Following the shooting of Democratic Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford, and the tragic death of 5 other people, including a 9 year old girl, I decided to come on here to have a little rant. I would like to say first though, that while I usually make a point of not discussing religion, as it is too volatile a subject to broach with a lot of people, today I feel I need to say something, even if no one reads it.
I will start off with Sarah Palin. I believe that this woman is absolutely one of the most hypocritical and dangerous people on the planet. Her and her "Tea Party" members need to be recognised for what they truly are, and that is terrorists. They are right wing Christian fundamentalists, they are a hair's breadth away from going on a Crusade "in the name of God". They are no better than the Muslim Fundamentalists that they are so adamant must be destroyed. It's the same thing. "Allah" or "God", I fail to see the difference.
This, to me, is one of the most disgusting and misguided uses of their faith. I am a Christian (Roman Catholic). I believe that God exists and I go to Mass, but I do this quietly without making a song and dance of it, and without shoving my beliefs down anyone's throat. I will never understand people who take the Bible teachings to the extreme, and devote their lives to making others' lives miserable in 'His' name. People, for example, who stand outside family planning clinics for hours on end with pictures of dead babies, or people who condemn people for being gay, because God says it's wrong. No he bloody doesn't!!! Some bloke who wrote part of a book thousands of years ago said so, and how does it affect you in any way if someone wants to marry someone of the same sex?? No one is asking you to, so let other people get on with their lives.
I am happy for people to have their own beliefs, but I am very intolerant of people who are under the impression that their way is the only way. This applies both to people who try to shove their beliefs down your throat because clearly they must be the correct ones, and also to people who do not believe in anything, but decide that it's okay to poke fun at people who do.
The latter of these two groups have been a cause of some frustration lately. I would appreciate it if they could take a step backwards and look at the bigger picture. When someone decides that they are going to brand all Catholics or Christians as "sheep", then I will take offence. To be tarred with the same brush as the people I have spoken about above just beggars belief. Why is it that some people can't just let people who are causing no harm to anyone just get on with their lives without being subjected to ridicule?
The faith I follow is how I was brought up, and it is how I now choose to live my life (after a number of years of agnosticism of a sort). It isn't the only thing in my life, and it isn't something I witter on about constantly, whether people want to hear it or not, so why can't some people just let it go?
Anyway, I would say rant over, but then I would probably be telling an untruth. :)
Rach
