Pardon my cynicism, but a few nights ago on 60 minutes Franklin Graham posited that “faith in God” did more to shape the United States than any other force. And I guess I sort of agree with him but not in the way he thinks.
Religions and their fanatic, in many ways, amoral leaders always seem to find a way to justify the worst behavior. Many Jews whose families were once victimized today support the slaughter of Palestinians. Iranian true believers in Islam slaughter those they consider infidels and innocents. Hindus look for and at times make up excuses to victimize their Muslim and Sikh neighbors and vice versa. They all do it in the name of a “god” which is theirs alone and presumably supportive of their crimes against humanity.
Here in America many Christians and their leaders self-righteously tolerate Trump’s racism, homophobia, misogyny and violence just as they once tolerated slavery, segregation, Jim Crow and all that went along with it. And all of it, then and now, was/is Supreme Court approved.
And so while the traditions may be often beautiful and peaceful, Graham’s religious belief is a little like the opening scenes in the movie Blue Velvet with facade of a beautiful peaceful oh so very very legalistic place, with worms (apologies to worms) lurking just beneath the surface.
Medicynic 