Once Again, Time for the Oral Minority

North Miami Beach, Florida 2-27-2000 Aaron H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
ONCE AGAIN, TIME FOR THE ORAL MINORITY

With all the fooforah about "Dubya's" foray into the heartland of the
Religious Right it is time, once again, for a report by an Oral Minority.

I claim the privilege of adding my small voice to that of others who are
energized by the realization that the brethren who believe in the
exclusivity of their brand of religiosity are trouble for the rest of us.
Just imagine; the Moral Majority came about because the silent masses of
right thinking people were believed to have no voice. By naming the group
and defining its issues, a movement was begun that shook the mainstream to
its core. A formerly ridiculed Bible-thumping scattering of hayseeds
hunkering down in their little churches, pooled tons of money, erected
buildings they called "universities" and became a power to be feared.

We have heard the words. Jews cannot go to heaven. Catholics belong to a
cult. The Pope is Satan's spokesman. Atheists are to be shunned.
Homosexuality is a choice and unnatural. The races are to be kept
separated. Abortion must end and women need to stay in their place. This
litany is supposed to be based in religion but it cannot be found in
scripture. What is sacrilegious is the use of the authority of Jesus and the
question, "What would Jesus do?" These are not used in a religious context,
but for a political purpose - to gain power.

The separation of Church and State was believed by theologians to be
necessary to avoid the centuries of European wars. The wall between
religious belief and political reality was never threatened as much as it
has been in the last 50 years and particularly right now. The "Rabid Right"
has found a voice and it bays loud and viciously at our freedoms and our
custom to think and behave freely.

There has been no time where the need for the voices of the oral minority
has been greater. What do you think? Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.