I was glancing through the newspaper one day and I found this information on it. It was troubling so I decided to post it to share what is occurring.
Guest Opinion March 30, 2014 Daily Bee
Christians aren’t that different from the Taliban
If you are
a Christian. And if you believe that your particular beliefs are the only true,
correct, and authentic religious beliefs. If you believe that your religion has
been ordained by God to become the only religion that anyone should follow. And
if you take the position that your religious beliefs should be applied to
everyone else through the facilities of majority rule and force of law. How,
then, are you different than the Taliban?
One does
not have to push this question very far to see that there is a lot more the
doctrine of separation of church and state than the simple fact that you will
not see an item on your tax bill that is labeled, “church tax.” Our public
taxing authorities do not collect funds that are intended to support any
particular religion.
But buried
in the Sandpoint Public Works Department budget, there are public funds used
for maintenance of the park where religious monuments are located. Is it a lot
of money? No. Is it earmarked for maintenance of a religious monument? No. But
it is undeniably there and your religious belief structure demands that it
remain there. You Christian folk have decided your religious icon shall remain
on public grounds and that it shall be maintained by all of us. You have
further decided that this is allowable because you are in the majority in the
electorate and that your religious monument should be protected by force of
law. Your use of prayer to the God you believe in and your use of writings from
one of the cornerstones of the Christian religion, the Holy Bible clearly
declare that this is a religious icon and not merely an historical monument.
You differ
from the Taliban only in degree to which you are willing to inflict punishment
of upon those disavow your religious beliefs. Want an example? You also oppose
same sex marriage. Your opposition is based upon the three legs of a
three-legged stool that makes up the foundation of your religious beliefs.
Those are: religious writings, The Holy Bible; past interpretations of those
religious writings, namely Christian doctrine; and finally utterances of your
professional clergy.
Based upon
the convergence of these three things, you oppose same sex marriage. Some of
you are willing to have the penalty for eh same sex preferences be cultural and
monetary only. You are willing for those who love someone of the same sex to be
denied the financial, social and legal benefits that accrue to people who are
married. Your opposition based upon your religious beliefs. In Muslim law, the
penalty for homosexuality is death. Some of you are willing that you are wiling
to impose your particular religious beliefs upon everyone else, you differ from
the Taliban only in the degree to which you are willing to usurp power and the
degree to which you are willing to inflict punishment upon those who disagree
with you. I predict that you will soon catch up.
A recent
Daily Bee poll reveals the majority of respondents are in favor of religious
icons being placed upon public ground and maintained by the public. You sure that is what you want? You believe
that God has given you the Holy Scriptures, the doctrinal beliefs and
professional leaders to help you understand, interpret and apply those
scriptures and doctrines.
But I will
contend that God also gave you a brain, the ability to think critically and to
apply your own conclusions to your daily life. So, let me ask. It is it really
necessary for your religious beliefs to be imposed upon everyone else through
the facilities of majority rule and force of law?
Doug Kimball
Sandpoint
My response to this is forthcoming, What do you think or say?
