Gandhi Is Going To Hell
James Taranto thinks a "normal" American family is one that believes that a book riddled with errors and contradictions, filled with undocumented fairy tales and caveman morality is the Word of God (oh, except that it's been recently translated into an easily accessible English version that barely resembles the original, but never mind that). Speaking of God, God help us. Here's Taranto commenting on this piece by Brian Macquarrie in the Boston Globe yesterday:
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The Wilkersons oppose abortion and stem-cell research, consider homosexuality a sin, and regard same-sex marriage as the work of activist judges who cater to a dangerous fringe group. The future holds either heaven or hell, and the only way to paradise is to accept Jesus Christ. In their reading of Scripture, even a saintly non-Christian such as Gandhi has been doomed to eternal torment.
"This is the word of God," Michael Wilkerson says, brandishing the New International Version of the Bible. "There's only one way, and it's through Jesus."
The article continues in this vein for more than 2,600 words. There's nothing hostile or even disrespectful about it, but MacQuarrie comes across as if he were a visitor from another planet marveling at Earth's exotic culture. It never seems to occur to him that the Wilkersons are nothing more than a normal American family.
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No, these people are anything but normal (memo to Jimbo: 'typical' is NOT 'normal'), and if Christianity weren't accorded a perverse amount of respect in a society that is, forgive the phrase, slouching towards theocracy, they would be considered members of a bizarre and dangerous cult.
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The Wilkersons oppose abortion and stem-cell research, consider homosexuality a sin, and regard same-sex marriage as the work of activist judges who cater to a dangerous fringe group. The future holds either heaven or hell, and the only way to paradise is to accept Jesus Christ. In their reading of Scripture, even a saintly non-Christian such as Gandhi has been doomed to eternal torment.
"This is the word of God," Michael Wilkerson says, brandishing the New International Version of the Bible. "There's only one way, and it's through Jesus."
The article continues in this vein for more than 2,600 words. There's nothing hostile or even disrespectful about it, but MacQuarrie comes across as if he were a visitor from another planet marveling at Earth's exotic culture. It never seems to occur to him that the Wilkersons are nothing more than a normal American family.
___________________
No, these people are anything but normal (memo to Jimbo: 'typical' is NOT 'normal'), and if Christianity weren't accorded a perverse amount of respect in a society that is, forgive the phrase, slouching towards theocracy, they would be considered members of a bizarre and dangerous cult.
posted by hellisotherpeople at 9:35 AM
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