So Glenn Beck, fresh from his burlesque of a civil rights rally on the national mall (news flash: Martin Luther King, Jr. was not a talk show host), is now attacking President Obama's religious beliefs (not what Obama has said, but what Beck attributes to him). He attributes to Obama "liberation theology" which is a concept that Glenn Beck obviously does not understand. (It is primarily Roman Catholic in origin and was the subject of Pope John Paul II's condemnation, something continued by Pope Benedict XVI).
Two things stand out. First of all, attacking the President for his religious beliefs is a really Bad Idea for US politics. Americans (except for the fringe of evangelical/fundies) react pretty badly to such a blatant interjection of sectarianism into public life. The majority of Americans want a president who sounds like a Hallmark card, but don't want theological debates.
Second, the person who should be thinking about religion more is Beck, not the President. Let me repeat this so that every Christian (and Mormon) can hear it: God does not love America or Americans more than any other human beings. The United States of America does not have God's blessing any more than the Co-Principality of Andorra. The American Flag is not sacred. Our institutions are entirely of earth, not of Heaven. People have been trying to pull the trick of associating Jesus with a government ever since the Roman army murdered him. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher. All is but plain vanity. Sadly, that vanity is the heart of Republican nationalistic religion. It is more fascist or Shinto in inspiration than it is Christian.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was willing to die for his fellow man. Glenn Beck won't even countenance a mild tax increase on capital gains. He's never been asked to give up anything in his life for the common good. His only god is the Almighty Dollar. That's why Beck and his idiot fools will be gone tomorrow, but the Dream will remain.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Glenn Beck Attacks Obama's Religion
Posted by The Law Talking Guy at 11:25 AM
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6 comments:
Glenn Beck is another one who, like G.W. Bush, came to religion as part of his recovery from addiction to drugs and booze. Another fanatic worshiper of the "12 Step Jesus" that magically cures addictions in exchange for blind obedience.
He's also "self taught" and I've read/heard things from his fans who rave about this aspect of his intellect as if it is something to be automatically admired. They love that his view of things like Liberation Theology, Catholicism, and African American Protestantism are uncorrupted by things like "universities" and "know it all intellectuals" and, you know... "facts."
You know it occurs to me that God probably loves Andorrans more than Americans. Andorra's co-Princes are the head of state of France (currently President Sarkozy) and the Bishop of Urgell. Assuming God has the kinds of biases that people like Glenn Beck say, don't you think God would prefer a genuine Christian theocracy - even a partial one - to a constitutionally secular state like ours?
He's a boozer who converted to Mormonism as part of an attempt to stay on the wagon. So when he talks about God he forgets to tell his evangelical followers, who don't like Mormons, that he's a Mormon. Mormons, as you may know, actually view the US Constitution as a divinely inspired document. I don't know whether Madison would laugh or cry. Read this speech by the former Mormon "President, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator." http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6985
I don't know which is worse, someone who fanatically believes in a 12 step Jesus or someone who fanatically believes in a 12 step Joseph Smith.
But seriously, it's amusing that Evangelical activists who want nothing other than to establish a theocracy in this country (in which they claim state's rights is the golden rule) would object to a religious sect that has actually established a theocracy in one state.
Just imagine that theocracy comes to this country. Think about what would happen once they try to ban sex, beer, and Basketball (shows too much skin). I can just imagine the Texans rising up now.
It reminds me of something John Steinbeck wrote. He was talking about the 1930's and the absurd fear of communism that existed at the time. He was talking to a lady who had a large home on the California Coast. She was a "communist sympathizer". So he pointed out that there were a lot of homeless people around, down on their luck, unable to find work. Perhaps she should donate her mansion to the community so that these people could have some housing. She was shocked at the suggestion.
And this, my friends, is why things like Communism and theocracy sounds good to some as a political theory and organizing principle. Then you start asking for the practical sacrifices that such theories require if they are to be put into practice. It's like the Evangelical TV preacher who is screwing his next door neighbor's dog while on cocaine. It's all just a theory.
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