EJ Dionne: You Should Totally Practice Religious Peace And Tolerance, Christians

by William Teach | December 24, 2015 7:50 am

It’s cute that Leftists typically want to separate Church and State,and are upset by religions in public….well, the Christian religion. They are typically A-OK with Islamic stuff not only in public, but in government owned buildings. But, they seem to love to attempt to use Christianity for their own purposes, especially when they have a Narrative to push. Here’s the Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne, creating a subtext for, well, you’ll see

If you preach religious peace and tolerance, then practice them[1]

….

This will not be the first or the last Christmas when the world mocks the day’s promise and when religion finds itself a source of violence, hatred and, among many not inclined toward either, a dangerous mutual incomprehension.

Killing in the name of God is not a new thing in history, and nothing does more to discredit faith. Believers regularly argue that religion is often invoked as a cover to justify violence carried out for reasons of politics, economics and power that have nothing to do with God. There is truth to this — and also to the idea that in the 20th century, secular forms of totalitarianism unleashed mass murder on an unprecedented scale.

This is meant both to subtly condemn Christianity and say that the violent Islamists aren’t really Islamic.

We are now focused on the thoroughly ungodly violence of the Islamic State, but Sacks is careful to document that wars of religion are not unique to Islam. He believes that to persuade religious people of the Abrahamic faiths — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — arguments against religious violence must be rooted in theology, not in secular ideas alone. These have to do with the nature of God. “When religion turns men into murderers,” he insists, “God weeps.”

Notice that first he states that ISIS is not religious, then equates what ISIS does with Judaism and Christianity. So, what to do?

Sacks argues for a separation of religion from power because religion and politics “are inherently different activities.” This is tricky, since many of the genuinely ethical norms that religious people bring to public life are rooted in their faith. Nonetheless, he is surely right that religion “is at its best when it relies on the strength of argument and example. It is at its worst when it seeks to impose truth by force.”

Dionne is using yet another hardcore Leftist to argue for removing religion from Public Spaces, because ISIS is evil, meaning Christianity must be punished.

And the strength of example must mean that those who preach religious peace and toleration should practice them. This is why the rank prejudice being shown against Muslims, usually for political reasons, is so destructive, as Cardinal Seán O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, argued in a powerful column this month in his diocesan newspaper.

See? It’s all the fault of Christians. When will Islamists be exhorted to show peace and toleration? Oh, wait, can’t do that in Liberal World. Everything is the fault of the United States and Christians in their world.

And there is an important lesson in the Christmas story that, God willing, will be heard from many pulpits. “As we mull over the debate about refugees, let us remember the doors that were closed in the face of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem,” O’Malley said. “We must ask our leaders to be vigilant and protect our citizens, but at the same time we cannot turn our back on so many innocent people who are hungry, homeless, and without a country.”

It’s cute how Dionne, a confirmed Christian religion hater, uses religious words to advocate for unfettered immigration.

Muslims are constantly called upon to condemn violence. One who has done so consistently is Eboo Patel, an American whose argument in his book “Acts of Faith” parallels the lessons from Rabbi Sacks and Cardinal O’Malley.

“To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism,” Patel writes. “We have to save each other. It’s the only way to save ourselves.”

In other words, what can Christians do to help out with the hardcore Islamists. We’re supposed to “see their side”. Considering how their side treats women and gays, one would think Leftists would be against radical Islam. Perhaps one of them can explain why women and gays are thrown in the trashheap when Islam comes up.

This idea is worthy of the good news in Luke where an angel tells us: “Do not be afraid.”

Huh. Liberals have conniption fits over the Biblical passage which includes those words and is included in A Charlie Brown Christmas. They do not want it shown on TV[2] nor in school plays[3]. They have fits over representations of the birth of the person those words refer to, constantly suing or threatening to sue manger scenes, especially if they are on government (ie, owned by The People) property.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove[4]. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach[5].

Endnotes:
  1. If you preach religious peace and tolerance, then practice them: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-bright-and-blessed-calm/2015/12/23/a7611dbe-a8d1-11e5-bff5-905b92f5f94b_story.html
  2. shown on TV: http://townhall.com/columnists/douggiles/2012/11/28/whiny_atheists_protest_charlie_brown_christmas_special/page/full
  3. school plays: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/dec/21/parents-recite-deleted-bible-passage-during-a-char/
  4. Pirate’s Cove: http://www.thepiratescove.us/
  5. @WilliamTeach: http://twitter.com/WilliamTeach

Source URL: https://rightwingnews.com/liberals/ej-dionne-totally-practice-religious-peace-tolerance-christians/