In the last debate, Newt Gingrich said something that again reveals the whiny persecution complex of Christians in the US.
“But I would say, third, one of the reasons I am running is there has been an increasingly aggressive war against religion and in particular against Christianity in this country, largely by…
(APPLAUSE)
… largely by a secular elite and the academic news media and judicial areas. And I frankly believe it’s important to have some leadership that stands up and says, enough; we are truly guaranteed the right of religious freedom, not religious suppression by the state.”
“Religious suppression by the state”? Has there been a mass roundup and jailing of Christians that I am not aware of? Have churches been forced to shut down by the government and their believers forced underground?
In the minds of these people, ‘suppression by the state’ means not having exclusive access to the public square, not having their beliefs be the basis of public policy, and not being given immunity from having their beliefs criticized. Basically, they want to eliminate the First Amendment to the constitution.
A lot of people spout the kind of nonsense Gingrich did. What is extraordinary is that a leading candidate for a major public office can do so without being immediately challenged to provide evidence.
Evidence? Evidence? Why, “everybody knows” that what Newt says is the gospel truth!
Repression of Christians means abiding by the separation of church and state as specified in the First Amendment.
Incidentally, I wish American Christians would make up their minds. Either they’re the majority living in a country based on “Christian principles” or they’re a persecuted bunch about to be shipped to the gulags. They like to switch from one to the other depending on what point they’re trying to make.
Newt says: “… largely by a secular elite and the academic news media and judicial areas.”
…yeah, he’s right! They were the same groups that also hound organized crime, the KKK, and helped rid the South of Jim Crowe. Thanks, Newt, for illustrating yet another reason why we need to listen to them more often!
…and the thing is, he doesn’t believe a word of it.
It’s blowing the dog whistle, nothing more.
Evidence? What are you, some kinda Communist?
How do we make these people realise this though? How do we get through to them and make them aware of the what the first amendment really means? Is it a lost cause?
No, not by a long shot. In fact, I think it is the people who are trying to circumvent the First Amendment who are fighting a rearguard action because of the rapid rise in secular thinking. It is when people feel beleaguered that they feel the need to defend their symbols.