A Real Christian

As you know if you've read this blog for very long, I am an atheist. And I have made attacks on the fundamentalist view of christianity. That is because I think it is wrong for any American to try and force his/her view of religion on others. because I speak out regularly on this subject, there are probably some that would think I would like to outlaw religion or ban it. That would be wrong.

I believe in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. That amendment guarantees religious freedom. That guarantee of religious freedom means all Americans have the right to believe (or not believe) in any religion, and no other person has a right to try and force them by law, violence, or any other method to accept any view (or lack of view) of any religion. It also means no person should be deprived of any of their rights due to their race, sex, sexual preference, or religious beliefs (or lack of religious beliefs).

Sadly, there are a large number of religious fundamentalists (mainly christian in this country) who do not believe in the First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom. They think they should be allowed to force their own religious beliefs on others by law, or violence, or any other means necessary. They claim to be obeying their god, but I think they are just bending their religion to justify their own bigotry.

But there are christians in America who respect both their religion and the Constitution. I respect those people and have no problem with their practicing their religion as they see fit. One of those people is former-President Jimmy Carter. He follows the teaching of his god without trying to deny the rights of his fellow citizens. I respect that (and I think most other atheists would agree). Here is some of what Mr. Carter has to say:


Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things -– he never said that gay people should be condemned. I personally think it is very fine for gay people to be married in civil ceremonies.


I draw the line, maybe arbitrarily, in requiring by law that churches must marry people. I’m a Baptist, and I believe that each congregation is autonomous and can govern its own affairs. So if a local Baptist church wants to accept gay members on an equal basis, which my church does by the way, then that is fine. If a church decides not to, then government laws shouldn’t require them to.