[Vision2020] The Benefits of Polarization

[Ted Moffett]

Doug, et. al.

Talk about a polarizing ideology, let's discuss the dogma and restrictions 
imposed by certain forms of Christianity!  Religion almost always imposes 
authoritarian ideological control over peoples lives by setting up us versus 
them, good versus evil dichotomies that are rigid and absolute, thus 
simplifying for the adherents of said religion what might be the difficult 
task of judging other people of differing ideologies or navigating 
perplexing moral choices.

I'm not going to give energy here to those endless loops of logic whereby so 
called progressives who promote "pluralism" and "relativism" get caught 
defending certain values so vehemently that certain absolutist Trinitarians 
drool over the contradictions that have snared those poor misled 
progressives.  I merely point out the logical difficulties involved in 
rationally defending Christianity, which are so various and profound it 
takes an extreme compartmentalization of the mind to on the one hand so 
vigorously point out the logical problems with progressivism while failing 
to admit the logical flaws in Christianity.

Their is an intellectual "bad faith" in certain Christians who hide behind a 
certainty of knowledge that is not rationally defendable, while thumbing 
their noses at the people in doubt who, though of course not without 
definite values on life, at least have the honesty and integrity to admit 
they really don't have all the answers to life's big questions.

Ted

>From: "Doug Jones" <credenda@moscow.com>
>To: "'Vision 20/20'" <vision2020@moscow.com>
>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] The Benefits of Polarization
>Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 09:58:04 -0500
>
>Visionaries,
>
>Melynda Huskey complained about Merkle’s “polarizing” language and
>pleaded for constructive dialogue, and Sunil said “what’s the point? No
>minds are going to be changed.”
>
>But “progressives” know well the importance of polarization. They’re
>experts at it. It’s what you do in a democracy when people won’t drop
>their particular injustice. Polarization highlights an opponents’
>hypocrisy to a broader audience. Dialogue only works where people share
>many assumptions and are willing to grow. Local progressives have shown
>themselves to be the last group to understand real change; they are
>locked in decades old categories.
>
>Local progressives and public school advocates find themselves defending
>anti-pluralistic, dated, “back of the bus” policies to fund their narrow
>ideologies. Everyone knows minds can’t change on this issue, just as
>every knew that public busses would never allow blacks up front.
>Polarization offers some hope to those outside of political power. Local
>polarization will only increase until simple pluralism prevails.
>
>Doug Jones
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