First Post

So, on this first post, I just feel like clearing some air... and giving some information out.

I am a Christian and, because of that, a progressive/liberal/whatever you feel like calling it... not despite, because. Many people have trouble wrapping their heads around that notion. I feel like battering that right now, because I read a series of blog posts about Dan Halloran, a Pagan who is running for District 19's city council in Queens, NY right now on, of all things, a Republican ticket, and who is being defended by his fellow GOP members. What stunned me- beyond the idea of the Republicans, traditionally the bastion of poorly thought out, theologically incorrect, and reactionary Christianity, the sort that hates everyone else, supporting a Pagan- were the comments on that page. It was a blog that was adamantly progressive, powerfully liberal.

Several posts came out strongly against religion. Not against crazy religion. That's a different topic. I think we all agree that any religion worth the name needs to be sane, not crazy, not an excuse to be racist or sexist, and in general, not crazy. Those are pretty easy standards to meet- just be not crazy. Don't deny evolution, don't kill people, you know, simple stuff.

These posts, though, weren't about those kinds of religions. It was about religion itself. Now, this offends me on a pretty personal level. This is the core of who I am; I am a Christian, first and foremost. That's probably why I'm so caught up over a statistically insignificant number- of forty posts, only four were against religion directly. (I ignore implication, for implying is a silly thing.) That's equivalent to about ten percent. Nothing to write home about.

But it still bothers me, because it is a symptom of a bigger issue. The current state of affairs in America is that there is no true religious freedom. There is simply a Choice: will you go with the crazy, anti-science, kill everybody who's not a White God-Fearun' Amerikun, fundamentalist Christians? Or do you go with the arrogant, certain, There is No God and I am His Prophet Atheists?

Anybody with any sense can tell you that a choice between two horrible options is no choice at all.

Any ideas?