I have no trouble with evangelicals per se. But the hazard is precisely
what we have seen developing as people decide that they can pick and
choose whatever bits and pieces of religion that that make them feel
good. A good number of these types have nothing to do with
Christianity. They have managed to focus of some of the most vicious
pagan fragments in our religious texts (e.g. the eye for an eye thing
from the Babylonians who believed in gods that used humans for
sadomasochistic entertainment) and the worst of the Pauline scriptures
which were incredibly anti-Semitic, pro Roman barbaric authority,
anti-women, anti-gay and a far remove from Jesus of Nazareth, a man who
promoted peace on earth and care for the poor -- and was executed by the
ROMANS, therefore, as a suspected terrorist ('zealot' in translation).
And then there are the con artists who exploit religion for their own
gain either in money or prestige. Need I name the lot -- Dobson,
Falwell, those pedophiles and women abusers, etc. Personally I see the
world's religions in dangerous decline into fundamentalism that tends to
be bigoted to murderous extremes as the less and less competent
religious authorities find themselves threatened by modern values. "By
their acts ye shall judge them" (of the false prophets) was one of the
positives of that peculiar Jew-hating religious convert, Saul/Paul of
Tarsus.
I studied theology with the best for 3 years and reviewed books for
decades thereafter in that field, so I know whereof I speak. The best
of my seminary classmates went on to do other things. Jim Forbes who
was profiled in the NY Times last week is doing his best to restore the
social Gospel. Some who tried to be good pastors were run out by the
right wing evangelicals (banker types who were plotting the Savings and
Loan scams -- the equivalent of our present day Enrons which made them
rich particularly in the SW of the country enough to fund a right wing
neo fascist political party that used to pride itself on its stands on
principle). Peace brother, Ed Kent, who teaches social/political/legal
philosophy.
--
"A war is just if there is no alternative, and the resort
to arms is legitimate if they represent your last hope." (Livy)
--
Ed Kent 718-951-5324 (voice mail only) [blind copies]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CollegeConversation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PeaceEfforts
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EndingPoverty
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/440neighborhood
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StudentConcerns
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