Famed author takes on Kansas: Rushdie bemoans role of religion in public life

Lawrence Journal-World ^ | 10/7/5 | Sophia Maines

[GarySpFc]

Do you have any idea of the size of Fred Phelps' church? It might contain all of 20, and all are members of his family...all are lawyers to boot.

[orionblamblam]

He also ran for governor (IIRC) on the Dem ticket, and was a favorite of the NAACP as recently as 1998... maybe more recently.

[grey_whiskers]

Or, we could examine Pat Robertson, and his public call for the assassination of Venzuelan President Chavez. I will not argue whether or not it is right or wrong to use assassination to further national security. However, it is really stupid and shows a total lack of judgement, to publicly call for an assassination.

At what point do you cross the line? Is calling for the Assassination of Saddam Hussein, or Pol Pot, or Stalin, or the Chicoms unjustified?

And what about Randi Rhodes on Air America?

Just stirring the pot...

[Tax-chick]

I didn't know that - very interesting.

[GarySpFc]

I think the moderator missed post 44. :)

[labette]

I think I see where you are taking a turn off the road..
You see the following; Hitler makes pals with a few "religious leaders", These leaders still dress in traditional apparel. They still hang out in the traditional church buildings. Your conclusion? Church and state co-exist.

Christians see it this way:
The REAL pastors and priests were taken away. The commandments of Christ, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" , became meaningless. {understatement}
Our conclusion? "Church" is a church in name only. Hitler and his government became god. Do we not see a similar pattern with with some church leaders today? What about Jesse Jackson? {And no, I'm not calling him Hitler}. Once again we see God sold out and replaced with the god of socialism, political correctness, humanism, Darwinism, etc.

[punster]

"And what about Randi Rhodes on Air America?"

Randi Rhodes is every bit as much of a nut case. It is dangerous to be public in a call for assassination. Why? It gives the intended target a rationale for a preemptive strike, and it guarantees being blamed for an assassination, no matter who does it.

[labette]

I wonder what gospel is taught at Westboro Baptist Church?
Is it the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Or is it the gospel of D.U., Nazism, and other blends?
Hmmmmm. Hmmmmm.

[liberallarry]

Rushdie was a hero as long as he ridiculted the other guy's beliefs. Now that he ridicules ours he's a bum. Typical...and pathetic.

[grey_whiskers]

Yes, but you specifically attacked only Christians for their pronouncements on assassinations, and ignored AIR AMERICA as a counterexample...while on Free Republic!

Cheers!

[ecomcon]

Who says he's a hero? Oh, by the way, "ridiculted". I like that. Kind of ironic.

[TaxRelief]

Which religion do you nominate to run the world?

Apparently, you choose atheism (aka, judeophobia, christophobia and islamophobia)?

[liberallarry]

Who says he's a hero?

Please. Spare me the nonsense. Google him...or just look at some of the older FR threads.

"ridiculted"

An entirely gratuitous error...but I like it too.

[feedback doctor]

Well, Salman buddy...

When Kansans start blowing up people worldwide, I'll start worrying about it.

Well you know those who practice Christianity have been guilty of interfering in politics. Why, look at the Christian movements to end slavery, get children out of sweatshops, and trying to feed the starving in Africa. Maybe what he meant to say was, "The world is not worthy of them."

[little jeremiah]

Gack. What a pompous, profane fool.

"And this superstition needs to be pushed back in the cupboard where it belongs..."

This is exactly the attitude of professional God haters. All of us who believe should be - well, ultimately, if we refuse to shut up, we should probably go to some kind of re-education camps.

As several people have mentioned already, the Ayatollah had read his books apparently. Even a stopped clock and all that. (Obviously I am not recommending popping the guy. Just agreeing that he's not only a fool, he's a fool who hates God and anyone who believes in God.)

Will ping this out later.

[TaxRelief]

When I, or people like me, are running the country, you'd better flee, because we will find you, we will try you, and we will execute you.

Randall Terry is a nut, but you're not stupid enough to think he wants to harm non-Christians, are you? This statement was addressed to Euthanizers: people who have killed someone to "end their misery". Terry believes euthanasia is murder, and that murderers should be executed.

[little jeremiah]

Extremely interesting article about Hitler's books, reveals much about his thoughts concerning religion and what he tought about God. If he believe in God at all, it was because he considered himself God.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/895696/posts

Hitler's Forgotten Library: The Man, His Books, and His Search for God
The Atlantic Monthly ^ | May 2003 | Timothy W. Ryback

[indcons]

A much better book to learn about Islam is Among the Believers by Sir V. S. Naipaul (the Nobel Prize winner in 2002?). It is a travelogue across 4 muslim countries - Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Naipaul traces how these cultures changed for the worse after they became Islamicized.

[Getready]

"I never had doubts about evolutionary theory"....

you mean, when you first heard about , you had no doubts?
Didn't it take some type of proof for you to believe in it?
That sounds like mindless acceptance.

I wonder what would happen if Mr. Rushdie did have his doubts?
Would he actually start liking the "uncool" people who
never have fun, and who have taken over the world?

[buffyt]

Oriana Fallaci....
Have you read her book.... "The Rage and the Pride"
It is really interesting. Amazing. I still cannot believe any Liberal Feminist Socialist Democrat woman could be against the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq.... We gave them so much freedom that they never had before!

One time Oriana Fallaci was supposed to interview some Middle eastern big shot and they tried to get her to take her red fingernail polish off... so as not to offend him!