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more on (time for alternative views) Religious leaders worry about Bush's use of religion to justify war
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 11:35:34 -0500
------ Forwarded Message From: "Munro, Neil" <nmunro () nationaljournal com> Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2003 11:16:32 -0500 To: "'dave () farber net'" <dave () farber net> Subject: RE: [IP] Religious leaders worry about Bush's use of religion to justify war First, despite its tone, the article makes plain that Bush is not sectarian. For example, he wants to make all religions eligible for community grants. One can't be sectarians if one is promoting such a non-denominational plan. The crux of the matter is Bush's belief that the religious world-view is at least as equal as a secularist world-view -- and it is this claim that the secularists dislike. Secularists do describe Saddam as a meglomaniac, suffering from a bad childhood, paranoid, etc. Fair enough -- these are certainly true. But Bush adds an much-older explanation -- that Saddam has choosen to side with evil. This has the merit of being obviously true, if one accepts the notion of evil. Many Americans do embrace such a notion, partly because it makes it much easier for the average person to govern himelf or herself, and the community around them. The notion of evil is wrapped up in religion, but -- again -- it is not a sectarian concept. It is in any religion worth its name, including Islam. Bush's opponents oppose his use of the notion, even if used alongside their secular medical & social explanations, because Bush's use of 'evil' is a challenge to their secular world. The secularists -- aided by the National Council of Churches (last time they were in the news, they were ushering Elian back to the Castro's un-democratic Cuba) would rather see religion (and its populist world view) relegated to inferior intellectual status, and largely barred from government recognition. This notion of evil so obviously applies to Saddam that secularists who choose to argue against it under these circumstances are choosing their intellectual battle on very disadvantageous ground. Moreover, the battle will be decided by the voters, not by the intellectual class, when they judge Bush's performance in these crises. ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- more on (time for alternative views) Religious leaders worry about Bush's use of religion to justify war Dave Farber (Mar 06)