I would like to address two intertwining strands of thought that I have encountered on this tread and on Mudcat in general. I usually avoid discussions of politics and/or religion on the internet, because these topics are so controversial, but I'll break my own rule as to that point, just this once. First there is the whole issue of the Old Testament Law. From the Christian perspective, the Old Testament Law was given to Mankind to prove to us the utter worthlessness of any attempt on our part to forge out a relationship with God on the basis of our own ability to obey that Law. When the Law was found to be utterly useless, God provided us with a "better way." That better way is the way of grace. Grace simply means "God's unmerited favor." God loves us and desires a relationship with us, despite our own faults and failures, and so the Old Testament Law was superceded by the New Testament Law. The New Testament Law simply says, "If you want to have a relationship with God, then #1 Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and #2 Love your neighbor as you love yourself." The bottom line is that those who desire a relationship with God can have one.

The above is presented simply as an explanation (very basic) of the Christian belief. I share it for that purpose and certainly not as criticism of anyone else's belief system. I just want Mudcat readers to understand where Christians are coming from.

The second reason for responding to the thread is that I see a very serious danger arising out of all this sly humor against Christians. It was sly humor against the Jews in Europe in the 1930's that set the stage for Germany to turn a blind eye to Hitler's attempt to exterminate the Jews. It was the sly humor that I heard directed against African-Americans as I was growing up in the Southern United States that allowed for "Whites Only" drinking fountains, restrooms, lunch counters, etc. And in the past couple of years we have seen a proliferation of Church burnings, and even one incident that comes to mind when gunmen killed several Christian teen-agers in a Baptist Church here in the South. I am not suggesting that those who enjoy the humor would do such things or condone such things. I am only saying that this kind of humor breeds contempt which results, when it is full-grown, in unspeakable acts against humanity.

Having grown up in the South, I realize that I have had prejudice instilled in me, by my culture, from the very beginning & I have learned that I have to fight that prejudice every waking minute. I fight it, not only because I have learned that it is contrary to the will of the God whom I serve, but I fight it because I have seen it for what it is & for the dangers inherent in it. When will we ever learn that prejudice is not just an attitude that Southern Whites have about African-Americans, but that prejudice is an attitude anyone may have against anyone or any group that we don't understand or that we fear? What we say about others may say volumes about ourselves.

Parson