Galileo and Gays: Credibility Lost, Yet Again (Mel Seesholtz)

[SeveneightyWhoa]

Galileo and Gays: Credibility Lost, Yet Again

December 18 2006
Counterbias.com
MEL SEESHOLTZ


“When religion loses its credibility” was the title of a USA Today article by Christian writer Oliver Thomas. The article’s lead posed the question: “Galileo was persecuted for revealing what we now know to be the truth regarding Earth’s place in our solar system. Today, the issue is homosexuality, and the persecution is not of one man but of millions. Will Christian leaders once again be on the wrong side of history?”

==SNIP==

The hateful antigay politics of the radical Christian Right have alienated a lot of people of genuine faith, and for good reason. As C. S. Lewis warned, Christians who uses their faith as a means to a political end corrupt their faith.

A post-election survey of evangelicals conducted by Beliefnet and summarized in their article “Evangelicals Sour on Politics” documented that “40.2 percent of the evangelicals surveyed favored the idea of Christians taking a ‘fast’ from politics.” The survey also revealed that nearly 60 percent of non-evangelicals have a more negative view of Jesus because of Christian political involvement. And chief among that “political involvement” is the vile – and distinctly unChristian – campaign against gay and lesbian Americans, their children and families.

Continue reading... http://www.counterbias.com/818.html

[pinto]

1. If I read this right, Seesholtz is saying Thomas is a wolf in sheep's clothing,

as it were. Thomas' article itself doesn't seem very inflammatory, but I see Seeshotlz' point, especially given the background info about Thomas.

He's missing something, though. Attitudes, fwiw, are changing. I don't pretend to see a rapprochement between the GLBT community and religious extremists any time soon, but there seems to be a good sized middle ground we're overlooking. I find these broad based changes heartening, and, in all honesty, have no interest in the extremist views of my life as long as they keep them *out* of my life - know what I mean?

[Tyo]

2. What credibility? n/t

[Jella]

3. Pre and Post election

scandals I'm sure has had an effect on this survey. Had they not had them, I don't see them giving much ground. The number favoring some sort of civil unions is promising, and I hope for the next generation it comes to emanate. While civil unions for all Americans is my desideratum, there are other reasons to worry about their criterion. The desire to introduce their doctrine to children leave me skeptical of the future, and this survey could very well be brief pause in their crusade.