Calling All Moderate Christians

Whenever someone points to the stupidity, let alone ritual cannibalism, involved in communion you'll invariably hear a "moderate" claim that the majority consider it symbolic. When biblical literalism is criticized you have those who say that the majority consider the Bible symbolic. Criticize the WBH's stance on homosexuality and you'll hear that the majority of Christians are "live and let live".

In all of those cases, I call BULLSHIT. The easy way to get away with the claim is to say that you're the "silent" majority. It's impossible to verify what the majority believes if they don't ever talk, and judging by the woeful lack of criticism from within Christianity the majority must only speak while in a vacuum chamber.

If you ever hear someone say that most Christians don't believe that the eucharist is literally the body and blood of Christ, then they could be telling the truth. Why is that? Because if you don't believe that you literally "receive the very body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ" then you aren't Catholic. That doesn't necessarily mean you aren't Christian, but that isn't what's being criticized. The belief itself requires a degree of insanity that I find extremely troubling, let alone the disgust I feel at cannibalism. However, if you are a "moderate" Christian and sit idly by while the True™ Catholics spew vitriol and threats over a tasteless cracker, biscuit or whatever the hell it is, then you are useless.

If you consider the debate as to whether the eucharist is symbolic or not out of your league, what about formerly-Cardinal Ratzinger's stance on condoms and AIDS, homosexuals, etc.? Those directly impact actual people, and there's no question of it. The use of a condom helps prevent AIDS, and homosexuals are people, too. If you stay the "silent" majority through that then I have to wonder how "moderate" you truly are.

What about biblical literalism; why should the "moderate" Christian care about that? The answer is simple, and impacts a great many more than you would expect. Education. "It's just a theory" and "teach the controversy" have almost become a rallying cry for those who want to get Intelligent Design/Creationism taught alongside the Theory of Evolution, the Theory of Plate Tectonics, and other valid scientific theories. The status of science in schools is already attrocious in the US, but if we allow religion to get a foothold into science then it will get much worse.

Plus, there's a big push to change the US Constitution to better mirror the Christian principles the country was founded on. If that happens then I doubt your "moderate" views will be allowed any more than my irreverance.

The stance of the Westboro Baptist Church, who I refuse to link to, is that homosexuals are the cause of everything bad. However, they take it to the extreme. They protest the funerals of servicemen. Why? I can only assume that they reason the acceptance of homosexuality is why our soliders are dieing. It may be another reason, but I know their main point is the US's so-called acceptance of homosexuality. When the WBC is criticized and lumped in with Christianity as a whole you get the moderates who say that the majority of Christians aren't that way.

Sorry, I don't buy it. If the majority were actually accepting of homosexuality then DADT and same-sex marriage wouldn't be an issue. In both cases politicians will bow to their constituents when it comes to such things. They'll listen to the majority of those who will put them back in office when it comes to reelection. Which apparently means that either the politicians aren't concerned with another term, or they aren't hearing from enough voters to dissuade them from fighting over something so stupid.

So I'm issuing a challenge to all moderate Christians. Stop confusing apathetic cowardice for "live and let live". If the majority of you don't like the way someone is being treated by any Christian denomination stand up and be heard. Tell them you think they're wrong, and do so in as public a manner as you feel comfortable. Whether it be on a blog, or going to a church and countering everything that the preacher says. Stop being the "silent" majority, because being silent makes you the "useless" majority.