Or Will Gay Marriage
And Mormonism
Sever Ties?
August 28th, the day Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally
hits the nation's capitol, may become a notable date in history: it
will be the first time that Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin will meet to
extol the glory that was our country and what we should do to regain
its former stature among nations and among ourselves. It will be
notable because it surely will not be the only time these two
world-renowned people will be together under the shadow of Abraham
Lincoln to put forth their philosophies and theologies. History is
ready to enshrine their wisdom.
Then again...
Ben Dimiero, Media Matters:
Beck's messianic religiosity took the next logical step this week, when he announced a new event scheduled on the eve of the 8-28 rally. Employing his characteristic humility, the event will be titled "Glenn Beck's Divine Destiny" and will feature "nationally-known figures from all faiths." Beck describes the evening as an "eye-opening" event "that will help heal your soul."
"... from all faiths."
Will that panoply of religion include Islam? For Beck's sake, it had
better not. It shouldn't include Hinduism. Or Buddhism. Or Mormonism.
Or even Judaism (to any extent - tokens may be accepted since he's
actually had several rabbis on his radio show). The guest list MUST be
packed with such notables as Tony Perkins (FRC), Bryan Fischer (AFA),
Lou Engle, Rick Warren, Richard Land (SBC), Franklin Graham, Jerry
Falwell, Jr. and (if he's feted enough), Pat Robertson. If Glenn Beck
wants to solidify his power-base, he needs these men and needs to keep within their boundaries.
Through his historian-guru, David Barton, Beck has firmly placed the
Christian Nation ideology on the political map. With rallies like this
one, however, he must make certain that the meme is stretched to mean
"Christian-Only Nation."
There will be points that Beck will need to punctuate or else the Tony Perkinses and Franklin Grahams will walk away and leave a very unpleasant tension in the air:
- First: AMERICA IS A CHRISTIAN NATION. Beck's "historian" David Barton must be able to point to every founding father and declare that without a doubt he was a Christian and that this country was founded solely on Christian principles.
- GAY RIGHTS ARE NOT CIVIL RIGHTS. The fact that August 28th is the 47th anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have A Dream speech will not be lost on the multitude, hopefully sprinkled with African American pastors.
- AMERICA MUST REPENT. It must feel utter remorse in the fact that it let hedonistic and immoral forces take over the country.
- If America does not STOP THE MACHINATIONS OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, it will be doomed to become a totalitarian, Socialist - and Godless - state.
- THE FREEDOMS OF RELIGION AND SPEECH ARE BEING STRONGLY CURTAILED and, if we do not act now, Christian churches and congregations will be persecuted.
- TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IS UNDER ATTACK by a small but powerful minority of homosexual, Socialist activists.
- The CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SEEKS TO UPHOLD IMMORAL LAWS allowing abortion.
- OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CORRUPTED by the ideologies of lawless Socialists.
- If our country does not TURN AWAY FROM SOCIALIST IDEAS, SOCIALIST SCIENCE AND SOCIALIST EDUCATION, then it is doomed both spiritually and physically.
- MUSLIMS- especially the ones who actively practice Islam - SHOULD BE LOOKED UPON AS POTENTIAL TERRORISTS
I don't think the Beckian concept of "social justice" will be featured, since all of Beck's apostles know it by heart.
I beg you, look for the words 'social justice' or 'economic justice' on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, the idea - hang on, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!
That
now-famous statement has been enshrined in the halls of the Christian
Right while being scorned from the pulpits of the progressives. With
that one statement, Beck defined both sides: Progressive=evil,
Conservative = good.
Beck's
definitions are not, however, quite balanced: "conservative" should be
replaced by "regressive." And then "Restoring" would make more sense,
for according to the Right's philosophy, we must reach back in time to
retrieve the principles, to take back the Christian morals that we
don't have today. And Beck's definition of "honor" is also amiss: isn't
hypocrisy one of the opposites of honor? Isn't hiding behind the Bible,
cowering behind the pulpit and evoking the First Amendment to justify
hate speech dishonorable? Isn't bloviating about religious freedom
while (literally) demonizing other religions dishonorable? What is so
honorable about turning one's rights into something to be feared? And
what is so unifying about "us" versus "them"? Restore Honor, by its very name says that "we" are better than "them."
That begs the question:
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