Am I the only one struck by the contrast between a book about a tortured Christian and the right wing's support or tolerance of Christian George Bush's own torture regime?
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And speaking of the Bush approach to the world, I heard a very interesting interview last night with an author studying Blackwater:
"When we left off, we were talking about a civil suit against Blackwater in which two affidavits submitted by former Blackwater employees, each known only as John Doe, make several allegations against Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, including that he's a Christian crusader and that he may have facilitated the murder of individuals cooperating with the criminal probe of Blackwater.
So in one of these affidavits, John Doe A or B says that Prince views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe and that his companies encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life.
That's a really strong statement. It...
Mr. SCAHILL: Well, I mean...
GROSS: Yeah.
Mr. SCAHILL: ...that was one of the least shocking things that I read in there because, you know, I've been tracking this story since 2004 and it's abundantly clear to me that Erik Prince views himself, and I don't say this rhetorically, Terry, Erik Prince views himself as a Christian crusader. There's almost no doubt about that. I wasn't stunned at all when I read that. Everyone at Blackwater knows that."
4 comments:
Am I the only one...? Of course not. :)
I haven't come close to even "stumbling" upon the AFA site. Last year they were selling "We still think its OK to say 'Merry Christmas'" buttons, so its better for my holiday demeanor to just avoid that stuff.
I had a polite conversation with a very good friend a few days ago when he posted on FB that some were trying to take Christ out of Christmas. I simply asked "Who?" His response was "Some are!!"
I pressed; probably shouldn't have, but I asked again, "Who? Can you be specific?" His response once again was evasion; "I believe that some people are!" When I commented to the effect that he should not believe everything he reads and hears, he retorted, "I like you, Tony!"
What??? I let it go. Even though I would consider this person a good friend, it represents the inability of some (most?) Christians to thoughtfully evaluate issues, even issues as simple as the WOC where there is no evidence beyond what some right wing fearmonger has said.
And further, as I suggested to one of my friends, it is very close to the most trivial of concerns possible. Consider the things that Christians could be legitimately passionate about this Christmas: 50 million uninsured Americans; the huge increase in people using food assistance at the same time that those non-profits have declining resources; the two wars America is currently prosecuting; the illegal detainment and torture of people in our names; the specter of climate change and what that will do to the world's poorest countries.
Which of those are conservative Christians passionate about? I am sure many are helping with their local food charities, but I see them on the other side of every other legitimate and non-trivial issue.
Conservatives have waved the banner of putting "Christ back into "Christmas" for some time, as you know. I like this thought, why not say that a better way to celebrate the Incarnation would be that We could try doing what He said, and be about His reason for coming here! We could put being a Christian back into our Christmas celebrations! Maybe acting more like Christ would be a better way...
Well said, Monk. Isn't this the Francis of Assissi quote? Something about preaching the gospel always, sometimes "use words?"
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