PREACHING TO THE CHOIR

There’s a new book out, Taking Liberties: Why Religious Freedom Doesn’t Give you the Right to tell Other People What to Do by Robert Boston. And Salon has a lovely article ALL about it.  Kudos to Salon. Too bad the folks who really need to read it won't. And if they did, they wouldn't think it applied to them. Deceptions of the Devil and all that. 

Whoopie. Yippee Skippee. Hallelujah. And so on. Glad he wrote the book. I MAY even buy a copy when the used price comes down. Or not. My to be read before the end of the decade pile is in danger of tipping over and taking out a cat now. Problem is he’s preaching to the choir. The folks who agree with him are the ones who will be buying the book. We may even convince progressive and/or reasonably liberal Christians, Muslims and Jews to buy and read the book. Too bad we already believe this and are just happy to find all the arguments to support our beliefs in one convenient, easy to access package. 

Now if we could just convince the people who really need to read this book and take it to heart to buy it; read it, then follow through on what he says. I have a big blank picture of the results when we try to go through the author’s list of proofs of how religion actually receives a shit load of preferential treatment in the this country. "Well, of course we do. We're entitled to it because..."

If you believe that the religious freedoms of the majority of Americans are under attack, by all means get a copy and share it with your friends. If you belong to a Christian/pagan hybrid group that doesn't automatically get wheelbarrow full of tax exemptions (and would really prefer that some of your neighbors didn't get a look at your bookshelves) definitely read the book and pass it around.

We hear periodic calls from the Looney Tunes on the right that it’s time for a “New America Revolution.” Guess what guys just keep pushing and you just might discover that you aren't the only ones starting to believe that a second revolution might be needed.

What? YOU thought you were the only ones who are coming around to the idea that the country is going to hell in a hand basket, but for totally different reasons? Just keep pushing. Just keep pushing. Better watch out for the push back. Or better still be prepared to slide into total oblivion and irrelevance as we ignore you while we try to undo the damage you've caused and work towards building a world fit to live in. With or without your help.

Because as I said a couple of posts back. I don't really care what you think or believe anymore. I'm not going to waste energy trying to convince you you're wrong because I can't. It wouldn't matter how many Bible verses I could come up with to counter yours. All I can do is work to minimize and undo the damage you've already done.