Attacking incivility

Hat tip to PJMiller at Sola Dei Gloria.

Looks like the Interfaith Alliance has jumped into the war on incivility.For Immediate Release
October 21, 2009

Clergy and Faith Leaders Call for Civility

Washington, DC – A group of prominent faith leaders brought together by Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of Interfaith Alliance has released an open letter to other religious leaders, politicians, and pundits calling for civility in public debate and to specifically refrain from using inappropriate references to the holocaust and Nazis. A copy of the letter along with its signers follows.

An open letter to religious leaders, politicians, pundits and the public:

In the last month, we have seen an alarming number of public figures use the Nazis and the Holocaust as metaphors in public debate on issues critical to this country. This development is but the most vile example of the disturbing language that has insinuated itself into our national dialogue. Examples of this divisive and ill-spirited rhetoric include:

-Richard Land, a leader and spokesperson in the Southern Baptist Convention
compared some of the proposed health care reforms to ”what the Nazis did.”
Actually, Land bestowed a “Joseph Mengele Award” on Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the president’s chief health-care adviser. After strong criticism, Dr. Land apologized for his comments, though he offered no apology to Dr. Emanuel.

-The Republican National Committee was asked to take down a link to a YouTube video parody where subtitles in a movie portraying Hitler were doctored to convey the impression that Hitler was criticizing the Democrats’ health care proposals.

-Fox News Host Glenn Beck compared the treatment of Fox News by the Obama Administration to the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust

-Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) referred to the failure to reform the U.S. health care system as a “holocaust.” Grayson later apologized stating that he in no way meant to minimize the Holocaust.

The Holocaust was a tragic event in which the Nazis systematically murdered six million Jews. The Nazi regime that perpetrated this mass genocide was one of the most horrific in world history. There is no place in civil debate for the use of these types of metaphors. Perpetrators of such language harm rather than help both the integrity of the democratic process and the credibility of religious commentary.

We the undersigned faith leaders call on our colleagues in all religious communities as well as elected leaders, commentators, pundits and others engaged in public debate to refrain specifically from using inappropriate Nazi and Holocaust references and, generally, to help restore civility to our national dialogue.

Sincerely,
The Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
President, Interfaith Alliance

I’ve talked about this before, especially the cheapening of Nazi imagery. Seriously, people, is this what you want to do?

I have been an admirer of Dr. Land, and I’m repulsed by his “Mengele” comment. Dr. Mengele was a monster who performed vile experiments on human beings. Dr. Emanuel is a part of an effort to make health care available universally. One is free to disagree with Dr. Emanuel, but it hardly makes him worthy of comparison to Dr. Mengele.

Glenn Beck’s reference is patently absurd, and I don’t think any honest reader can defend it. Until and unless Pres. Obama orders killings of Fox News officials, staff, and collaborators, to make this comparison is so stupid as barely to need comment.

Rep. Grayson has apologized for his remark, but only for trivializing the Holocaust. Dr. Land, by the way, apologized to the Anti-Defamation League for the same thing. Neither has, to my knowledge, apologized to the people whom they compared to Nazis.

Seriously. It’s time for this to stop.

Is Greed Still a Sin?

Listed as one of the Seven Deadly Sins by the Catholic Church, and listed many times as a sin throughout the Bible, I wonder whether we still consider greed to be a sin.

After all, I’m told, capitalism relies on the greed of business leaders.

First of all, this is a flawed understanding of capitalism.

Second of all, if that was true, then no Christians should support capitalism, right?

So I ask, putting the question simply and plainly: Do we still consider greed to be a sin, or have we made an excuse for it as a culture?

Andrew Schlafly vs. the Bible

Several other bloggers have written great posts about this, and I haven’t until now. I’ve been trying not to do so. I read too much about it today, though, and as my blood boils I have to vent. Andrew Schlafly, the son of Phyllis Schlafly, is the brains behind what might be the most loathsome thing I’ve ever seen: the Corrupt … err, … “Conservative Bible Project.”

Yes, that’s right. Mr. Schlafly is tired of all of those liberal-sounding things in the Bible, and so he’s going to fix it once and for all. Whereas most Christians view the Bible (including legitimate translations) as the Word of God, Mr. Schlafly views it as a rough draft. Some of us wrestle with the Word, pray about its meaning, and try to work out what it means and how we relate parts that seem to conflict. Mr. Schlafly simply wants to remove or reword that which he finds challenging.

Obama vs. Fox

Alright, so I’ll comment on a current event. Fine.

On NPR this afternoon, I was listening to a discussion about the confrontations between President Obama and the Fox News Channel and various charges going back and forth, not the least of which being that Pres. Obama apparently said that Fox is not a real news network.

President Obama seems to have a problem keeping focused on items deserving of Presidential attention. He should not have allowed himself to get into the Harvard professor/Cambridge police situation, and he should not be stooping to get into this muck.

That’s why he has subordinates. If someone on his staff made such a comment as his/her own remark, it would be one thing. For it to come from the President is, well, un-Presidential.

Songs I Love: “The Lemonade Song” by Mitch McVicker

Since you might well not know the song, here it is:

I’ll admit, it’s an acquired taste. It did little for me at first … but once it clicked, I fell in love with this song!

Jim came walkin’ down the road

Singin’ songs and hummin’ on hymn tunes

Though he’d never set foot in a church on Sunday morning

The smile on his face looked kinda outta place

Considerin’ the looks of his shirt and shoes

Made me wonder what kept him going

Spent most of his lonely young days

Working downtown in the sawmill

And a childhood is somethin’ he’s never known

All the extra time he had on his mind

Every now and then his heart would spill

And he’d start singin’ all the way home

Chorus

And he’d sing I, I don’t know much

But I know a Love

And one day I’ll be sittin’ up in heaven on an easy chair

Sippin’ lemonade, love lives there

Round ’bout that time the bells chimed

And the church doors flew open

And a whole herd of saints came runnin’ along Jim’s way

Talkin’ ’bout salvation, hope and love

And everything else they didn’t know about

And when they saw Jim all of that changed

Now it takes a special kind of man

To avoid a confrontation

And everywhere Jimmy looked he had nowhere to go

They started throwin’ out names,

Throwin’ punches, and throwin’ laughter

And when they were through, blood was drippin’ from his nose

Chorus

And he sang I, I’ve heard about blood

I think it stands for Love

And one day I’ll be sittin’ up in heaven on an easy chair

Sippin’ lemonade, loves lives there

Now Jim knew what he had inside of him

And wouldn’t hear nothin’ different

The moral to the story is he just keeps on keepin’ on

Now he ain’t whitewashed,

You won’t find him on the corner prayin’

He just knows his Love and knows his song

Chorus

And he sings I, I got all I want

‘Cause I’ve got my love

And one day I’ll be sittin’ up in heaven on an easy chair

Sippin’ lemonade, love lives there

Yeah, one day I’ll be sittin’ up in heaven on an easy chair

Sippin’ lemonade, love lives there

Yeah, one day I’ll be sittin’ up in heaven on an easy chair

Sippin’ lemonade, love lives there

Yes, I’d like to see Jim in a church. I see profound merit and Biblical obedience in being part of a church community. But look at what the song’s saying. Right here –

And a whole herd of saints came runnin’ along Jim’s way

Talkin’ ’bout salvation, hope and love

And everything else they didn’t know about

Wow. A “herd of saints” talking about the very thing that makes faith mean anything … described as “everything else they didn’t know about.” You see, Jim doesn’t know much, but he knows Love. The herd of saints? They’ve just got religion.

How often does religion get in the way of love? It shouldn’t, but let’s be honest … it does.

Jim loves God and knows that God loves him. He shows that love to others. The herd of saints? There they were, deriding Jim for not being one of them …

Something worth considering.

Life Lessons: Limbaugh and the NFL

I promise, this story is only about Rush Limbaugh as an illustration …

On NPR this morning, I heard a story that Rush Limbaugh is part of a bid to buy a football team, the Rams. This, not surprisingly, has resulted in much controversy. At least one owner has come out and said he’ll vote against Limbaugh (apparently, 24 of the 32 owners have to vote to let him in).  Players were quoted, including — not surprisingly — Donovan McNab.

Frankly, I almost feel sorry for Mr. Limbaugh. Although he’s chosen this life, I’m not sure he realized it. The key word, though, is “almost.” (At this point, some people who know me in real life should realize about whom I’m actually speaking.)

Rush Limbaugh has carved himself a niche in American culture, and he’s king of his own little hill. He collects homage from other radio hosts and Republican officials seek his favor. Unfortunately, he sometimes tries to use his title as king to win favor elsewhere … and he finds that the dung heap which is his hill has a lingering effect.

John Shore vs. Roman Polanski

John Shore has a running post on the Roman Polanski case, and he has asked his readers to help promote it, since the discussion is going and keeps on being interesting.

Really, you ought to read John’s blog all the time if you don’t already, but certainly this post.

To whet your appetite, among the comments, someone asked John what he would say to John if he could say one thing to him. John’s answer?

… I might ask him [...] how far he thinks he could run if I gave him a thirty-second head start.

Really, read Hollywood: Go Polanski Yourself.

And I think that he might have just coined a perfect-good profanity substitute.