One of the scarier moments of this election cycle was when Joseph Dearing from Dallas, Texas held up his Bible and taunted the candidates with his question: "I am Joseph. I am from Dallas, Texas, and how you answer this question will tell us everything we need to know about you. Do you believe every word of this book? Specifically, this book that I am holding in my hand, do you believe this book?"
The way he glared into the camera, he looked like a dangerous person ready to do damage to anyone who didn't answer his question with a straight-forward fundamentalist "Yes." I cringed when I saw him forming his question and thrusting the Bible into the camera's lens. He didn't get a straight-forward yes from anyone. It turns out he's a Ron Paul supporter, and he was disappointed that Paul didn't get to answer the question. Dearing says that Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas is a "typical liberal pastor." That's because Huckabee pointed out that some of the language of the Bible is metaphorical, and that we don't know if the world was created in 6 literal days or not. Is that liberal? God help us all.
2 comments:
In one sense I want to say the media are latching onto high-emotional controversy, but on the other hand there are a lot of people who believe like Dearing. The fundamentalist mentality lacks the ability to tolerate a wider perspective. But why do we have to say "tolerate?" Maybe "accept" is a better word. Somehow such people can't hold various viewpoints in front of them and still function. They are somehow compelled to vehemently reject all views except for one. When you don't have any sense of a deeper truth, the Truth that goes beyond any one religion, the Truth that is at the base of things, you're forced to latch onto a (relatively) more superficial truth of one particular religion or system, and insert it into the place of that more fundamental truth. The freedom to practice any or no religion and still be respected, e.g., is more fundamental than the truth of Christianity or other religion. Self-doubt is at the cener of most intolerance or non-acceptance. It's the authoritarian personality trying to bolster itself and make up for it's emptiness.
Well said. On the first point you make here, in recent days, I've seen the media just stirring the pot, based on the flimsiest of evidence (if any) about some sports issues. They always say "sources say," but I don't believe half of it anymore. It's getting as bad as the National Enquirer. I think they make half of it up. I don't know how Dearing or the others were selected from You Tube to get onto the Debate, and ask their questions. But his approach was ominous. He had the same sick fundamentalist attitude that the Muslim extremists have. Believe me, or die. Ahhh, but speaking of that, have you seen Achmed the Dead Terrorist? I think I'll have to blog about him.
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