"In the beginning was the Word..." - - John 1:1

The Baptist minister Harry Emerson Fosdick wrote

. . . Out of the same manner of thinking comes the Johannine idea of eternal life. The hope which the Synoptic Gospels [Mark, Matthew, & Luke] had phrased in terms of the kingdom of God on earth is reinterpreted in terms of life eternal. Only three times in the Fourth Gospel is the kingdom even mentioned, (John 3:3; 3:5; 18:36) and in all three its spiritual, unworldly nature is emphasized. The great hope of this Gospel is not any kind of reign on earth but "eternal life," and even this, far from being a post-mortem goal, is a present, interior possession of the soul ... the Johannine Jesus represents the Hellenistic belief that both death and resurrection are spiritual states within the man.

. . . The profoundest note struck in the Old Testament in the development of a future hope came, as we have seen, from the experience of communion with God. Let the interior fellowship of a soul with God be once conceived in terms of mutual care, so that as the soul adores and trusts the Most High, the Most High values and supports the soul, and the corollary is bound to be drawn that such a relationship predicts its own continuance. Such divine friendship is, to use Johannine language, ‘eternal life,’ and unless the world is so topsy-turvy that its material structure abides and its spiritual meaning perishes, what is thus excellent is, as Emerson said, permanent. This has always been the implicit logic of faith in immortality when it has been most powerful and morally significant.

The deepest convictions of men in favor of future hope, therefore, have come not so much from those who have framed arguments for it as from those who have heightened life’s spiritual value, given it new meaning, made it wealthy with fresh significance and purpose until it has seemed as though it ought to go on. The influence of Jesus in this realm cannot be understood without the apprehension of this major fact. He never argued for immortality. He did, however, introduce his disciples into a quality of life that incalculably elevated for them the significance of living.

Hope springs eternal, even in a world so topsy-turvy that Harry Emerson Fosdick's daughter was an (apparently unsuccessful) mentor of some of today's neocons.

Happy Easter to all.

but it still won't make muslim grocery store clerks in Minnesota scan packages of pork.

Or make babtist pharmacists dispence morning after pills at Walgreens either.

I suppose if your going to identify 1/3 of the world as "the enemy" then indiscrimante bombing and perpetual warfare makes sense. If you happen to trash your own army and completely sell out your ability to influence events in the world by mirroring the worst behavior of your enemies, well then so much the better. After all, the creator of universe is on our side...right? right?

I just finished reading the MYDD article linked to in the Greenwald post.

One little point - if the typical RWA typically submits to authority, then what explains the Clinton years?

I have no answer to your question. I have no idea why the military didn't refuse to go to Somalia, or the Balkans, and instead, just drive their tanks right up on the WH lawn and evict that evil adulterous "liberal". You obviously buy into the myth that there is a great big difference between William Jefferson Clinton and George Herbert Walker Bush. Clinton was the best "Republican" president since Eisenhower.

If the enemy doesn't respond to it, what good is it? -- shooter242

Do you beat your dog, shooter? Have you made virtually everyone your enemy? Do you have any friends?

Let me put it to you this way. While you're making enemies, we'll make friends. Fifty years from now, the loser buys the drinks.

Perhaps you should just quote chapter and verse from Dr. J.J. Ray, (the source of all your talking points and arguments about liberals). It would make it much easier for all concerned if we just cut to the chase and examined the font of all this "conservative wisdom". He is a prolific writer, blogger and former member of academia that none of you ever seem to mention...

http://dissectleft.blogspot.com/2007/04/homosexuality-drastically-shortens-your.html

Like the crazy aunt locked away in the basement.

Translation: We've decided that ANY authoritarian behavior, even by left-wing individuals, will be called right wing authoritarianism.

You are correct, it is an unfortunate choice of names since it does ignore left wing authoritarians such as committed Marxists.

I prefer the term "authoritarian follower" even though it is a damn sight harder to type.

and, maybe, you'd make more sense. Syria didn't invade Lebanon. Syria was invited into Lebanon by the international community. The United States was in the middle of leading that initiative.

Life and politics is a little more complicated than the RWA echo chamber wants you to grasp. So far, they're succeeding in your case.

Best of luck.

-- Paul Dirks

I suppose if your going to identify 1/3 of the world as "the enemy" then indiscrimante bombing and perpetual warfare makes sense.

Have you got a source for that thought, or are you just making stuff up again?

If you happen to trash your own army and completely sell out your ability to influence events in the world by mirroring the worst behavior of your enemies, well then so much the better.

What? You have some other alternative to life or death? This should be really, really, nuanced.

After all, the creator of universe is on our side...right? right?

They think their God is greater than ours, what do you think?

Dante. by Longfellow.

the last line, "Thy voice along the cloister whispered, "Peace!"

for extra delicious thought, maybe yes, maybe know? Buy William Timberman a 6-pack of Heinz ketchup and eat liberal amounts of pork rinds which may be purchased at Minnesota's Public broadcast airing of The Prairie Home Companion. Shooter, you have a liberals sister? If so, bless her heart, mind, and soul.

for fun, read to her.

Start with Longfellow's poem The Hemlock Tree. Please send her over to my place with a good liberal version of a translation. okay?