A CHALLENGE to all DU Christian/Mormon/religious people!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

Our GLBT brothers and sisters just got another slap in the face last night. They are rightfully angry that various religions have, once again, stepped in to force Americans to love/live by a particular religion's theology.

I would like to challenge the DU religious to do one, small thing to help move forward the civil rights struggle our brothers and sisters are engaged in.

I want to you to get a fish car emblem (or whatever symbol represents your faith) and I want you to put it on your car. And right next to it, I want you to put a sticker that says "I support gay marriage".

I feel it is important that the religious see another religious has that point of view and I feel it is important the GLBT community see that there are religious that support their struggle.

Though I am not a religious person -- I am a Catholic who long ago left the church over issues such as women's and GLBT rights -- I do find that I am a "philosophical" christian. I decided it was time to express that. So a fish is going on my vehicle right next to my "Stop the H8" bumbersticker.

I challenge each and every one of you to do the same.

It's a small gesture, but if it challenges one person you come in contact to rethink their beliefs, it will be well worth it.

Get a free "I (heart) gay marriage" sticker here:

http://act.credoaction.com/stickers/?rc=fb.connect

When I get my bumper together, I'll post a picture. I hope you'll do the same.


Hell

[el_bryanto]

1. That's not a bad idea

And you are right I think it is worthwhile for members of those faiths to see that believes can think differently on political issues.

Bryant

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Yes --

Here in CA in the lead-up to Prop. 8, I saw many, many cars with the fish and a "Yes on 8" sticker. I didn't see ONE fish/No on 8. It really made me think about the power of that type of "advertising" -- there was simply no counter out there for the masses to witness.

Last night just kicked it into gear. It's time.

Hell

[PatSeg]

17. We weren't prepared in California for the Prop 8

campaign. My mailbox was full of propaganda for Prop 8, many of which had Obama's picture on the front, as well as other prominent black leaders. The inference was that Obama was FOR Prop 8. People stood on busy street corners with signs that said things totally unrelated to Prop 8 about schools and freedom of speech. It was a deceptive campaign that eventually got a lot of Obama supporters to vote yes of Prop 8, many who did not really know what they were voting for.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

20. I agree --

the ballot initiative could have been confusing for people - if you weren't really paying attention you could have voted incorrectly. I find initiatives are often phrased in a purposely misleading way.

We got our asses kicked with 8.

[PatSeg]

21. And that particular election was loaded with

initiatives. The guide to the ballot was over 40 pages and no matter how carefully you read it, it still was confusing. I'm guide sure a large percentage of voters don't even bother to read the pros and cons. I've pretty much gotten to the point where I vote "No" on most of them. We need an initiative to END initiatives. It is a very inefficient way to govern.

[Maat]

2. Already have it ...

right next to my Unitarian-Universalist sticker.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

5. Excellent!

[Ian David]

3. Great idea!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

6. Nice collection!

Who's the guy in the glasses??

[Ian David]

8. Thanks! That's supposed to be me. n/t

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. You're cute --

in a one-dimensional, graphicy kind of way.

[Ian David]

12. Aww, thanks. :) n/t

[gratuitous]

7. Thanks

I already do that. I also belong to a publicly affirming congregation. And we have a gay pastor.

Now, why do so many DUers automatically assume that progressive people of faith need to be told these things? I've been assured that it's not because of any "real" bigotry or discrimination, so it must be something else at work here. But I have to tell you that I get the exact same feeling when I see such things at DU as I do when confronted by the hidebound conservative knuckleheads.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

10. I live in San Francisco --

and I am here to tell you I have NEVER seen a fish emblem specifically and a pro-gay rights message together on a vehicle. I have seen many, many spiritual/ ecumenical plus gay rights messages, but never the ultimate Christian symbol.

I more than anyone know there are liberal Christians but I have never seen the simple/blunt message of Christian = Pro-gay expressed. I find that frustrating.

[Soylent Brice]

9. K&R

[Hell Hath No Fury]

13. Kicking for visability!

Come one all you DUers who are always defending your religion here against charges of hate, where are you?? Put you money where your mouth is! Be part of the solution!

[EFerrari]

14. Signed up for a sticker and sent it along.

Thanks.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

18. Me too!

Free bumpestickers are always good. It was hard to find a fish emblem where the money did NOT go to a religious biz/group/org, but finally managed to find one. I felt kin dof creepy getting one (FSM is more my "deity") but once it is on my bumper with my other messages, I'll feel better.

[Toasterlad]

15. I Would Rather People Put a Note In the Collection Basket That Says:

"I have learned that money from this church was used to fund anti-gay initiatives in California, Maine, and elsewhere. I am not comfortable with my money being used for hateful purposes. Therefore, I will be donating my usual weekly tithe to a gay charity of my choosing until the church reverses its bigoted, antiquated, and reprehensible policies of intolerance"

Signs are lovely, but money hits them where they live.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

16. Oooooo --

Nice one!

[Chan790]

19. You can certainly do both...

and if you're concerned about someone trashing your car when you're not in it or about the sticker damaging the car, there are magnets the same size and shape as bumper stickers that you can buy. You stick the sticker to the magnet, trim the magnet down to be the same size as the sticker and stick the magnet on the car...then when you get out of the car you can take the magnet with you so nobody steals your stickers or trashes your car for it.

(I'm not singling you out, I just really liked your suggestion and wanted to get the magnet/sticker thing out there for people to read and one post is lazy-easier than two.)

[Ignis]

23. Niiiiiiiiiice idea, Toasterlad.

[EFerrari]

22. KICK for creative direct action.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Great idea and they should

But the choir won't go for it. They say it is too hard and also, most of them agree with the bigotry, it is very clear.
I ask all who hold these religions so dear to really think about the fact that each of the Biblical authors who spoke against gay people spoke in favor of slavery. An inconvenient truth? It is a cold hard fact. St Paul 'slaves, obey your masters'. Own that verse as well, it is equal to your anti gay verses. Slaves. Obey your masters. Understand that this is Scripture, what you call Scripture, written by the men who you quote to oppress a minority. Say it into the mirror, light a devotional candle. Slaves. Obey your masters.
That is the Word. Own that. If it is anti gay, it is also pro slavery. And you must believe it all, or none of it. Pro Slavery? Are you really that thing? Seems so to me. The Word o' God and all. Sanctity and all. Own that like you are allowed in your faith to own humans.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

26. The bible is a mish mash of ugly --

that's for sure -- some truly heinous things can be justified by many of it's passages. It is truly one of the most dangerous books every written.

Yet I was raised a social justice Catholic in the Ted Kennedy vein and those teachings have stayed with me in spite of my rejection of the Church itself, and they made me the screaming liberal I am today. Oops.

[spoony]

27. We get it. You hate us. We don't hate you back.

Despite your claim that we do. I know that makes it rather "inconvenient." Oh and you're STILL as wrong as you were when you used this passage, again out of context, to slam the most liberal believer on this site. Paul is not the WORD.

[Betty Karlson]

25. Done. And we decided something else too.

Topic Kicked and Recommended, by the way.

And another thing: my boyfriend and I have decided not to get married until gay and lesbian couples can. For us, this is not a protest. It's simply that we are no better than they are, and if they can't get married, then why would we deserve to do so?

My mother, undertandably, was not amused. But we believe that our decision has nothing to do with extramarital affairs. Marriage is love, commitment, and the resolve to make it work. A legal status is not what it is about.

Marriage equality is the recognition of an existing marriage. So even if people are refused the opportunity to have their love recognised, they are still married where it matters: in their hearts.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

28. I've heard a lot of straight couples make that argument -

and it is one I respect completely.

There are so few meaningful ways to show solidarity on a daily basis for the struggle -- I go to marches, I sign petitions, I give money, I vote accordingly -- but at the end of the day I can get married and gain legal protections any ol' time I want to, no skin off my teeth.

It's frustraing as hell.

[Taverner]

29. Great Idea! Most Christians have stood idilly by when Psychopaths have hijacked their religion

[Hell Hath No Fury]

30. Too true --

I get a kick out of christians who complain, "Where are the moderm Muslims? Why have they allowed the crazies to hijack Islam?"

Pot meet kettle.