Posted on 05/06/2005 3:43:52 AM PDT by backhoe
Early warning shots-- the War against Religion...
...developing:
The real majority is finding its feet.
If the secular left keeps pushing, the inevitable pushback is really going to sting.
I don't think they see it coming, because (to borrow an old TASS phrase), they do not understand the correlation of forces they have set in motion.
I suspect you are right.
Zealots of any stripe are dangerous, and best kept at arm's length, too frequently at gunpoint.
Gore: Bush faith akin to fundamentalist Islam - "It's the American version of the same fundamentalist impulse that we see in Saudi Arabia, in Kashmir..."
Robert Reich’s Religion Problem - "The great conflict of the 21st century will not be between the West and terrorism. Terrorism is a tactic, not a belief. The true battle will be between modern civilization and anti-modernists; between those who believe in the primacy of the individual and those who believe that human beings owe their allegiance and identity to a higher authority; between those who give priority to life in this world and those who believe that human life is mere preparation for an existence beyond life; between those who believe in science, reason, and logic and those who believe that truth is revealed through Scripture and religious dogma."
Taliban west? Liberals worry that President Bush's reelection will lead to an American theocracy - Historian Garry Wills calls Nov. 2 "the day the Enlightenment went out," saying that with the influence of Christian "fundamentalists," Americans have now come to resemble the Islamic jihadists that we are fighting.
Why Bush threatens secularism - "An event that is billed as a celebration for the entire nation should include everyone, even those who profess no faith, this inaugural sent a message that in order to be truly American, you must also be religious." - Barry Lynn
I greatly appreciate those links- thank you.
Zealotry is as zealotry does. America's revolution and its defense have always been carried out by zealots. It's not really the zealots who worry me. People who manipulate others are rarely passionate about the issues they fire up in the objects of their influence; it's usually something else they want instead.
I disagree. Our revolution and defense have been carried out by men of reasoned conviction. Zealotry has no use for reason.
Interesting observations. I think reason can motivate enthusiasm. If you don't like to call it zealotry, I'm OK with that.
I took Mr. G. Will off of my list of must read articles when he wrote against the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
He is, at best, a "Bill of Rights is a menue" conservative, and, at worst, no conservative at all, which is probably a distinction without a difference.
IMHO, Will is no friend of the conservative movement. He wants to be accepted by the academy in the worst way.
To me zealotry is the point at which enthusiasm is no longer reasoned, and becomes irrational. Then the end is justifying the means and denying the consequences.
Agreed.
"False Religions must be destroyed."
And exactly who will be appointed to make up the list for destruction?
Drstroy them all. Let God sort it out.
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