An Open Letter To America, from a Disabled Gulf War Veteran:
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This whole "Tim Tebow" thing? Wow. Really, America??
So, Christians are not allowed to have as much of a public presense as non-Christians? Because that is what is being said when we are told that he must be silenced and put out of sight so no one can see him doing his thing. And before you go jumping my case about, "they are shoving beliefs down other people's throats" let's just calm down and take a serious look at this situation.
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First, let's put a few things into perspective, shall we? Nearly 80% of the American population not only believes in God, but also believes in the power of prayer. This means that a mere 20% don't believe in either.
So you're going to tell me that the majority of Americans need to shut up and get out of sight... because the minority says so? The minority who, for some unkown reason, don't seem to be adult enough to handle seeing/hearing things they don't agree with?
Because there is a HUGE difference between "disagreeing" and "silencing." And if you are doing what you can to silence those you don't agree with, you are a bigot. What, you don't know the real meaning of the word "bigot"? You think a bigot is "someone that says/does something I don't like"??
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Hardly. A bigot happens to be a person that *won't allow* anyone else to have differing beliefs. Get the point? It's perfectly acceptable to not agree with Tim Tebow's beliefs. That's fine. It's perfectly ok to not listen to the bible verses read on the TV by Focus on the Family dring the football game because it's not your thing. That's fine. While it's happening go and get a snack out of the fridge.
But it's outright bigotry to try and force all public display of Christian faith into non-existence. You might think that you are "cool" because you blab in public about those awful Christians daring to the exact same public presense that you also enjoy, but all that you prove is that you are dancing uncomfortably close with bigotry.
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And meanwhile the minority of you are free to display your beliefs and your lifestyles and your actions in public as you see fit, any time of the day or night, without being censored and silenced? Really? Do you honestly believe this is right and good? Really??
Of course this is supposed to be how it is: everyone is free to live their (non criminal) beliefs without hiding them for fear of punishment, and rightly so. But folks, this is how it is supposed to be **for everyone.** Not just you but for me as well. No one is "More Equal Then Thou."
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And I think a lot of you need to re-learn the meaning of "offended." Because if there was ever a word that has been rendered cheap and pointless, it is that word.
Sometimes I wonder, why did I place myself at my country's disposal **to die in order to protect our collective freedoms** if this same country is going to try and make it so that these same freedoms only extend to a select few, and the minority of Americans at that?? All because these "liberated" people are not adult enough to deal with the reality that... there exist people that **disagree with you.** And so they abuse the courts of law and the media in order to silence people like me because they are "offended"??
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And another thing, my fellow Americans: Like it or not, America was founded as a Judeo-Christian country. The very same Constitution that gurantees your freedoms is dripping with Judeo-Chrisitan refrences and appeals to God's authority to give Humankind these same freedoms. Those that created this country PRAYED and BELIEVED IN GOD and READ THE BIBLE. Oftentimes out loud. In public. Ya know?
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Oh, and spare me the revisionist nonsense about, "The founders were not christian." I've read the documents. I've read their letters. I've even read the Constitution!! I've looked into this via first-hand sources because I get off of my backside and *research* issues before I opine. Try as much as you want but you can't re-write God out of America. And don't even try and tell me that belief in God and prayer somehow goes against what it means to be American. YOU might not want to believe in God and that is fine, as well as your legal right, ~ but if any mention of God threatens you so bad that you must A) re-write history and B) legislate God out of public life then it's time to get some help for your crushing insecurity and your guilt issues... Obviously something is not right. We can agree to disagree but don't try and make me illegal in public.
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And don't give *me* any grief for writing this letter. I earned the right to say what I have just said: I was willing to *die* so you can be who and what you are without the government or your neighbors or some outside invading force taking that right away. At any point in my military service I could have been placed on the front lines to fight whoever it was that tried to take *your* freedoms away. I was at full disposal to protect your liberty. So don't even go there.
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Oh, and if you're about to let rip at me for daring to express my views, take a moment and answer me this: Exactly what have you done lately to protect and promote equality... besides whine about being "offended" ?? Oh, snap! You can pop a few witty comments on Facebook or write an article or whip off a Tweet denouncing those of us that believe in God? Demanding that we shut up and get out of sight?
Yeah. I thought so. Try leaving the keyboard and placing your actual physical self on the line while saying, "You have to go through me before you can take our rights and freedoms away."
God bless America ~ and let Freedom ring for everyone from the prostitute on the street to the bible-toting christian in their pew. We are all equal, we are all free. I broke my body defending your liberties and unless you are also willing to die protecting mine then please spare me your claims of being "offended" because we differ in our beliefs: That is what liberty and freedom is all about, my "open minded" and "tolerant" fellow Americans... so get used to it.
Thank you.
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Michelle Therese, former Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class
US Navy
6th Fleet
NATO Forces Europe
South West Asia
"I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;..."
The Farm: adventures of a Catholic family and their organic farm in Scotland
11 comments:
Michelle I took that same oath for a different agency and I will defend to my dying day the constitution of the United States and those who live under it's cover.
Tim Tebow is the Christian Right's darling right now. There are many more Christian athletes who don't wear the cross on their sleeve and do charitable good works for many. Tebow was raised in the ATI/IBLP cult and he has never been thought to think for himself. Everything he has learned until college was programmed.
Read Jefferson's revision of the Bible. It's very interesting. Some of the Founders were believers, but there were deists as well. It's not a matter of rewriting history (read The Oxford Companion to American History for a non biased view) it's a matter of fact.
What I believe is that the 1st amendment of the United States constitution allows me to believe what ever I want to believe without government interference And allows every citizen. It's not a matter of belief on your sleeve, it's a matter of how it's put forth.
And for the record, I pray all day long without broadcasting it. It's no one's business but God's and mine.
Matt 6:5-7
‘And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
‘When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
No one is stopping Tebow from Tebowing, so his freedom of religion is not being hindered. Those who comment or poke fun at him are merely exercising their freedom of speech (and humour - an SNL skit is actually a high honour). For those who are crying "persecution" about this silliness, I'd challenge them to be as defensive of a muslim player who was so demonstrative. This is a country where a bunch of bigots actually managed to get a large corporation to pull their ads from a muslim reality show simply because they were upset that muslims were being portrayed as average people, and not terrorists. Bigotry knows no religious bounds.
I have no idea what has happened.
But all I can say is,
is it not the American Dollar, that has written on it
'In God We Trust'
theses people all best stop spending and touching money.
Very interesting - there are many folks, Christian and otherwise, who believe in God and still think that dropping in prayer to thank Him for a football play is disrespectful and showboating.
But Muslims can stop and face Mecca, no matter what they are doing, even if its work? Smells like a double standard to me.
no, muslims go to a quiet spot or mosque and pray at proscribed times. Never seen a muslim football player drop during a game (and there are muslim NFL players). No one should be stopping anyone from praying, or stopping anyone from having an opinion about it.
Well said.
It's frightening what is becoming of our country.
I think that any kind of demonstration is disapproved of, dancing included. It is not about being a Christian; it's about showboating. I don't watch football and only saw him do this once as part of a new clip. He can pray standing still and upright. It is about his stance more than what he is doing in his head. He is showboating, in my opinion. One particular position is not required to pray. Does he do this at the dinner table while saying grace? Does he get into this position when saying nightly prayers?
I don't think it even has anything to do with Christianity or praying, just his demonstrativeness aka showboating.
Glad you stopped by my blog!
@Sol - "in God we trust" etc was added in the 20th Century I believe. Hardly an example of the secullar freedom sought by the pilgrims.
It does amuse when the founding fathers are held up as trailblazers for 'freedom', in a land which was stolen from the persecuted native inhabitants and which, even at it's founding, supported slavery. A crime committed by the church as well of course.
Hypocrites all.
@Michelle - you are flat wrong regarding the religious beliefs of the founding fathers. Among their number were atheists and dieists and theists, a wonderfully mixed bag. Some very basic research would set you straight.
Jefferson rewrote the bible, and removed all reference to the supernatural featrs and the deity - was that because he was a 'chistian' do you think?
Love the blog, best wishes!
Until you are back on this land the "I broke my body to defend your liberty" excuse is ridiculous. Another thing, if I remember correctly, you broke your own body - you have been fat and became pregnant while in an unhealthy weight several times.
Sorry, you are a nutcase, coffee catholic. LOL
You use religion as a crutch for whatever deep-seated fears you have. And get your facts straight - 80% of the american people may believe in something, not necessarily your god. When we say In God We Trust, that means ANY god, including a man made statue named Ra - not much different than the statue your kids kiss (EWWWWW).
Hysteria.
I wonder what you are so afraid of.
"And another thing, my fellow Americans: Like it or not, America was founded as a Judeo-Christian country. The very same Constitution that gurantees your freedoms is dripping with Judeo-Chrisitan refrences and appeals to God's authority to give Humankind these same freedoms. Those that created this country PRAYED and BELIEVED IN GOD and READ THE BIBLE. Oftentimes out loud. In public. Ya know?"
BULL! and the worst kind.
America was founded by people who FLED England so religion would not be imposed to them.
Like any religious creep, you're a nutcase. Thankfully no longer in my country.
And quit using the armed forces card. You joined because you wanted to. Or probably because it was impossible for you to be hired by anyone given your creepiness. You crave attention so MUCH you're willing to attract the worst kind.
You are now where you belong - in an island, with another deject, spawning little dejects to keep on your nut legacy. Poor kids. Never come back. Please.
Sarah Doyle
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