There’s an idiom I especially love:
“Religion is like the public pool: Most of the noise comes from the shallow
end.” In hearing the description of the shallow end, I immediately think of the
Religious Right. By this, I don’t mean religious people who happen to also vote
Republican. I mean a particular and highly recognizable subset of the pious
crowd: Those who are aggressively anti-gay, anti-sex (except in very specific,
procreative circumstances), and anti-science. Those who believe anyone with a
different outlook, even within their own religion, is going to hell. Those who
burn Harry Potter books and believe Halloween and rock music are genuine
threats to society. Those who want to instill their beliefs through law as a
theocracy. Not all Republicans have this perspective by any means, nor do all
who identify with a religion. But those who adhere to this worldview almost
always merge it with conservative politics.
This group insists that anyone who
rejects religion does so out of a reluctance to be good. The truth is that many
reject religion because this boisterous and seemingly all-pervading subset
clings to such an arbitrary definition of “good.” They think you can’t be
good if you enjoy secular entertainment. They say your goodness is defined by
dressing conservatively, believing the “right” theological statements, trying
to convert others to your religion, avoiding all manner of drugs and alcohol,
never swearing or enjoying more ribald humor, and avoiding sex before marriage
(especially if you’re a woman). To me, and to others who cannot relate to this
mindset, these factors have nothing to do with your goodness or worth as a
person.
I got into Christianity for a while
in my early twenties and tried to fit into the evangelical mold, but I always
felt like an unwelcome outlier. This was because I’m bisexual and don’t feel a
need to apologize for it; because I do not believe in hell and see it as an
abhorrent concept which is antithetical to any kind of a loving god; because I
didn’t see anything wrong with living or sleeping with my husband before we
were married, nor with getting drunk or smoking a bowl once in a while; and
because I love fantasy and punk rock and just about any alternative scene. This
left me as a misfit who was seen as “double minded” and hellbound. I think that
any god that exists could not possibly be so petty, like a popular kid ousting
someone from their lunch table. Those who argue with that reasoning say, “No,
God accepts everyone as long as they meet his standards!” But the whole mentality
of “I love you the way you are, now change!” makes no sense.
The conservative evangelical
subculture is particularly oppressive for creative people. They seem inherently
hostile to artists, whether our drive manifests in music, visual art, or writing.
Sure, the Religious Right will utilize those skills when they can be used to
promote their perspective, but any coloring outside those lines is looked at
askance. They’re quick to interpret artistic works as “witchcraft.” They see
co-creators as God’s competition, which is why they demand that you credit all
your work to their god. They especially see secular fantasy and mythology as
competition for their own lore. People of this group will tell you they’re
“sheparding” (ie: micromanaging) you for your own good, but it’s really out of
self-interest or a commitment to preserving the status quo. Many of them don’t
realize these motives, even when they’re acting on them.
They rule you with an iron fist hidden inside a plush glove.
They rule you with an iron fist hidden inside a plush glove.
