13 Comments so far

1. namvet67 March 11th, 2007 4:41 pm

   It is time to reform and to reclaim America. Until we have absolute separation of church and state we will continue to be led into religious wars.
   Hoa Binh

2. adsosletter March 11th, 2007 5:18 pm

   Karen is certainly correct, in my estimation, that it is time for Christians to stand up and denounce the violence, hypocrisy and political pandering of what passes (all too often) for the PUBLIC face of Christianity these days.

   Hoa Binh speaks to an equally important, in fact, vital, issue: the confluence of Church and State has made ALL people of faith less secure to practice their beliefs without fear of reclassification as second-class citizens.

   Keep the discussions over religious matters within the realm of religious discourse, and demand that government remain neutral in it’s application of Constitutional guarantees and limitations of State power.

   Quit funding “Faith-based” initiatives/programs, and demand that government assume it’s responsibilities in these areas, with as much efficiency and oversight as possible.

   It is the surest way to protect the freedoms of all, whether people of “faith” or not.

3. Gail March 11th, 2007 6:26 pm

   “Several years ago when the war cries were sounded Jerry Falwell demonstrated how corrupt Christianity has become. He said “ you’ve go to kill the terrorists before the killing stops…if it takes 10 years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord.”

   What he really meant to say was, “blow them all away in the name of Jerry Falwell”.

   If God made us ALL in his own image, why the hell would he want to blow some of us away? Does that really make sense to anyone who has a functioning brain?

4. Ray Kondrasuk March 11th, 2007 7:01 pm

   The Falwell Christians make me want to abandon Christianity and instead follow the teachings of a gerat man who, more than a thousand years ago, began a new religion.

   Perhaps your mind immediately springs to thoughts of Mohammed and Islam.

   But I was refering to… Jesus.

5. BlessedRomanCatholic90 March 11th, 2007 10:49 pm

   It is quiet true, out in our world there are pathetic excuses of people that have dragged the name of Christianity thought the mud and it has mad me sick and full of rage. It up to those who know what the true meaning of Christianity is to stand together and bring it back to it’s true meaning. Our job on this earth was to spread God’s good word and quiet frankly I don’t know about you but that’s exactly what I intend to do. I will do my best to help spread God’s word as one of his devoted children. I hope that many of you will do the same. Easter is right around the corner and lets not forget what Easter has brought us as well as what Jesus has done for us. To my brother Ray Kondrasuk, do not lose faith for God is with you and so am I, God bless you all.

6. ezeflyer March 11th, 2007 11:46 pm

   Organized religion is dangerous to children and other living things. More people have died from it than from anything else.

7. ralph 442 March 12th, 2007 4:01 am

   For years now I have been saying there is little difference between the various religious fundamentalists, be them christian, moslem, hindu, or jewish.

   To distill it down to their most fundamental and crude dogma, one could use the phrase, “My God is tougher then your god and He’s going to kick your god’s ass!”

   Then a few years ago along comes this U.S. general named Boykin and says almost the exact same thing. Something like “Our God’s bigger then your god” thus reinforcing my thesis.

   Basically these groups, at least on the leadership level are all political parties and they exploit the following masses for their own aggrandizement. They have little to do with their prophets true teaching, which can be summarized in all religions as love God and do unto others…. Thus there is almost no new testament (Christ’s part) in the fundamentalist Christian religion. It is all about punishment, retribution, wrath, revenge, and eye for and eye, condemnation, self-righteousness, and so forth.

   The only way they can elevate themselves is by pushing someone else down. Thus there are fundamentalist cable programs that spend most of their dialogue about homosexuality, drug taking and abortion. Things that most of the home viewing audience aren’t involved in. There is little in the discourse about their own flaws and how to rectify them. One is religious just by the fact that he doesn’t do these thing and of course profess to have jesus as his personal savior.

   They never see the contradictions of their own thinking. Fundamentalists are for the rights of the unborn until they are born and then anything goes. They are firm believers in capital punishment even though jesus himself was killed by the capital punishment of his day.

   There is almost no room for love or compassion in fundamentalism unless it’s for your own kind. Once years ago when I was a hippy I went out to a Jehovah Witness rally. I was a huge event at the major league ball park. They claimed the only institution who feed more people was the U.S. Army. Well I looked like a hippy but was into natural health with at the time included fasting . I would go up to the eating tents where they were serving thousand of people (their own kind) and ask for food. I would say I hadn’t eaten in days and lift up my shirt and because I was into yoga I could suck my stomach way back and almost look like I was starving. I tried many times from different cooking locations and no one would give me food. I just laughed because I was a spiritual seeker and new this was not a true path.

   Their is little need for internal self reflection among these groups because one is already saved, chosen, and redeemed…. it’s all over accept the rapture and that’s where christ can really kick some ass. Who needs the antichrist when we have fundamentalists of any strip?

8. gmkaake March 12th, 2007 9:17 am

   I totally support the separation of church and state. It’s the only way to ensure that the rights of all are protected. Although I have thought deeply about who I am, why I am here, and come to spiritually based conclusions (which continue to change and evolve), this is still my individual perspective. Everyone has the right to form their own beliefs about religion, spirituality or athiesm. There is no one right way. It’s just whatever is right for you. To me it is the ultimate in arrogance to proclaim that one religion, or belief system is the “right” way. To ensure that everyone is treated fairly and justly, the state must be kept separate.

   At the same time, I feel that my spiritual beliefs completely empower my political beliefs and activism. To me, the universe is one. We cannot damage the planet without damaging ourselves. We cannot harm another human being without harming ourselves. To me, my interpretation of the teachings of Jesus are completely in harmony with my spiritual belief system, even though I would not necessarily call myself a christian. I guess what I’m saying is, we can make church and state separate, but that doesn’t mean that the church and religious beliefs are not going to influence political/policy outcomes. How can you separate people from their beliefs?

   It often seems that fundamentalist religions serve the needs of folks who need strict black and white rules to follow, so that they feel secure that they are “right”. If you see the universe as separate, you see yourself as separate, and that breeds insecurity. Insecurity breeds fear and is the opposite of love. Our country, and our world for that matter, has been on a fear trip. We need to get back to love and compassion. I applaud the efforts of Karen and other christian activists who are working towards this goal.

9. Joel S. Hirschhorn March 12th, 2007 9:37 am

   The only way the USA will get all the political and governmental reforms it sorely needs is through an Article V convention; learn more at http://www.foavc.org and become a member if you are fed up with current conditions; don’t let congress continue to deprive us of our constitutional right to a convention!!!!

10. Dee Safford March 12th, 2007 12:42 pm

    I applaud Karen’s concise opinion–I see it is well shared. For those of us who can’t be in attendance on March 16th — are they alternatives — could we “post the reform” at other church doors??

11. Steve March 12th, 2007 1:52 pm

    Thank you, Karen, and a big Amen! I appreciate all your hard work on behalf of a simpler, truer faith. I, too, agonize over the corruption of the faith of Jesus, whether by fundamentalism or by any kind of institutional religion–liberal can often be just as bad as conservative. Institutional religion can do and has done a lot of good (schools, hospitals, etc.), but badly needs to be reformed, it badly needs to recover its spiritual, contemplative foundations, which in turn will make it more deeply prophetic and authentic.

12. Ron March 12th, 2007 7:15 pm

    Who said: “Believe the seeker of truth; doubt the finder.”? Karen, the Christians are sure that they have found the truth, but most of them are in spiritual kindergarten, believing in a tale that smacks of the Brothers Grimm. Reality may be just may be a bit deeper than the Christian outlook. God sends his son, who dies, comes back, goes up to the clouds - please! There is more to truth than that! Christianity, at its very best, insults the very god it purports to honor. At its worst - Falwellism - it is downright satanic.

13. roncovey March 13th, 2007 9:44 am

    Karen is absolutely on target!

    Conservative “Christianity” has taken a detour from what Scripture teaches. Too many people who claim to be “christian” are, in my opinion, merely Religionists who have hijacked Christian terminology to justify their own selfish agenda.

    I commend Karen for speaking the Truth!

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