What a can of worms Jonah Goldberg has opened in my early-morning reading, leaving my mind chewing on a host of questions and thoughts as I embark on my day.
That Jeffress minister who used his introduction of Rick Perry at the Value Voters Summit to sound the dog whistle - that is, to let a certain audience know that they are to pick up on certain rhetorical signals - and make a clear distinction between Mormonism (Romney's faith) and what Jeffress considers the only definition of Christianity that is real, sure did "go there."
Mark Davis, Rush's substitute host on Monday, got into this bag of snakes with a caller on Monday's radio show as well. As Goldberg says in his Townhall column, there are a whole lot of reasons Republicans ought not to pick up this hot potato.
As I've said at this blog before, my Facebook profile states that my religious status is "leaning toward Christianity." There are so many infinitesimally fine theological points that I consider crucial to have nailed down - and don't yet - that that is the best I can do.
I know; it points to a weak spot in my generally absolutist character. Yes, I'm aware that it's the oh-so-open approach to Scripture that has led to the social gospel, liberation theology, flirtation with earth-worship and similar doctrinal cotton candy that has been emptying the pews in NCC-affiliated denominations for decades. (That was the subject of my master's thesis when I was a graduate student at Butler in the 1980s.) I am aware that a Christianity worthy of the label has to place the redemptive power of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection at the center of - well, everything.
Still, this Jeffress smells a lot like every fundamentalist zealot who has ever told me to forget my remaining questions and just get on board.
I'm no atheist, and I wouldn't even apply the label "agnostic" to myself. I am after real faith, the kind that permeates the bones and the core of the soul. It's my experience that real anything is rarely obtained by signing on without a thorough understanding of the fine print.
UPDATE: It sounds as if Bill Bennett delivered a sharp rebuke to the reverend at the same summit on Saturday.
Doth thou thinketh that "real faith" will simply someday somehow permeate the bones and the core of the soul? I'd nurture those non-absolutist aspects of your character, because that might be more aligned with truth, who knows? Perhaps the mushroom knows, maybe the walrus, the walrus we all are to varying degrees sometimes:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huliq.com/10559/magic-mushrooms-may-change-personality-and-boost-open-mindedness
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine conducted an adult study that revealed measurable long-term personality changes including openness and joyfulness.
Yes, the river knows....
ReplyDeleteJoyfulness and openmindedness are not in themselves the ends to be sought after. Truth with a capital T and nothing less is what we must base our moment-to-moment actions on.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe rigidity and despair are preferred. You cons pride yourselves on your absolutism but any fool can see that it's that that has caused war after war after war as well as atrocious inhumanity of man to man throughout history. That's progress? As for openness, it is said that without it one shuts off the Spirit. Ask and you shall receive, the promise goes. Mostly, though, as humans, what the thinker thinks, the prover proves. The truth is that it is all relative. Relative languages, relative blood types, relative genes, and on and on....
ReplyDeleteIsn't that another way of saying you don't believe in anything or stand for anything?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't believe in anything, I believe in everything, and more to be revealed...
ReplyDeleteBut your're nothingness has been very good to me. Don't know mind is the truth. More will always be revealed, so how can a humble human admit to anything else about most of life. I just don't know. Please allow me to breathe in, breathe out, and I will allow the same for you as we travel on to perhaps meet our maker one day, I dunno, do you? Do you really?
ReplyDeleteThe key concept you have touched upon here is "allow." There is nothing more important - spiritually important - than freedom.
ReplyDelete