Gay Square Dancing and God

Sometimes Square Dancing and religion come together in one seamless expression. Today, being Sunday, what could be more propitious?

I was over at Brian and Kent's this afternoon for a caller workshop. Dayle was running them through their paces. During an interlude a bunch of us were upstairs, and one of the guys asked if any of us had seen Jesus Camp. Well, that started off the discussion about religion (particularly Christianity) and where we fit in.

The fact is, we don't, and that became quite clear during the discussion. Several of the people present related their own (bad) experiences. It seems pretty clear that toleration and understanding were not a part of the churches we grew up in. Faith really seems like a bad intellectual ground on which to base national policy. And if Jesus Camp is any harbinger, I think I'll start wearing a hardhat around certain religious groups - for my own health.

I have a lot of questions for my religious friends. If God so loved the world, why is God condemning 95% (or more) of his children to Hell? Why is the Christian God better than the Islam Allah (or vice versa)? Why is God (or Allah) offended by homosexuality?

You might inquire why I'm even concerned about this. One part of my concern is that about 95% of the people in the United States believe in God. Anywhere from 40 - 60% of them regard themselves as religious, and 30% of the voting electorate consider themselves religiously conservative. These people really do want to tell me how to run my life. Some of them do want to stone me. Most of these people have no respect for my relationships - loving years-long relationships, too.

This really is religious conviction determining public policy, and it really is affecting my civil rights. I'm ready to do my own missionary work. I'm recruiting. Now where can I find a red heiffer?