Why am I thinking of Mandy Moore right now?

[trinityvixen]

For being a suspected atheist, a teacher in Texas has been put on administrative leave (and has every reason to assume the school board is looking to fire him).

The part that frightens me most is that this man wouldn't even confirm his religious standings and they roasted him anyway. It's not him being fired for being an atheist; it's him being fired (probably) for being suspected of atheism. Firing someone from a public institution for their religious beliefs is illegal and actionably so. The fact that this district thinks it can fire him because those in charge and one student who reported on him think they don't like his religious beliefs says a lot about the chutzpah these conservative, religious fuckholes have worked up over the past eight years. They're not used to people telling them they can't command the religious values of their public servants. That is very, very scary folks.

And yet one comment from a puported student makes me almost laugh:
The girl who made the accusations against Mr. Mullens is also trying to get several students kicked out of Brookeland for supporting Mr. Mullens. This past Friday she had the police officer talk to them because they were "harrassing her" even though two of the accuse haven't spoken to her since Mullen was suspended.She has said to me and several other students "I got Mr. Mullens fired, I can get them kicked out too."

It reminds me very much of the movie Saved!, where Mandy Moore's more-religious-than-thou behavior dictated who rose and fell in popularity her Christian high school. She thought she could shame and denigrate and even expel anyone who dared to refute her personal beliefs about and interpretations of the commandents of Jeebus with their sadly ordinary, human failings. Although Mandy Moore got served some justice as the film's villain, the point of the movie seemed to be less about punishing her than making the points that a) nobody is perfect and faulting people for being human is monstrous no matter how you cloak your evil in faith (as I posted about recently); and b) if your faith cannot withstand contrary opinions existing (let alone being voiced aloud), you must not have a strong sense of faith and perhaps that, not the other person, is your real problem. You cocksucker. (Sorry, I went too long there being polite.)

Comments

[jendaby.livejournal.com]

Wow, I just... I have no idea how to respond. It is really mind-boggling that so many people destroy the lives of others in the name of religion. Seriously? my own interpretation of Jesus is that he would have been one of those laid-back stoner types who says "dude" all the time.
"Hey, Dudes! Be nice to each other, 'kay? Cause, like, you wouldn't want anyone to harsh your buzz! Cool?"

I just don't get the people who militantly follow Angry Vengeful Drill Sergeant Jesus. *eyeroll*

[mithras03.livejournal.com]

Courtesy of Homer Simpson: "Save me Jeebus!" :-P

[equustel.livejournal.com]

There is so, so much I could say about this (dear Lord, a 50,000-word digression pops up in my head every time, without fail!) because it is a touchier subject with me, actually being a Christian, than most people would guess.

But.

I got Mr. Mullens fired, I can get them kicked out too.

Appropriately, that sums it up.

This has nothing to do with the ideology of Christianity, and everything to do with what controlling, insecure, arrogant little sh!ts people can be. That's what it always comes down to, every time: people. Using (read: twisting the fuck out of) whatever they can as an excuse for their behavior and a crutch for their worldview.

Yeah, I like to think Jesus would give people like this the verbal smackdown he used to reserve for the Pharisees back in the day.

GAH.

I'm done.