Atheists & Agnostics

yortsed snacilbuper

(7,939 posts) Fri Apr 24, 2015, 03:10 PM Apr 2015

Jimmy Carter: 'Losing My Religion For Equality'

For most of his life, Jimmy Carter has been an advocate for human rights. In 1982, one year after leaving the Oval Office, the former US President and his wife Rosalynn Carter, founded the Carter Center, dedicated to advancing peace and health worldwide. Still an activist at 90, Carter has authored 28 books, including a new book in 2014 called, A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power.

Over the years, Jimmy Carter, a devout Christian, has become a very strong proponent of women's rights, to a point where he has spoken out against the falsehoods and extremism we see within the 'religion' of Christianity today. In 2009, he penned an open letter, severing ties with the mega SBC/Southern Baptist Convention, after being a member of the Convention for 60 years. Carter said the decision was difficult and painful, yet 'unavoidable,' after the Convention leaders chose to take bible verses out of context and claim 'Eve' was responsible to for 'original sin,' and thus all women must be subservient to men.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/24/1379812/-Jimmy-Carter-Losing-My-Religion-For-Equality?detail=email

10 replies

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Jimmy Carter: 'Losing My Religion For Equality' (Original Post) yortsed snacilbuper Apr 2015 OP

I've always had a lot of respect for Carter, especially after he told the Southern Baptists beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #1

Here's the thing about Carter mountain grammy Apr 2015 #2

So it's right to let states ban same sex marriage ??? beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #3

Of course not, and I don't think that's where carter is either. mountain grammy Apr 2015 #7

What am I missing? beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #8

I think he may be confused and conflicted mountain grammy Apr 2015 #9

So you're saying there's still hope for him. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #10

His comment sounds as stupid as a teabagger. Curmudgeoness Apr 2015 #5

I kept waiting for him to come back and say he changed his mind. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #6

I was totally shocked when I saw this title. Curmudgeoness Apr 2015 #4

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)

1. I've always had a lot of respect for Carter, especially after he told the Southern Baptists

Reply to yortsed snacilbuper (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 04:55 PM

Apr 2015

to fuck off.

But I lost some when he sided with Texas about same sex marriage:

"I don't think that the government ought to ever tell the church to marry people, if the church doesn't want to. I'm a Baptist and the congregation of our church will decide whether we have a man or a woman as pastor, and whether we'll marry gay people or not," Carter, the first elected evangelical Christian president, told WFAA-TV.

When asked if he saw same-sex marriage being established nationwide, Carter said, "I'm kind of inclined to let the states decide individually."

"As you see more and more states are deciding on gay marriage every year. If Texas doesn't want to have gay marriage, then I think that's a right for Texas people to decide," Carter said."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/27/jimmy-carter-gay-marriage_n_6055322.html

Very disappointing. We simply cannot let voters decide who gets what civil rights. I wish he would support lgbt rights as strongly as he does mine.

mountain grammy

(26,626 posts)

2. Here's the thing about Carter

Reply to beam me up scottie (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 05:11 PM

Apr 2015

He will always do what's right.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)

3. So it's right to let states ban same sex marriage ???

Reply to mountain grammy (Reply #2)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 05:15 PM

Apr 2015

mountain grammy

(26,626 posts)

7. Of course not, and I don't think that's where carter is either.

Reply to beam me up scottie (Reply #3)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 07:39 PM

Apr 2015

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)

8. What am I missing?

Reply to mountain grammy (Reply #7)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 07:41 PM

Apr 2015

He actually said "If Texas doesn't want to have gay marriage, then I think that's a right for Texas people to decide,"

That doesn't leave much wiggle room for interpretation.

mountain grammy

(26,626 posts)

9. I think he may be confused and conflicted

Reply to beam me up scottie (Reply #8)

Sat Apr 25, 2015, 10:14 PM

Apr 2015

He's made it clear in the past that he thought the court should decide this for the country. I will always believe Carter will do the right thing. One of few.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)

10. So you're saying there's still hope for him.

Reply to mountain grammy (Reply #9)

Sat Apr 25, 2015, 10:55 PM

Apr 2015

He's made it clear in the past that he thought the court should decide this for the country.

Which court, SCOTUS?

He stated he thinks states should be able to decide for themselves, that's the opposite of letting SCOTUS decide. If he changed his mind I haven't heard about it.

It's too bad he had to weigh in on the wrong side of this issue, he's done so much good everywhere else.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

5. His comment sounds as stupid as a teabagger.

Reply to beam me up scottie (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 05:40 PM

Apr 2015

"I don't think that the government ought to ever tell the church to marry people."

This is just a fabrication to get people upset---no one is saying that the "church" must marry LGBT's. Hell, many churches will not marry heterosexuals who are not members of that church, and the government is not forcing them to change that policy.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)

6. I kept waiting for him to come back and say he changed his mind.

Reply to Curmudgeoness (Reply #5)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 05:45 PM

Apr 2015

It's not like he's an uninformed rube who doesn't understand what's at stake.

It's just so fucking unfair to say that lgbt people have to wait until the majority thinks they can legally marry. Hell, slavery would still be legal in some states if they got to decide who's entitled to civil rights.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)

4. I was totally shocked when I saw this title.

Reply to yortsed snacilbuper (Original post)

Fri Apr 24, 2015, 05:36 PM

Apr 2015

I first saw it in a different location, but it was something that I would never expect. Carter has always seemed to me to be the definition of a Christian...walking the walk. I am not surprised that he would stand up for women's rights.

I guess I have not paid attention to him recently, so I was not aware that he had left the SBC. I always wondered how he could side with that crew anyways.

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