The “Religious Right” is Wrong Again
Last week, elected delegates to our constitutional convention, tried once again to include wording in our constitution to deny basic human rights to a certain group of people.
The “Preambles, Anthems, Symbols Bill of Rights and Human Rights Committee”, chaired by the bigoted and ignorant Lois Hassell-Habtes actually voted not to adopt wording which would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. This was even though they claim that 1300 VI churchgoers have signed a petition attempting to get the government to deny members of our community who are gay the right to enter into the contract of marriage.
Hassell-Habtes is backed by Wilma Marsh Monsanto who, according to the St. Ctoix Avis of February 27, “asks the other delegates if they want the government to oppress the people of the Virgin Islands by having the government issue marriage licenses to gay couples.”
Give me a break!! These bible thumpers make me crazy!
I am sooo tired of the hypocrisy of the United States government and our territorial “leaders” who insist on NOT separating church and state, and use selected passages from a book that was probably written by a bunch of guys smoking “King Soloman’s herb” and drinking fermented grain beverages, to “prove” that their own prejudices are “the word of God”.
Oh, and then it’s been translated eleventy skillion times, too. So, even though so many other words and phrases lose something in translation, these magical stories are immune to changes in language and the passage of time.
Bullshit!
I am also tired of people who do not take responsibility for their own actions by talking about “God’s will”. One of my pet peeves is when someone says, “I’ll see you next week, God willing”. Well, what if “God” is willing, but you’re too lazy to get off your fat butt? Then what?
I also refuse to pay attention to anything from a “12-step program”, where people admit they are powerless over whatever, and they place it all in the hands of “God”. Relinquishing one’s responsibility over their own decisions and actions is cowardly and childish, and a huge cop-out.
The world would be a nicer place without religion, because religion produces religious fanatics who believe in only certain old stories to the exclusion of other. They’d be better off believing in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But those are religious figures, too.
March 8th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I am a person of faith and religion. My denomination the Presbyterian Church USA has gone to bat for years over gay rights. Just now the Presbytery of Charlotte has reintroduced language to our Book of Order to the national PCUSA. They will fight and vote and argue over this for months. Our denomination wants to ordain practicing homosexuals into the ministry or as an elder.
Personally I am tired of the argument on both sides. I don’t have the passion of either side as you do. I certainly don’t see any harm.
In my nearby town of Mint Hill, NC every Saturday is greeted with men in red shirts holding up signs at the square telling anyone who can read that they are going to hell. They don’t identify their organization or any solution but I know they are Christian because they have New Testament verses on some signs. This is discouraging to me and makes a small group of radicals look like they speak for an entire faith.
I would rather my religion be involved with life’s meaning and helping one another, a path to redemption, rather than condemnation and control of others.
Religion and faith work for me in living my life. I wish I had the answers you seek.
I think you may discover some secular mainstream folks are opposed to this concept as well. Social change takes decades as we have seen. Eventually the change comes about.
Good post Terry.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:33 am
This the Fifth Constitutional Convention. How many tries will it take?
WE “Residental” Virgin Islanders must all be registered voters to choose whether we want this document. If it even gets to that point.
Get REGISTERED if you live here.
I’ve always thought that MARRIAGE should be a religious concern, while UNION/Partnership should be a simple act of registration. There should be separation of Church from Government.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Thanks, Wreg, good comments, too.
Can you believe I wrote this on Sunday, too? Certainly securing my place in hell. Well, in my defense, I can only say, “The devil made me do it”
!
Yes, I am passionate about those who want to deny basic human rights to other contributing members of society. Sorry you are “tired of the argument”.
I’m not looking for answers. I just want people to be fair and consistent with one another, not expect some deity to do what they are actually supposed to do. Which reminds me of another of my “favorite” things here on island ~ the signs that say, “Did you pray today?” To that, I say, “No, I was too busy doing stuff myself rather than sitting around asking some god to do it for me”.
March 9th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Terry I respect your right to feel the way you do about the bible and about faith. And I understand some of your arguments. I am a Christian and study the bible. I know there is nothing I can say on this comment page to make you see my way of thinking but Have you ever read the bible? Cover to cover? I did (took over a year) and it changed my life. (for the better)
I personaly don’t have a problem with gays having a legal union. I feel that your sexual orientation is how you are born. I think it is wrong to go against what comes natural for you. That said I don’t personaly think homesexuality is a sin. I think promiscuious behavior is wrong rather you are hetersexual or homsexual. Therefore marriage is the way to go. God tells us not to judge each other. So I try not to. A lot of what is said about sex in the bible is about populating the earth at a time that it needed to grow. Now it doesn’t. Yes time does change some things and a lot of what is in the old testament is about those days not today.
You know I love and respect you and your thoughts and don’t try to change you. I hope you respect mine as well.
Judy
March 9th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Thanks, Lisa. We need to write to our senators with our concerns as well. I will start looking up the e-mail addresses of all of our senators and post them on the blog in the next couple of days….
Judy, I respect your right to believe what you want, as long as you do not force your beliefs, which discriminate and deny basic human rights, on others.
I have not read the bible from cover to cover, nor have I read the Koran. Have you? What makes one religious book “right” and another “wrong”? And, actually, Michael and I were in California last July and we took the bible from the drawer and started reading it. Some of the words on page 2 contradicted what was said on page 1. How can anybody take something like that seriously?
Every person should have the right to marry the person that he or she loves and wants to commit to. And every woman should have the right to a safe abortion if she does not want a child. Aborting an unborn fetus is better than having a bunch more unwanted, unloved, and totally messed up humans walking around on this planet. The churches continuously try to deny that right, however.
The churches have historically preyed upon the poor and undereducated to make them believe that certain bizarre rituals practiced in a certain building on a certain day of the week will bring them relief from their suffering. And certain members of the church have historically oppressed both believers and non-believers.
I despise the hypocrisy of many of the religions. I despise hypocrisy anywhere. If a religion made all of the adherents to its faith into people who want to make the world a better place by striving for equal rights for all, then I would have no problem.
But I don’t see that happening. I see it making many people into crazed fanatics who can’t think rationally.
March 9th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
No, I have not read the Koran and see no need to so your point is well taken. You are well spoken and I don’t disagree with a lot of what you are saying. I guess I feel like people of faith can’t all be lumped together any more than those who don’t believe can be. Each person is different. Each person who believes in God has their own understanding of his word and their own personal relationship. It is all deep and we each have the right to believe what we believe. I admire your passion for your causes. And they are important causes.
March 9th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Thanks for continuing to read and respond, Judy.
Blind faith is dangerous, and the damage caused by it historically has been devastating.
I realize that not all believers are fanatics, but I wish those who believe and are truly good people would try to teach the fanatics the truth. The fanatics are more likely to listen to rational other believers than to people like me who have no patience with their backwardness.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Wow, 7 comments already, guess I should weigh in. I have read the bible ( a lot of it, but not necessarily cover to cover). I’ve also read quite a bit about other religions, ironically, in classes at catholic schools. I don’t have a problem with people practicing their religion, as long as they don’t try to force me, or others, to practice it too. I REALLY have a problem with people who obsess with trying to make the whole world, or at least the little bit of the world that surrounds them and that they might have influence over, conform to THIER religious beliefs, especially when they are not very good about practicing their own beliefs themselves.
I think most of the current arguments and controversy would go away if certain vocal right-wing christians would actually practice some of the basic tenets of their faith, like “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, “Judge not, lest you be judged”, and “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.
If more so-called christians would follow the words and actions of christ, administering to the sick and needy, and practicing tolerance and acceptance, the world would be a better place. Unfortunately, religion has proven to be an effective way to manipulate the masses and the true fundamentals of many (dare I say most) organized religions have been obscured and twisted by fanatics bent more on power than piety. Kudos to those of you who still strive to follow the word.
March 10th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Amen, Michael!
March 17th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
wow, this is a very heavy discussion. Whatever you do, please don’t upset Terry. Terry’s blog is my only way of keeping track of the St. Croix heartbeat. So I will save my comments for another post
March 18th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Oh, come kwat.