Why don't we protest RW churches?

[renaissanceguy]

These groups picket our parades and Matthew Shepard's funeral? Why don't we get out there and stand in front of their churches, denouncing their hatred and intolerance?

I'd be willing to do it. I'm not afraid of them, and no one should be.

[LeighAnn]

1. They thrive on persecution

A noisy picket would validate what they stand for, and give them a visible "enemy" to "be strong" against.

Better to gather outside their church dressed up nice, sing hymns, and pass out Christian literature that refutes their right-wing stance to their parishinors as they exit, and to curious onlookers.

[renaissanceguy]

2. I like that idea better, actually.

I think that we need to do SOMETHING, though.

[LeighAnn]

3. Well, we need good literature

A left wing version of Chick Tracks

http://www.chick.com/

Plenty of good stuff in the Bible to counter all right-wing hypocrisy.

I wonder if there are any templates for making little books like that with MS Word ...people could download and print their own lefty tracks and organize locally, targeting congregations that were known to promote Bush during the election (etc).


I'll talk to a guy I know that illustrates. Any Bible scholars around here?

[seaj11]

8. Ugh. Chick Tracts disgusted me.

Yet they are excellent targets for parody. Hmm... :evilgrin:

[Jackie97]

7. That idea is better.

You're right. It's not just the churches thriving on persecution, it's conservatives as a whole. These people think they're persecuted by liberal Americans, homeless people, blacks, the entire rest of the world outside of Israel, etc.

I like some of them, but they're freaks of paranoid nature.

[GrrrlRomeo]

4. Challenge interpretations

It's very easy to challenged the interpretations of the passages that anti-gay Christians use against gays. There are only 6 total, 3 in the New Testament and 3 in the Old Testament.

And there are numerous passages that can be used against RWs. So many that I cannot even count them. Luke 18:9-14, most of Mathew 23, Luke 10:25-37 are excellent examples.

Luke 10:25-37 is the story most know as the good Samaritan. Many people aren't aware that it is a story about prejudice. In regards to "Love they neighbor", Jesus is asked "Who is my neighbor?" Now, a Samaritan in Jesus' time was someone thought "unclean" and they were not well liked. In the story, two holymen do not stop to help a man that has been beaten and robbed but the Samaritan does. And Jesus says, this was that man's neighbor. The moral of the story is your neighbors include the people you hold prejudices against. The people you hold as unclean may turn out to be good.

It is down right impossible to alter the interpretations of a Fundamentalist. But it would at least make a moderate Christian think.

[Cuban_Liberal]

5. The term 'RW churches' kinda disturbs me.

What bothers me about it is the absence of what defines a 'RW church'. For example, I'm a Roman Catholic, and I attend Mass at least weekly, and often times more. Some would call any Roman Catholic church 'right-wing', yet my personal experience at both my current and at all my previous parishes has been one of kindness and tolerance; in other words, while the rector or some fellow parishoners might well view my lifestyle as 'sinful', I myself (and my life partner) have always been treated well.

Where do we draw the line here?

:shrug:

[GrrrlRomeo]

10. Actively promoting bigotry

My whole Mom's side of the family is made up of left-wing, liberal, Roman Catholic Democrats. :)

But there are churches that actively protest gays and promote bigotry. Any gay functions, they'll be there. I have seen people protest Indigo Girls concerts because they're gay and a lot of gay people go to their concerts.

[Jackie97]

6. RCers protested Shepard's funeral?

I think I might be in favor of protesting conservative churches, but ALL OF THEM. I don't want to just do RCers. I want to do ALL OF THEM, starting with the most homophobic denomination of all. That would be the Southern Baptists.

[Technowitch]

9. Because they are not worthy of my time or attention.

And I find them too vile to be around.