Speaking of Symbol Appropriation....

[FaustianSlip]

So this story just popped up on my Facebook feed, courtesy of Our Lady of Maddow, and as I read it, I couldn't help but laugh. Money quotes:

"Don't we understand that if our symbols can be hijacked, so too can everything else we hold dear? The rainbow is only one example of many where the church has passively sat by and allowed others to redraw lines on the playing field.

Yes, let's take back the rainbow for God. Let the homosexual community find a different religious symbol to commandeer. If they were feeling congenial, perhaps the Muslims would let them borrow their crescent moon.

I'm sorry, but to hear this coming from a community that has blithely made hay out of appropriating Jewish symbols ranging from the Star of David to the Israeli flag to the freaking Passover Seder is really rich. How many of the folks reading this and nodding furiously attend churches that held a "Seder" for Good Friday? How many of them wear magen David necklaces? The man who wrote the above is pastor of a church who recently hosted an Orthodox rabbi who seems to have found common ground with Christianity in neoconservativism, saying that he is "making the case for Christianity in America" (um, WTF?). The idea of a bunch of evangelical Christians, of all people, complaining about symbol appropriation is patently absurd. The swipe at Islam was a nice touch, too. Ugh.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, thoughts?

[Elle]

It's classic "do as I say, not as I do," hypocrisy at its finest.

[Stickers]

When was the rainbow a Christian symbol? I don't remember that. And even if it was, no one can ever own the rainbow. Or crescent moons.

[uber frau]

When was the rainbow a Christian symbol? I don't remember that. And even if it was, no one can ever own the rainbow. Or crescent moons.

God concocted one especially after the flood, (he changed the laws of physics and everything-isn't that just special?) so it's blasphemy of those queer folk to commender it for their unGodly purposes. Fun fact-in the 60s, the rainbow was a general civil rights/unity in diversity symbol. I have seen a slide (remember those things :D ) of my fundie (homophobic) mother wearing a shirt with a rainbow on it. She was going to a rally for ppl with disabilities or something.

[FaustianSlip]

Of course, if we're being really technical, the rainbow was a Jewish (well, Noachide) symbol before it was a Christian symbol. Whatever. It's a freaking rainbow. If they worried half as much about helping the poor and needy as they did about stupid bullshit like this, people might (might) take them half-seriously.

[uber frau]

Yeah, but then they'd have to get off their arses and do something. Not to mention, actually associating with ppl who might be something other than white, Republican voting, lower-middle class, Young Earth Creationists.

'Persecution' is a much easier card to play.

[currywurst]

Ooh, I would LOVE to see fundies "take back" the rainbow. I cannot wait for the hours of laughter that would ensure.

But seriously fundies, the rainbow thing stemmed from gay code. They would ask "are you a friend of Dorothy?" back when being gay was a criminal offense. Eventually the rainbow symbol became code. It comes from the Wizard of Oz you fucking morons, not from the gheys stealing your precious symbols.

[mirele]

Ooh, I would LOVE to see fundies "take back" the rainbow. I cannot wait for the hours of laughter that would ensure.

But seriously fundies, the rainbow thing stemmed from gay code. They would ask "are you a friend of Dorothy?" back when being gay was a criminal offense. Eventually the rainbow symbol became code. It comes from the Wizard of Oz you fucking morons, not from the gheys stealing your precious symbols.

Not that Noah's Ark is such a great symbol anyway. Destroy the earth and all its creatures, except these 8 people and their animals in a boat? Not good, not good at all. And yet, people put Noah's Ark on nursery walls. RUN AWAY!

P.S. I don't think it happened.

[Visionoyahweh]

Skittles hates Christianity too!

(And look, I've outdone the bacon bra!)

[fluttershies]

Ooh, I would LOVE to see fundies "take back" the rainbow. I cannot wait for the hours of laughter that would ensure.

But seriously fundies, the rainbow thing stemmed from gay code. They would ask "are you a friend of Dorothy?" back when being gay was a criminal offense. Eventually the rainbow symbol became code. It comes from the Wizard of Oz you fucking morons, not from the gheys stealing your precious symbols.

Actually, there's not a definitive origin story for the Pride flag, and it certainly evolved seperately to the friend of Dorothy thing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_fl ... T_movement)#History

Considering the long history of rainbows being associated with peace, it could well have come from Christian groups first. And many inclusive Christian groups use it as a symbol of being welcoming of the LGBTQ community.

[Minerva]

Ooh, I would LOVE to see fundies "take back" the rainbow. I cannot wait for the hours of laughter that would ensure.

But seriously fundies, the rainbow thing stemmed from gay code. They would ask "are you a friend of Dorothy?" back when being gay was a criminal offense. Eventually the rainbow symbol became code. It comes from the Wizard of Oz you fucking morons, not from the gheys stealing your precious symbols.

Exactly. L. Frank Baum "appropriated" the symbol first. If you're looking for something that inane to complain about, complain about him.

Side note: fundies shat a brick over the Wonderful Wizard of Oz too, in the 80s. At least they had the sense to stick to whining about how it promoted witchcraft and not cry appropriation.