[Author Note: This article was originally written in 1995. Note its timelessness— it's still the same issues, except gay marriage has a larger role than before.]
America, you are under a full-scale-all-out-no-holds-barred-fight-to-the-finish attack. By whom? Apathy and Intolerance. Unfortunately, apathy is to intolerance what water is to someone dying of thirst. Probably the most innocent-appearing purveyor of intolerance is the Christian Coalition.
The group claims to believe in the freedom of conscience, yet they're seeking to limit that freedom on issues such as the right to die, abortion and religion. If someone believes the soul enters the body at conception and leaves when the body stops breathing, they won't be one to choose an abortion or doctor assisted suicide. But let them remember it is a choice. A choice fundamental religious PACs are seeking to deny to those who believe differently. They say that abortion denies the unborn the right to choose, yet they have not proven that there is any soul in the unborn that seeks to choose.
I'm not advocating they change their individual beliefs— freedom of religion is a cornerstone of democracy in this country. But they're seeking to make those individual beliefs national laws. Witness Newt Gingrich's vow only days after the election in 1994 to have a vote on a constitutional amendment on school prayer. [SSR Note: Arlen Specter, the moderate ranking Republican set to chair the powerful judicial committee is already being bombarded with calls from anti-choice forces for his comments about not appointing a Supreme Court justice who is staunchly anti-choice. And the 2004 election wasn't even a week ago.]
Why do we have to spend millions of taxpayers' dollars in an attempt to pass a constitutional amendment allowing what is already allowed? There is no law prohibiting private student prayer. Why legally limit when a child can pray to a specific time of the day? If a child is to learn to live their faith, they must understand faith is something to have all the time— not just before the first class of the day. And if we allow one prayer a day, we must allow for the two or three that Islamic children are expected to perform each day during school hours. Why can't a child pray silently in his/her home room? Or on the bus?
And if the prayer is said aloud, what prayer will be said? I don't want my sons learning prayers that say they're sinners, inferior to God or that there's even a remote possibility they'll go to hell. Our family's spiritual beliefs have no concept of sin, celebrate the Divinity of all life and see hell as a state in which one chooses to live without God's love. The first prayer my children learned was "I am, God is, and we are one." I don't think that's the kind of prayer Mr. Gingrich had in mind. I should point out that I don't want my child saying his prayer aloud in class either. Not because I'm ashamed of the beliefs he's being taught, but because others might find it offensive. And to offend another's religion is not treating them the way I would want them to treat me— which is the principle rule of conduct I'm seeking to instill in my children.
So where does apathy come in? A vocal minority can control a silent majority. (The squeeky-wheel-gets-oiled principle.) Those newly elected congress(wo)men owe much of their success to a very vocal and active group that organized themselves efficiently enough through a "Get-Out-the-Christian-Vote" campaign that they were able to overcome their status as minority opinion holders. It's very important to note it was not a "Get-Out-the-American-Vote". They don't want all Americans to vote— only white, heterosexual Christian males.
According to "10 Myths About Pat Robertson and Religious Conservatives", a booklet published by the Christian Coalition: "Robertson and the nation he embodies are like most of our neighbors: well-educated, hard-working, middle-class families." That eliminates all those who live below the poverty line, the unemployed, those who never went to college, single parent families and non-heterosexuals. The Christian Coalition is a very elitist group— if you don't fit their profile, they don't want you. (Does all this sound in the least bit familiar? Perhaps Auschwitz or Krystalnacht will ring some bells.) But with enough people of like mind in office, their brand of Christianity will eventually become a state religion. A constitutional amendment allowing school prayer is only the first step.
Don't let it happen, America! Don't allow the message of one of the greatest teachers who ever lived to be distorted like this. Jesus taught— and more importantly practiced— tolerance, acceptance and love for all people regardless of social norms or of their religious beliefs. Let us do the same. Then we'll be able to truly call ourselves Christians.
