The God Discussion Podcast with Dakota dealing with spiritual abuse

Just a warning, this podcast is almost 2 hours long, so get ready! The God Discussion blog is now on intenet radio and Dakota O’Leary is interviewed discussing her years in the historic WCG with her family, the religious right, the dangerous of Christian fundamentalism, religious and physical abuse in families, far-right paranoia about President Obama and health care reform, first-hand hypocrisy of the Christian Right and evangelicals  among many topics. Both the moderator and many of you know that Dakota, of course, are former members of the Worldwide Church of God and it is very interesting to things hear from a female perspective.  In the blogdom of former XCGers, we hear from male perspective (Aggie being the exception) and it is was refreshing to hear to something different, although you may not agree with everything said. Neverthless, a good show. I am hopeful that in future episodes that it will be reduced too ONE hour instead of two and a little more professional development with the sound and editing quality will be in order. I am confident that in the months and even years to come, this will be accomplished along with a big loyal audience to support it. Listen to the show here.

Give ’em hell Dakota!!!

 I am very glad for discovering the blog God Discussion and one it’s most splendid writers Dakota O”Leary (a former member of the Worldwide Church of God). She articulately expresses her discontent with the conservative elements of American evangelical Christianity and their thinking that goes with it:

1.  Why do conservative Christians call themselves pro-life, yet do not hesitate to support capital punishment and torture, and are the first to call for war?  If life is sacred to God, isn’t life sacred through old age and death?  Why does it seem that life is only sacred to Christians until the age of 18, which is the legal age one may join the military?  When did Christ torture anybody?  Who would Jesus bomb?   (Please don’t give me Revelation.  There are four gospels about Jesus which seem to be totally ignored when I have this discussion with any conservative Christian).

2.  Why do conservative Christians rush to power through a particular political party, even though Christ himself stated that his kingdom was not of this world, even though Christ shunned the institutional power of the religion of his day (Judaism), and admonished his followers to peaceably pay their taxes and follow civil laws?

3.  Why do conservative Christians seem to look down their nose at non-Christians, particularly Jews?   On my Facebook, I was the observer of a conversation over Easter that went something like this:

Conservative Christian lady:   I feel so sorry for Jews because they denied their Messiah, and now won’t be saved.

2nd Conservative Christian lady: Oh I know!   The poor Jews!  They are so misled!

3rd Conservative Christian lady:  Well, when Jesus comes, the Jews will convert to Christianity, so they still have a chance.  We’ll pray for them.

Trust me, Dakota has some more points on the faults of American Evangelical Christianity. I only was scratching the surface. The anti-Semitism thing from any Christian gets me a little touchy but I make no apologies for being sensitive about it whatsoever.  I have always viewed Christian anti-Semitism as the Christian being the dumb and aggressive  older brother picking fights with his older, more intellectual brother. I never understood anti-Semitism, don’t want to know. It always seemed irrational.

I can understand Dakota’s frustration American evangelical Christianity and the Republican party, she commented in the blog (elsewhere, not in her post) that if Texas wants to leave, let ’em (and the rest of the so-called Red States) leave.  I don’t think so. I don’t want another Afghanistan  in my North American backyard, especially if Dakota makes the case that the money from the Blue States is paying for the Red States.

The post that is in the God Discussion blog is called  What Is A Christian: Questions from a Freethinker  here at :http://www.goddiscussion.com/4607/what-is-a-christian-questions-from-a-freethinker/ .   It’s a post that will make Holy Might Atheist Russell Miller crack open and a beer and say, “Cheers” and it will make James Pate (of James Thought’s and Musings) cringe a little bit but Dakota will always make you think!