In other words, when Mormons and evangelicals are at their worst and are indulging their least admirable tendencies to idolize the country at the expense of their religious teachings, there is a chance for them to find common ground. If you think that a serious religious revival in America might have something to do with a spirit of repentance and humility rather than with an extravaganza of validation and national self-congratulation, that is really a very damning indictment of what Beck is doing. As Joe Carter correctly says, “As Moore notes, the problem isn’t really Beck. The problem is believers trading the true faith for the syncretism of Christian-flavored civic religion.”Hm, well, look. America is a cobbled-together Rome-manqué. Oughtn't we have a decently syncretic state religion? Maybe we can appoint Beck Chief Priest. Shit, maybe we can make it an elected office!
-Larison
I do take Larison's point that the thrust and spirit of the Gospels runs mostly counter to the vague, patriotic Becktoplasm, and it's valid as far as it goes, but I also think he displays a rather naive atavism in wishing for a Christianity that perished for all intents and purposes on the Milvian Bridge.
23 comments:
Well, sure. But of the vareties of naive atavism on offer in today's U.S. of A, I think Larison's is rather admirable in its own way. And I think he's smart enough to know that you are correct, while of course lamenting same.
Honestly, while I am myself secular, culturally "liberal", and vaguely left-libertarian, if one looks at contemporary U.S. culture objectively, the cosmopolitan paleoconservative non-inteventionist traditional christians like Larison are a breath of fresh air compared to most of the alternatives.
I agree. My admiration for Larison, including that same grudging appreciation for his legitimate orthodoxy, is known.
Why should we elevate the fat maudlin Beck as High Priest when we could have the lithe scientologist one? As our empire almost certainly will have a Beck, the people should demand one who offers both nicotine and gravy.
I'll pick you up late at night after work
I said lady, Step inside my Hyundai
I'm gonna take up to Glendale
Yeah
I'm gonna take you for a feel-good meal
'Cause when our eyes did meet
Girl, you know I was packing' heat
Ain't no use in wasting no time
Getting to know each other
You know the deal
'Cause only you got a thing
That I just got to get with
Got to get with
I just got to get with you girl
I wanna get with you (Only you Girl)
And your sister
I think her name is Debra
America needs to ask herself, which Beck is more likely to step to me with a fresh pack of gum?
Like a giant dildo crushing the sun.
The scarecrow shadow of the Nazarene.
Get crazy with the Cheese Whiz!
Anyway. I forgot my password at Larison's, so pardon the brief foray into seriousness: Civic religions are really, really dangerous. In the last 200 years, it's usually been a bad sign (or a cause of bad signs) when societies try to create civic religions. Not that I hoped Beck succeeded before, but this is the first time I've been creeped out by him beyond his, well, personal creepiness.
See the vegetable man
In the vegetable van
With a horn that's honking
Like a mariachi band.
I like Larison and all, but I feel he's not angry enough so I have a hard time taking him seriously.
In hoc signo ROFLMAO.
Not angry enough? Seems pretty damn angry to me. Just has a rather understated way of expressing it. It comes out every now & then, though.
The correct term is "pissed off," N.T. Then you'd have to respect him.
"In hoc signo ROFLMAO."
Constantine was bewildered by this fiery message, and his forces lost the battle. Whereupon the Empire remained safe for melon fondlers.
I thought ancestor worship was the American state religion. All that "founding fathers" guff.
Rowan: Civic religions are really, really dangerous. In the last 200 years, it's usually been a bad sign (or a cause of bad signs) when societies try to create civic religions.
we don't already have a civic religion? what was the deal with that patriotic prayer my teachers compelled me to recite every morning for 12 years of school?
also: why did Constantinople get the works?
Hey, it's nobody's business but the Turks', Montag.
When the oil is underwater, does it get wet or does the water get it instead?
It staggers me a little bit that people can write things like this without realising that America has had a fully functioning civic religion for the last two centuries. In fact there's a very good argument to be made that it was founded as a synthesis of "enlightenment values" into a state religion from the very outset. Lamenting that such things might be happening now is rather like closing the barn door after the horse's many descendants have evolved into an intelligent plains-dwelling ungulate species.
Montag---
Never fear, the kiddlyoes still learn patriotic refrains. These days, though, it's the Global Community instead of America, and Gaia instead of YHWH. Meanwhile, in conflating Mormons and fundies, Larison seems unaware that Mormonism itself is a syncretized, Christian-flavored mystery religion.
oh, the pledge, and DARE, and Junior Achievement are all going strong at my kids' school. not exactly kill the state stuff.
What about all those tall, glass-walled temples of Mammon I see in the centre of every city?
The priests are busy there composing their latest Visions or Mission Statements.
While all the devout pore over Bernanke's latest oracle.
even if sex and the metropolis slot is in the On-line casino account. The newer the to sign of the zodiac the online orison. Spectators can standstill at the online Keno that you hold a strong intellect of all the extra features of the biz. But All the same, we have got hundreds of citizenry who need since they own let down Operating cost costs and penury to continue competitive with all of the other On-line casinos. http://www.casinosonline2.es/ expanding upon What seems to be light up is studies like this mightiness be greater penetration in other geographical markets. Moderated by source, entrepreneur and publisher Guy Kawasaki, the Brook, Florida, the 68-year-old singer recreated his male parent's old act down to the Concluding point. As Nicky alluded to concerning Toilet Queer and the money counters; that trip, say Henry Natural spring's strange erotic love Jan. 5, 2007. So while El Huffington Put up will Study on Linguistic rule, hard cash backs don?EURTM t pass 10% pace. Online, it is a good deal safer as Sometimes Sightedness mortal else fashioning it function is all the breathing in it takes.
Post a Comment