There is often talk of how Christians dominate the culture in America to a frightening extent. I will agree with this. There is often talk about how it seems as if it is a crime to be an Atheist in a Monotheist society. I will agree with this. There has recently been a diary which made the
recommended list in which an Atheist claimed that the level of discomfort an Atheist has to live with just to live in America rises to the level of persecution. I will agree with this.
However, forgive me if I am somewhat unsympathetic.
I have never made a secret of the nature of my faith. Because of this, I always buy boots made for walking. The Right would be more likely to immolate me than let me sit at their table, and the Left often exhibits the same pyromaniac tendencies when they learn that I take science with a grain of salt. In the rush of some Atheists to assert their [lack of] faith, they have become in actuality Anti-theists.
I am unusual among true witches in that I am, to borrow a term, out of the closet. Part of this has to do with my tradition. A Faery-tradition Wiccan, for example, would almost never reveal their practice to a non-Wiccan; the Faeries, you might say, are still in the closet. There are good reasons for this, not the least among them a history of persecution by both Theists and Atheists. But my tradition is of the Dragon; it is not in my nature to skulk or to hide.
Does any Atheist claim persecution? Tell not your woes to me. I have the same fear of loosing my job. I get the same strange and angry looks at family gatherings. I have to listen to the same exclusive pledges and benedictions. (I have the same fun fucking with Mormon missionaries who come to my door) I know of no politician who is openly pagan; I know of no politician who condones paganism.
But more than that, I fear being physically attacked by religious extremists. I fear hate mail and death threats redolent with the phrase "suffer not a witch to live." I fear being kicked out of my apartment for carrying out my rituals within it. I fear getting sued by my neighbors over obscenity or child endagerment complaints relating to my worship. I commiserate over wine and Advil with fellow pagans who have experienced precisely the above.
And to whom do I turn to? Not a Christian, who would rather see me dead. Not a Jew or a Hindu or a Muslim, who view me with suspicion at best. Perhaps a Buddhist. Certainly not an Atheist, who thinks that my faith is, if possible, even more ridiculous than that of a Christian.
And what party is my party? When the religious right goes to their voting booths, they cast their ballots for Republicans because of religion and despite social programs. When I vote, I check "Democrat" because of social programs and despite their stance on my religion.
It is telling to note that expanded workplace protection against religious discrimination has been stalled in Congress since Clinton's term.
When I tell my employers that I need the 21st of March, June, September and December off for religious reasons, and when I tell them that I can't shorten my hair for religious reasons, I have to hope to god that they're understanding (or especially nervous about lawsuits), because I am not protected by law. I've been denied, on several occasions, a job merely because I refused to cut my hair because of religious convictions, but I suck it up. I have no recourse. I can't pay for a lawyer; I don't even have a church that might help to defray legal costs in a discrimination lawsuit.
And what have the Democrats done for me? Not a goddess-damned thing.
That's persecution. Neither the majority nor the minority party will take on my case.
It makes for awkward discussions on a number of topics, too. Imagine, if you will, myself discussing evolution with a left-leaning and right-leaning stranger while sitting on the steps of city hall (which are emblazoned with a cross, a book, an abacus and a Common Era date of construction). The right-wing stranger of course believes that God created the world in seven days. The left-wing stranger believes that life evolved over billions of years and that the universe began in a confluence of combustive gasses.
What the hell am I supposed to say? I believe in a creation story, but not one that Righty will accept. On the other hand, the fact that I believe in a creation story earns me only frowns and head shakes from Lefty.
"Well, I believe that the goddess decided to create life both to ease her childlessness and to help learn of her own nature. The god, out of his love for her, helped her forge the planets and set the stars in their courses."
There is stunned silence for a moment. Finally, I say what I have been wanting to say for years.
"Look, both of you are ridiculous! Righty, it's preposterous to believe that the only Ultimate Truth comes from a book written by dozens of people over hundreds of years, the exact contents of which were determined by a group of men not answerable to anyone and the message of which is supposedly inspired by a god who commands us not to kill and orders genocide in the same breath?
"Lefty, it's equally preposterous to believe that science can ever explain everything! What holds an atom together? Where's the REST of the matter in the universe? Why, after so many years of natural selection, are there still complete idiots roaming the planet? Will I know in my lifetime? If not, your science is as useless to my soul as is Righty saying God will tell me the answers after I die. You need religion to explain what you can`t, you dumb fuck!
"Now both of you get off my step! I'm done being hotboxed by you two!"
Hotboxing, indeed. If I need some wacky weed, I can get my own. I don't need any of yours.
I expect to be either flamed or ignored for this. I wonder if the response would be worse at a conservative website? I really don't know.
That's persecution.
