It is said that at least 50 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians. The same percentage is probably true for those signing the Constitution. James Madison wrote that "the future and success of America is not in this Constitution but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.” Thomas Jefferson said that "Christianity is the only religion that changed the heart." And Andrew Jackson said, "the Bible is the rock upon which this Republic stands." These were the words of our founding fathers. The nation has spiraled down since those days to where we are today.
One of the early landmarks in the fall is the interpretation of the separation of church and state. I will not attempt an analysis of the reasoning behind that interpretation here but suffice it to say the statement in the first amendment has been used to keep religion out of the public marketplace. It followed that prayers and scripture reading was banned from public schools.
We reached a new low this year when the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were honored at a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball game on June 8. This group was formed by two gay men in San Francisco in 1979. They returned to their former home in Iowa City to obtain nun's outfits for their drag performances. In following years, they recruited other gay men to be part of their organization. Those in senior positions are called "sisters." They mock Christians, and Catholics in particular with their drag nuns displays.
Each Easter Sunday they hold an event in Dolores Park San Francisco where they have a competition of several gay men to elect the most "Hunky Jesus" and "Foxy Mary." The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (SPI) have held events where they employ the cross of Jesus as a strip pole. A scantily clad man is tied to the cross, with a shirtless man gyrating behind performing many lewd acts in a pole dance. Purposefully twisting a quotation from Jesus, they say "Go and sin some more!" Reporters say that cannabis smoke fills the air as several hundred spectators watch the proceedings.
The Dodgers baseball club invited them to be honored at a game earlier this month, but later withdrew the invitation. After strong protests from the Los Angeles LBGTQ community they reinstated the invitation. The Dodgers presented the SPI with a Community Hero award for their charity work--that's like sheep's clothing for these dreadful people. Thankfully only a handful of spectators were present for the ceremony. The California Senate also honored a member of the SPI. That member had a podcast that covered pornographic movies and other LBGTQ issues. One commentator said that these SPI members are "vile, hate filled people, who may as well be a satanic cult. Honoring them is like honoring the devil." Marco Rubio, a Catholic, was outraged. Mike Pence said that the Dodgers invite was "deeply offensive." When President Biden's press secretary was asked how Biden, a Catholic, had reacted she replied, "I'm not going to go there."
So that's how far some parts of the country have come in our downward fall. Many LGTBQ people disagree with the outrageous actions of the SPI. Let's all speak out to condemn this evil cult.
Peter Gilderson, Madison.
