This is going to make me some enemies, but I'm too cranky to care.

[kellinator]

Dear Everyone Who's Whining About What a Terrible Man St. Patrick Was and How Pagans Are So Oppressed,

I was looking forward to an evening of St. Patrick's Day fun with friends, so forgive me for being a little bit cranky about all the vitriol being launched on here today.

Are we Christians supposed to spend the day apologizing for St. Patrick converting Ireland fifteen hundred years ago? I'm no expert in Druidic practices, but how do we really know that the Druids were happy-love-everybody people and St. Patrick was a jerk determined to make sure no one was having a good time? It's not as simple as pagans good/Patrick bad (nor, I suppose, as simple as Patrick good/pagans bad). Imagine you're the person who got picked for the human sacrifice and see if you still think so.

Christianity is not all about hate and oppression, no matter what Jerry Falwell tells you. It's got some good ideas about kindness to one's fellow man. Many terrible sins have been committed in the name of Christ, but much good has been done too.

A lot of people out there seem to demand toleration for everyone but Christians. I almost didn't make this post because I knew it would piss people off, but that would be denying what I feel and what I believe. If it's okay for you to express your faith, then it's okay for me to express mine. I may be a lousy excuse for a Christian, but I still am one. If you want religious toleration, I think that's terrific, but you ought to have some for the Christians too. We progressive Christians have got enough to worry about with retaking our faith from the Pharisees currently in charge without having to constantly apologize for being Christian.

And I'm fucking terrified of snakes, so St. Patrick, you're okay in my book.

Comments

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

Me, dawneywawney and <"kellinator"> all grew up in the same geographic area and in the same type of religious atmosphere. So I think in this case, she was using the label more as a description of a mindset that's pretty common for us than as a all-out slam on all conservative Christians. Where we come from, there really is very few people who have any concept of a belief that doesn't deal with salvation. It really is a very bewildering thing. And I don't want to speak for Kelly, but I have a feeling she understands.

Re: AMEN SISTER!

[ariedana.livejournal.com]

It would bring a lot of the mindset and context into the conversation, yes. And if dawneywawney were having this conversation in the middle of Brooklyn, it probably would make a great deal of difference.

Where did you grow up?