Food for Thought

For the last few days on Facebook, there's been a group that I've seen many, many people I know join. This is what it says:

"DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA. AMEN."

As a columnist for the Huffington Post said, "Amen? Really?"

Most of the people that have been joining, granted, are the ignorant, backwater people I grew up with back in (I refuse to say, "back home"...it's NOT home!) in Alabama. This isn't what bothers me so much. I know they're backwater and ignorant, so their views don't surprise me too much. I admit though, a couple did surprise me. It has shocked me even more to see it coming from gay people and black people who really should know better than to propagate hatemongering.

The part about this that gets to me is the obliviousness and obtuseness of it all. The cold-hearted "so fucking what?" mentality. It doesn't matter to these people that it incites hate. If Obama was actually killed, they'd rejoice. This is Christian? Really?

Then last night, I had a bit of an epiphany. I was thinking about this issue and I saw the connection for these right-wing ideologues between "so fucking what if my hate of Obama encourages someone to assassinate him?" and their so-called Christian beliefs.

They really and truly believe that Obama is the Antichrist. Now, I don't think most have thought enough about it to put two and two together in such a logical fashion because that would require logic, and I honestly don't think most have the capability. If there was an ounce of logic, they would buy the bullshit Fox News feeds them in the first place. These people are the slaves of ideology. They are the wet-dreams of evil-minded idealogues because they mindlessly follow wherever the blame winds blow. Someone has to be to blame for the ills in their life. Someone has to take the fall. All the business and industry is leaving your poor, backwater county??? Blame the fags and blacks and all tree-huggin', God-hating liberals. But never, ever consider the fact that for DECADES you've refused to increase taxes to improve your schools or hell, even educate YOURSELF. Why would progressive, forward-thinking employers who are fighting to survive a tough economic climate want to hire YOUR ignorant ass that refuses to change? They're trying to get OUT of the fucking box not relish in staying in it surrounded by those who are like-minded.

So, back to the whole Antichrist thing...such a mentality is a freakin' breeding ground for stupid, mindless followers.

In spite of the language you see me use here, I was raised a Christian (and yes, still consider myself one...now I just speak it the way it is), and I spent quite a bit of time before coming out in studying Revelations and being into the whole prophecy and Antichrist thing. The Church has easily succumbed to the belief that the Antichrist will be a single man who is charismatic and handsome and who gains almost a cult-like following.

Have we ever considered that the Antichrist isn't really a person, but a belief system...an ideology, that gains a frightening, cult-like following? Something where brother turns on brother and neighbor on neighbor. Brother here is not a familial relation but could be ANYONE that is "one of us." So, gay people and black people turn against their own. Makes sense, right?

This ideology, like Satan himself, devours all in its path and festers on the darkest parts of the human soul. Humans relishing in the hurt, pain, and loss of other humans. Humans insensitive to the suffering of others. Humans more interested in American Idol results than that injustice is being dished out on fellow humans. We're indifferent and callous. Then we turn around and say, "Amen."

The wolf in sheep's clothing.

The evil we do not see coming because it's already here.

It has existed among us, as the Antichrist has existed among us, since the beginning of time because IT IS US!!!