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Apr. 11th, 2002 01:46 amI wrote this once tonight, then had one of those fun full-system crashes that happens slowly... one program, then the next, but never being allowed to save what you're working on.
Anyway, as much as I can reconstruct it:
In the past year, there's something I've been seeing more and more often. In the news, in books, in conversation, even at business meetings.
People claiming that they're being discriminated against or otherwise badly treated for being Christians. Here in the US.
I see quotes in reviews of books (business oriented books, too!) like "He is not afraid to reveal his relationship with his Lord..." At the library this evening, I ran across some new fiction about a girl at a New England college whose professors, "while open-minded about alternative religions", deride her for being Christian. (The main premise being that God and Satan are going to fight over her, and she's now at a disadvantage because she's being looked down on my those around her for being "faithful".)
At business meetings in recent months, I've been seeing people get up and say how "proud" they are to "be able to stand up and openly introduce myself as a Christian Businessman." As through they can't pretty much anywhere? (Somehow, I can't see standing up and announcing how proud I am to be a Pagan Businesswoman; I just don't suspect that would go over well in mostly Christian Minnesota. Then again, I can't see what the heck being a Christian or a Pagan has to do with most businesses!)
All around me, I see Christians (not all, but quite a few) pushing to have the ten commandments posted in courts and public schools. Pushing to have prayer in public schools- they're not talking about any/all prayers, just their prayers. They're openly and vocally supported in this by the president and the attorney general, both of whom mention their (Christian) religion/faith at every possible opportunity. Ashcroft, to the point of instituting daily prayer meetings for his staff and starting other meetings with prayers!
The only time I've heard Christians even being asked to so much as tone it down, is when they're in a situation where it's inappropriate to be bringing in any faith or religion.
When people disagree (even when it's other Christians), in their minds, that's apparently discrimination.
Do they think that if they keep claiming they're being discriminated against for being Christian, that people will eventually start believing them? A lot of people already seem to be buying it!
Honestly, when was the last time you heard about a Christian worship service being disrupted by Pagans, Muslims, Buddhists, or whoever chanting and singing, and the police either ignored the calls, showed up late, or told the Christians to quit disrupting the neighborhood? (Now swap them around- and suddenly, it sounds like things you've heard in the news in the recent past.)
Is this just me? (A good friend of mine- agnostic- claims I'm just being overly sensitive.) Or are other people seeing it, too?
Anyway, as much as I can reconstruct it:
In the past year, there's something I've been seeing more and more often. In the news, in books, in conversation, even at business meetings.
People claiming that they're being discriminated against or otherwise badly treated for being Christians. Here in the US.
I see quotes in reviews of books (business oriented books, too!) like "He is not afraid to reveal his relationship with his Lord..." At the library this evening, I ran across some new fiction about a girl at a New England college whose professors, "while open-minded about alternative religions", deride her for being Christian. (The main premise being that God and Satan are going to fight over her, and she's now at a disadvantage because she's being looked down on my those around her for being "faithful".)
At business meetings in recent months, I've been seeing people get up and say how "proud" they are to "be able to stand up and openly introduce myself as a Christian Businessman." As through they can't pretty much anywhere? (Somehow, I can't see standing up and announcing how proud I am to be a Pagan Businesswoman; I just don't suspect that would go over well in mostly Christian Minnesota. Then again, I can't see what the heck being a Christian or a Pagan has to do with most businesses!)
All around me, I see Christians (not all, but quite a few) pushing to have the ten commandments posted in courts and public schools. Pushing to have prayer in public schools- they're not talking about any/all prayers, just their prayers. They're openly and vocally supported in this by the president and the attorney general, both of whom mention their (Christian) religion/faith at every possible opportunity. Ashcroft, to the point of instituting daily prayer meetings for his staff and starting other meetings with prayers!
The only time I've heard Christians even being asked to so much as tone it down, is when they're in a situation where it's inappropriate to be bringing in any faith or religion.
When people disagree (even when it's other Christians), in their minds, that's apparently discrimination.
Do they think that if they keep claiming they're being discriminated against for being Christian, that people will eventually start believing them? A lot of people already seem to be buying it!
Honestly, when was the last time you heard about a Christian worship service being disrupted by Pagans, Muslims, Buddhists, or whoever chanting and singing, and the police either ignored the calls, showed up late, or told the Christians to quit disrupting the neighborhood? (Now swap them around- and suddenly, it sounds like things you've heard in the news in the recent past.)
Is this just me? (A good friend of mine- agnostic- claims I'm just being overly sensitive.) Or are other people seeing it, too?
