Come down from the cross
My mother chastized me the other day via telephone for harshing on former Promise Keepers president David Sweet who was just elected as MP in her riding. "There are worse people than Christians to have in office" she told me. And I suppose she's right - I guess I'd rather have someone in office who thought the bible told them that the government should control reproduction and sexual conduct between consenting adults and that children should be beaten. I suppose I'd rather have that than someone whose religious beliefs called for human sacrifice and 95% tithing or insisted that we all wear burkas, but I don't see Charlie Manson or the Taliban running for office in Canada at the moment, just the first gang of pushy, intolerant regressives who insist we all think like them.

Dave at the Galloping Beaver has been watching Stephen Harpers involvement with the Christian fundementalist right and has some good words.The Galloping Beaver says: Take strength from the Flying Spaghetti Monster in the battle against those who would infringe on our freedom from religion.

I am not opposed to Christianity, I am not opposed to any religion (well, okay maybe the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons --how would they like it if I went around to their door to explain atheism to them at 10 am on a Sunday morning? "Hi, I'm here to share the bad news! The stuff you believe is nonsense and you're wasting your life! Would you like some literature? Have a nice day!") But I don't think they have the right to tell me or anyone else what to believe or to make laws based on whatever holy scripture they think is the word of word of Yahweh, Allah, Moroni or even the Flying Spagetti Monster (may his noodly appendage be upon you). Not wanting to let any religious group run the government and insisting on an official doctrine of tolerance is NOT an attack on Christianity, it is an attack on theocracy and if you as a Christian think I am attacking you by saying you don't have the right to subject non-believers to what you think is the word of god, maybe you should be asking yourself why it so important that your beliefs be pushed in schools and by government - aren't they strong enough to stand by themselves?

Recommended viewing: Kissing Hank's Ass (see the links)