The United Church of Christ (UCC) has made something of a name for itself with their very effective and brave television ads, that drive the nutjob religions right in this country up a tree. Mainly because the ads honestly call out these so-called "Evangelical Christians" for their very UN-Christian practices. CBS and NBC both were to scared of the likes of Pat Robertson and James "Focus on the Funding" Dobson to air the original UCC Ad:
My personal favorite was this one...
This past year my own Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Chuch in America took it's own babysteps into the 21rst Century when they voted on whether Gays and Lesbians were fit to serve God openly in the Church. As a result of that "radical step"", there are a number of ELCA Churches that have made it known they plan to leave the ELCA. My response to that is - "have a nice trip" .
The UCC's latest ad is great, the tag line "never place a period where God has placed a comma..." brilliantly sums up what is wrong with the conservative evangelical movement in the United States. James Dobson, Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin and their assorted ilk, are far more interested in talking about how "Christian" they are than actually living the principles of the faith they claim so loudly to follow.
The Language of God from United Church of Christ on Vimeo.
What distresses me most though, is the half measures of courage from my own Church. Oh sure... privately both Clergy and assorted elected leaders will say how much they disagree with folks like Huckabee and Palin, but then will lament how they cant say so "Officially" because they don't want to "create more division" within the Church. So basically the largest Lutheran Church in North America can vote to say Gay and Lesbian Pastors and the churches that hire them won't be put on trial anymore. But, to expect the Church to stand up and say that people who claim Gays and Lesbians are less than human, are WRONG... well , that's just asking for too much right now.
Back in 2005 I wrote a guest column for buzzflash.com that talked about the misuse of religion by some on the political far right. Now we watch all the assorted "tea-baggery" much if it wrapped in a faux cloak of religion. Lunatics like Sarah Palin calling for the end of any separation between Church and State. People like failed GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee comparing millions of American families raising their children to people who want puppies but don't understand the responsibility of caring for them.
These people are insane. They are the American Taliban and deserve to be called out at such.
As a lifelong Lutheran, I can't help but be more than a little envious of the UCC's willingness to demonstrate how they possess the courage of their convictions, and not just convictions alone. The ELCA could take a lesson from that.
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