I consider myself a woman of faith, but unlike Rick Santorum, I am not a jerk about it.  Separation of church and state does not make me vomit.  I do not want government in my church.  The road between government and state goes east as well as west. If you put church in government, you have to put government in church.

We have this giant ole Megachurch in Houston.  It’s called Grace Community Church, and they have this big ole 50 foot cross.  Seriously.  They do.  I dunno, maybe I’m wrong, but I think the last thing Sweet Jesus wants to see when he returns is a cross.  That was not a happy time for him. I think Sweet Jesus would much rather return to see us comforting the sick and feeding the poor instead of building 50 foot crosses.  I dunno, I could be wrong, but I’m betting on my way and they are betting on theirs.

In all honesty, Grace Church should be sued for false advertising because there’s no grace within miles of that place.

Riggle

Their pastor, Steve Riggle, is the kind of guy you want to ask, “Is painfully stupid just an expression, or do you actually feel some discomfort?”

Riggle, who is allowing the Republican Party of Harris County to hold their April convention at his church, sent a letter to Houston’s mayor Annise Parker asking her to resign.  Since Mayor Parker’s opponents in the last mayoral race came up way short in the keeping-up department and she hasn’t done anything bad since then, why would he do that?

Mayor Parker is gay.  Somebody!  Please!  Declare the Inquisition!

Mayor Parker

It ain’t no damn secret.  She has been openly gay her entire political life.  Her partner stands beside her in the swearing in ceremonies.

I just happen to know Mayor Parker.  She is amazing.  She, too, is a woman of faith.

Let me give you a taste of Grace’s grace.

In January, Parker joined 77 of her colleagues at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington, D.C., in calling for legalization of same-sex marriage.

Her participation in the event, weeks after her swearing in for a second term in January, amounted to what Riggle described in the email as a “call for action regarding marriage that would violate the very constitution you were swearing to uphold.”

When asked about Riggle’s message, Parker said Monday, ”I do my duty to uphold the state Constitution and the U.S. Constitution. I swore an oath to that. I take that oath very seriously, but I have my First Amendment rights to free speech.

Think of all the people who would be disqualified from holding public office for suggesting changes to the constitution.  Dr. King, all the suffragettes, every senator, congressman, and President who supported the 11th – 27th amendments to the Constitution, goodness sake, this is what I meant by painfully stupid.

Now that you’re thinking, think of all the Republicans who want to do unconstitutional things.  Hell, child, we could close down the Texas Legislature!

I think Grace Church not paying taxes is unconstitutional. I am going to set about writing a strongly worded letter to Pastor Riggle and tell him to get his flock outta my bidness.

Thanks to Miemaw for the heads up.