When a person/group says they are “people of faith,” what exactly does this mean? A dictionary definition of “faith:” “confidence or trust in a person, or thing; belief that is not based on proof; belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion; belief in anything, as a code of ethics, or the occurrence of a future event; a system of religious belief; the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.; the observation of this obligation…to act in good faith…”
An encyclopedia defines “Religion:” No simple definition can describe the numerous religions in the world. For many people, religion is an organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, practices, and worship that center on one supreme God, or the Deity. For many others, religion involves a number of gods, or deities. Some people have a religion in which no specific God or gods are worshipped. There are also people who practice their own religious beliefs in their own personal way, largely independent of organized religion.”
When a person states he/she is “a person of faith,” what exactly is that person telling us? Is this a ‘2 plus 2 equals 4’ declaration? Are they asking us to regard them in a certain way? Are they asking us for special privileges? Are they telling us they are so inspired by their beliefs they’ll BE special persons? Are they warning us they intend to act on their beliefs?
How does a society work with “people of faith?” What track record do “people of faith” have? Is it “good” or “bad?” Positive, or, destructive?
American society has seen “religion” a generally “good” thing. We have allowed “religions” special tax privileges because we assumed they’d work for a better society. Religious leaders, especially of major “religions,” have generally been regarded as people working for the general “good>” How have these assumptions been born out in fact?
An encyclopedia discusses “Law” as: “..the set of enforced rules under which a society is governed..No society could exist if all the people did just as they pleased, without regard for the rights of others. Nor could a society exist if its members did not recognize that they also have certain obligations toward one another.”
The Founders who created the American Constitution had four major fears: abuse of power, slavery, religion, and mobs. They intended to prevent these from injuring America.
Why did the Founders have a fear of religion? As students of history they knew of Europe’s 1517-1648 “religious wars. Some of their ancestors had been refugees from religious persecution. Religious persecutions had occurred in America.
The American Constitution mentions religion three times, all to LIMIT how a religion treated other people, prevent it from being politicized. There was to be no religious oath for office [Article VI]. Amendment One provided both freedom FOR, and freedom FROM, religion. Because “an establishment of religion” is forbidden, people have the RIGHT to practice any, or no, religious belief – as long as they don’t injure others. Freedom “FROM” protects them from having others religious beliefs imposed on them.
Professor, ordained Baptist minister, Charles Kimball’s 2002 book, “When Religion Becomes Evil,” laid out “The Five Warning Signs of Corruption of Religion:” absolute truth claims; blind obedience; establishing the ‘ideal’ time; the end justifies any means; declaring holy war.” Kimball: “Whatever religious people may say about their lover of God or the mandates of their religion, when their behavior toward others is violent and destructive, when it causes suffering among their neighbors, you can be sure the religion has been corrupted..” Later: “..sadly true, to say that more wars have been waged, more people killed, and these days more evil perpetrated in the name of religion than by any other institutional force in human history.”
In America, religion justified slavery, later segregation, currently discrimination. Doctors murdered, people terrorized, health clinics blown up by “people of faith.” “People of faith” demand only ‘pro-life’ judges be appointed [seemingly a “religious test”]. “People of faith” have/are attempting to rewrite American history and science to support their false claims. “People of faith” have/are writing their religious views into American domestic laws and foreign policies [seemingly a violation of “no established church”}. “People of faith” have/are pressuring ALL Americans to financially support their churches and schools [Constitutional violation], but claim “religious right” to run those institutions on THEIR [tax free] terms. Would a reasonable person, with this beginning list of evidence, say that “people of faith” have respected the rights of others?
“People of faith” demand special “rights” to practice their religious beliefs in the public square, demand ALL Americans follow THEIR particular religious interpretations – whether YOU like it or not. Things they oppose, as “People of faith.” WE are not entitled to use/do/practice. “People of faith” seek to control the behavior of ALL 330 million Americans – whether YOU attend their church or not, whether YOU accept their beliefs or not. “People of faith” have pursued this ‘holy mission” to “save” us – on their terms – ruthlessly – “the end justifiers any means.”
“People of faith” proclaim their absolute horror at Muslim “Sharia law,” a fundamentalist interpretation of that faith. Yet, American “people of faith” intend to impose their fundamentalist ‘Christian’ Sharia law on YOU.
Professor Kimball recognized this. He placed the Taliban and the American ‘religious right’ on a continuum.
Ask yourself this simple question: why is it in 1970-2020 America do we see almost exclusively people on the fundamentalist far right religious spectrum that proclaim they are “people of faith?” Meaning, as they have repeatedly demonstrated, they want to remake America on THEIR terms?
Note the arrogance of this. They infer the rest of America has no religious faith, no morality, no code of ethics, no righteous conduct.
Consider the following “people of faith” quotes
-Jay Grimstead, National Director, “Coalition on Revival:” “God has given us the Bible as a rule book for all society – Christian and nonChristian alike.”
-Randall Terry: “Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty..are called by God to conquer this country. We don’t want equal time..don’t want pluralism.”
-Robert Jeffress, pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas’,: “Islam is wrong. It is a heresy from the pit of hell. Judaism – you can’t be saved being a Jew.”
-Pat Robertson, 700 Club: “You say you’re supposed to be nice to Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don’t have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist.”
-Gary nOrth: “Let us be blunt about it: we must use the doctrine of religious liberty to gain independence for Christian schools until we train up a generation of people who know..there is no religious neutrality, no neutral law, no neutral education, and no neutral civil government. Then they will get busy..constructing a Bible-based social, political, and religious order which finally denies the religious liberty of the enemies of God.”
From this very small sampling of People of faith” leaders – is there any rational person willing to deny that “people of faith” have a very unConstitutional plan to totally, in a very authoritarian and dictatorial manner – RUN YOUR LIFE????????? And. use YOUR tax dollars to do it???????
Many “people of faith,” being single issue voters, have followed THEIR fundamentalist views to elect numerous ‘pro-life’ politicians and judges.
The last two Republican-dominatedU.S. Supreme Courts have begun the process of rewriting the Constitution – to give special privileges to “people of faith” [incredibly giving ‘religious rights’ to corporations]. They are deliberately tearing down the 1789-2000 “separation of church and state” principle.
The last 4 Republican presidents have funneled YOUR tax dollars into “faith-based” organizations, which often practice discrimination against people “of the wrong religion.”
The 1980-2020 Republican Party has become the political arm of fundamentalist churches – unprecedented in American history.
The l975-2020 “cultural war” is solely the creation of the far right fundamentalist “religious right” and their Republican enablers.
The Republican/religious right DOUBLE STANDARD of “we can violate the Constitution by appointing candidates picking for their “pro-life” fundamentalist records/views – BUT -YOU are forbidden to mention this, to criticize this, because…… THAT….. would be religious bigotry!!!!!!!!!!! In your face, America, we make the rules.
The “cultural war” didn’t begin with “Roe-v-Wade.” It began in 1965 with the “Griswold” decision. “Griswold” ended the attempt by one fundamentalist church to prohibit, by criminal law, the use on contraceptives by ANY married Connecticut couple. In your face America, WE make the rules.
As seen by recent Supreme Court decisions, the “religious right” has not abandoned efforts to undermine contraception use in America.
As seen by the 2016 and 2020 efforts, the Republican Party believes “the end justifies any means.” Getting two “pro-life” Justices on the Supreme Court justifies ANYTHING, including undermining the Court’s credibility. In your face, America, WE make the rules.
Everything above is but a very SMALL sample of what “people of faith” have done, have planned for YOU, your children, your grandchildren. They have said, are working toward, an American theocracy – run by THEM. They piously claim, as “people of faith,” to have YOUR best interests in mind. Do they?
With Justice For All 