[Vision2020] Not out of Here
DonaldH675@aol.com
DonaldH675@aol.com
Mon, 12 Jan 2004 22:56:01 EST
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Dear Visionaries:
In response to a spate of recent =E2=80=9CI'm out of here=E2=80=9D posts, I=20=
offer the=20
following edited analysis from a book by Frederick Clarkson, Eternal Hostili=
ty, The=20
Struggle between Theocracy and Democracy, published by Common Courage Press,=
=20
1997. The book can be ordered from Book People, or other bookstores in town=
. =20
I recommend it highly.
=20
=E2=80=9CThe challenge for those who politically engage or write about the C=
hristian=20
Right and other theocratic political movements is to know the difference=20
between bigotry and fair criticism. Belief in and knowledge of what religio=
us=20
freedom means is essential to the advocacy and defense of freedom and democr=
acy. =20
Knowledge of the beliefs, goals and practices of religious based political=20
movements is necessary as well. The loaded charge of =E2=80=9CChristian bas=
hing=E2=80=9D is a=20
frequently used ace in the rhetorical poker of American politics...
=20
Defending fair criticism against the charge of religious bigotry means, for=20
starters, not relying on labels to carry the argument. =E2=80=A6Fair critic=
ism must be=20
accurate and not based solely on the religious identity of a person or=20
groups. However, to the extent that a religious motivated political entity=20=
is using=20
a religious identity as the source and ultimate authority for political=20
beliefs and matters of public policy, religious beliefs may fairly become pa=
rt of=20
the discussion. This said, people have a right to their beliefs, no matter=20=
how=20
unusual or heinous they appear to the critic. That is the meaning of=20
religious equality. When these beliefs are put out in into the public squar=
e to=20
advance political objectives, however, they many very well be criticized,=20
challenged, and debated. No one should be subjected to religious bigotry. =20=
Neither=20
should religious faith be cheapened by use as a political tool, or worse, a=20
political shield. The misuse of the accusation of religious bigotry or =E2=
=80=9CChristian=20
bashing=E2=80=9D to answer political opponents cheapens the special value th=
at we=20
place on religious freedom in the United States. In the case of many Christ=
ian=20
Right leaders, the source of their apparent insensitivity to the religious=20
sensibilities of others is their lack of belief in religious freedom for any=
one=20
but themselves and their followers.=E2=80=9D p11-12.
=20
Best,
Rose Huskey =20
=20
=20
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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Dear Visionaries:</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=
=3D"Times New Roman">In response to a spate of recent =E2=80=9CI'm out of he=
re=E2=80=9D posts, I offer the following edited analysis </FONT></FONT><FONT=
face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D3>from a book by Frederick Clarkson, <=
I style=3D"mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Eternal Hostility, The Struggle betw=
een Theocracy and Democracy</I>, published by Common Courage Press, 1997.<SP=
AN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The book can be ordered from Bo=
ok People, or other bookstores in town.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nb=
sp;</SPAN><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I recommend it highly.</=
FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>=E2=80=9CThe challenge for those who politically engage or wr=
ite about the Christian Right and other theocratic political movements is to=
know the difference between bigotry and fair criticism.<SPAN style=3D"mso-s=
pacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Belief in and knowledge of what religious freedo=
m means is essential to the advocacy and defense of freedom and democracy.<S=
PAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Knowledge of the beliefs, goal=
s and practices of religious based political movements is necessary as well.=
<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The loaded charge of =E2=80=
=9CChristian bashing=E2=80=9D is a frequently used ace in the rhetorical pok=
er of American politics...</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Defending fair criticism against the charge of religious bigo=
try means, for starters, not relying on labels to carry the argument.<SPAN s=
tyle=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>=E2=80=A6Fair criticism must be acc=
urate and not based solely on the religious identity of a person or groups.<=
SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>However, to the extent that a=
religious motivated political entity is using a religious identity as the s=
ource and ultimate authority for political beliefs and matters of public pol=
icy, religious beliefs may fairly become part of the discussion.<SPAN style=
=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This said, people have a right to their=
beliefs, no matter how unusual or heinous they appear to the critic.<SPAN s=
tyle=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That is the meaning of religious eq=
uality.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When these beliefs ar=
e put out in into the public square to advance political objectives, however=
, they many very well be criticized, challenged, and debated.<SPAN style=3D"=
mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>No one should be subjected to religious big=
otry.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Neither should religiou=
s faith be cheapened by use as a political tool, or worse, a political shiel=
d.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The misuse of the accusati=
on of religious bigotry or =E2=80=9CChristian bashing=E2=80=9D to answer pol=
itical opponents cheapens the special value that we place on religious freed=
om in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:coun=
try-region>.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In the case of m=
any Christian Right leaders, the source of their apparent insensitivity to t=
he religious sensibilities of others is their lack of belief in religious fr=
eedom for anyone but themselves and their followers.=E2=80=9D<SPAN style=3D"=
mso-spacerun: yes"> p</SPAN>11-12.</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face=3D"Times New R=
oman" size=3D3>Best,</FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3D3><FONT face=
=3D"Times New Roman">Rose Huskey<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </S=
PAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face=3D"Times=20=
New Roman" size=3D3> </FONT></o:p></P></BODY></HTML>
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