This arrogant, cruel, and often stupid person is selling himself the same way all Republicans now sell themselves--as a good Christian man in relationship with God. And you know what? As long as he doesn't raise people's taxes, have sex with an intern, nor institute a draft, the evangelical crowd (if history is any guide) will accept that as good enough. Which is why the Christian experience has been so cheapened, that it can be simply turned into a greeting card, t-shirt, or bumper sticker. No deep thinking needed. Oh and of course, no one will check to see if he is actually treating people like a Christian. That is the wonderful thing about this. It is like a free pass. As long as you can shout Jesus loud enough, and invoke enough little churchy phrases, that constitutes a close personal relationship with God.
September 14, 2011
Perry as super Christian
Just read this and felt like returning to my Saturday night puke-fest. Unbelievable. This is what I just sent a friend as an email, and it works as an angry blog post too:
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4 comments:
These days you pretty much have to ignore what people say about their principles, and infer what they really are by observation. Or, as a formerly respected man once reportedly said, "You shall know them by their fruits."
It's not just that the U.S. Christian experience doesn't require deep thinking. It also discourages even basic situational awareness and wariness of being manipulated, almost to the point where gullibility is considered a spiritual virtue. If I had the time to become a historian on the side, I would be interested in a project that investigated how much con artists, sociopaths and clinical psychopaths have influenced the cultural norms of evangelical Christianity over the decades, as there could not be a better, broader, richer subculture for these sorts of people to thrive in.
"As long as he doesn't raise people's taxes, have sex with an intern, nor institute a draft."
I disagree.
They can raise taxes/fees on the poor and institute a draft that is sufficiently tailored to only require “those” people to serve.
As far as sex scandals, David Vitter broke the law and hired a prostitute and was reelected. He probably asked Jesus for forgiveness, so it’s OK.
Leighton, as usual, you have given me much to think about. I have been mulling over that "gullibility as virtue" idea all night. There is something there in a culture where the idea of faith has been corrupted.
Bob, hehe, you might be right. I think a draft would be a political killer because even the working and middle class would revolt if they thought they would have to pay for these wars. You are exactly right on raising taxes on the poor--they wouldn't mind that, and I almost wrote "male intern," because again, you are right, sexual scandals are forgivable for the right wing as long as the sinner is conservative. But not gay sins.
Streak, I remember one experience I had in college where I pushed back against a fraudulent email forward soliciting donations to help with the leukemia treatments of a child who pretty clearly didn't exist. One of the other recipients made an appointment to chew me out in person, because the email reminded her of her recently departed aunt, and thus "was a message from the LORD, and we are not to question these things." Eternal life and treasures stored where moth and rust do not destroy are among the best techniques for convincing people to dismantle their self-preservation mechanisms.
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