July 9, 2004 by s.z.

When Religion Meets Politics A couple of faith-promoting thoughts for today. 1.  From a piece in the WSJ's Opinion Journal which reports on a survey that showed that evangelical teens don't actually believe in evangelical tenets: Then extrapolate the situation to other possible big-picture results. Nearly 60% of evangelical Christian teenagers now say that all religious faiths teach equally valid truths, according to Mr. McDowell. It's bad enough that they seem to have been co-opted by relativism from within our culture and even from within the church and family. But it's even more disconcerting to realize that we're relying on this generation for the future defense of Judeo-Christian civilization against the highly motivated forces of militant Islam. So, if evangelical teens believe that all religious faiths teach equally valid truths, then they won't be able to fight terrorism effectively because it really IS a religious war, despite what Bush said?   And I suppose that because 40% of them don't believe that the Bible is "totally accurate in all of its teachings," they we're up a creek if we're counting on the next generation to fight against the highly motivated forces of fire and crime, as firefighters and cops. 2.  Jason Alston, a student from UNC/Wilmington (Dr. Mike's school!) interviewed "free-lance conservative columnist" La Shawn Barber for the local paper.  Here's part of that interview: Q: You are indeed a black Christian and also a Republican. Why do you believe that the Republican Party is indeed the party that looks out for the true interests of all Christians, including black Christians? A: The question for believers is not whether the party "looks out for the true interests of all Christians." This is misleading. The question is whether our allegiance is with God or politicians. It is not unbiblical to believe that conservatism promotes biblical principles and liberalism, by its very definition, does not. Liberal ideology is one of permissiveness and immorality, hidden behind "black" issues like welfare, entitlements, race preferences and a blame-whites-for-your-problems mentality. Liberals appeal to the basic weaknesses in human nature: the desire to avoid responsibility and consequences of our own actions. This is unbiblical. So, you can either vote for politicans, or vote for God, who is running on the Republican ticket.  Remember, liberal ideology, with its emphasis on caring for the poor, is one of immorality.  After all, "Our obedience to God is not based on who we vote for but how we live. ... I could not call myself a Bible-believing Christian if I voted for someone who not only supports but advocates homosexual "marriage."  Because our obediance to God is not based on who we vote for, but who we discriminate against in our voting.  Oh, and I liked this part of a question from Jason: And my university's own Townhall.com columnist Mike S. Adams has infuriated much of the black population at my school through numerous actions, including criticizing the school for devoting last semester to the 1954 Brown decision, insinuating that black faculty meetings were a form of discrimination, and comparing my school's Office of Campus Diversity to the pedophilic organization NAMBLA. Gee, Dr. Mike isn't popular with the black population at UNCW?  Imagine that! 6:20:31 AM

It's Not Your Grandma's 'Family Circus' -- No Wait, It Is Today's Cartoon  (See it here: Dolly and PJ are gazing at a typewriter.  Dolly says, "It's Grandma's word processor." Analysis: Dolly, is, as usual, Karen Hughes.  PJ represents Karen's "baby brother," young master Dubya, a credulous nitwit who believes everything that Karen tells him.  And today Karen is telling him that an outdated manual typewriter is a "Grandma's word processor, meaning that she's advising him to pass off some scam to lower taxes by ripping off old people as a compassionate plan to help the elderly. Prediction: This summer the Bush administration will present "Faith Based Social Security," in which Social Security funds are given to local ministers and pastors to dole out to the worthy elderly, according to their needs.  Karen will write a speech for Dubya, telling the heart-warming story of Grandma Keane, an elderly woman (manual typewriter) who found an exciting new life as an infantryman in Iraq (word processor), once her social security "dole" was cut off and she had to work for a living. Hmm, I'm not sure I'm channeling the spirit of Keane correctly today.  So, let's hear from Ektase and Pete, who seem like they would know a lot about manual typewriters and old ladies. Well, S.Z., if your interpretation yesterday was right, I think that this should fit right in. Grandma's gone on to the beyond, and P.J. and Dolly are worshipping at the altar of her thoughts. In fact, this could be an homage to all of us, posting our daily respects to Keane at World 'O Crap. Maybe he's encouraging his readers to worship those who have thoughts. I'm going to picture America waking up tomorrow, opening its newspapers, and worshipping some thoughts.(I hate contests.)  -- Ekstase Well, tomorrow's cartoon is up and I'm pleased to announce that it's not about Turkee for a change. Analysis: Alison and a strange little albino boy with a deformed ear are sitting in front of a vintage typewriter. Alison, in that lovable way of hers, tells the little interloper (Seb?) that the typewriter they're viewing belongs to Anntichrist Coulter (Grandma). They speak in hushed, reverent, contemplative tones. Notice the rusty pizza cutter next to it. Alison is descreet enough not to tell little Seb how AC brandishes it wildly while composing her blog comments. Prediction: Alison's comment about the typewriter becoming a word processor tells us that AC will soon begin her own critically-acclaimed blog. The menacing yellow writing utensil next to the typewriter tells us that the blog will be called "The Violent Pen." By putting the little guy into the frame, Keane shows us that a new generation of outcasts and misfits will find their voice in the golden whip-like tongue of our own beloved AC. -- Pete M. The management of Wo'C welcome responsible opposing views, as long as we don't have to pay for them. 5:26:29 AM

World O'Crap Book Club Selection If It's Not Close, They Can't Cheat: Crushing the Democrats in Every Election and Why Your Life Depends on It Author: Hugh Hewitt Publisher: Nelson Books (Part of Nelson Ministry Products) Description:   This is a book about winning elections in an age when security has trumped almost every other issue and the technology of political effectiveness is evolving with lightning quickness. Hewitt offers real-world tactics for individuals who (1) care about the future of the United States and (2) want to work effectively to help elect candidates who will lead the country—on a national or local level—in the right direction.   So, if you don't want to work to elect Republicans in every election, then you are undoubtedly one of those people who don't care about the future of the United States, and you deserve to die in a terrorists attack. In this book, Hugh Hewitt does more than rehash conservative grievances, preach to the choir, or even preach to the choir plus the undecideds. He aims to change the behavior of the choir, one reader at a time. Hugh Hewitt, choir master from hell!  He changes the behavior of the choir ... permantly! Actually, from what I read at Infinite Monkeys, it seems that Hugh's premise is that Republicans should just shut up about their economic conservatism, their objections to the Federal Marriage Amendment (Sully, this means YOU!), and their concerns about competency and honesty in their elected officials, and vote for pro-war candidates in every election, because otherwise terrorists will kill you in your sleep. Here's part of the Monkey's review (emphesis mine): "This isn't a policy wonk book," he writes at the beginning of his chapter on "Abortion, Guns, and the Environment." "It is about winning elections in a time of war when bad electoral results can disable a war effort and result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Because the focus is on winning elections, it is necessary to look at particular issues from the perspective of whether they advance the cause of electing candidates who will defend the country vigorously and effectively." So, Hewitt is advocating that conservatives, evangelicals, and libertarians ignore all the issues on which they don't see eye-to-eye so they can concentrate on electing Republicans, since only the elephants are SERIOUS about the war -- which, as Jesse at Pandagon points out, means: In general, it tends to boil down to anyone who will breathlessly believe the latest Fox News/World Net Daily/Drudge Report missive from the war front, and who, failing to wait for any corroboration of the poorly sourced stories (most of which turn out to be untrue and/or far less serious than the initial breathless reports that all the anti-war people would turn out to be wrong, wrong, wrong). Jesse's commenters indicated that (my paraphrase) "seriousness about the war" translates to "a willingness to nuke the Middle East, to teach the Muslims a thing or two." Hewitt includes material targeted to people of faith when appropriate and appeals to all readers who consider themselves conservative or center-right. Because "people of faith" should be working to ensure Republican victories in every election, so that we get people into office who will nuke the Middle East.  It says so in the Bible. The recklessness of our leaders on security and many other crucial issues has never been clearer, and acting in response to that recklessness has never been so urgent. The silly response is anger. The smart response is winning elections. But the most effective response is political assasinations of Democratic candidates.  Hey, bad electoral results can result in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans, so we are justified in taking this kind of action!  It's self defense! Well, maybe Hugh is saving that more explicit rendering of his views for his next book, If They're All Dead, They Can't Cheat: Crushing Democrats With Assault Weapons and Howizters, Because It's Them Or You. P.S.  If you don't care about the future of the United States, perhaps you'd be interested in this fine Nelson product: Becoming: The Complete New Testament Publisher: Nelson Bibles Yes, the same people who brought you Resolve, the New Testament/17 Magazine combo for girls, and Refuel, the New Testament/Maxim combo for young men, now bring you Becoming, the Bible that looks likeCosmo, for today's modern Christian woman. Description: Becoming is the complete New Testament using the New Century Version, but it wouldn’t be a culture ‘zine if it didn’t address men, beauty, fitness and food! Because that's really what you look for in a sacred text of a major world religion: men, beauty, fitness, and food. It’s chocked full of applicable ways to integrate faith into your daily life. Becoming gives advice on how to tackle some of life’s biggest concerns while taking on some of those not-so-easy-to-understand concepts in the Bible. By addressing issues from sexual abuse, rape, and divorce to encouraging relationships, hospitality, and Bible knowledge, this Bible magazine is perfect for adult women who are eager to learn more about the “faith thing.” "Chocked full"? But hey, I've been wondering how rape, sexual abuse, and hospitality fit into that "faith thing," so maybe I will have to pick up a copy of this woman's mag/Bible.  You know, after I thrash all the Democrats, so they can't cheat again in November by forcing the Supreme Court to declare Bush the winner.  3:47:35 AM