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In open rebellion of God?
JohnG
Veteran
Over the past week, we've seen the U.S. Supreme Court turn back the clock on one issue, and defeat another. And, in the issue of Gay marriage I've seen the hatred that's fuming from Christian Fundamentalist conservatives. The suggestions and veiled demands are becoming very flagrant towards the demands of open violence to save the country from an angry God.
The issue of being in open rebellion of God, has become a point of contention for me; and the demands in these veiled hints to violence are becoming too hard to ignore. In the belief of those who ascribe to this, we as Buddhists, and those who do not accept their God as God, live in open rebellion, and could become eyed for punishment by those souls who see themselves as defending their God, and restoring not just a social issue, but a religious one.
What is the solution to this? I know to hide and quiver will not advance peace, but to martyr oneself is also not judicious . So, is time to move on and turn our backs to those who have the need to hold everyone back in an era that can no longer provide stability? For me, it's the latter, to move on and turn our backs to them; to keep millions in suffering to satisfy the fantasy of the past for a few thousand, is not in the teachings of the Buddha. What do you think?
The issue of being in open rebellion of God, has become a point of contention for me; and the demands in these veiled hints to violence are becoming too hard to ignore. In the belief of those who ascribe to this, we as Buddhists, and those who do not accept their God as God, live in open rebellion, and could become eyed for punishment by those souls who see themselves as defending their God, and restoring not just a social issue, but a religious one.
What is the solution to this? I know to hide and quiver will not advance peace, but to martyr oneself is also not judicious . So, is time to move on and turn our backs to those who have the need to hold everyone back in an era that can no longer provide stability? For me, it's the latter, to move on and turn our backs to them; to keep millions in suffering to satisfy the fantasy of the past for a few thousand, is not in the teachings of the Buddha. What do you think?
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Comments
To me it sounds like they didn't get their way through democracy so they want to get it by force.
Its unsettling to me when I hear it but it hasn't become anything more than talk so far. There isn't anything I can really do about it so I hope they are just blowing off steam and an armed uprising doesn't occur.
Its this group that feels they need to be armed enough to support a civil coup of the government that I feel really fuels the pro gun lobby.
If it ever came to open conflict with the government though no amount of assault rifles and weekend training drills could withstand the might of the US military or even police with their SWAT teams. So I kind of feel like we all have to put up with a proliferation of guns to please the fevered imaginings of weekend civil warriors.
But on to your main question...I live in Colorado Springs...known for being a bastion of conservative Christianity, and I don't feel the least bit of a threat.
Years later the guy sent my bro a message that he (bro) had changed this guys life. He was now openly gay though still a strong Christian but in a loving way. He said my brothers compassion to gay people and logic had helped him feel to be a 'good' and worthy person even though he had that sexuality.
So I am saying that you can still put out your message, but it has to be from a supportive friendly context.
But I wouldn't debate my aunt who is a Christian Reformed Church (evangelical) about politics; there would be little point.
I do get scared about my facebook friend who deliberately kills animals even swerving to hit them. He is strongly anti Obama which is all well and good, but I worry he would do something stupid. I do worry about revolution in USA.
The department I retired from, I worked with three openly practicing sovereign citizens. They removed their children from public school and are home schooling them; and teaching them that homosexual, and non-Christian teachings are sinful. They are being raised in total social isolation except for their church. What happens when they must enter the world and have to partake in a society that protects the rights of 'all'? This is the answer I'm seeking; how to lead a life in a society where the demand for stagnation is ordered through a narrow mindedness? Is it time to just move on and let them behind, or stay and, to me, entertain a fools errand and stagnate as they? And yes, the Koan, a bad person is a good persons mission. But, when does that mission end?
Particularly as a former school principal, I have long had a problem with home schooling for the very reasons you state. Our school's business partner was Booz, Allen & Hamilton -- one of the "Beltway bandit" government consulting firms (and they were great to us). One year they hosted all of our faculty for a day, and in a large group session our teachers could ask questions of BAH's management. One of the questions asked was, "What do you look for in potential employees?" Without pause, the answer was, "People who work together well in groups. We don't have individual employees sitting alone at their desks." From my perspective, the candidate mentioning religion during an interview or in a resume was pretty much a red flag. We had to fire one teacher who would actually tell some girls they were going to hell because of their dress styles. And, the last couple of years before retirement I had a couple of teacher candidates who had been partly home-schooled in high school, and for me, that was another red flag. You don't get to be a people-person while being home-schooled, and the reason most people home school has something to do with religion and/or not trusting schools and teachers.
Look at the Republican party election process atm. They have a system where the fringe gets involved and demands candidates who reflect their ideas and values and they elect these far right candidates in the primary elections. When it comes to general elections though they can't get elected amongst the broad public. Democrats have had the majority of the votes in 7 of the last 8 presidential elections. The Republicans only have a majority in the house because of gerrymanderd districts, Democrat representatives received a million more votes overall.
I think leaving them to themselves will eventually lead to them being isolated and left behind. I guess the worry is will they react violently in order to bring about the world they want? There is certainly a call and a riling up of rebellious intentions in the media bubble they consume.
Really though there is nothing we can do except let them be and wait and see. I suppose since you were a police officer JohnG your natural inclination is to do something about it, welcome to the world of the helpless civilian. :-/
The age of Dharma kings has passed, Just as others wish for happiness we should make sure in the world we inhabit the rule of law is a force for good that protects all from religious hatred or persecution.
We would listen to tapes made by various preachers (mostly from churches in the northwest US) who all spoke about overthrowing the evil unchristian government (and not just talking about Democrats but Republicans also) and defined the US as the "Promised Land" of Israel (oh yeah, and "white people = Israelites," the Holocaust never happened, and plenty of crazy John Bircher conspiracy theory talk). I can spot this sort of paranoia now so easily because I knew this crap so intimately.
A long time ago, you would only hear of this sort of crazy talk on AM radio at 2 in the morning. Now it seems much more widespread-- if not outright Christian Identity per se, then something similar to it, a Christian equivalent to the Taliban. It doesn't come as a surprise to me that it has bloomed in the US because we have deliberately cultivated violent rhetoric in political discourse in a way that I haven't seen elsewhere. I certainly know that in New Zealand this sort of thing couldn't gain any traction, even just the rhetoric. The conditions have ripened to what we see now, and I think it will have to get a lot worse before it gets better.
All over the world, people kill for their religion. It happens every day. It is sad, but it is true. We must accept this. We can work for change when we can, but the existence of suffering is the first noble truth. What's going on in the case of America is that we are not used to seeing this kind of thing every day. Many other countries are. We are not immune to religious violence, not that I have really seen any bubbling up.
No one's asking anyone to become a martyr. Just try to be a good example.
Well I am a Buddhist who DOES believe in God. However, I do NOT believe in the way a lot of people have interpreted His/Her/It's wishes for humanity. As a Jew, I also would like to highlight that the Torah/OT has been misappropriated by those who wish to denounce others. This has been eloquently highlighted in Rabbi Jeff's blog - http//www.rebjef.com/1/post/2013/06/judaism-and-homosexuality.html
In metta,
Raven
I am off to marry and snog the Buddha . . .
Having a good influence on our close environment is the best thing we can do I think. When “they” want to isolate themselves there’s little we can do about it. But it’s a bad idea to copy that behavior.
When your friend is in a cult; remain their friend on your own terms. Be their lifeline to sanity.