An open letter to the religious right: You have no right

[hyphenate]

An open letter to the religious right: You have no right

March 3, 2009 by Opinions
Column by Andrew Waldner

Dustin Lance Black’s simple and heartfelt acceptance speech was a high point of this year’s stellar Oscar ceremony. It wasn’t combative or uncouth like Sean Penn’s, just a simple statement of wanting to love someone and enjoy his own private happiness.

My turn. And I’m not trying to be sweet or kind, just logical.

I’m asking you to put aside your religious beliefs or your bigotry or anything else and look at this as a citizen of the United States. This is not about your beliefs or morals, it’s about legality and rights.

The United States, as with most everywhere in the Western Hemisphere, was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. Does this mean we celebrate the Eucharist or Passover as a nation? No. It means we praise “good” behavior and punish “bad” behavior in a way that mostly lines up with ideas that Jesus celebrated. Were our Founding Fathers religious men? In some cases, yes, but they came to this world to escape political and religious tyranny that had been the norm in Europe. They came here to celebrate the individual and to avoid this intolerance.

The Constitution, besides establishing our government and its power, guarantees people can live without fear of oppression by their government or by any one group. Without adversely affecting themselves or their fellow man in any tangible way, Americans were meant to be able to live out their private lives and expect equal protection under the law. It doesn’t quite give a right to privacy, but the intent to protect both majority and minority is obvious.



http://kykernel.com/2009/03/03/an-open-letter-to-the-religious-right-you-have-no-right/#comment-2214

[theoldman]

1. The United States was founded on Greco-Roman principals.

Our founding fathers did not use the Bible to write the Constitution. I think the confusion comes from the fact that most were Christian. Some were agnostic and Jefferson was close to being an atheist.

[Sinistrous]

2. Greco-Roman, yes, leavened with Enlightenment philosophies. n/t

[ReliantJ]

3. As I read this Ted Poe

is angry at the tour guides in DC for not including religion.:evilfrown:

[cynatnite]

4. The Iroquois nation was also credited has having an influence as well. n/t

[Lance_Boyle]

5. Waldner needs history lessons.

The Founding Fathers didn't "come here," that was the Pilgrims. And the Pilgrims most certainly did not come here to escape political and religious tyranny. They came here so that they might freely impose their fundamentalist religion on themselves, their offspring, and whoever else they happened to encounter - they came here to IMPOSE religious tyranny, which was forbidden in more-civilized Europe. The Founding Fathers - men like Jefferson, and Washington, and Franklin - were born here.

[Glorfindel]

6. You're exactly right, and thanks for saying it.

n/t

[Winterblues]

10. What do you know of John Calvin, if this is your belief?

I think you are very much mistaken. Religious Tyranny was rampant in Europe at the time and Christians were being killed left and right because they were not strict Catholics. Protestants fled to Africa and Australia and America to escape persecution.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

11. ...

[TNOE]

7. The Bible States:

1 Corinthians 13:13 (New International Version)

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So if two people love each other - regardless of gender - how is that wrong?

THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ASKED. IMO.

[TNOE]

8. The Bible States:

1 Corinthians 13:13 (New International Version)

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

So if two people love each other - regardless of gender - how is that wrong?

THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ASKED. IMO.

[superconnected]

9. Good luck trying to rationalize with a rethuglican...