I am a Christian but you don't have to be to be my friend. You do, however, need to be kind, considerate, sincere, helpful, loving, giving, tolerant, wise and willing to say that I don't have to be of your religion to be your friend either.
The first question my dad used to ask me when I found a new boyfriend was, "What church does he go to?" I later learned that question did not mean is he a Methodist like us. That question meant is this boy hopefully being raised in a home that is helping him develop a conscience.
I do not, and never will, like a politician who campaigns using his specific religion as a sign of who he or she is. I want a politician to campaign on examples of past acts to earn my vote. Don't wear a fish or a cross on you lapel and expect me to believe that you have a good heart. Instead wear a pin of your lifetime of outstretched arms telling me you are willing to embrace our entire country and not just those who share your religion.
Haven't we all learned by now that a person's religion is certainly not a window into their soul? We cannot define a person's heart by their religion but only by their example of living. Simply by saying that I am a Christian causes some people to immediately determine a lot of things about me that are totally off base.
Needless to say I strongly believe in separation of church and state but not separation of morals-ethics and state. Let's stop re-electing politicians who say they are religious but have committed a multitude of crimes and harmful and selfish indiscretions that simply lead us away from our country's agenda of being the greatest nation of freedom in the world.
Yikes! Give me a hand stepping down from this soap box will you? Thanks.
I enjoyed your post.. I too am more interested in someone's Rightness of Spirit, versus what Religion they are. To me thats like which club did they choose to join, versus, what GOOD have you done in this world, as our actions speak far louder than our words or the labels we choose to put on ourselves for others sake.
ReplyDeleteya know that song, LOVE is all there is- well it really IS.
have a great week ~!
PS~ I've feel the LOVE a lot more if you'd turn that " word verification" OFF.. lol lol
You said it all well...However it makes one wonder why or who rubbed you the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing as "Changes in the wind" what prompted this? But I have to agree with you on the entire thing though...a person is determined by their actions...
ReplyDeleteSonny -- I could have saved a lot of words by simply stating the fact as well as you. Yes our actions should speak louder than our words.
ReplyDeleteChanges in the wind -- This tirade had to start for me in the 70's while working in the Bible Belt of Oklahoma and having to contend almost daily with "Christians" demanding special services because they were "Christians" and expressing I could not possibly be one or I would waive their fees, not put holds on their checks or return their checks for insufficient funds. They had the word Christian branded all over themselves yet abused it by being some of the least Christ-like people I ever met. But it's not just Christians, it is everyone who excuses bad behavior by using religion. I just don't think it is necessary for political candidates to tout their religion instead of how they treat others as examples of their faith or telling what they have done to help our country. I also believe any church that preaches politics should lose their tax exempt status. It is stereotyping just like people who label me a racist because I did not vote for Obama. We have got to stop lumping everyone into one category because of the words liberal or conservative or Christian or Jew,etc. Oops, there I went again.
Brown English Muffin -- I think I answered you and Changes in the wind as you were typing your question. Exactly why I got on this kick this morning is beyond me unless it is some comment I heard from Rick Perry on TV yesterday that rubbed me wrong.
ReplyDeleteIt's always amusing to me that some people believe that being religious guarantees a person's moral standards are high. If only life (and people) were that simple.
ReplyDeleteTalon -- Yep, that's what I was trying to say.
ReplyDeleteSonny -- Okay I turned off the word verification. I think I have good spam control set up on my blog now but if it gets bad again I'll have to turn it back on. Always glad to oblige my blog friends when I can.
ReplyDeleteDon't fall as you step down because most Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Atheists, Agnostics, Pantheists, etc. and those who have dropped out from all philosophical thought are on your side. The Golden Rule works for us all.
ReplyDeleteTabor -- All zealots from every ilk want to undo us rather than do unto us.
ReplyDeleteaww bless your heart... much appreciated...
ReplyDeletesee ya soon.
When my SIL died we promised her husband,who was my husband's brother that we would always look out for him as he grew older.
ReplyDeleteThe main thing he worried about was not being able to stay in his beloved home. We promised we would help him stay there as long as he could.
So he lived alone and did very well until he was over 90 years old and then a woman came out of nowhere and latched on to him thinking he had money. First, she came over during the day or take him out to dinner. Then she started to stay overnight. Next she moved all her things into his house.That was OK with him and with us, because she was company for him and he liked her.
Then one day the phone rang and it was our brother crying that there were a lot of people in his house and he didn't know who they were. He was now 92 years old.
When we got to his place there were the woman,her daughter and her husband and two children all established in his house.NONE were working.
When my husband asked them to please leave the house they cried,"But we're Christians. You can't put us out. We,as Christians would never put YOU out of our house."
We told them that the day we moved into their house they would have every right to put us out even though we were also Christians.
They finally moved out but the woman stayed because my BIL liked having her there for company.
Your comments about the people wanting special consideration at the bank because they were Christians is what made me think of this incident that happened a few years ago.
P.S. I am going to the store today to buy the cake mix, bananas, and cranberries for the you know what.
I'm with ya, GA! I was embarrassed several years ago when a man working at my voting precinct thought he recognized me from somewhere and asked, "Where do you go to church?" I was estranged from church just then for various reasons and just said it must be from somewhere else. It's an awfully assumptive question, but I get where you are coming from in your post, too.
ReplyDeleteHelp you down from your soap box? NO WAY! Granny Annie for President! ;)
ReplyDeletesonny -- I hope commenting is easier for everyone now.
ReplyDeleteNancy -- What a nightmare. Now that's a story for the Elder Storytelling Place.
Lynn -- You made me wonder about when I ask people a similar question. But I don't say what church to you attend, I ask if they attend Boston Avenue if I recognize them and can't place them. Our church has 8000 members so it's a good chance I saw them there. LOL
OGO -- No way is right but about the Granny Annie for Pres. Then our country would really be in trouble. LOL
I love this post. You sum things up so well! So many of my relatives are judgmental because someone isn't their specific brand of "Christian." It's a turn off and so unlike what I feel Christianity is supposed to be.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with this but having said that I also don't agree with the media who will pry until they find a Christian and then use the info to try to find something wrong with them based on common beliefs. In other words they are held to a completely different worldly standard than would be a Muslim or a non believer.
ReplyDeleteRiot Kitty -- Thanks for your comment. I guess it easily boils down to: There are good people and there are bad people. Now that is easy to understand. My response to certain folks who call themselves Christians and tell me my "brand" of Christianity won't get me to Heaven with them is: Good because I couldn't stand to spend eternity with you.
ReplyDeleteCliff -- I could not have said that better. You are exactly right. I hate what the media does to fine persons of Christian faith. It is as if the media is on a mission of destruction. They do not account for one-sided religious zealots being very similar to one-sided journalistic zealots.
Religion, AA Affiliation, Belief in a certain form of government... all of those things, as you say, shouldn't define people.
ReplyDeleteSome of the best people I know believe in absolutely nothing on the list - and do absolutely everything for others.
I loved this post. I was attracted to your blog initially by your Angie Worth quote "Faith is what holds us together while religion tears us apart". There's nothing wrong with being any of the many brands of Christian, or any other religion for that matter. It's what you do with your life that makes you a good person, religion is incidental and certainly shouldn't be traded upon for favors.
ReplyDeleteFor me there is only one way to comment to your post:
ReplyDelete"Hear, Hear...."
Pheromone Girl -- My best friend in the world once asked me if I was concerned that she did not have any religious affiliation and if I thought she was a good person. I thought she was the best person in the world, always giving of herself and helping others and loving her sweet family and I couldn't see religion doing anything more for her but I could see a lot of good she could do for religion.
ReplyDeletePat MacKenzie -- Loved your comment that religion shouldn't be "traded for favors". It sure seems like it is quite often. By the way, I am also Angie Worth:)
Holland -- Thank you friend!
Hi, I don't think we've met. I'm bj from Sweet Nothings...an olden woman with many grandglories and one little great-girly. I'm over from Sonny's.
ReplyDeleteWow, you DID get on a soap box here, didn't you. Mr. Sweet and I usually get on ours every evening during the news. :)
I am curious to know what my man, Rick Perry said that you didn't care for.
Won't you please come by my site if you answer this? I seldom come back over after I've left a comment until the next time you post something.
Now, I am going to read more of you blog and get to know you a little better.
xo bj
bj -- Thank you for visiting my blog. I shall be over to meet you on yours as well. Rick Perry stood the best chance of being my man in the 2012 election before he moved from his stance of "reluctance to share his beliefs" to "wearing them on his sleeve like a badge" in these difficult times. We are getting so caught up in trivia in these political events that we fail to make decisions on important matters of government such as over taxation without representation, human rights for all legal citizens, health care, military support, etc. Religion and other personal freedoms already guaranteed us are thrown out on the table like something we can or should change and we can only argue about them to no avail. We need to focus on our nation and I thought Perry might do that until he hosted a "prayer fest". What place does that have in politics. We can each and every one pray when or where we want without turning it into a campaign rally.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about religion being a private matter, but Perry is just trying to court the fundamentalists in the GOP who will not vote for anyone who doesn't espouse their Christian beliefs. He is a politician, after all.
ReplyDeleteIt's too soon to tell, but if Perry turn out to be the GOP candidate, then I'll vote for him, warts and all, because he will be an infinitely better president than Obama.
WOW.. you started something.. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love to read your blog, but didn't know you answered everyone when they comment. This was just as entertaining as your post. Well, now I know, I'll start sticking around a little longer (or checking back occasionally). I've often heard there are two things you don't speak of with friends.. that's religion and politics.. On my blog, I let the goats talk politics..LOL
My Mother nearly fainted when I became friends with the sons of a nearby Jewish family! The nuns were whispering about us when I brought one to my Catholic School Prom too... Well he was my dance partner for years before that- An excellent person too. I was a bit of a boat-rocker.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the politician- religion point you made.
cube – And that was my point…use of religion as a campaign “courtship” item. He is a politician, after all, as they all are, after all, and as I am sick and tired of, after all. LOL
ReplyDeleteAncient one -- Yes there are lots of similar opinions on this matter. Who knew? I try to answer commenters on most of my blog posts. Notice that when you comment there is a box you can check to notify you of other comments and you don’t have to come back to see the response. It will be emailed to you.
Snaggle Tooth – Boat rocker? Sounds like you knew the right way to pick friends. Good dance partners are hard to find.