Mr Rogers was a republican.
He was a white christian cis het man.
He prayed and read the Bible every day.
He created a children's TV show with taxpayer money in which he promoted his "christian views" to a secular audience through secular media.
He studied other religions and other cultures to improve on his reach and connection. He never preached or quoted scripture--yet, we all got the message he intended for us.
He appealed to President Nixon and Congress to continue to fund the creation of PBS with a persuasive speech that is one of the most studied for public speaking and PR. A gentle but powerful speaker.
While white people were pouring concrete into public pools rather than share with black neighrbors, Fred Rogers broadcast himself sharing a quiet conversation in a pool with African-American music and co-worker, Francios Clemmons. The softest act of defiance against White Supremacy.
He was the most demanded speaker on college campuses--he did not have to con his way onto campus to speak and nazis and counter-protesters did not follow his appearances---You know, despite the fact that he was a white christian man promoting christian values to the general public.
Every generation since the 1968 has been positively impacted by Mr Rogers.
Even children in the past 20 years are benefiting from his legacy at PBS --his methods and messages are STILL used in children's programming around the world.
No one had to mandate mourning his death because we all actually felt a genuine loss when he passed away. Even grown adults, who had not watched his show for 10 years by the time he passed, felt a piece of genuine goodness leave the planet.
We did not have to be Christian with Mr Rogers for him to do so much for us.
He never asked us to be Christian with him.
He only asked us to be his neighbor.
So...
If you find that the general public is rejecting your brand of Christianity, it might because you are a horrible fucking person with a 2000 yr old book of shitty excuses that no one is buying into.
It might be because you are a filthy grifter looking to capitalize off end-times hysteria and seniors with end-of-life anxieties.
It might be cause you are a disgusting bigot trying to reap superiority while evading moral accountability.
It probably has nothing to do at all with you actually "being a christian".
Cause we all fucking loved Mr Rogers.
-- Patchie Dee
))
miki
in reply to Daughter of Discord • • •It may also be because we live in the age of social media now, and no matter what you do, people are going to hate you for it.
You just cured cancer? Congratulations, you're a communist radical that wants to put hard-working doctors and nurses out of their jobs.
(I'm not condoning any particular person, just making an observation that whether you're loved or hated in the 21st century has very little to do with how much love/hate you deserve).