"Truth"

The politifact.com truth-o-meter recently ruled FALSE on a quote by a religious right extremist organization called Focus on the Family Action, which read, "[Barack Obama] supports hate-crimes expansion ... potentially putting churches at risk if they preach the truth about homosexuality."

What interests me about this is that word truth. It brings up an important point about the arrogant self-righteousness of the religious right.

Everyone has seen the chrome painted plastic symbols attached to the backs of cars, which are shaped like a fish (as a symbol of Jesus). Some of them say Jesus. Some have feet and say Darwin. My wife once had one that was designed to look like a UFO and it said Alien. And then there is the one that has a little fish that says Darwin getting swallowed by a big fish that says Truth.

There’s that word again. Truth is a very powerful word that says a lot about someone who chooses to use it in reference to their opinion about something. The truth about the word truth is that it suggests rather strongly that the opposing opinion is not just inaccurate but actually a lie. By categorizing your belief as “the truth” you are claiming that those who openly oppose your belief actually share your belief but are attempting to mislead people about something which they know to be fact.

I just couldn’t imagine taking a position like that. I’m clearly an opinionated person. But the idea of actually branding my opinion as “the truth” and there by branding opposing opinions as lies…
It just strikes me as an exclusive characteristic of tragically closed minded self-righteous extremists. I mean, wow. It must be nice to be so right. At least it seems to be pretty convenient.

The truth about this matter is that it is just another frightening similarity between Christian extremists and Muslim extremists.