Openly Christian

In wake of this proud nation realizing that a redneck is a redneck, I have been fascinated by the comment sections on numerous web sites and the arguments that they sustain.  Those in support of the bearded duck man have been using a phrase I find to be curious.  This phrase is “openly Christian” and it usually pertains to how “Openly Christian” people are being persecuted in this country because one of their strongest adherents had his television contract was revoked.  As a hedonistic New York City atheistic Jewish person, this phrase of “Openly Christian” and the belief that true believers of the Christian faith are facing persecution in this country is something completely foreign to me. 

First off, what is an openly Christian person?  Even though they may hate the gay community, they certainly do know how to appropriate a killer phrase.  Openly Christian though.  How does that work?  Do scared, young teenagers gather their families together and explain to them that they are a follower of Jesus Christ?  Is one born Openly Christian or do they choose to be Openly Christian?  I like to think of a young man getting bullied for quoting the bible while the rest of his friends are involved in a Caligula style orgy.  This poor boy must have been trapped in the confessional for so long.  Coming out as a Christian most be one of the hardest thing to do in a country where only 75% of the populous identify as a Christian.  That means only 3 in every 4 people you meet will share your beliefs.  I certainly know I wouldn’t feel safe or protected in this country with those odds.   Where is the “It Gets Better” campaign for Christians coming to term with their faith?  How long can we sit along and let Openly Christian children get bullied?  I want a world where Openly Christian people are not bullied but are the bullies. 

The other thing that confuses me is this idea that “Openly Christian” people in this country are facing mass persecution akin to real persecuted groups.  It seems very difficult to persecute a group of people who hold a super majority in this country.  What are these modern forms of persecution?  Is it a series of lynchings for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Could it be a series of pogroms for adhering to the principles of the Christian faith?  Or is it simply not getting your way after continually getting your way since the founding of this country?  Manufactured Christian persecution always centers in on Christmas; the biggest holiday on the planet.  Every year there is a big hoopla about having to say Happy Holidays or something of the sort.  Why is that a problem?  Despite what the Hallmark Channel tells you, there are other holidays that occur in December.  Hanukkah and the Winter Solstice come to mind (the original Christmas).  It doesn’t hurt to live in a world that is inclusive and happy to acknowledge everybody’s winter holiday.

So now that one of the bearded duck men is on extended hiatus, freedom of speech for American Christendom has been threatened at fascist levels.  People have defended this man by saying he was quoting his bible when discussing his views on gays, but I am curious to see how these people defend him on his non-religious backed racism.  The comments he spouted pretty much likened black life in the Jim Crow South to a scene straight out of Song of the South.  Where are the Christians on this one?  Where is the outrage from the conservative right on how disgusting these comments where?  I can’t wait to see the Bobby Jindal statement or the 1,000 word Sarah Palin Facebook post protecting these comments from the PC police.  The man has freedom of speech for sure, but we also have freedom to criticize and condemn the hell out of him with our own freedom of speech.   

Openly Christian and the idea of modern Christian persecution in this country is just another attempt of people not adapting to the times.  Despite all this rhetoric, we are not a Christian nation.  Read the Treaty of Tripoli if somebody tells you otherwise.  Christianity is not threatened in this country like real persecuted groups (like perhaps a group of people today who still can’t legally marry in 33 states).  The duck guy is a bigot plain and simple.  Hiding behind his Christian faith won’t change that.