Religion and Politics. It's said those are the two subjects one should never discuss in polite company, because it just leads to impolite arguments.

But when you write a news commentary column about weird and stupid things, politics comes up often. And, indeed, if I rant about something stupid done by a politician from the left I'm branded a "stinking heartless Conservative", and when I zing a politician from the right I'm called a "leftist Boulder liberal". Dare I say that equates to "anti-Democrat" and "anti-Republican" both? That kind of name-calling came to a head, if you will, during the Clinton Sex Scandal, and I addressed both of those complaints with a Special Clinton Scandal Issue and its "Liberal Response".

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When it became obvious that what I do is skewer stupidity, point out hypocrisy, or simply point at silly things and laugh, people started to "get it" and laughed along with me. After all, we all laugh at the stupid crooks I feature, and the dumb drivers, the crazy cops, the restless researchers, the inane inventors, and any number of other silly people that True is about.

But religion? Of course people do dumb things in the name of religion! It's a big part of many people's lives. Yet it doesn't matter how rational, how reasonable, how obvious it is when I write about something funny or stupid committed in relation to some aspect of some religion -- someone will choose to take great offense. Even if that person admits he was wrong, such as Jerry Falwell and his outrageous comments after the September 11 atrocities, there are those who feel I attacked them and their beliefs -- "proof" that I am "anti- religion" or, more frequently, "anti-Christian".

It also doesn't matter that I have argued very forcefully in favor of religious freedom in the United States (such as here), since even when I'm discussing one Christian sect, there's another Christian sect that considers them "wrong", so I'm attacked again. Just how secure are these people in their faith that you can't even talk about issues they demand be afforded the highest priority by others?

Turn the other cheek? Judge not, lest ye be judged? Love thy neighbor? Oh, these are all fantastic ideas, but when it comes time to attack the messenger, no such pithy sentiments are put into action. No, I'm condemned to hell, and if a senior pastor of a Methodist church backs up my position, he is damned to hell too! Seriously -- that's why I came up with my "Get Out Of Hell Free" cards.

Indeed, every time this issue comes up, I get lots of letters of support from the mainstream ministry, but that doesn't matter -- they are obviously "wrong" and the ignorant indignants are obviously "right". Uh huh.

Let's get specific. The 9 December 2001 issue contained these two stories:

No, I don't argue that these stories are "pro-Christian" -- that wasn't the point of these stories. This is: it is true that the USA is a very religious country -- in fact, sociologists say it's the most religious country the world has ever seen, and this is due mostly to the freedom of religion guaranteed by our Constitution. And it's overwhelmingly Christian. Those facts combine, however: because we are guaranteed religious freedom, and we are overwhelmingly Christian, we have a great responsibility to safeguard the very freedom which allows this to ensure that minority religions are not trampled, that the rights Christians can now take for granted are not denied to others. That's why they're coded as basic rights in our Constitution. Yet many ignore that great responsibility which comes with those rights. And that, quite simply, is wrong. It's hypocritical, and honest Christians will tell you that hypocrisy is a great evil that Jesus warned his followers about.

I will pause to say that most Christians understand all of this very well, and probably agree with all or most of what I've said so far. But if you have 1000 quiet, peaceful people all silently nodding their heads and one lunatic is jumping up and down screaming, it's that tiny minority which stands out. Protesters throughout history have known this. What we need is someone who objectively points out the absurdities to counter the screamer. For better or worse, I have taken on that job.

Am I a religious scholar? I've studied religion (which most of the screamers haven't done) but no, I'm not. And I don't need to be: we're talking about observing the human condition, not making religious judgments.

On the one hand, there are a few screaming people, and none of them are ordained ministers; on the other, I have the majority -- not silent, indeed, as my mail runs about 50-to-1 in favor of my positions, and that group includes many ordained ministers. Which side is "right"? That doesn't really matter. I know what I feel, what I believe, and what I stand for, so being called names means nothing to me. When I have something to say, I'll continue to say it, even though I know I'll be attacked. If some wish to argue from their own feelings that I am somehow wrong, without having any real idea about what I think, I'll just do what I've always done: look for any reasonable suggestions or criticisms -- and ignore the rest. But I know saying that won't stop it from coming.

Reader Mail on the Subject

Please resist the urge to add more mail to what is included below unless you have a very specific point that is not already represented. The following letters are not representative of the mix of pro and con letters I received -- the "cons" are over-represented because they were such a small percentage of the total.

• Pastor John in Oregon: "First off, let me tell you that I am a Lutheran Pastor (ELCA) and an avid fan of your This is True. I couldn't help but write and say 'Thank you,' especially concerning your stories of the idiotic things done in the name of Christ. I, as well, try to understand the backlash when people from a religion that states 'We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God' get upset when someone points out that fact in color. But it is nice to know we are not alone. [Such things] show us that we can take a lighter look at ourselves, while pointing out the need to get our heads screwed on straight. And it has been said, so I need not say it again, but hell, I am a pastor so I talk a lot anyway so I will say it, your comments at the end each news article make this is True what it is... fantastic!"

• Mario in California: "I can only sigh with slight despair when I hear things like this, the petition against the pagans ...'who may be weaving magical spells'. Is this the 21st century, or the 17th? What next, burning heretics at the stake? Thanks for bringing these events to our attention. It shows that we can never take freedoms of any kind for granted."

• Dee in Indiana: "The 'religious right' attacks you because, purely and simply, this siphons more money out of the uneducated masses' pockets and into theirs. The bottom line is, fanaticism in any form is unhealthy, and christian fanaticism is no more acceptable than is Muslim or any other variety."

• John in Nova Scotia, Canada: "No doubt a typo by someone. Instead of 'Christianity', how about 'Christinanity'?"

• Stephanie in California: "While reading your latest installment about all the ding-a-lings that criticize you for pointing out the stupidity of some religious leaders, I kept thinking of this joke a friend sent me. I thought you could use a good giggle."
  A fundamentalist preacher was taking a walk one day and happened upon a young girl who was playing with something in a cardboard box. When he got closer he could see that in the box was a litter of new-born kittens.

  "What kind of kittens are those?" asked the preacher.

  "Why, they're Christian kittens," replied the little girl.

  The preacher walked on, pleased to see that the little girl had Jesus foremost in her thoughts.

  A few days latter the preacher saw the little girl again.

  "And how are your little Christian kittens doing today?" asked the man of God.

  "Oh, they aren't Christian kittens, they're Pagan kittens," replied the girl.

  "But...but... I thought you said last week that they were Christian kittens," sputtered the flabbergasted preacher.

  "Oh, they were. But now their eyes are open."

• John in Australia: "I was interested to read your comments on the flak you cop from some Christians. I am a Christian, but I nearly always agree with you! Even if I didn't, I most likely wouldn't write to you to complain. If I happen to believe something different, even if I'm right and you're wrong, I still value your opinion. I have been horrified at some of the things I've seen Christians do and say. We're not all like that, however! Unless we listen we won't know what the other person is saying, and I think that's part of the problem with your detractors. If they listened, they would see that you're not anti-Christian. If I've had any issue at all with anything you've said in the time I've been receiving This Is True, it's that you're sometimes rather blunt in the way you express yourself -- but I accept that. Sometimes you need to be blunt. If Jerry Falwell (or other Christians -- like me) say stupid or insensitive things, they shouldn't be surprised when someone like you comments unfavourably. Please don't stop showing up those who need to be!"

• Sherri in Tennessee: "I am a Christian, and I try my best to be one in both word and deed. I read This is True regularly, and have always appreciated it. When reading these comments from those who call you anti-Christian, I think of Magellan saying, 'The church says that the Earth is flat, but I know that it is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than in the church.' Just because someone is supposed to be a 'learned scholar' doesn't make them right. These people that feel so threatened by someone else (namely, you) bringing attention to the small-minded comments (and actions) of such ones as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson that they look up to so much, should consider what Magellan said. Do they believe that 'the church' was right back then? Of course not, that would be ludicrous. Their thinking was wrong then, and Mr. Falwell's and Mr. Robertson's thinking is wrong now. If someone is threatened because you brought that to their attention, then they need to do some serious self-examination. We need to be aware of what goes on around us, so we never believe that the Earth is flat just because a 'learned scholar' told us it was."

• Scott in Alabama: "While I am often embarrassed for people you write about, especially those professing Christians who do things without thinking first, I have never found you to be anti-Christian, or even anti- social. As a Christian, I thought the GOOHF cards were hilarious. As for Robertson and Falwell, I did disagree and was extremely saddened to hear of their comments after 9/11. I don't blame the ACLU for a 'sinful' society. For that, I think I would have to start with myself, and then take care of what I can instead of forcing others to do the same."

• Nancy in Connecticut: "I had spent my whole life resting comfortably in the knowledge that someday I would meet my loved ones in Heaven if I'm a good girl and go to church every Sunday and drop a fiver in the basket every week. In my mid- to late-teens, several events caused me to question my faith. Suddenly I was faced with the possibility that all these comforting thoughts were pure fiction. This is a terrifying place to be. I remained in that place for at least a couple of years. Especially at the beginning of that time, anyone who suggested any flaw which was in any way remotely associated with my faith got a near-hysterical, cornered- animal attack from me. The more relevant their criticism was, the less rational my argument was. The more efficiently someone chipped away at the crumbling foundation of my faith, the more violently I defended it. In my fear, I saw attacks where there were only polite conversations and requests for information. It took me several years to come to beliefs that I'm comfortable with. I've examined my beliefs from every angle I can think of, and if someone else offers another point of view, I welcome the opportunity to consider it. I recognize those opportunities as a chance for growth and learning. The fear is gone. Some of the people who react without thinking or understanding may be in the same place I was in when I was questioning my faith. Uncertain and afraid, they interpret any comment as an attack and so they retaliate."

• Don in California: "Every time you make a comment that someone thinks is 'proof' of your anti-christian leanings, you get flamed. To paraphrase The Man Himself, 'the stupid you have with you always.' Does it occur to you that some people will simply argue with a signpost? There's nobody home there, Randy. I know you get letters from reasonable people who disagree with you. If you publish those exchanges, the rest of us can perhaps learn something interesting from reading them. [Indeed, I do just that below. -rc] I've read your newsletters for years, and I will remain a premium subscriber for as long as you stay in business and I have internet access. I've read several of the pages on your site that were inspired by the attacks that you've taken for daring to express an opinion in public. The one thing I still don't get, though I often feel the urge as well, is why you bother trying to answer the reactionaries."

It is often a waste of time, which is why I try not to answer morons directly. I do try to choose interesting letters, or particularly outrageous or relevant ones, to answer when I do one of these pages. But there's a wider reason. Part of it is a matter of principle, but that's not enough of a reason. Part of it is that when a contentious debate comes up, I get a lot of people passing the issues and page URLs around, which helps increase the subscription numbers. That's nice, but that's not really enough of a reason either. The main reason is readers love it. True is successful because I point at people doing dumb things -- so we can all laugh at their silliness. It's rather basic, but good, entertainment. So when my own readers do dumb things, why not just shine the light of reason on them and be entertained by them, too? Some readers think I get upset at such "attacks". Nope. Some think I'm "defensive". Nope. Some think I ought to just ignore idiotic ranting. Well, that I do -- you should see the letters I don't publish! But when people insist on acting stupid and sending their stupidity in as a letter to the editor, then heck yeah I'm going to use it as part of the entertainment offerings of True!

• Kathryn in California: "When I was a staff attorney for a federal district court, I worked on a case in which a Wiccan inmate was banned from using the prison chapel and forbidden to have 'The Witches' Bible Compleat' and tarot cards in his cell. The warden had deemed the material 'satanic' and the attorneys for the prison actually argued in court papers that the inmate should not be allowed to practice his religion because 'animal sacrifice' might be involved. (This argument was based on a section of 'The Witches' Bible' which discussed the history of Wicca and noted in passing that ancient Wiccans sometimes practiced ritual sacrifice. The inmate had proposed nothing of the sort.) Luckily, the court took a different view of the inmate's right to religious freedom. The issue in your story is really state-sponsored employment discrimination on the basis of Rev. Witch's religion. The law could not possibly be more clear on this point. I hope that Rep. Huebsch will be forced to take a remedial class on constitutional law as part of the ass- whupping he will inevitably be dealt by the federal judiciary if this ends up in court."

• Dan in Oregon: "I get upset when people call themselves Christian, and do things that seem to be contrary to what I understand from scripture is God's desires for us. People like Jerry Foulwell and [Jimmy] Swagger[t] and Pat Robertson seem to show Christ in a very bad light -- that is, if Jesus chose them to speak for him, Jesus is not a very nice person. As I think better of Jesus, I can only assume that Jerry, et al, are lying when they claim to speak for God. I think Pagans, Wiccans, etc., have the same rights to worship as I do, and I applaud your standing up for them. Thank you. I have a great desire to see them come to love Jesus as I do, but I know that it will be done in God's way, which is not thrusting my beliefs down their throat, but by them seeing God working in my life. (This assumes I let God work in my life, and as I'm a typical human, I tend to screw it up a lot. But I'm trying to be a better person, and trying to love other people, not hate them, as Jerry, and 'friends', seem to. Again, thank you for all your efforts to shine light on the moral decay of the world. I only wish that people see your work, and learn from it."

• Owen in Arizona: "Hey, I've been getting This is True for a while now, and I really enjoy it. I'd just like to say that there are really Christians out there who laugh at the antics of our fellows. I can't believe the hypocrisy of someone who would say that their religion (Christianity) should be allowed to conduct its own business, but not that of another (say, Wicca). People of other faiths need to realize that we're not all self-righteous bigots."

To be sure, I do know this, and have said so many times. Most Christians are pretty cool people.

• Steve in Connecticut: "I was an umpire for Little League Baseball in my community. I came to realize that no matter what I called, safe or out, fifty percent of my friends and neighbors would call me blind, nitwit, lunatic, biased, etc. Since half of the spectators would think I was wrong on every play no matter what the call, I might as well just 'call 'em as I see 'em'. You are doing one fantastic job. As anyone can see, the Puritans and Witch Hunters are still around. Remember the Puritans -- those are the guys who left England to seek the freedom to practice their religion. When they got here, they proceeded to persecute anyone who was not a Puritan. Alas, they're still here."

• Diane in British Columbia, Canada: "May I suggest that there is a strong difference between religion and fundamentalism. The latter is inherently dangerous because it does not allow for growth or change within a constantly evolving world. Therefore, it does nothing to help our evolution head down a compassionate road, but instead causes hatred and intolerance of others' beliefs, thus allowing hate crimes and violence to flourish. Whether the fundamentalist is Christian, Taliban, or any non-religious way of thinking, this holds true. Thanks for your well thought-out views."

• Omar in the United Arab Emirates: "Whilst I'm on many occassions critical of what you have to say, or the conclusions you seem to reach, your points are always valid and thought-provoking, and you deserve far more respect from that alone than you are given by the followers of 'The American Taliban'. Furthermore I know what it's like to be called names, and whilst you can ignore them it makes them no less annoying. I often debate on a certain 'religious' discussion forum. So far I am apparently against: Americans, Arabs (I am Arab), Jews (I have a Jewish Aunt), Muslims (I am Muslim), Christians (my mom is Christian), Atheists (my Best friend for the last 5 years is). Furthermore I've been called both a religious Zealot and a heathen. I've been called both a sexist and a feminist. I've been called anti-semitic and have been told I am a Jew. It seems if you try to be totally objective and be totally honest about what everyone is, everyone thinks you're against them. It's a shame, but maybe it isn't such a coincidence."

• Andy in Utah: "Your comments about the criticism your receive from Christians were of course on the mark, but you just aren't ever going to have your comments accepted in the spirit that they are given without making an express concession that these foibles have nothing to do with the essential 'truth' of their beliefs."

I can't provide an exhaustive list of things I'm not commenting about. Indeed I'm not making comments on the "essential truth" of any beliefs -- or, when I do, it will be so explicit as to not be open to interpretation by even the most objective observer. And even if I were to do that, it would be my opinion, not a statement that my ideas are more valid than everyone else's.

• Dave in Texas: "I want to point out a parallel I noticed this week that I have been telling friends about: Watch the Osama Bin Laden tape, and imagine they are on the set of the 700 Club, with Jerry and Pat. You hear the same level of religous furvor, the same tone and mannerisms. It is absolutely chilling to watch and realize that both are equally dangerous religous extremists. I urge you to try it. I also consider myself a Christian, but I fully understand that I must diligently defend the right of others to believe and practice as they wish in order to protect my own religious freedom."

• Tom in California: "The United States of America, for all of its faults and foibles, is a shining bastion of freedom in this world. Freedom of Religion is all about freedom of interpretation. These freedoms have been paid for by the blood of many. Shame on those who would deny these freedoms to 'other' people. They spit on the graves of those fallen patriots who paid the terrible price of freedom."

• Kara in Arizona: "Thank you for all the hard work you put into This is True. You help to keep this nation on its feet, and give us all a deeper look at what really goes on. Your publication has opened my eyes, and for that I am greatly appreciative. Thanks for showing us what we refuse to look at, for opening us up to what are eyes have closed against, and for remaining ever vigilant in your search for truth, freedom and 'justice for all.'"

• Pastor Brad in Quebec, Canada: "I don't always agree with your assessment of us 'Christians,' but I don't blame you for exposing our hypocrisy. I blame them for what they say and do in the name of Christ. I'm amazed and often frustrated by people who fail to understand what they really communicate. Jesus said that what is whispered in secret will be shouted from the rooftops. So when we say something stupid, it is often the thing that is shouted. I am not frustrated with you -- you are simply the messenger. I just wish that the good news would be the thing that was shouted instead. It is good to hear how we are being perceived, embarrassing as it is. I do not believe that all views are 'valid', but I do believe that everyone is free to hold their own views. Freedom of choice is one of God's greatest gifts. It seems to me that much of the problem concerning Religious Tolerance today is rooted in confusion between the terms tolerance and approval."

• Mitch in California: "You may not lean as far to the left as I do, but you do agree with me on one critical point: Skepticism is a virtue. You make a living out of questioning what you're told, and the more authoritarian the voice, the more assertive your question. And I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for remaining tall, thank you for not backing down, and thank you for defending my freedom to do the same, whatever it concerns."

• Susanna in Australia: "Sorry I'm a bit late to tell you this after so long, but your newsletters really stir me; make my heart start beating; make me angry; make me laugh; make me feel that there's more out there in the world. So thanks."

Some wonder in letters to me if it's possible for Christians to debate this topic without me thinking they were ranting idiots. I find that a very defensive question, since I assume that most of the people who write me are Christians, and most have very intelligent and thoughtful things to say. Sometimes when I get letters from people it turns into an extended dialogue. Such was the case with Brad in Arizona. The following is fairly long, but I think interesting and illustrative. It has been edited for length and flow, but the essence remains the same as the original. If you're pressed for time, skip this section -- down to the next horizontal line.

• My call for true religious freedom in the U.S.
• The Rev. Jerry Falwell blames America (and those he disagrees with) for the September 11 atrocities.
• I take on the editor of a Catholic newspaper when he seemingly advocates murder against those who don't hold to Catholic standards.
• Heck, I can't even smile at a complete bastardization of the Lord's Prayer.
• The story that really started the complaints: the infamous feng shui story and the resulting famous Get Out of Hell Free cards.
• Somewhat related, the similar question of whether I'm politically "anti-left or "anti-right". Neither, of course!