In Defense of the Religious (and regarding tolerance)

Man, there was a lot of hate thrown around on that post and comment thread below about Obama's faith.

Including comparisons to Iran, Saudi Arabia, et al.

Let's make one thing really clear before I even start here. Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the rest of the world's repressive theocratic regimes are not bad because their leaders believe in God.

They are bad because their leaders believe they have the right to force everyone to live and die by their specific interpretation of their religious texts.

We discussed tolerance a little bit, which dissolved mostly into joking about how none of us tolerate martinis made with vodka. I wrote some notes back then about the word "tolerance" and how I don't really like it and I prefer "acceptance." Because that's what I want--I don't want you people to tolerate me because I'm a tattooed freaky ex-goth Jewish feminist, I want you to accept that my life and my positions are valid, that I'm a human being just like you.

I find it funny that pretty much everyone was very accepting when I wrote about the transgender kids, and when it comes to religion, we're all angry that a candidate is religious.

Obama appears to be the only one of the three candidates who attends services regularly. If you read his first book, he candidly discusses his lack of belief early on, and his conversion. He appears to be sincere about his religion--and I would argue that his unwillingness at first to sever ties with Rev. Wright speaks to that.

Hillary Clinton is also religious, in a rather more creepy way, because her religion is actually tied to the Christian Right that DOES freak most of us out.

My sister goes to church every week and goes to Bible study on Tuesday nights, and she's as committed (though less mouthy) a progressive as I am. Her church accepts gay and lesbian members, discusses sex openly, and donates money to the community and abroad. Her Christian beliefs were found in high school, but they drive her to use her extra cash to make microloans to women in developing countries, to support marriage equality, and to vote Democrat.

I do not go to temple. I consider myself Jewish only in a roundabout way. I almost married a Muslim convert, but his religious beliefs and my lack thereof proved not to be compatible, so I understand the feeling that someone's religion and your lack of it may not mesh--and in your personal life, you have every right to feel that way. I certainly did.

But when my father was in the hospital this summer and I had to pull myself together and run the family business basically on my own, you're damn right I prayed. And I don't give a crap if you think I'm crazy for believing in "invisible sky fairies."

Lawyers, Guns and Money did some excellent writing on religion, intolerant atheism, and plurality here, here, and here. (In chronological order.) I highly recommend them.

The real question should be: does Barack Obama's religion lead him to make the right choices or the wrong choices? If thinking about and yes, praying about the decision to speak out against the Iraq war led him to make that choice, then good for him. His religion has also led him to find common ground with even wingnuts like Sam Brownback on issues like AIDS that we all should care about.

Religion has always been something that's fascinated me in part because I was the child of a mixed-faith marriage, and because I could never really put my finger on where I belonged or what I believed. As I mentioned, I confused my acceptance of others' beliefs for my ability to live under those rules, and I absolutely understand why no one else wants religious rules enacted on them.

And if you actually care to learn more about Obama's particular brand of Christianity, NPR did some excellent programs in the wake of the Wright controversies. It's more than just "invisible sky fairies."

We expect heterosexual religious people in middle America to be tolerant of gay marriage, but don't offer them the same? I think we need to move beyond 'tolerance' and work on acceptance. If someone believes in Jesus Christ and that makes them a better person, good on them. And if that someone can actually get Middle America to vote for a black, pro-choice, anti-war progressive, who talks about negotiations with Iran, named Barack Hussein Obama, by reminding them that he too believes in the same God as they do, GOOD.