More Thoughts about those "Christians"

As I chewed further in my mind, Bush, over those comments from leading neo-Christian apologists and polemicists to which I offered a link yesterday, in my Sunday blog, this thought occurred: I have read rather frequently where thoughtful observers have wondered why moderate Islamic voices are not heard condemning the excesses of their fanatical bretheren. If, these observers ask, the tenets of the fundamentalist fanatics are offensive to the great majority of peace-loving Muslims, where is the Muslim leadership that might counter their influence with the true voice of Islam?

Good question, Bush. And one we should ask about the Christian leadership, too. Where is the outrage over this dreadful distortion of the teachings of Christ to promote violence, racism, intolerance, anger, and hatred, when we all know that, when he walked the earth, this teacher/prophet (some say son of God) preached nothing but love, and acceptance of others, and forgiveness, and peace? So where are the loud voices of Christian leadership, raised to condemn the intolerant and rabble-rousing rants of these abusers of the Christian faith? The voice of the Pope, the cardinals, the bishops and archbishops of the Catholic and Episcopalian churches? The voice of a Billy Graham—surely, by now, more temperate in the wisdom of his eighty-something years than that of too many of his born-again disciples. Where are the voices of those assuredly reasonable and presumably moderate, peace-loving Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists who lead their flocks?

Is it just that the voices of the fanatics are louder, more dramatic, more appealing to those of us with blunted sensibilities in an age when we must shout above the incessant noise of communication to be heard? It may be so. It may be that those leaders are speaking out in outrage at the cynical abuse of their religious ideology, and that their voices simply are not broadcast by the bullhorns of those media hounds who gladly latch on to anything sensational enough to increase their ratings, but ignore the quieter voice of reason and goodwill.

But that does not excuse us. That does not excuse you, Bush, who occupy the pulpit of the nation and the world. From that exalted post you are pleased to condemn the outrages of the Islamic fanatics and mouth praises of the peaceful nature of the true faith of Islam. But I hear not a word of condemnation of the excesses of these fanatical Christian bretheren. To the contrary, we’re led to believe that these voices are those that reflect the opinions of your “base”, and that you share their dreadful beliefs, offensive to all who try to practice love and tolerance in their lives.

So when will we hear you speak out forthrightly against Christian hatred, Bush? Against intolerance, and stubborn ignorance, and violence, and racism practised in the name of the religion you embrace? Or are you, as you once suggested, a crusader, dedicated to the imposition of “Christian” beliefs and values on those of other faiths? Do believe, with Jerry Falwell, that "We're fighting against humanism, we're fighting against liberalism...we are fighting against all the systems of Satan that are destroying our nation today...our battle is with Satan himself"? Do you believe, with Ann Coulter, that "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war"?

I’m very much afraid that you not only don't condemn such thinking. You condone it.