[Vision2020] Crusaders vs. Infidels: Moscow's Muscular Christianity

Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
Tue Nov 30 20:32:28 PST 2010


Right, Art. I imagine these guys might jump folks in the alley when they are not looking, but carry on a dialogue with someone with a different world view? Never. They are not equipped to even talk to others about these issues let alone defend their position.



On Nov 30, 2010, at 6:52 PM, "Art Deco" <deco at moscow.com> wrote:

> Those that say things like:
>  
> <NSA Brawl 11-30-2010 6-47-24 PM.png>
>  
> are likely to find out that hey have bitten off more than they can chew, but the recruits being young, naive, unable to tell when they are being used, and obviously prone to delusion do not understand the peril that they can place themselves in by thinking themselves warriors in a war without rules.  And the cowardly, chickenshit general, Cultmaster Douglas Wilson, as usual, sits far arear from the front lines.
>  
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: keely emerinemix
> To: nickgier at roadrunner.com ; vision2020 at moscow.com
> Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2010 5:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Crusaders vs. Infidels: Moscow's Muscular Christianity
> 
> I agree with nearly everything Nick says here, and I'm thrilled that he's written such a cogent analysis not only of "muscular Christianity" in historical contexts, but also of how that sort of errant masculinism has flooded the Kirk and, lamentably, a significant swath of evangelical Christianity.  I've raised two Christian young men; I'd be disgusted if they engaged with nonbelievers or anyone else in the way described on NSA's home page.  Nick, you are a treasure, and I'd hope my sons would contend and listen to others the way you do, regardless of your religious differences.
> 
> I disagree with Darrell that "enough has been said" about the Kirk, although he certainly has every right to feel that way, and believing as he does doesn't make him an accomplice or one who accommodates bigoted, pugilistic behavior.  However, I also recognize that the "step into the alley" thing is hyperbole -- offensive hyperbole, cheap marketing hyperbole, hyperbole that absolutely indicates the heart and soul behind what NSA stands for, and even grotesquely sinful hyperbole, but hyperbole nonetheless.  As such, it should be dealt with in the context of "craven macho posturing," as I think Nick has done by reminding us of where we've seen this before, instead of being taken literally as an invite to really, truly, kick anyone's ass who doesn't agree with them.  Obviously, taunting "secularism" is fairly easy, and, thankfully, doesn't really threaten anyone, other than the very real threat brought about by  a kind of "Christianity" that has nothing whatsoever to do with Christ, but strokes the . . . ummmmm . . . egos of young men and makes the hearts of young women presumably go pitter-patter for something other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  As thoroughly obnoxious as the header is, it's ultimately more of the same, just packaged even more pathetically than usual.  And the bar for that one is pretty low -- anyone remember the Credenda/Agenda with the romance novel cover featuring a studly guy with battery cables clipped to his nipples?  There was a high point in Christian cultural engagement.
> 
> So, as pugnacious as it is, it's still just symbolic hyperbole that falls into the category of "What were they thinking?," and then reveals a great deal, when taken with the totality of NSA/Kirk theology and practice, about what they were, in fact, thinking.  As obnoxious as it is, it's relatively innocuous compared with other examples of bad Kirk behavior.  Make no mistake -- I would be picketing NSA this moment if, for example, the pissing contest and threats of being shoved up against the wall were directed at Muslims, homosexuals, feminists, or even specific secularists -- but targeting "secularism" with such language is juvenile, safely and cowardly symbolic, and about as mature as two seventh-graders arguing about which 70s cock rock band was more bitchin'.  No person is targeted by the taunts and posturing, other than the Peter Pan Oxford Donnabees who OK'd it, who've now revealed themselves to be as puerile as many of us have long believed.  This isn't an announcement of a concerted effort to contend boldly for the faith, as all Christians ought to do, although I know that's what they intended.  Unfortunately, though, the last people I'd want representing the Gospel and person of Jesus Christ in the public square is someone who puts across his argument with so little regard for humility, kindness, and civility.  (The Bible says to offer "every man an answer, a reason for the hope that lies within you, with gentleness and respect" so the cause of Christ is not maligned.  Guess what?  That wouldn't include literally or figuratively promising to slam "secularism" against the wall -- but I'm guessing they already know that).   
> 
> I realize my language here has been a little colorful, but my comments are intended to put all of this into perspective.  With great effort, untold hours of study of its historical/theological/sociological/political context,  and at some personal cost, I've tried to confront Wilsonian error and disgraceful behavior for one reason and one reason only:  The Gospel of Jesus is too precious to me to be carelessly bandied about, maligned, dragged through the filth, misrepresented, and twisted by people who presume to be followers of the One who gave it to us -- and who benefit most from a warped gospel of privilege and power.  Period.  And so I've tried to learn all that I can about what I then analyze, criticize, and condemn, and then I've stood up to it.  Yeah, I wish our brave evangelical male pastors would feel similarly led, and I cringe when other folks dive into waters far deeper and darker than warnings and cries of "fundamentalism!" and "far-Right, Moral Majority-style extremism!" adequately, or accurately, suggest.  In contending as I do, I don't choose to align myself with anyone else, on this forum or elsewhere, who is opposed to Kirk practices or theology.   I prefer to go solo on this one, thanks, and wish others well in however they approach issues.
> 
> Having said that, I'm seriously considering leaving Vision until the New Year, or maybe through Spring.  I haven't decided, but I'm frankly dismayed -- while acknowledging that my own conduct hasn't been perfect at all -- that good people so readily attack other good people, simply because of reasonable disagreements.  I admire the folks who consistently make excellent points while remaining out of the rhetorical boxing ring (even naming some names would no doubt anger someone else!), but more and more I see what has been in the past a valuable forum for building community disintegrate into a verbal slugfest with, unfortunately, the same pugnacious attitude that we rightly condemn from NSA and the Kirk and all other masculinist, muscular "Christians."  I'm not sure what I'll do, and I'm really not soliciting comments as much as I am sharing a dilemma.  I guess I'll have to just wait and see.  Believe me, I know that I've made my share of negative contributions to Vision 2020, although I regret nothing at all that I haven't already apologized for; it's not strong words that condemn me, but weak argument and an absence of charity.  And I'm well aware that this will appear both sanctimonious and belligerent to many of you -- but that's the way it goes, I guess.
> 
> Before I sign off for awhile, if I do, in fact, sign off, I do want to make one other point, and that is to thank Tom Hansen and Nick Gier for being consistent, and consistently enlightening, sources of information for all of us.  I think that "Moscow Cares" and especially "Not On The Palouse" are extraordinarily valuable resources for those interested in the history and progression of so many noxious ideas, behaviors, and movements that have either gained traction from the Palouse, as well as for a source-documented record of information about local municipal government.  I can't imagine the hours and hours of time Tom and Rodna have devoted to documenting, recording, archiving, and maintaining both sites, and I'm grateful to them -- I have somewhere to point people to when they hear about "some weird stuff" up in North-Central Idaho.   Nick's radio commentaries are a rich collection of academic knowledge made accessible to non-academics like me, and while I may occasionally view things differently from him, I have never failed to be challenged and edified by his work and the irenic spirit with which he presents it.  
> 
> I wish all of you a blessed, prosperous, and joyful holiday season and New Year, and while I'm not soliciting feedback, I won't reject it, either, if anyone has anything to say to me.  However, I'm guessing that my announcement is below toenail clipping and kitchen-sponge disinfecting in its significance to your evening . . . just remember to sweep up the trimmings, OK??  (She said sanctimoniously . . . and with a smile).
> 
> Keely
> www.keely-prevailingwinds.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:36:30 -0500
> From: nickgier at roadrunner.com
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: [Vision2020] Crusaders vs. Infidels: Moscow's Muscular Christianity
> 
> Greetings:
>  
> Despite Darrell Keim's belief that enough has been said about Christ Church and NSA, their recruiting blurb is simply beyond the pale.
>  
> This is my radio commentary/column for the week and the full version is attached as a PDF file.  I direct you to my Logos School revision of West Side Story at the end.
>  
> Read everything that I've written about Pastor Wilson at www.home.roadrunner.com/~nickgier/Wilson.htm.
>  
> Nick
>  
> THE CRUSADERS VS. THE INFIDELS:MOSCOW’S MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY
>  
> A long war is a small price to pay for eternal peace.
>  
> --found on a toilet stall wall
>  
> I don’t often cruise the website of New St. Andrews College (www.nsa.edu), Moscow’s small Christian college, so the new recruiting campaign gave me quite a jolt.  The headline is “Yo, Secularism, Why Don’t We Step into the Alley?” 
>  
> The blurb describes the NSA faculty as “not timid in a rumble,” and they want to make the students “dangerous” so that they can “throw the lies of this age up against the wall, lifting wallets and the occasional gift card.” It ends with “an invitation to a brawl.”
>  
> Is NSA a Christ-centered liberal arts college or a fighting club?  If it is the latter, then its conditional use permit should be reviewed.
>  
> After the initial shock receded, my first thought was “How can they possibly recruit young women with this raw machismo”? Out of seven images (two with real tough guys) only one includes female students. 
>  
> Silly me, I forgot that some females might want to go to a college where they can meet “real” Christian men to whom they can be properly submissive. These religious brawlers would defend their honor in an alley or anywhere for that matter.  
>  
> NSA men, however, would not defend their ladies’ right to vote.  According to NSA’s founder, Douglas Wilson, misguided women might decide to cancel out their husband’s wise choices in church and political matters.  
> Wilson also believes that only propertied males should vote. Deliciously ironic, however, is the fact that Wilson encourages all of this congregates at Christ Church to vote for conservative candidates.
>  
> The phrase “muscular Christianity” came out of the Victorian Age, where Charles Kingsley and Thomas Hughes encouraged young men to combine Christian ideals with physical conditioning. Thanks to muscular Christianity, I built up some pretty nice biceps at the local gym of the Young Men’s Christian Association, but I still ended up with the Unitarians, who of course can't fight their way out of a wet paper bag. 
>  
> NSA does have sports teams, but “pumpkin” rugby has replaced lacrosse (too feminine?), and there is a “girls” volleyball team.  Some of the senior faculty, however, look like they have not been to a gym in ages. 
>  
> In 1964 Douglas’ father Jim Wilson wrote a small book entitled "Principles of War: A Handbook on Strategic Evangelism." I once told Wilson Pere that I thought that upraised sword on the front cover of the book was rather provocative, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said that he only meant spiritual warfare. Being thrown up against a wall sounds pretty physical to me.
>  
> Has Douglas Wilson’s “Trinitarian skylarking” now turned into godly gang warfare?  An example of the former is an outrageous April Fool’s stunt. NSA students stole University of Idaho letterhead and used the English department’s FAX line to announce a feminist scholar who would lecture topless. Wilson later admitted encouraging his students to do the deed.
>  
> Douglas Wilson also established Logos School, whose K-12 students, I’m told, put on some very good plays.  I would like to propose that they do an adaptation of West Side Story.  Instead of the white working class Jets and the Puerto Rican Sharks, the gangs should be renamed the Crusaders and the Infidels.  
>  
> I foresee two snags in this version of the play. Although the killing of Maria’s brother by the Jet’s Tony could go ahead, the love story between Christian Tony and non-Christian Maria would be a real stretch.  NSA men must get the permission from a potential date’s father, or from Wilson in loco parentis. Even more problematic is the fact that there can be no truce between the gangs at the end.  For Wilson and other conservative evangelicals, there will be bitter warfare until Christ comes to smite the infidels.
>  
> As a “post-millennialist” Wilson believes that there will a 1,000 year Christian theocracy with strict enforcement of biblical law until Christ deigns to appear.  I might prefer to get it over with more quickly in the “pre-millennial” Rapture.  I’ll paraphrase Milton’s Satan: I would rather fry in the Rapture and take my chances in Hell rather than serve oppressive Christian masters.
>  
> Sometime in the late 1970s, I found a saying on a toilet stall wall near my campus office.  Compared to most toilet graffiti, this one was quite sophisticated and a bit puzzling: “A long war is a small price to pay for eternal peace.” One might ask: What kind of peace is this when everyone who has not converted to your religion has been killed?
>  
>  Nick Gier taught religion and philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. 
> 
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>                http://www.fsr.net                       
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> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.   
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>          mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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