Barely a week passes by without David “The Blazing Crusader”
Wood unleashing a rich show of pious zealotry onto the masses, which time after
time serves us as a duly reminder of the control that God virus exercises over
even what appears to be fairly bright minds of our society.
In that respect, I cannot praise enough the work of Darrel
W. Ray who established the half-humorous, half-legit links between behavioral
changes of a brain infected with religion and sudden triggers that invoke a complete
shut-down of the parts of host's brain that are responsible for analysis of
incoming information. I strongly recommend you going through all parts of Darrel’s
video collection, which can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Ug-o9rxWo.
This time around, David releases a video commentary about the
recent media frenzy surrounding Tim Tebow and his preposterous and assiduously persistent
parading of the beliefs he developed as a sad result of a botched homeschooling
job. Since “Christianity under attack” is amongst the most emphatic triggers
that cause a complete seizure of rational thinking, David empties his baggage
of pre-processed thought devoid of any nutritional value in the form of the
article titled “What If Tim Tebow Were Muslim?” (http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2011/12/what-if-tim-tebow-were-muslim.html).
And what can be better than to source original ideas from Fox News – an outfit
that would give Hitler an uncensored prime-time daily show on the condition
that he would incite anti-gay sentiment and close his show with “In Christ we
trust, brothers and sisters”.
This is not a story about religious discrimination. I do not
recall either Fox News or David vigorously rushing to the defence of the
Iranian women’s soccer team that was disqualified from participating in 2012
Olympics due to their insistence on open display of their religious beliefs. And why would they? After all, the women intended
to march around endorsing a false faith. It is quite obvious that such
abominable practice should be banned completely. It would be absurd to allow athletes
to showcase their personal beliefs on the field, such as fanatic love of a
particular brand of beer or adherence to the “Star Wars” rites and rituals. And
I can bet a small fortune that deep down inside (or, most likely, openly) Fox News anchors and David Wood
himself would roll on the floor in laughter if Tim Tebow were to greet an
imaginary Captain Picard with a two-finger salute before and after each run.
And so they should, because strong irrational views, especially when they are capable of defining person's behaviour, are not something to support, promulgate or marvel
at. However, both David and Fox News feel perfectly fine with someone gesturing
to invoke help of their imaginary Christian God.
This story is really about “double standards” that David continues
to bring up. I cannot agree more with David. There is no shortage of “double
standards” in the US. At times, it does feel like America is a Middle-East
county where all “Islam” and “Muhammad” banners and monikers were suddenly replaced with
“Christianity” and “Jesus”. The bigotry and zealotry to promote the “one and true”
religion is as strong and all-powerful. The offence many take at the slightest sign
of blasphemy or religious disrespect, the force of outrage of infuriated pious crowds and the media coverage given to such cases can easily rival similar scenes seen
in Pakistan and all over the Middle-East lately.
Things would be different if Tebow were a Muslim. That’s
right, David, they would be. Hordes of Christians would cry foul over the “erosion”
of faith pillars upon which this country rests. Fox News will strategically cut our
scenes from the life broadcasts. Unfurling of praying rugs before the game on the filed will
be banned and Tim will be given a small room away from the public eyes to finish
off his rituals inconspicuously and privately. However, when he carries a cross
to the field, all spotlights are on him to promote Christianity.
Yes, there are “double standards” of which David complains. Everyone must accept the right of pious Christians to market, display and spread their views. Any limitation to the coercive propagation of Christian beliefs causes tempestuous outcries and extensive lobbying to squash perpetrators and silence their feeble voices. However, no other faith or belief is permitted to display its symbols (aside from Judaism, perhaps) as openly and as forcefully as Christianity does. As unfortunate as it is, David and Co. holds the long-end of the
stick in the “double standards” game, while complaining about not having enough
leverage over imposing his views onto the rest of us.
