Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Putting Religion First

On my way home tonight, I saw a bumper sticker that said:
Catholic
Conservative
American
In that order.
And I thought, really? You put your religion before your country? (And on top of that they put their political ideology before it too, but that's a whole other post). I suppose that is the way people do it. And I also think that makes them a traitor. Either you defend the Constitution or you don't. If your religion gets in the way of defending the Constitution, then you're not an American. It can't come third. It's either first, or not at all. Christianity is diametrically opposed to secular democracy, which is what the Constitution lays out for us. There is no religion in the Constitution. The only mention of religion is in Article 6, and that is to ensure that no religion is required to hold office or serve the United States.
"...no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
I suppose when you believe the big lie, that the writings of semi-nomadic pastorlists, who thought the stars were permanently pasted into the night sky, are the words of "god" and that everyone who doesn't believe what [fill in the sect here] espouses is going to hell, that would make you betray your own country, and if it came down to it, your own countrymen because they're not like you in that they are a different religion, or no religion at all.

Article six was a huge step forward in our civilization. Prior to it, in most places, you had to be the religion of the ruling party to vote (if you could vote), to hold office, or in some instances, to even live in said place. In the colonies here, prior to the Revolutionary War, there were laws that required people to be a certain religion to participate in the operation of the colony. That is the reason why Roger Williams left Massachusetts to found Rhode Island. They ran him out because he wanted a voice in his own governance without having to convert to the official state religion.

I just don't get these people. And it's late... I'm sure I'm rambling now...

4 comments:

  1. How much you wanna bet the person in that car would start using words like "deportation" and "terrorist" if you mentioned people who consider themselves Muslim first and American second?

    Clearly, you don't wanna believe in the words of the wrong semi=nomadic pastoralists...

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  2. I would have to ask them, "Remember the good old days when Americans had to debate whether or not the Kennedys were Papists? And if they would be able to govern without being controlled by their pontiff in Rome?"

    Of course now days those self righteous Bastards threaten to excommunicate people who vote their conscience on a variety of issues. Which personally, any priest that threatens that should be deported to the fucking Vatican.

    Just my two cents.

    Maybe the New Bumper sticker should be a portion of the Sixth Amendment.

    This whole Bullshit Dominionist thing has been all about making religious adherence a prerequisite for first Class Citizenry all along.

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  3. This is great...would you give me permission to run it on Contextual Criticism?

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  4. Sure thing Jacob, feel free to use anything you see here. :D

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