More on the religion front...

I need to post some naked pictures soon. All this religious discussion is making my rod go limp.

But anyway...

Religion Taking A Left Turn?
Conservative Christians Watch Out: There's A Big Churchgoing Group Seeking Political Power

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"Jesus called us to love our neighbor, love our enemy, care for the poor, care for the outcast, and that's really the moral core of where we think the nation ought to go," Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches told CBS News correspondent Russ Mitchell.

The National Council of Churches represents about 50 million Christians in America — the majority of them mainline Protestants.

"Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion," Edgar said.

He calls this movement the "center-left" — and it's seeking the same political muscle as the conservative Christians, a group with a strong power base in the huge Evangelical churches of the South.

But the left has its own Evangelical leaders, such as the Rev. Tony Campolo.

"We are furious that the religious right has made Jesus into a Republican. That's idolatry," Campolo said. "To recreate Jesus in your own image rather than allowing yourself to be created in Jesus' image is what's wrong with politics."

This article discusses more social issues than simply sexual freedom, but I'm posting it because I think it's one sign in what I hope is a shift in momentum. As I said before, the Holy Terrors are claiming a monopoly on moral authority simply because they claim God is on their side. Nobody on the left (or even left of center) has been in a position to challenge them on this. However, it looks like someone is finally starting to say, "We're Christians, and you hatemongers don't speak for us, so shut the fuck up!"

Or words to that effect.

Although I'm a student of faith, I don't personally have much use for religion myself. However, I recognize its influence. If more people like Dr. Edgar and leaders of the Episcopalian Church step forward and push more tolerance and understanding and less persecution, self-righteous judgment and homophobia, we can't help but win.