Re: RAT Christians and Comedy

["Donna Sherritt" <ohbelladonna@hotmail.com>]

I didn't say you don't have the *right* to say whatever you want.  But if 
free speech means saying "Oh, okay" to everything everyone else says, shoot 
me now.  We should clarify that on this list, because everytime someone 
directly attacks something someone else says, we all cry "free speech".  
Free speech stimulates argument rather than stifling it.

Words are often as harmful as actions, because they engender actions.  
Hitler had almost no resistance in perpetrating the Holocaust because of his 
wordsmithing.  Words contain and inflame emotion.  That's why theatre is so 
powerful.  The action comes from that.  It's not okay to inspire and 
encourage hatred against Christians at large, or any group of people, 
regardless of how secure you feel that your words won't come to any real 
harm.  You might wake up to an unhappy surprise one day.

Someone else on this list recommended that I turn my attention to those 
Christians in question who espouse such hateful rhetoric.  I do.  To some 
members my family and a few members of my church, I'm a pot-smokin' 
pinko-commie queer/n****r lover.  To my pot-smokin' pinlo-commie 
queer/n****r-lover pals, I'm, well, the resident bible-readin' homegrown 
former Baptist.  I love this position, because I've opened up some minds.  
I've turned around some former gay-haters, and some former christian-haters. 
  Again, this isn't about me.  Or my application for saint-hood.  I just 
want to ask you to take the high road.  If you hate the gay-bashers so much, 
then act better than they do.  You're not doing any good with your hateful 
rhetoric.


>From: NashGay@aol.com
>Reply-To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
>To: rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
>Subject: RAT Christians and Comedy
>Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2000 13:24:51 EST
>
>No, shame on you.
>Not all christians can't recognize a bait and switch.
>Not all christians whine about free speech and chastise a person for a bait
>and switch.
>Show me a "right-wing Christian who believes in protecting free speech, the
>rights of all Americans, and who believe that love and compassion for 
>others
>is the most important part of being a Christian" who isnt' a homophobe.  
>And
>remember you said right wing.  Show me a right wing christian who stands 
>for
>everything you just said and then, doesn't find a way to advocate taking a
>womans right to chose away and isnt' a big fat homophobe and downright 
>shitty
>on many human rights abuses.  I'm not saying they don't exist.  Just show 
>me,
>because this I gotta fucking see.
>How dare you say that my words are as harmful as gay bashing.  My words are
>not actions.  Gay bashing includes more than speech.  It includes violence
>and murder.  Shame on you for saying your pain at my words is the same as
>physical violence.
>
>(Clarification:  Joel bashed the straight people and the christians.  I 
>made
>a big poiint aobut the straight people are our friends leading you to 
>believe
>I was saying "hey peace on earth everybody" then I switch and say ".. but
>fuck the christians."  This is the classic bait and switch.  I try and 
>posit
>myself as defender of another, but then I swich and say "fuck the
>christians." And we see I'm just as feelble minded as Joel.  Tee hee!  It's
>subtle humor.  it's hard to convey on email.  Good people are good.  Bad
>people are bad.  Good Christians are good.  Bad Christians are bad.  Good
>homos are good.  Bad homos are bad.  Duh.  )
>PS Verbal Christian bashing is fucking hysterical.  But don't hit or kill 
>the
>Christians.  That's bad.
>
>In a message dated 2/11/00 11:48:59 AM Central Standard Time,
>ohbelladonna@hotmail.com writes:
>
><< Not all Christians hate gay people.
>  Not all Christians are anti-free speech.
>  Not all Christians are mindless wackos.
>  In fact, there are even some "right-wing" Christians who believe in
>  protecting free speech, the rights of all Americans, and who believe that
>  love and compassion for others is the most important part of being a
>  Christian.  Even love and compassion for those who want to "fuck those
>  goddamn christians".  Christian-bashing is as nauseating, tiring, 
>cliche',
>  and harmful as gay-bashing.  It's also hypocritical.  Shame on you. >>

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com