anyone who doesn't lick Republican ass.
I do recognize the honorable attempt of PastorDan and company to reframe and refocus the above assumptions. I applaud that.
But personally, I can't join in. Because at this point I feel that the problem is that RELIGION gets FAR TOO MUCH respect in our country.
Yes, there are great religions liberals of conscience, and I do respect them. But rather than try to plead to the country that "liberals are religious too", I'd prefer to discredit the entire idea that claiming to be religious means a goddamned thing about your moral, ethical, or spiritual worth. To me, it is far more often used as a shortcut to claim worthy qualities that one doesn't have. And history bears that out at least as much as it bears out the opposite idea, which is that people who are "religious" have good intentions.
The phony, hate-filled Christiainty of the rightwing is the prime example of this in our country. And radical, hate-filled Islam is a pretty obvious example of how "religion" is a fig leaf for hate elsewhere. But as long as we keep perpetuating the myth that religion is mostly a good thing except for those few bad apples on the right, then we're going to get screwed by it again and again.
My point is, I'd like to devalue the word. I'd like to deflate the whole concept. I'd like to make it harder for people to hide behind it. I'd like to trash the whole fucking brand "RELIGION" and may our virtue PAYGO, as it were...you only get credit for what you actually say and do, not for the handy Divinity you claim is watching your back.
I know that many of you here on Kos who are religious have a real spiritual maturity, which does not entail using Jesus as a personal hand puppet to shame and abuse others. I do respect you and anyone who has an authentic spiritual life, and I'm guessing that any of you out there like that (or who strive to be like that, as I do) will thrive just fine without having your asses smooched every day for being wonderful, upstanding people of God.
But "RELIGION" as a measure of anyone's moral worth has severely worn out its welcome. In this country, and in the whoel world. And as much as the media tells us that we're a spiritual, church-going nation, there's also an aspect of the USA that's all about "don't fucking tell me what to do." Both left and right have their version of it. This maverick side of Americans does not always emerge in the most honorable ways... but I think there MAY be a way of slowly, surely tying togehter the idea that people should be left alone -- or left to their own relationship with God / Jesus / Allah /the cosmos / eternity / the Flying Pig -- and good progressive politics.
I think that people's very American desire for PRIVACY and self-reliance should somehow be linked up with the idea that religion is too full of people telling you how to live your damned life.
I think that we should openly and bravely question the moral fitness of anyone who is hiding behind "Reverend" or "Father" or whatever, and not feel any need to throw a sop to religion as we do so. They want to cry persecution? We'll cry hypocrisy. In fact, we should point out, at every turn, the enormous gap between their foul view of life, and the basically tolerant view of most Americans.
In short (though it's probably too late to use that phrase with any credibility), I think we should CLUB THEM OVER THE HEAD WITH THEIR OWN RELIGION. By "them" I mean most rightwing fundies at this point in time, but I think it wouldn't hurt all of the world's religions to grow up and enter the 21st century, if they're dragging ass. So no religious persecution, by any mean...But certainly no benefit of the doubt.
I'd love to see a spreading meme of "religious hypocrisy." I think it will be nothing but good for progressives, as well as people of genuine good faith and sound ethics.
But to do that, progressives need to be less squeamish about calling it like they see it. It may be tough at first, but it's the exact right counter-spell to this invisible cloak of moral righteousness that religion still gets in the USA.
Yes, in this great country which was specifically founded with no established religion, we are still hijacked by religion all the time. It's time to stop giving "religion" the benefit of the doubt. PROVE your morality, then we'll talk. PROVE you're wallking the walk, then you get a few points, maybe. But not before.
That's the kind of framing I'd like to see developed. This is a crude, ranting start, I realize, but I believe it's high time to start acting like "religion" is just another viewpoint on reality, and has a dubious track record at best.
Comments, criticism, brickbats, and tickets to hell all welcome. Thank you for your time.