The first time I walked into a chiropractor’s office after moving to South Carolina, I was stunned to see Christian literature and a Bible prominently displayed in the waiting room. I had never seen such an overt display of Christianity in a professional office. In Atlanta, where I had moved from, such displays would never have appeared or been tolerated by patients or customers. I began to notice it all around in my professional encounters at the doctor’s office and again in the dentist chair when I realized the office had tuned in the local Christian music station. I only noticed because the dental hygienist began to sing along with the “Jesus”-peppered music…
The first time I saw such a religious display on the table at the chiropractor’s office, I immediately wondered how a friend of mine would react. She’s a reformed Jew. I also wondered how people who don’t profess any religion would feel about a place. Certainly, they might self-select out and try to find other professionals who aren’t as overt in their display of religion, but in this area, that’s a mighty small minority. My friend says she simply ignores it—but it must by trying for non-Christians to have Jesus Christ in their face so often.
According to Pew, this religion saturated election cycle is beginning to grate on the secular electorate, like those pamphlets at the chiropractor:
The Coalition of Secular Voters’ blog, for instance, refers to Obama as “the Democratic candidate overseeing the greatest expansion of religiosity and religious pandering in his party’s history.” And secular groups were appalled when the organizers of the interfaith gathering at the Democratic National Convention refused to allow a nonreligious speaker to address the convocation.
“That’s a blatant disregard to the secular community, which makes up a huge portion of the Democratic ticket,” said Parra, director of communications and membership for the atheist group.
Many secular voters feel taken for granted by the Democrats. Where else can they go besides a third party vote (which some have, indeed, opted for)? I understand their frustration. As a lesbian, I really have no one to vote for on the Democratic ticket who fully supports my rights. I get tossed the “civil unions” bone by the Democrats and tossed to the dogs by the Republicans, now that Sarah Palin has come out in full support of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
As a lesbian Christian, I feel some solidarity with my secular brothers and sisters. I won’t be the only one holding my nose while I vote this year.
