COUNTERCOLUMN: All Your Bias Are Belong to Us

...Full of grace.

Update: Barak atah adonai eloheinu melech ha'olam shecheyanu v'kiy'manu v'higyanu lazman hazeh.

Labels: health care, Obama, Religion

The Thomas More Law Center files a Friend of the Court Brief opposing the ACLU.

At issue is a small cross originally erected on Sunrise Rock in 1934 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in memory of the dead of all wars. The cross is located in California’s Mojave Desert, in a remote area where the only visible signs of human activity are off-road vehicles and trail hikers. The ACLU succeeded in its anti-cross agenda by obtaining a ruling in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that the cross violated the so-called separation of church and state. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case, Ken Salazar v. Frank Buono.

I swear - the ACLU isn't staffed by liberals so much as sociopaths.

Splash, out

Jason

Labels: ACLU, Christianity, in memoriam, law, Religion, soldiers' issues, stupid, The Left

Top Djimmi swings ...

When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations.

Great! Let's recognize Iran's right to nuclear technology right away! Other Presidents would force a rival nation to all but sell their soul at the bargaining table for us simply to look the other way. The One, however, in his wisdom, has given that concession away for nothing.

And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience.

The innocents in Darfur are being slaughtered by Muslims. But don't mention that.

In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.

Never? Suppose Islam were at war with us?

We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security.

Yes. By calling off the War on Terror and advocating immediate surrender in Iraq on the campaign trail. By directing law enforcement agencies to go hands-off radical Muslims here at home. And finally, by advocating the release of Gitmo inmates in the United States and ensuring the rest of them get lawyers.

I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11.

Good. Let's elevate them to our level by refusing to make a case why they're wrong.

That's why we're partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths – more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism – it is an important part of promoting peace.

Finally he gets something right.

Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world.

And his stupidity in airing that out, and dissing the previous administration, as his his usual classless wont, is also a stupidity of choice. I wonder what Iraq's Gold Star mothers would think of that statement?

Although I believe that the Iraqi people are ultimately better off without the tyranny of Saddam Hussein, I also believe that events in Iraq have reminded America of the need to use diplomacy and build international consensus to resolve our problems whenever possible.

Ummm... the Iraq war came after 12 years worth of diplomacy, Mr. President. And was fought by a pretty good sized coalition itself. Further, Mr. President, since you yourself brought up the term 'consensus,' let me remind you that in 2003, there was no doubt about what the international consensus was: Saddam was in violation of the UNSC resolutions, was a state sponsor of terror, and out of compliance with the terms of the cease fire.

Clinton bombed them for a reason.

have made it clear to the Iraqi people that we pursue no bases, and no claim on their territory or resources. Iraq's sovereignty is its own. That is why I ordered the removal of our combat brigades by next August.

"Relentless pursuit!!!"

I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States

Good. So did your predecessor. Except you reserved the right to use it in the future. Just like your predecessor. Color me unimpressed.

I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.

ROFLMAO

America's strong bonds with Israel are well known. This bond is unbreakable. It is based upon cultural and historical ties, and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.
Around the world, the Jewish people were persecuted for centuries, and anti-Semitism in Europe culminated in an unprecedented Holocaust. Tomorrow, I will visit Buchenwald, which was part of a network of camps where Jews were enslaved, tortured, shot and gassed to death by the Third Reich. Six million Jews were killed – more than the entire Jewish population of Israel today. Denying that fact is baseless, ignorant, and hateful.

Good. More like this, please.

For decades, there has been a stalemate: two peoples with legitimate aspirations, each with a painful history that makes compromise elusive. It is easy to point fingers – for Palestinians to point to the displacement brought by Israel's founding.

News flash: Their displacement was not brought about by Israel's founding.

Palestinians must abandon violence. Resistance through violence and killing is wrong and does not succeed. For centuries, black people in America suffered the lash of the whip as slaves and the humiliation of segregation. But it was not violence that won full and equal rights. It was a peaceful and determined insistence upon the ideals at the center of America's founding. This same story can be told by people from South Africa to South Asia; from Eastern Europe to Indonesia. It's a story with a simple truth: that violence is a dead end.

Spirit of 76!

Holy crap, Mr. President! Slavery was eradicated by the American Civil War, and 600,000 dead! Where on earth do you get this nonsense?

At the same time, Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel's right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine's. The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.

That is a huge rhetorical concession to make. What did the US get at the negotiating table in exchange for us sticking a shiv in Israel's ribs?

I'm waiting.

This history is well known. Rather than remain trapped in the past, I have made it clear to Iran's leaders and people that my country is prepared to move forward.

Move foreward? With Ahmadinejad?!?!?

In what universe does that make a lick of sense?

The only thing that will move forward is Iran's nuclear program and missile capabilities.

There will be many issues to discuss between our two countries, and we are willing to move forward without preconditions on the basis of mutual respect.

Without preconditions!?!?!?!

Even Hillary isn't that stupid.

I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nations hold nuclear weapons. That is why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.

Good idea. Now that the genie is out of the bottle, let's give a decisive strategic advantage to liars, terrorists and outlaw states.

Stupid fucking hippies.

I know there has been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years

Controversy? Promoting democracy is controversial? What kind of nihilist cesspool do you normally associate with, Mr. President? Wait. Don't answer that.

"Bear any burden," indeed.

T

hat does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people.

Ok, Top Djimmi. Explain to me precisely how the government of North Korea gives life to the principle that governments reflect the will of the people. Because I'm not sure you're clear on the concept.

Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance. We see it in the history of Andalusia and Cordoba during the Inquisition. I saw it firsthand as a child in Indonesia, where devout Christians worshiped freely in an overwhelmingly Muslim country.

Behold: Muslim tolerance: Indonesian style.

I've seen smarter speeches at high school graduation ceremonies.

I swear, Democrats have an incredibly childlike faith in the power of parallel construction.

Splash, out

Jason

Labels: International relations, Islam, Middle East, Obama, Religion

Apparently, to Time's Amy Sullivan, the phrase "Bible-believing Christian" is "code."

Well, she's right. It's code for "Bible-believing Christian," you drooling genius!

You would think Sullivan would do a better job than she does with this hack of an article. After all, she's the author of "The Party Faithful: How the Democrats are Closing the God Gap. (Answer: Simple! Ronald Reagan isn't running!). And she claims to be an evangelical herself (though apparently doesn't understand it beyond the Wikipedia homework level.)

Case in point: Here's Sullivan on the "task from God flap from Palin's Charlie Gibson interview:

But Palin herself has at times consciously distanced herself from her Evangelical faith. When asked by ABC's Charlie Gibson about a comment for which she has been criticized — asking her former congregation to pray that U.S. soldiers in Iraq are "on a task that is from God" — Palin argued that she had been paraphrasing an Abraham Lincoln quote. In fact, she had used fairly standard Evangelical language in expressing a desire that human actions conform with God's will. In trying to separate herself from that tradition, Palin's explanation struck both secular critics and many Evangelicals as scripted by political strategists.

This is stupid beyond description. Sullivan sets up an absolutely false dichotomy. There is no contradiction between paraphrasing an Abraham Lincoln quotation and being connected to Christian tradition. It is certainly conceivable that Palin is not the first evangelical to quote Lincoln, for example. And the Lincoln quote is certainly a matter of publicly available record.

At the same time, however, Palin's statement is firmly rooted in a longstanding Christian tradition of praying for those in authority...which certainly predates the Iraq War. Indeed, it goes all the way back to Pauline New Testament writings (specifically, I'm thinking of I Timothy 2:1-2

"I urge then first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

What evangelicals are praying for, when they pray for "those in authority," is precisely what Palin was saying: That we should pray that those in authority make decisions in humility and align public policy with the designs of a living and loving God. In other words, we should pray that our politicians and leaders should work to ensure that we are on God's side.

But wait: Sullivan get's even dumber:

And in her interview with Couric, Palin was, if not ashamed, purposefully vague about her churchgoing habits. "I don't have a church, I'm not a member of any church," she said. "I get to visit a couple of churches in Alaska when I'm home, including one, Wasilla Bible Church." Church-hopping is a common practice for many religious Americans, but it is relatively unusual for Evangelicals with children to shift among a number of churches instead of belonging to one stable faith community.

What do you mean "if not ashamed?" Amy? Why would you use such a damning, yet mealy-mouthed construction? (Imagine if I had written that "Amy Sullivan is, if not a child molester, purposefully vague about her child-rearing habits." Inappropriate? You betcha.

It is not for Amy to draw conclusions or inferences by clucking her tongue at whether Palin chooses to attend a variety of churches. I would imagine that Palin probably has close friends at a number of congregations, and occasionally chooses to accompany one group or another. Perhaps Palin doesn't feel the need for a "stable faith community" in one church, because her stable faith community exists in more than one church!

Sullivan's argument, such as it is, is just ridiculous. She should not be clucking her tongue at Palin and looking down her nose at another Christian's decision to church hop. There is nothing in the new testament that requires any Christian to attend one and one church only.

But Sullivan gets dumber still:

It is this Pentecostal association that most concerns and confuses the McCain campaign.

Sullivan basis this observation on...on.. on what, exactly? There's no sourcing cited in the article at all. Why? Because she pulled it out of her ass, that's why!!!!

As Minnery makes clear, millions of Evangelicals have accepted Palin because of her membership in a Bible church. But there is no denying that mainstream Evangelicals and Pentecostals, while political allies on many social issues, have historically had significant tensions over theological differences. The Evangelicals' swoon for Palin might fade if it turns out that she continues to hold fast to Pentecostal practices and beliefs.

Ridiculous. Yes, mainstream Protestants and evangelicals are a bit puzzled by the practices of charismatics and pentacostals. But those who are deeply enough ensconced in Christian practice to understand and articulate the differences between mainstream protestantism and the evangelical movement is probably NOT voting for Obama!

Splash, out

Jason

Labels: Christianity, Palin, Politics, Religion

...Separated by a common language.

NEW YORK Appearing on Donny Deutsch's CNBC show, "The Big Idea," on Monday night, columnist/author Ann Coulter suggested that the U.S. would be a better place if there weren't any Jewish people and that they had "perfected" themselves into -- Christians.

It led Deutsch to suggest that surely he couldn't mean that, and when she insisted she did, he said this sounded "anti-Semitic."

Asked by Deutsch regarding whether she wanted to be like "the head of Iran" and "wipe Israel off the Earth," Coulter stated: "No, we just want Jews to be perfected, as they say. ... That's what Christianity is. We believe the Old Testament."

The actual transcript, too long to post here, is at the link.

My take:

Coulter is right - at least within her own frame of reference. But is heard very differently within the Church than outside of it.

The word "perfected" means something very different to a Christian than it does to someone who is not a Christian - something more akin to "made perfect" in the sense of washed away of sin.

Jews don't think in these terms - that's a very New Testament, Pauline way of expressing it.

The concept, to a Christian, is rooted not in superiority, but in the acknowledgement of inferiority. The Christian cannot be made perfect on his or her own merits, but depends on the grace made possible by the sacrifice of Christ. We are so unworthy, according to Christian belief, that ONLY this grace makes salvation possible, and ONLY this grace allows for perfection.

The Christian ear hears, "We need the grace of the Lord because we, like the Jews and the Muslims and everybody else, can never live up to the exacting standards of Mosaic law. There is no one righteous. No, not one. All fall short of the glory of God."

The Jewish ear hears, "Hey! We're better than you heathens. So convert or die."

I'm reminded of the funny gaffe when Rev. Falwell was quoted in a news story as having said that Christians need to practice "assault ministry."

No. Falwell said that Christians need to practice "a salt ministry."

This is a term of art within Christianity and is not well understood outside of it, but it's a shorthand way of expressing a complicated idea. Same with the term "perfected." Christians who are educated in Christian apologetics, and who understand the shorthand and jargon of Christianity, will understand it. Most others won't. Coulter either forgot her audience, or didn't forget it but enjoys getting a rise out of them.

I suspect the latter is more likely for her - at least once she got into the conversation. But this is not evidence of antisemitism.

All Christians believe that Christianity is the fulfillment of Jewish faith and prophecy. Or at least will be at the Second Coming (and there's lots of quibble room on that one!).

But is this evidence of antisemitism?

No.

Splash, out

Jason


UPDATE: A Google search on the phrase "perfected in Christ" turns up more than 22,000 hits. Remove the quotes and you get 885,000 hits. A search on the term "Made perfect" and "Christ" together turns up more than 334,000 hits. The search on "made perfect" and "faith in Jesus" turns up over 29,000 hits. "Perfect in grace" yields over 29,000 hits. And a search on the phrase "be ye perfect," turns up 17,800 hits.

Really - Editor and Publisher has no idea about the shark they're jumping.

2nd UPDATE: Wikipedia has this on the long-standing concept of Christian Perfection.
No, dumbasses, it has nothing to do with looking down Christian noses at Jews.

3rd UPDATE: For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
--Hebrews 10:14

I guess liberal knuckleheads don't know how to use a concordance.

Here's everywhere the phrase "made perfect" appears in the King James version:

Hbr 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;


Hbr 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Hbr 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Hbr 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Jam 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

1Jo 4:17 ¶ Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Obviously, Coulter was tapping into a very well established concept - one which is thoroughly understood within the Church.

You know, I'm tired of liberals pretending to superior intelligence, because time after time, they establish themselves as uncultured, poorly-read, semiliterate hacks.

Labels: Media, Religion