"Christian" "Rights" ?

California has recently had three bills that would “work to decrease gay discrimination” in public venues (one was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger since he believed it was covered by pre-existing law). Protests ensued by Christians, and in the speeches – a pervasive belief of fundamentalists was finally highlighted and admitted:

We are here today because we want you [Governor] to be a man who stands up for the family, stand up for our children, and stands up for Christian rights. [emphasis mine]

Whoa! “Christian Rights?” In five simple words this Sacremento pastor has …

  • betrayed the mentality present in fundamentalism: it’s not about some tradition or morality but rather it’s us versus the world.
  • pitted Fundamentalist against gays as a matter of minority rights.
  • claimed that matters of family and children are the exclusive purview of Christendom, and thereby anyone else cannot possibly understand what family means nor how to raise or protect children.
  • severely risked any hope or lie of reconciliation we gay Christians have or evangelicals have
  • betrayed a gross misunderstanding of equality and the Constitution.

Let’s start with the fifth and the third. First off, what exactly are “Christian” “Rights?” By definition in this case, a “right” is that which is due to anyone by just claim, legal guarantees, moral principles, etc. What is due to Christians? The ability to practice our religion without interference or outside influence, without penalty or persecution for practicing said religion, and to do so without burden from the state (i.e. taxes). What else could be due to us as Christians?

The right to marry? No – because if we tied that to a religious methodology or institution we’d have a whole host of problems, not the least of which is the fact that, beyond the few dozen religions in this country and our insistence on not endorsing one over the other, is the fact that within Christianity there are dozens of fractured denominations – each with their own rules and expectations and standards for marriagability, acting in marriage, ending marriage, remarrying, etc. By letting all religions endorse their version of marriage the way they need or want, these United States allow for religious freedom for all people, and instead make marriage a civil institution which is judged against the civil, nonreligious law.

The right to raise children? A person doesn’t have the right to raise children based on their belief … they have it based on the fact they’re human. And not because they’re straight, since even gblt people have the natural inclination to care for and bring up another soul.

The right to determine what is healthy for children? Again – this is not something even Christians in their own happy world have figured out how to do. Some thing children should be sheltered at home until they are 25 and betrothed, others believe they should be in the real world to learn to deal with real life. Schools, on the other hand, are run by the state because society has an interest in raising generations of kids who are not dumb (the success of said programs can be debated elsewhere). We don’t teach religion in schools because that’s the purview of each individual family and church. We teach health in schools because it’s a scientific subject.

No – Christian rights being inhibited by these bills in California or by marriage equality or by health/tax/kinship/inheritence/hospital/children/parenthood equality and laws. In fact, as has been pointed out by many other civil rights leaders, no one has ever lost rights because equality was granted to other groups. And in fact, these Fundamentalist protesting in California defeat their own claim by their very act of protesting: they have the right to their arrogant, self-righteous, free-speaking, uncompassionate and discriminatory version of Christianity.

How arrogant is it to assume that they are the only ones who can have good families and raise kids properly? Who are they to assume they are such a discriminated-against minority when Christendom is huge and this nation’s top leaders are Christians – and rather active ones at that?

And what sane person would honestly say “protect our Rights by eliminating their’s!”? Even the gblt and marriage equality activists don’t say that!

And yet that is what fundamentalists believe: They are the way, the truth, and the life. No one can go to the Father but through their picket lines.

via Good As You

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09/07/06 05:16 PM
by The Blogger
  1. John says (Sep 7, 06:39 PM ):

    First of all, nice weblog. I’m glad to have stumbled across it.

    I agree with much of what you say in this post, yet I do fear for the rights of anti-gay (however one wishes to define that) persons of religious faith. I’m thinking more of free speech and religious practice. Take Fred Phelps for example. Here’s a man, supposedly a Christian and a ‘pastor’ to boot, so filled with hatred that I for one cannot abide even reading about him for long. Yet, he has a right to say what he does. In protecting his right to free speech and worship we are protecting our own rights. If these are not trampled upon, and examples from Canada and Europe make me pause, then I have no problem. If, however, we are seeking to foist our current status upon those who oppose us through force of law, than that I cannot accept for it makes us no better and inevitably will erode our own rights.
  2. This Gay Christian Blogger says (Sep 8, 10:11 AM ):

    Welcome to the blog! Get comfy and stumble upon us as much as you like.

    Allow me to clarify – I refuse to see any person’s rights infringed, and believe that everyone – including the loud mouthed hateful Fred Phelps – has the same rights to free speech, worship, etc and so forth (the wisdom and/of responsibility that goes with that right is another blog post entirely).

    But to claim that there are special “Christian Rights” being infringed upon is an entirely wrong assumption – one that disproved by the very fact they are excercising the rights they already have by shouting down elected officials and gay people and single mothers and planned parenthood and democrats and stem cell researchers. I’m fine with them having their picket lines and self-righteous speeches … it’s good entertainment.

    But is a ploy, a bald-faced lie, to assume that (1) there are special “Christian rights “being infringed upon when the right NOT to be interfered with in speech or religion is being demonstrated in the very speech you claim interference, (2) that “Christian rights” are diametrically opposed to the rights of other people (3) that granting rights to one group means another loses their’s and (4) that Christians are the only ones with the right (and ability) to have marriage and families by the very nature of them being Christian.
  3. Jen says (Sep 8, 10:30 AM ):

    Hi. Wow, inetersting BLOG. Hmmm. Christian rights. I’m just going to assume, that he was actually referring to American rights, but because he is christian he wanted the American rights he has concerning his religion protected. Just a guess. Because christianity is not by nature a self seeking religion. Quite the opposite. It is to be a christ seeking life. So, the very term christian rights is a strange one to me. As I seek Christ, and not my own interests it becomes evident very quickly, my insufficiency and my sinfulness, but Christ’s sufficiency to cleanse me of my sinfulness is there as well. BUT, if I seek out my own interests (which I do all the time bc I am a weak willed person by nature), there’s usually not a lot of peace there. SOOO I guess what I am getting at, is if each of us who call ourselves christian would spend more time seeking God and less time the approval of mankind, we’d probably have a lot more of the things our hearts truly desire like peace, love, joy, forgiveness, grace and mercy. Just a thought. Jen
  4. The Beau says (Sep 8, 10:44 AM ):

    It is true that we should seek God more than we do.

    But, alas, we need to spend some time on the approval of mankind. God can grant marriages, I know this within my heart. But only the law can make things a heck of a lot easier by granting gay people the rights that come with marriage.
  5. John says (Sep 10, 02:08 PM ):

    #2: Ok, thanks for the clarification. I agree with you. I get a little leery when some activists want to silence their opponents, no matter how vile they are, through force of law. To me this can backfire which is why I’m adamantly opposed to such things as speech codes on college campuses.

    Great weblog, I’m really enjoying it. I truly wish I had discovered blogs like this years ago but such is life I guess. God bless.
  6. Mark says (Jun 12, 11:32 PM ):

    I’m making a documentary on the state of religion and spirituality, particularly organized religion’s discrimintation against certain sectors of society. I’m looking for interview candidates to share their experiences or views. I’m currently traveling the country speaking with religious leaders about these issues. I want to hear the other side now. Please email me if you are interested in getting involved. Me and my camera crew will come to you! claw00@mac.com.
  7. Anomynous says (Sep 8, 05:53 AM ):

    I’ll tell you christians why you are loosing your rights, it’s because you’ve been trying to make everyone the same

    as you for the last 2000 years.And you always think you’re right
    and look down on people who don’t worship that stupid book of yours.
    I’m glad I converted from christianity to triogism, now I can clearly see why everybody hates christians!
 

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