September 7, 2008

Sunday morning

A bit discouraged this morning. The back is better, I guess, but incrementally so. Over the last month or so, I think I have slept through the night once. My sympathy for those who live with chronic pain increases every day.

Ok, enough complaining.

Reading through the blogs this morning, I ran across this from conservative David Frum who, by the way, famously took credit for the phrase "axis of evil" as a speechwriter for W, so is hardly a common source for me to quote. But he is unsettled by the process of selecting Sarah Palin as much as many liberals. Here he answers an email and explains that he believes that executive decision making is incredibly important, and requires a specific skill set--a set that he sees no proof that Palin has:
"Worse, from my point of view, is the assumption that because she is a conservative Christian that she therefore has intelligent conservative views on every other subject, from what to do with Fannie Mae to what to do about Iran. That's a greater leap of faith than I can make."
He also compares her to Bush in how she appeals to Christian conservatives and notes, I think with regret, that Bush has lacked the leadership skills necessary to be a good President.

It is this approach to knowledge that bothers me more than anything--as I have said before. And this is not a new issue for me. I remember in my early college days, when I was still more comfortable in the church setting, I still resisted the assumption that a Christian was inherently more moral or competent than a non-believer. But some around me in the church, would automatically hire someone, or rent a spare room, or trust a Christian with important business solely on that identification rather than turn to a reliable and vetted non-believer (or perhaps a believer who didn't advertise it). Perhaps I knew too many in the church who I didn't trust, like the guy in BSU who could quote chapter and verse, but also liked to play dirty in our sports games, and who I never trusted behind my back.

None of this is to say that being Christian disqualifies either. I don't mean that. Just as I knew Christians I wouldn't trust with anything, I knew many I trusted with my life. But a person's beliefs about salvation and the after-life don't say anything about their ability to govern or make good fiscal or policy decisions. Christian conservatives seem willing to turn over the entire store to someone who sees the world as they do, regardless of if they have the expertise or experience to make those decisions. In the case of Palin, she not only seems to buy the creationist argument, but also has hinted that the Iraq war is not a geopolitical conflict of interests and different identities, but is a simplistic "good v. evil" contest.

On that note, I found this interview on the role of expertise:
"The attitude that anyone's opinion on any topic is equally valuable could spread, and there are some indications, such as widespread vaccine scares, that suggest it is happening. A world in which there is said to be no difference between those who know what they are talking about and those who don't is not one that anyone who thinks about it wants. Such a society would be like one's worst nightmare, exhibiting many of the characteristics of the most vile epochs of human history."
I am afraid that the Republicans are playing to just such a constituency that believes their opinion on cell division and historical complexity is equal to any expert.

*****

Finally, this morning, saw this "quote of the day" from the DMN Religion blog. This entry from friend of the blog, Gordon Atkinson, aka the Real Live Preacher:
"'I am considered by many to be a liberal minister, which is the kiss of death for any Baptist preacher with ambition. Fortunately for me I have none in this regard. However, I'm always amused by my reputation, because I am so careful about this sacred calling and the scriptures from which all sermons are born. I have no tricks. I don't tell stories that are not my own. I never do anything but read the text and try to encourage my congregation to wrestle with its meaning, just as I have the week before. That's all I am called to do. I don't have the right to do anything more than that.'

3 comments:

leighton said...

I also liked this quote of Frum's on Palin (found it here):

When someone takes the rent money and puts it on black at the roulette table, and it comes up black, we don’t say "Wow! What a terrific piece of judgment."

I suspect the gullibility of many Christians is a consequence of viewing life as a culture war. Anyone who claims to believe as you do, even when they're a con artist or outright sociopathic, is merely flawed, whereas the Enemy (not the prinicipalities and powers and the dark forces of this world, but flesh and blood) is outright evil, and must be destroyed to save the world at any cost, even the cost of your soul.

Streak said...

I saw that quote as well. Well put. Damn, I hate quoting Frum! :)

I suspect you are correct here, Leighton. It is a world-view that lends itself to an over simplification of complex relationships.

leighton said...

I bet "soft bigotry of low expectations" was his phrase as well, back in the day. It's a good phrase used for a bad cause and butchered by a semi-literate speaker.