Comments on: The News of the Year in Religion, 2006 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/ The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:15:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: fausto http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3406 fausto Mon, 01 Jan 2007 17:41:01 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3406 Make sure to point out that the whole Pope-vs.-Islam smackdown broke out over a speech in which Benedict was in fact delivering a defense of reason in religion against inflexible, dogmatic fanaticism. This issue, which ought to resonate strongly with UUs in one direction, was largely lost in the "clash of civilizations" aftermath, which resonated with some of us in precisely the opposite direction. It's even more noteworthy than usual precisely because of who was delivering the defense. <br/><br/>Which resonance is truer to who we are, or ought to be? And if the conflicting resonances point to a difference between who we are and who we ought to be, why does that difference exist? Make sure to point out that the whole Pope-vs.-Islam smackdown broke out over a speech in which Benedict was in fact delivering a defense of reason in religion against inflexible, dogmatic fanaticism. This issue, which ought to resonate strongly with UUs in one direction, was largely lost in the “clash of civilizations” aftermath, which resonated with some of us in precisely the opposite direction. It’s even more noteworthy than usual precisely because of who was delivering the defense.

Which resonance is truer to who we are, or ought to be? And if the conflicting resonances point to a difference between who we are and who we ought to be, why does that difference exist?

]]> By: Doug Muder http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3413 Doug Muder Sat, 23 Dec 2006 14:10:46 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3413 Here's something I noticed while reading Evangelical responses to the Ted Haggard scandal: This kind of double life is related to their dualistic Heaven/Hell belief system. <br/><br/>When Larry King [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/22/lkl.01.html] asked James Dobson about Haggard, he said: "He, obviously, was, again, at war with himself. He was involved in activities that I think horrified him. He said that he fought against it, but he also knew what he believed. It was not hypocrisy. It was a struggle between behavior and the belief system."<br/><br/>In the dualistic worldview, it's perfectly natural to be at war with yourself. You have a good side and a bad side, and sometimes the bad side takes over. The Evangelicals aren't looking for unity, they're looking for victory of good over evil. But the evil is a permanent part of you, so the battle is endless and unity will only happen in Heaven.<br/><br/>So Haggard can't say, "Hey, I'm gay. I'll just have to make the best of that." He has to fight for victory over it. And it's inevitable that he'll lose. Here’s something I noticed while reading Evangelical responses to the Ted Haggard scandal: This kind of double life is related to their dualistic Heaven/Hell belief system.

When Larry King [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/22/lkl.01.html] asked James Dobson about Haggard, he said: “He, obviously, was, again, at war with himself. He was involved in activities that I think horrified him. He said that he fought against it, but he also knew what he believed. It was not hypocrisy. It was a struggle between behavior and the belief system.”

In the dualistic worldview, it’s perfectly natural to be at war with yourself. You have a good side and a bad side, and sometimes the bad side takes over. The Evangelicals aren’t looking for unity, they’re looking for victory of good over evil. But the evil is a permanent part of you, so the battle is endless and unity will only happen in Heaven.

So Haggard can’t say, “Hey, I’m gay. I’ll just have to make the best of that.” He has to fight for victory over it. And it’s inevitable that he’ll lose.

]]> By: Caroline Divine http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3412 Caroline Divine Sat, 23 Dec 2006 13:50:28 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3412 "...that the attack was obviously gender-specific went COMPLETELY uncommented upon.<br/>It wasn't just another school shooting. It was the murder of five little girls."<br/><br/>Why not talk about that? Very few people have (I think I read one op-ed on the topic), and folks should hear about it from the pulpit. “…that the attack was obviously gender-specific went COMPLETELY uncommented upon.
It wasn’t just another school shooting. It was the murder of five little girls.”

Why not talk about that? Very few people have (I think I read one op-ed on the topic), and folks should hear about it from the pulpit.

]]> By: PeaceBang http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3411 PeaceBang Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:55:51 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3411 Anon, thanks for de-lurking. The Amish story is more complicated in my mind and heart, given that the Amish community has a lot of unreported domestic abuse, and the fact that the attack was obviously gender-specific went COMPLETELY uncommented upon.<br/><br/>It wasn't just another school shooting. It was the murder of five little girls. Anon, thanks for de-lurking. The Amish story is more complicated in my mind and heart, given that the Amish community has a lot of unreported domestic abuse, and the fact that the attack was obviously gender-specific went COMPLETELY uncommented upon.

It wasn’t just another school shooting. It was the murder of five little girls.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3410 Anonymous Fri, 22 Dec 2006 15:51:10 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3410 This makes official my move from lurking to posting...<br/><br/>What an interesting concept for a sermon. I would love to be able to hear it myself. <br/><br/>One thing you haven't mentioned that I thought was particularly noteworthy and touching in the world of religion this past year was the forgiveness and love shown, in the very midst of their tragedy, by the Amish community who had lost children in the school shooting. While the shooting was sincerely a tradgey the communities response has a lot to teach us about sincerely living our faith. This makes official my move from lurking to posting…

What an interesting concept for a sermon. I would love to be able to hear it myself.

One thing you haven’t mentioned that I thought was particularly noteworthy and touching in the world of religion this past year was the forgiveness and love shown, in the very midst of their tragedy, by the Amish community who had lost children in the school shooting. While the shooting was sincerely a tradgey the communities response has a lot to teach us about sincerely living our faith.

]]> By: Ian http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3409 Ian Thu, 21 Dec 2006 00:12:50 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3409 To pick up on fausto's comment, the Evangelicals are in a bit of a bind over a number of social issues. Leading the reformation is Jim Wallis, who published "God's Politics" The subtitle sums it up nicely, "How the Right gets it wrong and the Left doesn't get it." He has turned the conservatives' weapon on themselves...the Bible! The elected president of the Christian Coalition ended up not serving because he wanted to move in the direction of adding environmentalism and poverty to what the CC does. 2007 could be an interesting year over on the right end of the spectrum. To pick up on fausto’s comment, the Evangelicals are in a bit of a bind over a number of social issues. Leading the reformation is Jim Wallis, who published “God’s Politics” The subtitle sums it up nicely, “How the Right gets it wrong and the Left doesn’t get it.” He has turned the conservatives’ weapon on themselves…the Bible! The elected president of the Christian Coalition ended up not serving because he wanted to move in the direction of adding environmentalism and poverty to what the CC does. 2007 could be an interesting year over on the right end of the spectrum.

]]> By: fausto http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3407 fausto Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:35:30 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3407 Another "big thrilling story" you might want to include is that the evangelical community is beginning to embrace an environmental ethic. Another “big thrilling story” you might want to include is that the evangelical community is beginning to embrace an environmental ethic.

]]> By: Steve Caldwell http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3408 Steve Caldwell Wed, 20 Dec 2006 02:33:13 +0000 http://www.peacebang.com/2006/12/19/the-news-of-the-year-in-religion-2006/#comment-3408 How about the only issue in 2006 that could create interfaith cooperation between Moslems, Jews, and Christians in Jerusalem?<br/><br/>Philocrites blogged about it here:<br/><br/>Men in dresses and fancy hats oppose gay pride festival<br/><a>http://www.philocrites.com/archives/001815.html</a> How about the only issue in 2006 that could create interfaith cooperation between Moslems, Jews, and Christians in Jerusalem?

Philocrites blogged about it here:

Men in dresses and fancy hats oppose gay pride festival
http://www.philocrites.com/archives/001815.html

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