Wearing One's Religion On One's Chest

More and more the last few weeks, I've heard various voices saying that the only way for the liberals (and don't you know liberal is the code name for everyone who doesn't just "heart" Bush with his bum economy and non-stop wars) to win the moral wars is to talk more about Jesus.

Now, regular readers know I do talk about God - and not always simply to say, God will get you for that - and my relationship with Him (for me, it's a Him because he sometimes leaves the toilet seat up). But what possible purpose will it serve if I interject God and Jesus here in an unnatural way.

My relationship with God - and trust me, we've had our spats - is a very personal one, as I suspect it is with everyone who chooses to believe. It may be very much like your relationship with your God or it may be completely different.

And as with others of you who believe, that relationship colors everything I say, do, and think. In that respect, God is everywhere in my blog. But He doesn't demand I just drop his name liberally to lend credence to what I say. And God knows that I've become a better one of his creatures directly because I've asked questions, been unwilling to accept dumb things on blind faith and obedience, and through my other relationships. For example, just about every Jew, Muslim, Hindu, agnostic, atheist, Buddhist, and Wiccan I've ever had the pleasure to get to know has made me a better person and a better Christian. Why? Because they shared something of their faith with me and the people their faith - or their decision to reject faith - had helped them become. I value that.

Unlike Pat Robertson and George Bush, I can't lie and invoke God as giving me backing for my positions (and unlike George Bush, I think God does understand poor people). I don't think God wants me to slap his name on every half-ass idea I have and I don't think he much likes it when Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin, or Jerry Falwell does it.

I, for one, am sick to death of people telling me they're good Christians. If you're such a great one, would you really need to announce it? I'm a fantastic cook (not with everything, but most things). But I'm not going to beat you over the head with that. I'll just ask you to dinner some night and you'll make your own analysis. You may agree or you may not. Hell, maybe you'll even venture into the kitchen and teach me a few new tricks; I love learning something new.

People who don't pronounce themselves great Christians in every breath as Bill Frist, Tom DeLay, George Bush and others like to do don't have to change their M.O. In fact, I think the general public is starting to get pretty tired of having someone else's interpretation of God thrust down their throats and into their private relationships with their priest, their lawyer, their doctor, and their family. At some point, Frist, DeLay, Bush, and company may wake up one morning and find that even God isn't too thrilled with them. Ah, that would be nice.