Born 1956, I was raised in churches arising from the Stone/Campbell (American) Restoration Movement (Christian Churches/Churches of Christ).
Although an atheist for more than the last 45 years, for the 4-5 years prior to COVID-19 I attended weekly (Sunday) services at my local CC/CoC (my B-I-L, who lives across the road, teaches Sunday School; my sister is also a "true believer"), mainly to sing and hear sung the hymns I loved as a kid.
I absolutely despise the special pleadings from evangelical Christians that they should be exempt from any and all laws that they disfavor.
* * * * *
Stoehr: "The best way to defeat bad religion, even if you’re not religious, is by taking sides with a good one."
Atheist Me says that the only "good religion" is the one that minds its own goddamn business (channeling HST here).
I could not agree more. When I left a rural small town as a Southern Baptist that was all I knew. At Emory Univ., Atlanta, I found that denomination even more distressing than the small town version. It was either become a none or find another kind of church. Like you I found a church that was progressive back then and has now taken it's place among the most inclusive and forward thinking denominations in America (The Episcopal Church). In my view we are close to the UU Church with the possible exception of idea of the Trinity. Still I do believe that nearly all the other Episcopal Priests I know are universalists. Thomas Jefferson was apparently a Diest and he was also a member of the vestry of the Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. He promoted the First Amendment. So thanks again for this important piece you've written today .
After I retired I attended an ancient and venerable Friends Meeting and felt very good about it and for a while I attended both the Friends Meeting and the Episcopal Church from which I retired. As time passed I decided I preferred the Prayer Book liturgy. It seems to me that the progressive ideas of both communities are quite similar and I would feel "comfortable" in either. And I think I would be eldered if I needed it in either as well. Seems to me that as I've gotten on in years, doctrines and so called beliefs are less and less important for me. Community is "where it's at".
I don't usually disagree with you, John, but I think judging religious sects as "good" or "bad" is a proverbial slippery slope. If the Left was successful in pushing back against the "religious freedom" argument, the GOP would immediately find another argument to justify its actions.
Liberals should hammer home the message that the First Amendment champions religious freedom, but guarding that freedom means that no church or religion should govern or dominate the country. Most religious Americans would agree they don't want someone else's religion to be telling them what to do.
Pointing out the incompatibility between Christian teachings and a host of "bad" actions GOP leaders have taken is fair game, but the Left should be crystal clear in saying it is not attacking the religion but the hypocrisy. In my mind, that's the best way to speak up for "morality."
The First Amendment’s guarantee of "religious freedom" is a gold coin with two sides.
Today's conservative SCOTUS justices prefer the side that says "Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion." The insignia on that side of the coin is an upraised sword, not just quite yet dripping in blood.
Today's liberal SCOTUS justices (plus Roberts?) prefer the side that says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." The emblem on that side of the coin is an upraised shield., not yet cleft in two
Sure, the Republican Party is the "party of religion". But only just ONE religion -- an ultra-conservative Judeo-Christian theism.
OTOH, the Democratic Party is the party of ALL THE OTHER RELIGIONS that (incidentally) Republicans want to stifle, suppress, shut down or at the very least subordinate to their own, as well as of non-theists and atheists.
Liberal Christians, liberal Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc, etc -- though no less religious than Republicans -- will not find a warm welcome to today's Republican Party, nor will non-theists or atheists.
.
Stoehr: "I come from a family . . . etc"
Your upbringing sounds much like mine.
Born 1956, I was raised in churches arising from the Stone/Campbell (American) Restoration Movement (Christian Churches/Churches of Christ).
Although an atheist for more than the last 45 years, for the 4-5 years prior to COVID-19 I attended weekly (Sunday) services at my local CC/CoC (my B-I-L, who lives across the road, teaches Sunday School; my sister is also a "true believer"), mainly to sing and hear sung the hymns I loved as a kid.
I absolutely despise the special pleadings from evangelical Christians that they should be exempt from any and all laws that they disfavor.
* * * * *
Stoehr: "The best way to defeat bad religion, even if you’re not religious, is by taking sides with a good one."
Atheist Me says that the only "good religion" is the one that minds its own goddamn business (channeling HST here).
.
I could not agree more. When I left a rural small town as a Southern Baptist that was all I knew. At Emory Univ., Atlanta, I found that denomination even more distressing than the small town version. It was either become a none or find another kind of church. Like you I found a church that was progressive back then and has now taken it's place among the most inclusive and forward thinking denominations in America (The Episcopal Church). In my view we are close to the UU Church with the possible exception of idea of the Trinity. Still I do believe that nearly all the other Episcopal Priests I know are universalists. Thomas Jefferson was apparently a Diest and he was also a member of the vestry of the Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. He promoted the First Amendment. So thanks again for this important piece you've written today .
Interesting, because when I went off to college, I moved *from* the Episcopal church to a more progressive denomination, the Quakers.
I have since moved away altogether from theism, but I have mostly good memories of both the Episcopal Church and of Quaker meetings.
Jim Prevatt51 min ago
After I retired I attended an ancient and venerable Friends Meeting and felt very good about it and for a while I attended both the Friends Meeting and the Episcopal Church from which I retired. As time passed I decided I preferred the Prayer Book liturgy. It seems to me that the progressive ideas of both communities are quite similar and I would feel "comfortable" in either. And I think I would be eldered if I needed it in either as well. Seems to me that as I've gotten on in years, doctrines and so called beliefs are less and less important for me. Community is "where it's at".
I don't usually disagree with you, John, but I think judging religious sects as "good" or "bad" is a proverbial slippery slope. If the Left was successful in pushing back against the "religious freedom" argument, the GOP would immediately find another argument to justify its actions.
Liberals should hammer home the message that the First Amendment champions religious freedom, but guarding that freedom means that no church or religion should govern or dominate the country. Most religious Americans would agree they don't want someone else's religion to be telling them what to do.
Pointing out the incompatibility between Christian teachings and a host of "bad" actions GOP leaders have taken is fair game, but the Left should be crystal clear in saying it is not attacking the religion but the hypocrisy. In my mind, that's the best way to speak up for "morality."
.
The First Amendment’s guarantee of "religious freedom" is a gold coin with two sides.
Today's conservative SCOTUS justices prefer the side that says "Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion." The insignia on that side of the coin is an upraised sword, not just quite yet dripping in blood.
Today's liberal SCOTUS justices (plus Roberts?) prefer the side that says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." The emblem on that side of the coin is an upraised shield., not yet cleft in two
Sure, the Republican Party is the "party of religion". But only just ONE religion -- an ultra-conservative Judeo-Christian theism.
OTOH, the Democratic Party is the party of ALL THE OTHER RELIGIONS that (incidentally) Republicans want to stifle, suppress, shut down or at the very least subordinate to their own, as well as of non-theists and atheists.
Liberal Christians, liberal Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc, etc -- though no less religious than Republicans -- will not find a warm welcome to today's Republican Party, nor will non-theists or atheists.
.