Tuesday, February 08, 2005

I just sent a letter to Time magazine


RE: “The 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America”
February 7, 2005, pp. 34–45

Dear Editors,

Roberta Ahmanson, once linked to advocating the stoning of homosexuals, declares her Evangelical goal to be “improving the lives of human beings.” Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson credits “religious ideas” with achieving “social justice.”

This rhetoric sounds honorable coming from Time’s 25 influential Evangelicals, but it is cruelly meaningless when you consider the millions of families destroyed by divorce and adultery and spouse abuse—all of which are curiously ignored by Evangelicals who are too busy “improving” these families’ lives by attacking the make-believe threat of gay marriage. And where is the “social justice” in denying same-sex partners visitation rights in the hospital or using our relationships as kindling to fuel a bloody culture war?

If Evangelical leaders are as concerned about protecting marriage as your profiles repeatedly suggest, they would abandon their virulent anti-gay marriage crusade and instead focus their tireless energies on making adultery illegal. Adultery is, after all, explicitly banned in their beloved Ten Commandments—where homosexuality isn’t even mentioned. And it’s arguably the most destructive—and most preventable—threat to the institution of marriage. Until then, Evangelicals’ talk of improving lives and achieving social justice is nothing more than a smokescreen to hide their unconscionable campaign to vilify gay people and classify us as second-class citizens—either for the love of fund-raising money or, appallingly, just for sport.

Sincerely,

Jake

8 comments:

Alyssa said...

Mr. Dan - word, my friend.

In addition - where is the outrage over poverty? What about health care for the working class? What about the freaking working class?

I'm sure there are more important, pressing issues facing the country and the world than whether or not two dudes want to get married. That is not causing children to starve, I don't care what they say.

Wow - I've got an untapped font of righteous indignation going on...

I'm off to write angry letters.

Ry said...

Very well said.

Ryan said...

Why, you just stuck it to The Man. And in an articulate, really compelling way. Bravo.

Susan said...

Well said! I'm proud to be a NoFo reader.

Anonymous said...

That certainly rate an "Amen" in my book!

iPhil said...

I agree - Well Done! And I certainly hope it gets published...you'll let us know, of course?

iPhil

P.S. The best thing I got published was letter to a national daily, saying how great Latin is as a language to learn instead of French.

Jase said...

Woohoo! Great letter! And while they're at it, they should make talking back to parents illegal! I hate little brats that take advantage of their parents.. (I think that's one of the ten commandments too)

Jeffrey Ricker said...

If I had a nickel for every angry letter I've fired off to my Congressman, Senators, the President, newspapers, magazines, and others -- well, I still couldn't buy my double espresso. It feels good to let them know they're not going unnoticed, though. And firing off a letter is better than firing off a round (though if it comes to that...). Well done.