Category Archives: conservatism

Book review: Carolyn Briggs

Leave a reply

I just finished reading Carolyn Brigg’s book, “This Dark World: A Memoir of Salvation Found and Lost”. This is the story of a young woman’s conversion to fundamentalist Christian extremism and how that she eventually became disenchanted and left that faith for what some would call “secular humanism.” This is one of a growing genre of books by people who have left fundamentalism and adopted a more open-minded faith or have eschewed faith altogether.

What I admire most about this book is its description of how social pressures and manipulation are used to “convert” people, especially young people, into the fundamentalist fold and how those same pressures are used to keep them there. Religion of this genre is not about the Spirit of God leading but about “group think” and the powerful human need to belong. And it is important to “belong” to various social groups…and certainly to the human race!…but this social belonging must not be confused with mature spirituality.

I have noticed that many readers of this blog are evangelical Christians. When I made this discovery I was really surprised for I assumed that the beliefs I’m promulgating would be anathema to them. I’m pleased to learn that this is not the case. My heart still lies with evangelical Christianity though I can never go back. I don’t need to and don’t want to. But I’m pleased to see how that an open-mindedness and humility is springing up in the evangelical faith here and there. So, my dear evangelical brethren and sisters, I strongly recommend that you read this Carolyn Briggs book. It does not have to shake your faith but it will bring your attention to the social pressures and manipulation that are often the bedrock in your churches. It is possible to see through those “social pressures and manipulation” and still maintain the rudiments of your faith.

And I might add, “social pressures and manipulation” is not the exclusive domain of evangelicals! It is present in any grouping, “spiritual” or otherwise. In fact, Ms. Briggs wrote a very insightful article several months ago about the same sort of pressures being very apparent at a gathering of atheists. See the link provided below:

(http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/5283/waiting_for_lightning_to_strike%3A_a_wobbly_agnostic_among_the_atheists)

Ostentatious displays of faith

Leave a reply

I’m afraid the world has not heard me! I discoursed several weeks ago about the “Tebowing” phenomena and, low and behold, it continues! Can’t ya’ll listen to me????? I mean, am I a mere voice “crying in the wilderness?”

Tim Tebow is making a show of his faith. He is not doing this because he is a bad guy. He is not a bad guy. He has faith and I commend him for that. But he is doing “Tim Tebow” because that is all he knows and that is what he was rewarded for when he was a child. Faith, as it was presented to him, is about showmanship. If you will indulge me a bit of a leap, I quote Shakespeare who once noted, “When love (i.e., “faith”) begins to sicken and decay, it useth an enforced ceremony.”

Tim needs to learn that faith is first and foremost a private matter and does not need ostentatious displays before screaming throngs…and a national tv audience…whose concern at the moment is not religion. Sure, a public affirmation of faith has its place. Yes, he can affirm his “faith in Jesus Christ as his personal savior” in public venues, when appropriate. But to do so during a sporting cheapens his faith and does it great disservice.

Narcissim and arrogance of GOP

1 Reply

Newt Gingrich recently declared that his nomination for the GOP nomination was certain. I’m just appalled at his brazen arrogance but that kind of chutzpa has a definite place in the contemporary Republican party. We all have flashes of narcissism in which we are too sure of ourselves but usually we self-monitor and do not announce our childish whim, realizing that we appear arrogant and over-confident. We have the whim but on some level we immediately pause and say to ourselves, “Now how would this sound to others?”

There is another example from a GOP debate in September. Health care for the indigent was being discussed and Ron Paul was asked about the issue. Wolf Blitzer posed the question to Paul, “What do you tell a guy who is sick, goes into a coma and doesn’t have health insurance? Who pays for his coverage? Are you saying society should just let him die?” Immediately someone from the Tea Party audience yelled, “Yeah” and that was immediately followed by another “yeah” and then thunderous applause. The candidates were silent for a moment, realizing that the crowd response was really awkward.

Now, I would think that the Tea Party crowd would have realized just how awkward it would appear to applaud and cheer for the hypothetical death of another human being. But “self-monitoring” is not their strong suit and they burst into applause. It was kind of like an earlier debate when the crowd cheered that Rick Perry’s state, Texas, was “leading the league” in executions.

Herman Cain’s homecoming

Leave a reply

Well, Herman Cain has spent the night at home with his wife of 37 years.  Boy, did they have lots to talk about.  I wish C-Span could have had its camera there.

I have a suggestion for SNL tonite re how to sketch this homecoming. The sketch would show him walking up to the door of his house, pizza in one hand and a huge King James Bible in the other.  He would attempt to unlock the door and the key would not fit.  He would then knock, first tentatively and then firmly.  After an awkward moment, Gloria would open the door, looking disheveled with a shot glass in her hand.  “Honey, I’m home,” he’d announce with enthusiasm  . Seriously, he has steadily demonstrated that he is in over his head and I’m not even talking about the bimbo factor. I think of him as occupying the Sarah Palin chair of the Republican campaign, triumping for that honor even over the formidable candidacy of Michelle Bachman.

Back during the late summer, early fall, the Republican Party should have put all of them on a flatbed truck and carted them around the various county fairs in the deep South.  It would have been quiet a show.  It would have created a real delimma for me though, forcing me to choose between the GOP candidates and the two-headed woman and the conjoined twins.

 

Republicans in a delimma

2 Replies

The report today is that the unemployment rate has improved, dropping to a 2.5 year low. Recently there are several indications that the economy is improving. And that is not even counting the huge boost in the stock market a couple of days ago and the one that is expected today. This news puts the Republicans in an awkward position. Their leading “candidate” in the election of 2012 is a poor economy. And they went out of their way early in the O’Bama administration to emphasize that they “hope he fails.” I know that as they see the economy stirring a little, they must be privately saying to themselves and to each other, “Oh shit!” This attitude they have demonstrated is really embarrassing. In addition to announcing, “I hope he fails” they have opposed any effort along the way to get the economy going.

Now, O’Bama is still in deep trouble. A Republican victory in November 2012 is quite feasible. It would be so funny if the GOP does win if Democrat leaders would come out and smarmily announce, with pronounced irony and facetiousness, “We hope he fails!” I personally cannot imagine “I hope he fails” coming to my mind should the Republicans win though I will surely announce it to tease my Republican friends. That attitude is absolutely deplorable. And, I don’t think the Democrats are currently exploiting that Republican mind set enough.

Anti-intellectualism and anti-science: Keep ’em on the reservation.

Leave a reply

Karl Gilberson has another post in the Huffington Post in which he, an evangelical himself, addresses the issue of anti-intellectual, anti-science stances taken by the evangelical movement. He attributes this issue to driving away the youth from evangelical churches and cites statistics to prove his point. And his position brings to my mind the work of Richard Hofstadtner on anti-intellectualism in American history (Anti-intellectualism in American Life), a tendency which Hofstadtner links with religious and political conservatism.

Some Christians feel that God wants them to turn their brains off and not think critically. Their stance reveals a perception of God who wants to be merely adored and worshipped, who will, after “the end of the world “comes will get his jollies from having all his believers fawn over him for eternity. And “eternity” in this mind set is a quantitative term, not qualitative. In other words, it will go on and on and on forever! AND, of course, meanwhile those “non-believers” will be roasting in hell for the same “eternity.” Why is it so important for Christians to have and to maintain this perspective? (There are some revisionist interpretations of hell in evangelical circles and they are not appreciated. That is putting it mildly.)

A key issue here is the very nature of identity. People who subscribe to this world view reflect a very rigid view of themselves; for, as we see God so do we see ourselves and the rest of the world. This is just another variation of my oft-used bromide, “What we see is what we are.” This static view of the world was reality at one point in the past and still is in many cultures. And that “static world” created static identities. But reality has evolved so far beyond that limited grasp of the world.

Identity…and the rest of the world we perceive…is ephemeral. When this understanding comes to an individual whose grasp of the world is otherwise, it is admittedly disturbing and potentially catastrophic. That is why conservative believers cling so desperately to their static world-view, their static identity, and amuse themselves with mindless repetition of dogma. I must insist, however, they could “let go” of their dogma and discover that their “dogma” would still be valid, though in a radically different way. The “letter of the law” would then give way to “the spirit of the law”. When identity has been transformed, worship of “god” becomes worship of “God.”

But I must offer a caveat to any True Believer (see Eric Hoffer) who might have stumbled upon my musings— “You had better keep your kids on the reservation! Yes, home-school ‘em and try to keep them out of college. And if you let them go to college, make sure it is some diploma-mill where their belief system will not be challenged.”

Leave a reply

Atheists often have the same enthusiasm and arrogance that hyper-conservative Christians do.  They appear to become very smug with their belief-system and view “non-believers” with disdain.  It is really kind of comical.  This is best seen in Carolyn Brigg’s description of her visit to an atheist convention in Iowa several months ago.  I provide the link here:

http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/culture/5283/waiting_for_lightning_to_strike%3A_a_wobbly_agnostic_among_the_atheists/

(You will probably have to copy-and-paste this to your address bar.  I haven’t learned yet how to import a link!)

Persons of faith can learn from reading Briggs’ report.  Her report illustrates how any belief system can become an end in itself, how that it can be used to make persons feel really good about themselves, so much so that they become smug.  I believe in feeling good about ourselves but we should not need a crutch to accomplish this.

One of the most prominent atheists of our day is Bill Maher.  And, I love Bill Maher!  But at times he is just too disdainful toward those who choose to believe.  And Christopher Hitches can be outright arrogant.  He was brutal in his treatment of Mother Teresa who honestly acknowledged the profound doubt that haunted her deep faith.

Obnoxious atheists, just like obnoxious Christians, need to get a life.  They need to follow the advice, “Get over yourself.”

Richard Rohr and the church

Leave a reply

Richard Rohr was recently on a PBS program on religion and ethics.  I provide here a link to his 10-minute presentation and high recommend it.   Some of my regular readers are evangelical and I really think that Rohr’s spirituality and teachings is relevant to evangelicism although he is a Franciscan monk.

In this presentation, Rohr takes to task the church for opting for a “religious comfort zone” rather than meaningful spiritual development.  He also noted the need of “shadow boxing” to address the dark side that is with us all, even Christians.  “We need to clean the lens,” he said, pointing to his glasses.  He was here referring to the fact that we “see through a glass darkly” and our “glasses” are always being “dirtied” by this dark side, this ever-present shadow.

He emphasized the need of prayer and not hollow, empty, formulaic, meaningless prayer.  Instead he recommends meditative prayer in which one clears his/her mind of the clutter, engages in primordial silence, and follows the biblical mandate, “Be still and know that I am God.”  He declares that prayer helps us to let go of our self, to let go of “repetitive compulsive thoughts.”

(You will have to copy-and-paste the following link to your address bar)

<http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/november-11-2011/richard-rohr/9902/&gt;

Praise for Republicans

2 Replies

I actually feel some sympathy for Rick Perry re his memory lapse in last night’s debate.  He really screwed up and embarrassed himself and probably knows that this was the death-knell of his campaign.  But I cringe when someone humiliates himself anywhere, especially in a national forum.  I commend him for acknowledging this even then, with his “oops” comment, and even later when he admitted, “I stepped in it.”  (I like that course image as we all know what “it” was that he stepped in.)  And I’m impressed that he didn’t trot out the usual political refrain, “Well, I certainly was amiss on that occasion,”  and which point they trot out their talking points, prefaced with, “But, here is my central message…..”  He didn’t do that.   Well, at least he has not of yet.  I personally hope that he drops out, returns to Texas, looks seriously into his campaign and the issues that it brought to the surface, that he will delve more deeply into his faith and explore that faith more fully, and then will resurface to engage meaningfully…and hopefully with more humility…in the rest of his life.

And, yes, even a word of praise for Michelle Bachman, though I grimace at the prospect of praising this very simple, not-ready-for-primetime woman.  But I like her idea of imposing a tax liability on that 50% of the population who pay no income taxes each year, perhaps even $10.00.  And, yes, this responsibility could cost them a “happy meal” or two, or even better yet a couple of packs of cigarettes.  But, it would help impose reality on them and I fear that with the “welfare state” we do create a false reality for many.  Now, of course, there would have to be exceptions.  There are those who could not afford even $10.00 and do not have even the luxury of a “happy meal” or cigarettes.

God, I hope I don’t rot in hell for offering even the faintest praise for this appalling political character!  But I must always remember, “Even a blind pig finds a walnut eve now and then.”

 

 

Conservative faith and fear of difference

Leave a reply

Yesterday I noted my reluctance to read Ram Dass even though I stumble upon his teachings often and always find them very insightful.  I attributed this reluctance to my conservative youth when he and his ilk were roundly demonized by my conservative faith.  I often find little intrusions into my life by this conservative past, little themes that are resurrected by day-to-day events in my life and the life of my culture.  For example, I was raised in a racist Southern culture but have gone far beyond racism ever since I made my escape from that culture in the early 70’s.  But from time to time that demon just faintly resurrects itself in my heart with some passing thought.  And, I don’t then berate myself or “confess my sin” to God; I merely exercise “mindfulness” for a moment and then go on with my life, recognizing that all of us have these haunts in our past

It is interesting that Ram Dass and “his ilk” were so hated by conservative Christian culture back then and that it continues today.  I know it had to do with the “foreignness” of it all—trekking to India, studying in an “ashram”, receiving teachings from guys with names like Meha Baba and Maharaja Ji.  And there was all this talk of “foreign gods” and holy literature when I knew there was only one “holy literature” available—the Bible.  They talked a different language than I did and it made me uncomfortable.  And, of course, there was this issue at the root of it all—they did not believe in Jesus and would one day rot in hell for their unbelief.

Perhaps the core issue there was simply “difference.”  I was raised to fear and loathe difference.  I was taught that everyone should be just like me and if they didn’t, it was merely an issue of them getting right with God and joining the Christian fold.  But, this exploration has been deeply enriching to my faith….my “Christian” faith…to learn of different ways to approach spirituality. Not that I have to adopt any of them!  When I explore these other religions I am made more aware of reality and I can bring this increased awareness to my faith.  But in conservative religion, there is no need for ‘awareness”.  There is merely the need to accept the dogma being presented to you, swallow it uncritically, and then regurgitate it the rest of your life.  (This “regurgitation” brings to my mind a cow chewing her cud—-the cow just stands there nonchalantly chewing her cud, apparently just as happy as a bug-in-a-rug.)