Today Andy lands right on the mark - by saying exactly what I have said on more than one occasion.
The definitions vary in number and importance. But it is nevertheless true to say, from all that I have read, that the following seven critical early American leaders were Deists and denied the divinity of Jesus: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Ethan Allen, and Thomas Paine. In fact, can you imagine what a senior Republican would say today about the following statement: "The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion"? That's from the Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Tripoli, Article XI, passed by the Senate under John Adams' presidency. No one saying that could be nominated in today's explicitly Christianist GOP. In fact, many of the statements of the Founding Fathers sound more like Christopher Hitchens than George W. Bush - and would be characterized as bigotry by much of the Republican right. It's important to realize that today's Christianists are not representative of the constitutional order and philosophy of this country's founding; and are, in fact, one of the deeper threats to the maintenance of the freedom bequeathed to Americans as a birthright.The seriousness of what Sullivan is saying here cannot be underestimated. It is one of the central themes of my politics.
It is our birthright as Americans to be free of religious bullshit. We are in the midst of a religious freak take-over, which will invariably lead to the same kind of bullshit religious freak shows they have in Muslim countries like Iran.
And as many of you sit and read this and think I'm nuts - you need to realize that you have already become a cog in the machine of people like the Jimmy Swaggarts, and Pat Robertsons and Jerry Fallwells who attempt to subvert the most beautiful creation of a nation that has ever existed.
Taking their cue, it is not just the television preachers - it is the minister on your corner. It is the Catholic church, that wants to own your uterus, and wants to own your bedroom, and your marriage, and 10% of your earnings.
This nation is about freedom to choose your own life and your own direction. It's about deciding who you are and living the way you see fit. It's about your choice to worship Jesus, and my choice to worship Gorak. It's your choice who you love, and my choice who I love. It is the irrelevance of skin color, or origin, or gender, or affluence.
It is the notion that everyone is created equal, and the radical Christian right is seeking to destroy that so they can marginalize anyone who is not like them.
How do they do it? They lie. They know we have a deeply ingrained respect for the founding fathers, and what this country was meant to be. So - they lie about them and say things like, "this country was founded on Christian principals" when it is flat out not true. But if you lie loud enough and long enough, eventually people will start to believe it's true.
That's exactly how they have lead you to believe that liberals are anti-God and anti-religion, which is totally untrue. We just don't tell you which God to worship, and we don't tell you which religion you have to have.
Hell, I think a President can be an atheist, just as well as a Jew, a Muslim, or a Christian.
Do you? If you don't believe so - you've already been assimilated.
Why? Because politics and governing has NOTHING to do with religion. Religion is improvable spiritual bullshit that has nothing to do with the price of gas, or the water we drink, or the roads we drive on.
It is so amazing to me that hundreds of years after those founders lived, much of this nation has regressed into beer swilling, NASCAR watching, hill billy, bible thumping, ignorant rednecks worshiping a God they don't understand, and carrying prejudices that would totally embarrass the founders to see what has come to pass.
Just read the quote of the day further down from the Reverend - who claims that societies ills are the fault of lesbians. He is part of that cog in the machine that seeks to destroy one of the few truly equal systems of government ever created. No, it was not completely perfect on creation, but the guiding principals were there that lead us out of slavery and gave us the bill of rights.
That is why politics is so important at this point in our history. That is why even if you identify as Republican, you must abandon them. The Republican party is not a political movement - it is a religious movement. It is no longer politics - it is control.
Somebody in the comments asked me about Gorak and what he represents, and that is it. It represents deism and the purging of religious control from our system of government. Gorak is not anti-religious, but puts all religions and non-religions on equal footing. It is not good or bad, right or wrong. It just is, and is personal to each individual, and CANNOT be imposed on others.
Yesterday, I posted a story about a man who beat his 3 year old son to death, because he was worried the child was gay. I've posted stories of religious organizations refusing adoptions to other couples, merely because they were Catholic and not Methodist. Don't even get me started on the religious hate filled, gas chamber desiring, attacks towards gay people. I've posted countless stories of the religious groups lashing out at those that don't believe as they do. They are not privately living their spiritual lives. They are coming after yours - and that is what controls the Republican party.
The fact is, as the United States goes, so will go the rest of the world. It takes many years, but the United States exports it's technology, and it's culture. It's important that the culture be one of tolerance and acceptance. It must be one where every single person is considered a human being as any other, with the same value and dignity.
Next time the elections roll around, ask yourself if you style yourself an American in the vein of a George Washington and Benjamin Franklyn, or do you style yourself more along the lines of an Ayatollah Khomeini.
Push the button accordingly.
** update **
Yes, as the commentator pointed out, Gorak's mojo is mighty. I am his high priest. I will fashion a pointy hat as a symbol to be recognized by Gorak. All those of any faith, or non-faith, are welcome. All that is required is that we meet once a day in our own minds, and thank Gorak that we have taken yet another breath, and walked yet another step in this world.
** update 2 **
Gorak might like you more if you send his high priest some money.
** update 3 **
Just kidding..
** update 4 **
Think I could turn Gorak into a money making organization? Hmmm..
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