Underground Exiles

I swear if I see this bumper sticker one more time, I’m going to scream at the owner of the car - not because I disagree with the sentiment, but because it shows how much of the public lacks a basic knowledge of the English language - besides being intellectually dishonest.

I actually got an invitation today to join the COEXIST group on Facebook; so that is what led to the on-coming rant.  Here’s a description of the group from their profile:

This group is here because there is too much intolerance and blind hatred in the world. Too often do we let our cultural, political, and religious differences separate us. We are all members of one race, humans, and we’re all on this planet together. It’s about time we started learning to be more accepting of others, because the planet isn’t getting any bigger. Everyone has a right to believe whatever they will, and all welcome to share it.

I should point out that the folks joining the Facebook group and driving the bumper stickers around, that this is how “coexist” is defined by Merriam-Webster:

to exist together or at the same time.

Do I really need to point out that we already coexist, or is it as obvious as I think it is?  Furthermore, the mentality behind the sentiment is nothing more than a fuzzy feeling version of the old mantra that truth is relative, and there are many paths to God. (Cue Oprah theme-song here.)

So, what do we do when my truth says your truth is wrong?  Can we both possibly be right?  Or is it more likely that there can’t possibly be two contradictory truths - that my sister can’t be a mother and simultaneously not a mother at the same time?

My advice to those of you that are thirsty for spiritual truth or spiritual things would be this: even if you’re thirsty, don’t take a tall drink of toilet water.

All things considered, I figure I’ve got nothing to lose. After all, talking about radical Christianity already has the Department of Homeland Security visiting my blog, so why not up the ante?

Once I finish the prayer series this week, I intend to do two series simultaneously. One on First John, verse by verse, and the other on Scientology, which quite frankly scares the hell right out of me.

Scientology has a reputation as being a litigious organization, and has a long history of dirty tricks against folks that speak out against their cult. This is an organization that presents itself as a religion, so I intended to hold it up to intense scrutiny in the light of inspired Scripture.

For some good resources check out this link. These guys have been driving the Scientologists nuts for years.

And while your at it, pray for me, because I’m going to need it. Scientologist have a long history of a practice called “dead agenting“, where there will engage in all sorts of harassment and lies in order to silence anyone critical of their “science-fiction” cult.

Allow me to quote them directly:

“The purpose of [a lawsuit] is to harass and discourage rather than to win. The law can be used very easily to harass, and enough harassment on somebody who is simply on the thin edge anyway, well knowing that he is not authorized, will generally be sufficient to cause his professional decease. If possible, of course, ruin him utterly.”
“A Manual on the Dissemination of Material” (first published in Ability, the Magazine of DIANETICS and SCIENTOLOGY, 1955) Note: this paragraph has apparently been purged from later editions of the “Manual”

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