In God we think we trust
: There’s a discussion brewing in the comments following my post on the BBC and American religion, below.
Oliver Willis writes:
It’s true that the tone is condescending, but its also true that if you’re not Christian – America marginalizes you. This comes from an agnostic with a Christian family.
Anil Dash writes:
Amen to that, Oliver. I think most people of the Christian faith in this country really don’t see just how accurately this description fits a large majority of this country.
And I reply:
Well, gentlemen, I’m feeling a little marginalized right now as a mainstream, rational, doubting, liberal, intellectual Christian.
To generalize about all Christians is every bit as sinful — oops! politically incorrect — as generalizing about, what, all Muslims?
I’m tired of people thinking I should be ashamed of what I am.
On September 11th, evil f’ers tried to kill me because I am an American. I now wear an American flag on my lapel.
I get lumped in with the religious nuts of the far right if I go to church on a given Sunday. Well, I’ll wear my religion on my sleeve, too.
I go to church and I am not a right-wing, fundamentalist nut and won’t be painted as one.
: And the comments continue with this post. And my dander stays up.
Let me amend what I said above: On September 11th, Muslim fanatics tried to kill me because I am an American and because I am not a Muslim, because I am a Christian. I count that as religious persecution.
And now I find British journalists — and my online friends — lumping me in with religious nuts because I am Christian. That, too, is religious persecution and it upsets me, especially now, especially after September 11th.
Have we learned nothing?
