Whatever...

Over the past few days (and months) I've been accused of many things, some true and some not true. The only thing that really bothers me is being chacterized as a mean-spirited liar and having people believe it to be true.

I foolishly jumped in to defend myself when someone wrote in the comments of this post that "(p)eople like...Rob and others of their thinking lash out with disgusting personal attacks, lies and false accusations." I'm sure that her motive was to get her friends to tell her that she is wonderful and those mean liberals should leave her alone, and I played right into it. It's useless trying to have a civil discussion with some people.

Anyhow it worked and one of the little ladies came to her defense:

Rob, I am going to get the last word. You have been provoking, teasing, and writing about Donna for months. I have seen it over and over again. All she has ever done is write in her own blog and commentate on her friends' blogs... I, for one, am sick of you acting so innocent like you have never done a thing. Like she would just feel this way towards you for no good reason... Come on! She has done nothing to you, yet you continue to obsess with commentating on your journal about her." -- Alice

Well, I've had enough of them. I tried to present them with another view of things, i.e. other than the Bush-is-chosen-God-and-can-do-no-wrong viewpoint. They don't want to know about it. I'll leave it to someone else to expose them to some of reality.

I don't write people off if we disagree about politics or religion. My best friends both happen to be medical doctors and both serious practicing Roman Catholics. We disagree about almost everything politically but that does not stop us from enjoying each others' company. They even chose me to be the godparent of their child--me the atheist. So there are open-minded conservatives and christians.

In fact I read this article today by Dr. Teresa Whitehurst of JesusOnTheFamily.org:

Why Are Some American Christians So Bloodthirsty?

Understanding Pro-war Christians' Indifference to Civilian Deaths
by Dr. Teresa Whitehurst

It's been going on for years now. Almost daily we read that another child, another parent, another sister or brother, another grandpa or aunt, is killed in Afghanistan or Iraq by U.S. weaponry in Mr. Bush's "war on terror." Sometimes it's a wedding party, or a bunch of kids, or a family of six. Sometimes it's a journalist, or a whole group of journalists, who may even be killed on camera in real time for all the world to see and hear.

But no matter how bad it gets, nothing seems to change Americans' support for war, which for some reason is stiffest among Christian supporters of the Bush Administration. "Stuff happens in a war zone." "Don't worry because God is in control." With these and other slogans, I've been reassured by countless pro-war Christians that, as long as civilians aren't intentionally targeted, taking their lives is okay, maybe even predestined, God's will.
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So in my last two posts I've cited The American Conservative and JesusOnTheFamily.org and I'm the intolerant, close-minded fool? Okay.