Tim Wildmon is the president of the American Family Association headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. The AFA is that group of Christian right do-gooders who believe it is their mission to tell you what you can hear and what you can see and what you can read. This is the outfit that loves to boycott businesses who fail to adhere to their Talibanic views.Wildmon has written an article titled, "Universalism -- the end of Christian influence." Wildmon is quite worried that too many people in America no longer are "real" Christians. "Americans today," he claims, "are dropping the concept that one must subscribe to a particular set of beliefs in order to be in right standing with God. ... so they are willing to go with the idea that, 'Hey, everybody's in.'"
Well, that just won't do! Wildmon, you see, knows the mind of god, too, just like the Roman Catholic poohbahs, and John Hagee. And he knows that god isn't going to let people into heaven who don't follow the "particular set of beliefs" that Wildmon holds up as necessary!
My god, we're succumbing to "universalism!" Oprah subscribes to universalism, says Wildmon, and oh, dear, so does Barack Obama. I mean Obama actually said that he believed there was "a higher power, a belief that we are connected as a people." What a rotten universalist!
This, says Wildmon, is "in complete contradiction to Christianity. Read the New Testament. It is all about Jesus Christ being the only begotten Son of God and the only way to eternal life. There is nothing in there about other religious paths being an option. ... There are certain essential doctrines that one must subscribe to in order to be considered a Christian."
That's all very interesting, but if you read what Jesus says, at least in one part of the gospels, you ain't gonna get into heaven unless you feed and clothe the poor and visit those in prison. He didn't mention anything about needing to believe he was the "only begotten Son of God."
I guess it just depends upon what part of the New Testament you want to accept as your "truth."
Wildmon doesn't like this "growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance...[it's] having theological consequences" like allowing people to disavow the need for a particular creed or "all that old fashioned stuff about repenting of your sin and giving your life to the Lord."
And, says Wildmon, this trend toward universalism could well mean "there will be no Christian influence of any consequence in America in 25 years."
The sky is falling, the sky is falling. Actually, if this universalism means we could be rid of Wildmon and his ilk and their sectarian god and their constant meddling in the lives of more liberal Christians and non-Christians and just plain secular people, and if we could do this within 25 years, I'd say go for it!
The United States and the world would be one hell of a lot better off!
1 comment:
One must wonder if these people really believe what they say or are seeking power or control. There is nothing to stop a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, a Hindu, etc from building or going to a place to worship anything or anyone. Tax policy even helps them. They can build their own schools, publish their own newspapers; own TV or radio stations, etc. They are simply told to finance it themselves and to speak to those willing to listen. The rest of us should not be asked to listen or to have our tax dollars used to help them or hinder them in any way. That has worked for a long time and we should guard it very carefully. New religions have been formed and have grown in the USA and they too have been forced to stay out of tax related activists others must pay for.
Contrast that with the Taliban or the Muslim states where the clergy rule and no other religions or ideas can be spoken of or allowed to exist. Is that what we want? Europe has not disappeared since they have kept religion out of politics. The religious still practice and participate in government. People are and should be free to choose what they want for them and their families. States that limit freedom of, and from, religion are not places most of us would like to live in. Can’t we all learn from history? If not, we are free to relocate someplace where our religion is in power. Many of our ancestors did move here in order to have such freedom. Many of us cannot go back where they came from and wouldn’t want to. I value my freedom and do not want it diminished. I hope enough of us feel as I do to prevent these bigots from taking over.
Bob Poris
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