First, Tim Lahaye seems to have been a part of my consciousness for as long as I can remember. Only later as an adult have I read about his role in the Moral Majority. I have listened to his wife on her radio show for Concerned Women for America--and she drives me crazy too. (Side note here, one thing I have noticed about both Beverly Lahaye and James Dobson is that on their radio shows, their co-hosts never refer to them as "Beverly" or "Jim"--they have to call them Dr. and Mrs. I think there is something there about fake status and the need to establish that, but will think about that more. Obviously, James Dobson has a huge ego and has demonstrated great arrogance in numerous places.)
But back to the Larry King interview:
CNN.com - Transcripts: "KING: You mentioned before the break, Reverend LaHaye -- during the break, that you're concerned about religious freedom. What do you mean?
T. LAHAYE: I think religious freedom has been under attack in our country well over 50 years.
KING: Explain.
T. LAHAYE: Well, the 1st Amendment is supposed to guarantee the government stays out of religion.
KING: And vice-versa.
T. LAHAYE: We don't want the government to tell us what church to belong to and what faith to have.
KING: And we don't want you to tell the government what faith to believe in.
T. LAHAYE: But we don't believe that the government should sanction the teaching of atheism and evolution and things that are anti-God, forbidding them 'Pledge of Allegiance' in public schools.
KING: Shouldn't teach evolution? Shouldn't teach evolution?
T. LAHAYE: In the public schools they do.
KING: Why shouldn't they teach evolution?
T. LAHAYE: Because it's not proven, it's just a theory.
KING: Adam and Eve is proven?
T. LAHAYE: No. It's a theory.
KING: Their both theories.
T. LAHAYE: We who believe, we who have faith and believe the Bible is true, we believe it's a fact. However, we understand that in the public school, it is -- it should be presented as a theory, equal with the theory..
This really shows, in my opinion, how duplicitious Lahaye is and how lame the creation science anti-evolution movement is. He says both are theories, but since they believe that the Bible is literal fact, they are actually saying that the creation story is factual--not theory.
And about that theory--I am so tired of people like Lahaye demonstrating their tremendous ignorance by referring to evolution as "just a theory." Scientific theory doesn't mean the same thing as half-assed thought. It isn't just something that Darwin made up. In scientific terms, a theory is the best way to explain the data you have. You always know that it is open to revision--with the addition of more facts--but it isn't just an opinion or idea. It is a theory that is tested--constantly.
And while we are at it, this take on things also really diminishes the creation story. By turning it into some literal account, you really take away the beauty of our creation story. It isn't a theory either. It is a story. And stories aren't testable and they aren't science and that is good! But please, please, stop letting people like Lahaye spout their ignorance.
Now, speaking of the ignoramus, back to Tim Lahaye:
KING: Under law an atheist is an equal an American as you. Should have every benefit and every -- whatever America gives it, gives an atheist, gives a gay person, gives you, right.
T. LAHAYE: He should not have the government enforced right to impose his values on us. You see, the Constitution forbid the government from getting involved in religion.
T. LAHAYE: That's only one thing that's involved in the separation of church and state. The other is the 'Pledge of Allegiance.' We have this attack by the ACLU, it's going on right now. We expects that the president, like any person of faith believe you could pledge to God in the 'Pledge of Allegiance' and so on.
KING: And atheist doesn't have to say under God, I mean, he's not in violation of anything?
T. LAHAYE: That's right. And he should not impose his values on us.
KING: Nor you on him?
T. LAHAYE: That's right.
KING: I keeping back to that. When you say under god, you are imposing it on the atheist.
T. LAHAYE: He could be silent.
KING: You could be silent.
You see Tim Lahaye's response here? He wants the government to not force athiestic beliefs on the people, but says that the athiest can just be silent? Are you fucking kidding me? I really liked King's response. And this speaks very much to something that really bugs me about prayer. We can talk about what prayer is and what it isn't. Even though the Bible talks about prayer being a private affair between you and God, why do so many Christians feel the need to impose their prayer on people around them? What happened to praying in silent, in a closet, not for show to those around you? Tim, you could be silent too. You should be silent, mostly because you aren't very smart, but also because being a Christian means respecting others too.
1 comment:
That, in the end, is what kills me -- they want special treatment, and you're a godless commie if you disagree.
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