The Confusing Right

Today I received an email from an aunt describing a campaign going around that seeks to ban the reading of the Gospel on radio airwaves. The email calls for every Christian to step up and be heard, and of course please sign the petition on the email as they are praying for at least 1 million signatures.

Okay, first of all, I am not against the Gospel being heard on the radio. I'm all for the Gospel of Jesus being shared. I think it's a good message and one that shouldn't be banned from anything. According the the email, they also want to take Christmas carols out of public schools. Again, I'm against stuff like that.

To prove this, I'll quickly recount a story that happened in my own school district. Several students at a school in the richer part of town put up a Christmas tree in the school office with ornaments containing the names of kids from a school in the poorer part of town. The idea was that the rich kids would by a gift for poorer kids. Someone complained that the "tree" was a Christian symbol, so the "Giving Tree" was reduced to the "Giving Counter". As I did then, I still believe that this was a terrible thing that happened. An Incredible idea, launched by some amazing children, was ruined by closed-minded thinking.

So, let's be clear: I am NOT against the Gospel of Jesus being shared of the radio waves. I would never sign such a petition or participate in any events with that as the mission.

Here, though, is what came to my mind as I read the email. These are the same people who fought to get Howard Stern fined countless times for his radio show. These are the same people who lobby and fight hard to keep gays from getting married. These are the same people who demand that film makers censor themselves. These are the same people who supported Sarah Palin's groundless attacks on Barack Obama.

Am I missing something here? Is it okay for these people to do all those things I mentioned above, but not for people who may not believe in the Bible to question that? Is this not a double standard?

It's this kind of thinking that really bothers me. "I'm sorry, we just can't allow you express yourselves the way you feel you should, but please don't trample on our rights to it." I think this falls under the category of "We're right and you're wrong!"

This tends to be the unfortunate MO of the Christian right. They, having the moral high ground, have the right to do and say whatever they want and question the opinions and views of everyone who disagrees with them. Yet when their opinions and views are questioned, an all out war is launched with "That's not fair!" as the battle cry.

How can they not see the similarities? Well, I guess it's because they are so closed minded to the truth.

I hope one day there will be an understand in all of this. Until then, I guess I'll just continue to be confused by the Christian Right.