[Vision2020] Christ is Commander-in-Chief

[nickgier at adelphia.net]

Hail to the Vision of 2020!

I've had lots of responses to my column "Christ is Commander-in-Chief" both here and at NewWest.  You can read the discussion there at www.newwest.net/index.php/citjo/main/C33/L33/

First, let me say that the focus of my book on the origins of religious violence (www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/orv.htm) is not body counts and kill rates.  Gary Crabtree raised that issue and I thought that his historical summary was so off the mark that I needed to respond.

The focus of my book is about a dozen hypotheses that I test regarding the reasons why there has been more religiously motivated violence in the Abrahamic religions than the Asian religions.

Second, in response to Kai's post, I will indeed be covering Japanese imperialism and the early suppression of Buddhism in favor of Shinto as a state religion and the emperor as a divine being.  Sadly, some Buddhists got back in favor by becoming ultranationalists, nicely summed up in a recent book "Zen at War," on which I will schedule a panel discussion at next year's regional meeting of the American Academy of Religion.  

All religion are fair game in my book. In fact, I will be focusing on the Asian religions, because Abrahamic religious violence is so well documented.  Most chapters will be devoted to those examples of Asian religious violence that contradict my main thesis.

One of my hypotheses that appears to test positively is that when national and religious identity are fused (as in the Christian Reconstructionists with whom Wilson is so cozy), one will very likely get religiously motivated violence.  This has happened with both Hindu and Buddhist fundamentalism, the latter happening in Sri Lanka.  I will also have a chapter on Tibetan Buddhism, which did the same thing thanks to Mongolian military support.

Third, in response to Latah Lounger (I love these pseudonyms!): perhaps you have not noticed that there is a certain pastor here in town, associated with both neo-Confederates and Reconstructionists, who in the documentary "My Town" (www.notonthepalouse.com/My_Town.htm) predicts that pagan culture (that includes most Christians, too) will be hit like folding chairs in a world-wide Christian tsunami.  Many people on the Palouse (in December, 2003, 1200 signed a full page ad) believe that Wilson is a serious problem.

One of my hypotheses is that premillennial Christians of the Rapture and "Left Behind" will cause far less violence than postmillennialists such as Doug Wilson.  The reason is pretty obvious: in the Rapture the end will come quickly and God will do most of the destruction, except for the Christian militias killing non-believers in the "Left Behind" game released just in time for Christmas 2006 (http://www.defconamerica.org/).  Will these kids grow up wanting AK-47s for Christmas?!

In stark contrast, postmillennialists envision a long haul with Christian armies such as Cromwell's, the Taiping's, and a new Confederate army making sure that God's law will rule the world.  Only then will Christ return. Wilson and Wilkins are proud of the fact that the Roundheads and the Confederates had the highest number of born again soldiers in history.  I would like to add the Taipings to that glorious number.  Onward Christian Soldiers!

Finally, I have to respond to Mr. Heirdoug, although his venom does not dignify a reply.  A week does not pass in my life when one or two Palousians (pastors included) tell me what a good community service I'm providing in constantly keeping Wilson & Co.'s collective feet and throbbing brain veins to the sacred fire of public disclosure and censure.  

This community support is one of the reasons I jump out of bed every morning ready for action on all fronts.  Onward pagan and Unitarian soldiers!

And just for the record, Doug Wilson did take nearly every class that I offered and I was his advisor.  We decided that because of our theological differences, we thought it best that someone else in the department should guide his M.A. thesis.  Will someone please return the two copies of Wilson's thesis to the department library?  

Furthermore, at no time in my tenure at the UI was I department chair. When the liberal arts dean recommended that I be chair back in the 1980s, then President Gibb, the worst ever UI leader, vetoed the idea.  Thanks to Gibb, my CV has far more publications than it would have if I had taken the "administrivium" pill.*

Finally, with regard to abortion (which is not religiously motivated), I would like to remind Heirdoug that his own pastor Wilson defines a person as one created in the image of God.  In my 1993 debate with him I pointed out that, except for a few early Church fathers, no Catholic or Protestant theologian believed that the image of God was implanted at conception.  

As I always remind people, today's "conservative" position on abortion is not based on tradition at all, but is a recent 19th Century invention that is logically incoherent.

Nick Gier, proud Intolerista

Intolerance is not a vice when one is intolerant of bigotry, discrimination, dishonesty, bad manners, and ugly behavior.  (me)

*Administrivium, the heaviest and most inert element known to science.  If ingested it causes symptoms such as disregard for faculty rights and a tendency to agree with all others who have taken the pill.  Avoid at all costs, even the extra pay will maximize your PERSI benefits for life. In addition, the obligatory tie cuts off circulation to the brain!