Fundamentalists Forget

Excellent editorial in today's Winston Salem Journal...

Democrats should stand up to the Christian right and their Republican puppets. Because Democrats are filibustering judicial nominees, we liberal Democrats are said to have no faith. Well, if having faith means believing like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Bob Jones, they are right.

The fundamentalists enjoy concentrating on Biblical passages that condemn while they neglect passages such as Matthew 25:31-46. These passages show God's love for the poor, the sick and other neglected people. The fundamentalists forget to mention that Jesus aligned himself with the poor and the oppressed and that he challenged the religious orthodoxy of the time. The fundamentalists have amnesia when it comes to remembering that Jesus liberated minorities and women from oppression. The fundamentalists conveniently forget that Jesus advocated pacifism and loving our enemies. God forbid the fundamentalists remind us that Jesus associated with drunks and other social outcasts. Jesus even forgave adulterers and prostitutes - can you imagine that?

Today, Jesus would be fighting to eliminate poverty and homelessness. He would be fighting for universal health care, environmental protection and true equal rights for all citizens.

Democrats should fight fire with fire. Our fire burns brighter.

RUDY DIAMOND

Lewisville