A Progressive Democrat living in the Deep Sourh

A Progressive Democrat living in the Deep South

Typing that felt weirdly satisfying. Since moving to Coastal South Carolina in 2000, I’ve slowly found myself withdrawing from public activities. No joke. It’s downright, well, otherworldly to hear people discussing Jesus at lunch while they gorge themselves with enough food to feed a starving family of four for two days. Of course they bow their heads and recite prayer first. Then, they leave their server with a miniscule tip of less than five percent.

It’s as if the version of the New Testament I read while a child and their version are totally different.

In 2004, I won an International writer’s award and did book signings. When I sat to sign books at a local Books-A-Million, I confronted a few radical right Evangelicals who not only expressed what was wrong with Science Fiction, but that the founder of the contest, L. Ron Hubbard, was the Devil’s agent.

Yikes! What the heck do you do with statements like that? Shoot (as they say down here versus what we’d say in NY which starts and ends the same letters but with only 4 total) I don’t even believe in the Devil and Hell. I think people like the ones who made the “informed” statements, are an example of hell on earth, but that‘s another matter entirely.

Sometimes I feel as if I’m walking through an Evangelical version of Disney World. The Appian Way lined with crucified Progressives. The Believers’ golden road to their version of heaven. Yes, they do think there are angels playing harps for God’s entertainment. Wonder what happens if they miss a note?

So, I decided I needed to blog this since so much of my time and mental energy has been entrapped by a religious philosophy I cannot entertain as applicable to my life; one that is twisted off the parchment and tangled into tall tales of loathing. Evangelicals seem to despise, or worse, every person who does not conform to their standards. Yet they all walk around babbling into cell phones and forget about their driving skills. It’s do or die!

I really am uninterested in spending time wading through other people’s spiritual dilemmas. Hence my posts on spiritual belief.

Naturally, any Evangelical who reads this post will advise me that if I don’t like it, I should move back to New York. A tongue in cheek method of proving my point and the true reason that Christianity is a failing religion. Intolerance, exclusion, and even violent behavior towards those who disagree with them.

My response to them? Well, bless your heart!