I weep for our culture

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It frustrates me that in 2005 America, no one can imagine a Christianity that lies between intolerance and universalism.

I was reading today Pat Robertson’s inexcusable comments — but then again, most of what Pat says is inexcusable — about a community which voted down an intelligent design referendum of some sort of another. Obviously, anyone who would dare disagree with Pat must be a heathen, so Pat said that if a natural disaster ever hits the town they probably need to pray to Darwin instead of God.

Of course, one of the people who was responding to this nonsense was using it to justify his own position, which is that God just wants us all to be nice to each other and doesn’t care anything about the finer points of theology.

Are those the only two options? Smug, self-satisfied self-righteousness or a namby-pamby approach that, by declaring all religions to be equal, makes them all irrelevant?

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About John

John Carney is a journalist, a certified United Methodist lay speaker, a veteran of foreign and domestic short-term mission trips, and author of a self-published novel, Soapstone.

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    Pat Robertson strikes again!

    With his usual grace and eloquent manner of speaking religious zealot Pat Robertson has once again made headlines by saying something retarded.
    From the Associated Press:
    VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson warned residents of …

  • http://www.gryfalia.com Kristi

    Oh, but Pat bashing is so fun! ;)

    He’s such a moron and a total embarassment to Christianity. He needs to be kept gagged in a padded cell.

    While I think the media in general only portrays the two extremes, I don’t think that is reality. You and I both know that even within just the UMC there is a wide range from a more liberal “social club” atmosphere to being conservative and actively evangelical.

    I just wish someone would go on TV and tell the country that he does not speak for us nor for God.

  • http://www.gryfalia.com Kristi

    Oh, but Pat bashing is so fun! ;)

    He's such a moron and a total embarassment to Christianity. He needs to be kept gagged in a padded cell.

    While I think the media in general only portrays the two extremes, I don't think that is reality. You and I both know that even within just the UMC there is a wide range from a more liberal “social club” atmosphere to being conservative and actively evangelical.

    I just wish someone would go on TV and tell the country that he does not speak for us nor for God.

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    One alternative, which is currently out of vogue, is the Vatican II approach to world religions, which affirms the universality of God’s love (and the truth to be found in other religions) and also affirms the particularity of Christian faith (the redemptive work of Jesus Christ). I see that view, which I happen to subscribe to, as less “namby-pamby” than an unquestioning, “feel good” universalism.

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    One alternative, which is currently out of vogue, is the Vatican II approach to world religions, which affirms the universality of God's love (and the truth to be found in other religions) and also affirms the particularity of Christian faith (the redemptive work of Jesus Christ). I see that view, which I happen to subscribe to, as less “namby-pamby” than an unquestioning, “feel good” universalism.

  • http://gavoweb.blogs.com gavin

    i found it funny that he was all about intelligent design, but the people who came up with id don’t say that it is a Christian God that is behind id, just a higher being and that higher being can be an alien or something…

    so maybe pat is saying that the God of Abraham is actually a thin little green guy.

  • http://gavoweb.blogs.com gavin

    i found it funny that he was all about intelligent design, but the people who came up with id don't say that it is a Christian God that is behind id, just a higher being and that higher being can be an alien or something…

    so maybe pat is saying that the God of Abraham is actually a thin little green guy.

  • http://www.inthatnumber.com/index.php Phisch

    I can’t really say much about Pat Robertson because I know, for me, it would be like calling the kettle black or even pointing to his splinter when I have a log in my own eye (it hurts!). That being said, someone in his position ought to know that we should all speak the truth in love and not vindictive frustration. I’m reminded of Jonah, who, after spending time in a large fish’s digestive system, begrudgingly gave in and spoke of God’s wrath to the Ninevites, then took off to a high place so he could watch his enemies get pulverized (or whatever it was he was picturing God’s wrath would be like). Poor Jonah didn’t quite get the type of show he wanted but was instead treated to a show of grace and forgiveness–and he still grumbled about that!

  • http://www.inthatnumber.com/index.php Phisch

    I can't really say much about Pat Robertson because I know, for me, it would be like calling the kettle black or even pointing to his splinter when I have a log in my own eye (it hurts!). That being said, someone in his position ought to know that we should all speak the truth in love and not vindictive frustration. I'm reminded of Jonah, who, after spending time in a large fish's digestive system, begrudgingly gave in and spoke of God's wrath to the Ninevites, then took off to a high place so he could watch his enemies get pulverized (or whatever it was he was picturing God's wrath would be like). Poor Jonah didn't quite get the type of show he wanted but was instead treated to a show of grace and forgiveness–and he still grumbled about that!