2006-07-15

FUNDY HONOR ROLL & SBC's changing of the guard NjW 06-10-06

Sent: July 10, 2006

Know thine enemy - always good advice (the Bible says so, eh?); although few of these are the real enemy: Dominionists/Theocracists. The majority are just plain vanilla zealots, spreading God’s good word.

FYI, Catholics need not apply. For those of you new to playing in the fields of the Lord, Catholics, you may be surprised to learn, are not, in fact, “Christians;” this despite the fact that they patented and packaged the product. This is why you won’t find a-one on this ultra-WASP list; though, over the years, a few Schwartzes and Chicanos have managed to slip under the velvet rope (shhhh; a thousand years from now they’ll still be waiting for real membership in this club). As with Apartheid, it’s always tough figuring out all the inconsequentials when one’s line of work majors in minors.

Not all is dark on this facet of the “dark side” of our society. The Southern Baptist Convention (who, by the way, provided more meals, shelter, and medical care to the victims of Katrina than all other NGOs combined) – the largest Protestant organization in the world – has just elected its first “moderate” president in two decades. While Pastor Page is in no peril of being mistaken for a latter-day Gandhi or RFK, he does represent a tight turn to port for this flagship of the Fundy ship of state – for most folks, their default POV is moderate. Being an extremist all the time wears most of us out after awhile.

If you, like me, believe that shit flows downhill, this letter to the flock from President Frank Page (elected in June) will give you an idea of what kind of man the SBC has freely chosen (after 20 years of zealots cooking the SBC election books to ensure their yahoos got in) to set the SBC agenda, and why the Fundies may be – by their own choice - less of a political force in future. http://www.sbc.net/PresidentsPage/FrankPage/default.asp

(as you know, I love running into words I don’t know. It’s a rare thrill when it comes from a man of the cloth. Irenic means inclined or disposed to peace; not quarrelsome or unruly (I actually thought it was “ironic” misspelled, at first).The fact that this guy went out of his way to use such a term is a hopeful sign indeed. We may be witnessing the standing down of the foot soldiers (grassroots) of the Dominionists’ war on secularism; putting them roughly where they were in 1980.)

Not only does the good doctor’s letter ooze conciliation - and yes, even love - he even looks happier and more relaxed than his recent predecessors. From his letter:

“Was my election a statement that this Convention does not belong to any one particular group of people? I believe that it was.”

This one comment alone represents a sea-change from the certainty and righteousness of past decades under the thumb of the ultra-Fundies.

I could even see myself having a beer with this guy who’s God is quite clearly not vengeful and eternally pissed-off by infidels, fags, and what-have-you-got. For contrast, imagine sipping suds with Pat, Jerry, or James (D. Kennedy – watch the intro to his Sunday show sometime – he really feels the “power”) – brrrr - Fundy Megalomania at its best.

SBC’s Home page http://www.sbc.net/

So, if you protest the uber-Protestants (funny how that works), here is a rogue’s gallery. Bear in mind that, while these are all men (and the occasional “little woman”) who claim to be godly, some are more “godly” than others; hard to believe that both Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush pray to the same god.

The Evangelical Hit Parade http://12.163.122.165/JULY06top50.pdf (requires free Adobe Player)

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