Welcome to Brothers and Sisters, the weekly meetup for prayer* and community at Daily Kos. We put an asterisk on pray* to acknowledge that not everyone uses conventional religious language, but may want to share joys and concerns, or simply take solace in a meditative atmosphere. Anyone who comes in the spirit of mutual respect, warmth and healing is welcome.
Note: Anyone who wants to share prayer requests or joys and concerns is welcome to. It is not necessary to discuss the diary topic.
I am friends with a Democrat on Facebook who has a number of Christian and Republican Facebook friends. I've followed some of their conversations for several months now. The conversations can be interesting, but they are also bewildering and annoying.
For example, my Democratic friend shared the above image. The Christian Republican response? Jesus intended we as individuals help the poor, and not for us to pay taxes and the government to disburse the funding. The Democrat replied "Do you think Jesus cares how compassion is delivered?" The Republicans replied Jesus didn't mean for "it to be decided" by "godless" politicians. He replied "Well it sure isn't being decided by God filled individuals."
In another post, the Democrat posted this quote from Sister Joan Chittister, a Catholic Nun.
I do not believe that just because you're opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don't? Because you don't want any tax money to go there. That's not pro-life. That's pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is.
In response to that, the Republicans claimed "then go help them, but don't force your false altruism on me" They also said she isn't really Catholic with those beliefs and should not be allowed to partake in the body/blood of Christ.
These conversations remind me that I don't understand and have never understood the religious or political ideology of the Christian Right. I always wanted to think the best of people, and tried and tried to understand but I couldn't. I first noticed this as a kid. In 1979, I couldn't believe it when the most vocal and fervent Christians in the community favored the execution of John Spenkelink. How could this be? Of course, unfortunately the most "vocal" people in any religion or any political movement can stereotype it.
But I quit going to church for many years because I became wrongly convinced that 90% of churches were filled with conservatives. I had such bad experiences around them I was not going to risk finding the 10%. Today, I realize 90% is way too high a number.
But these conversations have always bothered me. Why is the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 reduced to "false altruism?" Why is universal health care, a jobs program, anti-poverty programs all "false altruism?"
Why are so many people stuck in an ideological concrete that makes no sense when it comes to religion? Why are beliefs and religious dogma more important than people to some? In Matthew 7:12, Jesus gives us the Golden Rule which is the big picture. Jesus always put people first, if He even considered ideology at all. In the New Testament, the only people Jesus had any harsh words for were religious leaders who abused their power to control and oppress people.
I've heard many arguments to justify these beliefs and none of them withstand any scrutiny. Yes, over time I concluded some people just don't want to pay taxes to fund programs that help "those other undeserving people." In my life, I've heard so many comments often coming from the most vocally religious that nit pick at every mistake poor people or disadvantaged people have made that contributed to whatever problem they have. Why do people give those who are different from themselves so little grace?
And it can't be the deficit because so many people who want to go to great lengths to make sure poor people don't get $5 they don't deserve thinking nothing of squandering $4.4 trillion on an unnecessary war.
These attitudes seem to be increasing, not decreasing. Why is hatred of the poor more accepted and increasing? This comment may explain some of it. Yes, the internet has made it easier to be anonymous and find like minded people. When people hear an attitude enough times, they start to think its accepted, even normal.
What can we do to change these attitudes? I'm brainstorming. Yes, we are up against a lot but that's been true before. And look how much progress has been made the last 10 years on LGBT rights. In 2004, the Democrats were afraid to support marriage equality. They aren't so much anymore because attitudes are changing. Why did attitudes change? I can only speculate. First, the 1% wasn't interested in the issue. Second, gay and lesbian Americans became open about who they were and their struggles and that helped break down stereotypes.
Would it help if poor people started telling their stories? What if people fought back against those stereotypes?
And one argument I hear is we liberals want equality of result, not equal opportunity. Well, I think certain basic needs are a right and not a privilege. That would be health care, food, water, shelter. If we don't have equality of result in those areas, then it is a privilege and not a right.
I wrote sort of a rant tonight, but the topic has been on my mind recently.