R-E-S-P-E-C-T
AGREE OR DELETE
This is by a daughter of a murdered couple in Raytown , MO, who had a Bible and Bookstore on 63rd street...
When I had to testify at the murder trial of my parents a week ago, I was asked to raise my right hand..The bailiff started out "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
I stood there and waited but she said nothing. She said "Do you?"
I was so stunned I blurted out "What happened to "so help me God'?"
She came back with "Do you?" I replied yes, but I was perplexed.
Then the judge said . "You can say that if you want to."
I stopped, raised my right hand, and finished with "So help me God!"
I told my son and daughter that when it came time for them to testify, they should do the same.
I don't know what can be done about it, but it's time for us to step up and DO something.
NBC this morning had a poll on this question..They had the highest number of responses that they have ever had for one of their polls, and the percentage was the same as this:
86% to keep the words, 14% against..That is a pretty 'commanding' public response.
I was asked to send this on if I agreed or delete if I didn't.
Now it is your turn..It is said that 86% of Americans believe in God.
Therefore, I have a very hard time understanding why there is such a mess about having
"In God We Trust" on our money and having God in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Why is the world catering to this 14%?
If you agree, pass this on, if not, simply delete....
In God We Trust
If You Choose To Delete then perhaps you are part of the problem.
Me? I'm passing it on. I won't let the 14% remove God!
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
This is the email forward I got from my sister today. I get a lot of email/text forwards like this, mostly from family members. My mom, my sisters, my aunt... and often multiple times, because they all forward them to each other, which means they all forward it to me as well.
I know that being Wiccan makes me the odd man out in my predominately Baptist family. I know they don't mean to hurt me by sending these things out, because they don't think about these messages might look like to others, they just know it resonates with THEM. But here's the thing: it hurts. Coming from people that are supposed to love me as I am, it REALLY hurts. Not only that, but it angers me. All these emails are essentially "America is CHRISTIAN, fuck everyone else." Because me and my personal beliefs don't matter, apparently.
Now, I'm normally not one to complain about these things. Having prayer in schools doesn't bother me, as long other faiths are respected by those students not being FORCED to participate. "Under God" and "In God we Trust" don't particularly bother me. The way I look at it is this: MOST of us believe in some deity or another. So when YOU say "in God we trust" or pray to God, I simply mentally refer to my OWN deity. One of my most favorite songs of all time, one that has gotten me through many tough times and has brought me peace more often than I can count, is The Deer's Cry, a.k.a. St. Patrick's Breastplate. It has affected my life so greatly that I plan to get a snippet as a tattoo. Ironically enough, one of those times it helped get me through was my crisis of faith, search for my true path, and subsequent conversion to Wicca. So no, I don't think of Christ when I hear this. I think of my OWN deity. The sentiment, however, is the same. So when I say I'm offended by these emails, it isn't because I'm one of those people that feels everyone should cater to MY whims by never referencing God.
That said, I AM offended that my family never seems to think about how it might make ME feel. How am I supposed to feel when I'm sent an email that basically says anyone that isn't Christian is "part of the problem"? My mother sent me one a few weeks ago that talked about "what's wrong with America" and it was like, "If you DON'T believe in God, delete this. But if you DO believe in the Lord, pass this on and let's FIX America's problem!"
I am NOT "part of the problem." I am NOT "what's wrong with America." I am a damn good person. I am not perfect, but no one is. I try to help those less fortunate than me, I try to be kind, I'm not a criminal or a drug addict or physically abuse to ANYONE or ANYTHING. I know Christians that are FAR worse people than me, but I'm the problem? Because I don't believe in the right god?
Respect me, and I'll respect you. I have friends of all walks of life, without judgment. Believe what you want, just be a good person, that's all I ask. Why is it so hard to expect that same respect in return?