[Vision2020] Wilson is not a great mind
Joan Opyr
auntiestablishment@hotmail.com
Thu, 27 May 2004 10:26:36 -0700
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Melynda writes:
>Fears about domination or conquest in Moscow--of a particular person or =20
>denomination "taking over"--arise from a conviction that there's some de=
sire =20
>to take over, and that such a conquest would harm our community and its =20
>members. Debate doesn't change that perception: you can't argue someon=
e =20
>into feeling safe, or coerce her into trusting you. This is one of the =20
>reasons religious conflict is so intransigent.
A point that might be extended to our current difficulties in Iraq, i.e.,=
you can't create democracy at gun point. But back to local matters . . =
=20
Doug Wilson has discussed at length his intention of "changing the comple=
xion" of the Palouse. In fact, he has repeatedly talked about the Wilson=
ification (I won't say Christianization as I think the two are separate a=
nd distinct) of this region as if it were inevitable. Eric, in an email =
some months past, made the rather astonishing claim that the various Wils=
on family churches constitute the fastest-growing religious movement on t=
he Palouse. When you make these growth and ascendency claims, can you be=
surprised that you raise the hackles of those who dissent from your poli=
tical, religious, and/or world views?
BTW, I've never claimed to have no religion. John Lennon I am not, thoug=
h I suspect that our respective political and philosophical compasses ten=
d in the same direction. (Well, except for that Yoko business. I don't =
get that. Who the hell told that woman she could sing? Linda McCartney?=
) The difference -- one of many -- between me and Doug Wilson is that I =
am unlikely to ask the Moscow City Council to ban pork chops and cheesebu=
rgers because they conflict with Kosher dietary laws. I have not written=
extensively about the inferiority, violence, and humorlessness of Reform=
ed Christians. I have not suggested that men, as the weaker sex, should =
be denied the vote. I don't think that the Palouse would be a better, fi=
ner, more Godly place if everyone living here worshipped my God, accepted=
my moral dictates, and followed exactly my plan for salvation. If that'=
s what I wanted, I'd live on a Kibbutz. Instead, here I am, another putz=
on the Palouse. =20
As Melynda explains, though religion might inform or even shape one's wor=
ldview, the two are not one and the same. Variety is the spice of life, =
and I'm happy to find that I am simpatico with people as varied in their =
religion/philosophy as the brilliant secularist, Ted Moffet, and my favor=
ite erudite Evangelical, Keely Mix. I have said it before and I will say=
it again, there is room for all of us on the Palouse, but I am *not* goi=
ng to do what Doug says. In much the same way that Eric has conflated re=
ligion with worldview, Doug has mistaken disobedience for intolerance.
An iconoclast? You betcha,
Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment =20
=20
Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn=
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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV>Melynda writes=
:</DIV> <DIV><BR>>Fears about domination or conquest in Moscow--of a p=
articular person or <BR>>denomination "taking over"--arise from a conv=
iction that there's some desire <BR>>to take over, and that such a con=
quest would harm our community and its <BR>>members. Debate does=
n't change that perception: you can't argue someone <BR>>into fe=
eling safe, or coerce her into trusting you. This is one of the <BR=
>>reasons religious conflict is so intransigent.<BR></DIV> <DIV> =
</DIV> <DIV>A point that might be extended to our current difficulties in=
Iraq, i.e., you can't create democracy at gun point. But back to l=
ocal matters . . . </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Doug Wilson has discusse=
d at length his intention of "changing the complexion" of the Palouse.&nb=
sp; In fact, he has repeatedly talked about the Wilsonification (I won't =
say Christianization as I think the two are separate and distinct) of thi=
s region as if it were inevitable. Eric, in an email some months pa=
st, made the rather astonishing claim that the various Wilson family chur=
ches constitute the fastest-growing religious movement on the Palouse.&nb=
sp; When you make these growth and ascendency claims, can you be surprise=
d that you raise the hackles of those who dissent from your politica=
l, religious, and/or world views?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>BTW, I've =
never claimed to have no religion. John Lennon I am not, thoug=
h I suspect that our respective political and philosophical compasse=
s tend in the same direction. (Well, except for that=
Yoko business. I don't get that. Who the hell told that woma=
n she could sing? Linda McCartney?) The difference -- one of =
many -- between me and Doug Wilson is that I am unlikely to ask the Mosco=
w City Council to ban pork chops and cheeseburgers because they conflict =
with Kosher dietary laws. I have not written extensively about the =
inferiority, violence, and humorlessness of Reformed Christians.&nbs=
p; I have not suggested that men, as the weaker sex, should be denied the=
vote. I don't think that the Palouse would be a better, finer,&nbs=
p;more Godly place if everyone living here worshipped my God, accepted my=
moral dictates, and followed exactly my plan for salvation.&nb=
sp; If that's what I wanted, I'd live on a Kibbutz. Instead, here&n=
bsp;I am, another putz on the Palouse. </DIV> <DIV> =
</DIV> <DIV>As Melynda explains, though religion might inform or even sha=
pe one's worldview, the two are not one and the same. Var=
iety is the spice of life, and I'm happy to find that I am simpatico =
;with people as varied in their religion/philosophy as the brilliant=
secularist, Ted Moffet, and my favorite erudite Evangelical, Keely Mix.&=
nbsp; I have said it before and I will say it again, there is room for al=
l of us on the Palouse, but I am *not* going to do what Doug says. &=
nbsp;In much the same way that Eric has conflated religion with worldview=
, Doug has mistaken disobedience for intolerance.</DIV> <DIV>&n=
bsp;</DIV> <DIV>An iconoclast? You betcha,</DIV> <DIV> </=
DIV> <DIV>Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment </DIV> <DIV>&n=
bsp;</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>&nb=
sp;<BR></DIV></BODY></HTML><br clear=3Dall><hr>Get more from the Web. FR=
EE MSN Explorer download : <a href=3D'http://explorer.msn.com'>http://exp=
lorer.msn.com</a><br></p>
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