Good is Evil and Evil is Good

There's so much trashing of Christianity going on these days, one would think that Christians are the source of all evil in the world.

The most wild-eyed of the atheists, Rosie O'Donnell and Bill Maher to name a couple, would have us believe that Christianity is more dangerous than Al Quaeda or the Taliban.

Variously called "fundamentalists", "evangelicals", "Christian Right", and other labels meant to dismiss people of faith as intolerant radicals, the truth is that Christianity is not monolithic. There is no single spokesperson for Christianity.

Pope Benedict speaks for Roman Catholics, or does he? American Catholics are generally more liberal than conservative, and there is almost an epidemic of renegade priests across the country who openly defy the church's laws and guidelines.

Who speaks for "evangelicals" or "fundamentalists"? Jerry Falwell? Some other Televangelist? In contrast with the Roman Catholics, Protestants offer a full spectrum from the most liberal churches who barely acknowledge Jesus Christ and dismiss any hint of a moral foundation, to the most conservative congregations most starkly represented by the Amish and conservative Mennonites, who shun all things modern and worldly to live in insular communities.

The mythology being perpetrated by anti-Christian activists can be positively refuted by simply clarifying the tenets of the Christian faith.

Christianity does not desire to force religion on anyone. Becoming a Christian is a personal choice. Jesus did not send evangelists into the world to enslave and forcibly convert everyone to the faith; instead, he sent evangelists to preach the good news to all people so they can share in the joy of a life spent in communion with a loving God.

Christian morality is not some arbitrary rule book designed to deny people of any fun, but instead is a very practical set of commandments designed for strong families and peaceful, loving societies.

Christians do not oppose Gay Marriage out of a desire to persecute homosexuals. They oppose it because it represents government endorsement and special protections to people based on aberrant and immoral sexual behavior. I know a lot of conservative Christians, but don't know a single one who supports an active persecution of a homosexual. Although many, me included, have a fairly serious problem with sending elementary school children to a classroom with an openly gay teacher. Or allowing a young child to join a team or scout troop with a leader or coach who is openly gay.

Which right should trump the other? The right of a gay teacher to flaunt their sexual preference and teach that it's a desirable lifestyle to 10-year-old children, or the right of a parent to protect their young children from messages about sex that are age-inappropriate and openly contradict their dearly held beliefs?

The other myth that must be debunked is the idea that Evangelicals somehow want to impose their religion on others. The truth is that Evangelicals take very seriously the direction given by Jesus as he left, to go into all the world and preach the gospel. Evangelicals feel an obligation to share their faith with others, but ultimately hope to influence those others to share their faith. They have no desire to impose that faith by force.

Christians who are politically active are primarily concerned that political forces in this country are bent on destroying the Church in America. Atheist and Communist activists have openly stated this as their goal. It's not an attempt to "take over" the government, but simply to protect the precious freedoms of speech and religion as encoded in the US Constitution.

The assault on "Organized Religion" is actually an assault on the people who believe, not in some vague concept of "Organized Religion", but in the teachings and promises of a two thousand year old Jewish preacher.