When author Robert Minor sent out a press release announcing the publication of his new book, “When Religion Becomes an Addiction,” it wasn’t easy to dismiss. I mean, really, how could you not open an email entitled “The Religious Right’s Crack Fix?”
I thought I was going to learn about an anti-gay leader’s cocaine addiction. I didn’t, but what was in the email was every bit as intriguing.
“It’s no secret that the morally righteous among us have been on a political bender for years, advancing their beliefs through activism instead of church activities,” the email read. “The dirty secret, however, is that everyone else is to blame.”
Claiming that his book is one “guaranteed to generate hate mail,” Minor places the blame for the “politically successful obsessions of the fervent right wing squarely on the liberals.”
The publicity for the book claims it explores, among other topics, the differences between “addictive” and “non-addictive” religion; the teaching that people are “so evil and lost, they deserve eternal punishment;” how religious addicts blame God for their beliefs and actions; how “addictive religion” is often used to cover up sexual addictions; and how the traditional responses from liberals haven’t worked.
The best part, though, is when Minor compares this so-called “addictive” religion to behaviors like alcoholism, gambling and drug addition. Finally, after years of hearing how much my beautiful gay existence is like being an alcoholic or drug addict, the name-calling has come full circle.
But I don’t know if I’d compare these addictive right-wing religious types to alcoholics and druggies. That line has been so over-used by the wingnuts themselves. Can’t we come up with anything more original? I think paranoid schizophrenia is a better comparison.
In fact, I just came across the kind of news sure to start those propaganda machines churning out their hate-filled missives faster than ever before.
The European Commission recently told the Netherlands to change their lax employment regulations regarding religious organizations’ hiring of gays. While my Dutch brothers and sisters (yeah, separated by 300 years — so what?) did change their laws a while back, a member of the European Union’s parliament said they didn’t go far enough.
Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Sophie In’t Veld told DutchNews.nl that “the Netherlands points to religious freedom too easily to justify discrimination. ‘Religious freedom is important but equal opportunity is more important.’”
Hurry! Sound the alarms! The evil European sodomite agenda is going to take over America! Somebody call NAARBWHABA (the National Association for the Advancement of Right-Wing Bigots Who Have Already Been Advanced)! Cover your asses (literally!) and hide your children!
Don’t be surprised to hear this Dutch situation used by the American religious right. They’ll push it in their continued fight against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and every other piece of federal, state or local legislation that gives us even an iota of civil rights or equality.
Meanwhile, sit back, get a good cup of coffee (or a vodka tonic, whatever your preference) and enjoy the theater. Paranoia creates some good drama, you know? |
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