Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

Rosie O’Donnell’s Bizarro World

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James A. Bacon
in

Talk show host Rosie O’Donnell may think that “radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state.” But one indisputable difference should give her pause: When offended by blaspemy, radical Christians don’t riot and kill the people who offend them.

UVa’s student newspaper, the Cavalier Daily, caused a flap recently when it printed a cartoon depicting “Christ on a Cartesian Coordinate Plane,” with Jesus crucified on the X and Y axes of a mathematical grid, and another, “A Nativity Ob-scene,” in which the Virgin Mary tells Joseph that her bumpy rash was “immaculately transmitted.” So reports the Charlottesville Daily Press.

When Christians get in an uproar, they write letters and call into talk radio. Conservative Fox News Bill O’Reilly termed the cartoons “an unbelievable assault on Christianity” and urged UVa alumni not to donate to the school until the newspaper is “forced off campus.” Ooooh, how horrible! But please note: There were no riots, no lynchings, no acts of arson. No repressive legislation was passed, no one was fired, no one got punished. (For the record: The CD did pull the cartoons.)

In America, gays can’t get married. In Iran, they get executed. But radical Christians and Islamicists are equally dangerous. What kind of bizarro world does O’Donnell live in?

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16 responses to “Rosie O’Donnell’s Bizarro World”

  1. jamie Avatar
    jamie

    Is Rosie O’Donnell a complete and utter nutjob? Oh goodness, yes.

    Can it be said that “radical Christianity”, a la Pat Robertson, John Hagee (sp?), Jack Van Impe and the like can sprout ideas as dangerous as any out there today? Sure they can, and they are.

    I dare say Christians aren’t as violent (anymore) because the vast majority of us don’t live for our religions. Being “Christian” is saying that you believe in Christ. Being “Muslim” is an all-encompassing way of life. From what you read, to what you say, to what you eat, to every possible aspect of your life, it is shaped wholly by your faith.

    While I don’t agree with the horrible violence and hatred, of course, we could all take something from the fundamentalist Muslims in that we should make being a Christian a much more powerful statement than it’s current “I go to church on Sunday, and probably don’t cheat on my taxes”.

  2. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Jamie: Re – “Can it be said that “radical Christianity”, a la Pat Robertson, John Hagee (sp?), Jack Van Impe and the like can sprout ideas as dangerous as any out there today?” Name one as dangerous as the Islamists and 9-11.

    Jim: I think the Christian comics are just college kids being kids. I’m not offended by them – except that the same kids lack the courage do to the same to non-Christians like Muslims and minorities. That is offensive.

    That was the power behind the cartoon show South Park that wasn’t allowed to parody Mohammed so they did their worst to Jesus to show the cowardice.

  3. jamie Avatar
    jamie

    Name one as dangerous as the Islamists and 9-11.

    I can name plenty of their ideas that are as dangerous as anything that comes out of the Mullahs in Afghanistan or any Taliban cave.

    Pat Robertson admittedly prays and hopes for harm to fall on others. He also claims Hurricane Katrina as retribution for the sins and wickedness in New Orleans (oddly enough, the French Quarter went largely undamaged).

    John Hagee is your run of the mill Texas super-church hate-monger. He’s going to be on Fresh Air this coming Monday by the way. Should be a good listen.

    And Jack Van Impe – The “Walking Bible”. If you’ve ever actually seen him then we don’t need to get into his particular brand of dangerous ideas.

    I didn’t say they were out killing people. I said that their IDEAS WERE DANGEROUS.

  4. Waldo Jaquith Avatar
    Waldo Jaquith

    I’m yet to encounter a dangerous idea. If there is any way that thought can harm anyone, I can’t envision it.

  5. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    So, how are their ideas as dangerous as the ideas that motivated the Islamists on 9-11.

    Pat Robertson gets rich. John Hagee gets fat. Jack Van Impe does his comb over. Nobody dies.

    So, make the moral equivalency again – how are their ideas as dangerous?

  6. Jim Bacon Avatar
    Jim Bacon

    Jamie, I happen not to believe in divine intervention in human affairs, so, as far as I’m concerned, Pat Robertson can pray for anything he wants, as hard as he wants, as long as he wants, and he’s not going to affect anything. From from considering that dangerous, I consider that absolutely harmless. In sum, Pat Robertson is a harmless crank.

    I wish the Jihadists would settle for praying. Instead they translate their aspirations and prayers into violent action. It’s not just their actions that are dangerous, it’s the conceptual framework, their worldview, that gives spring to their actions that is dangerous.

  7. Larry Gross Avatar
    Larry Gross

    Let’s put ourselves in the other shoe…

    suppose we’re NOT Americans and certainly NOT American Christians… and our eyes are seeing one of the most powerful nations ever to be on Earth… with “In GOD we Trust” emblazoned on it’s face… that routinely uses it’s power and influence to bully other governments, undermine governments they don’t like, and in general kick ass and make no secret that they can “have their way” if they want it.

    One can name dozens of countries in the world who have had the US directly involved in their internal affairs to better their own country’s interests.

    Does anyone think… that folks in the world who think this way… could justify in their own minds… ANY method of opposition to such a country.??

    Is there a difference between an insurgent, a guerilla or a terrorist in terms of a universal point of view?

    Do we classify BOTH Catholics AND Christians as violent religions when both kill each other for decades in a place called Ireland?

    Call me a skeptic… but I think “sound biting” the religion issue is dangerous territory that does NOT help any of us to look forward to a future where we’re still not killing each other.. for “good” reasons.

  8. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Rosie is supposed to be bizzarre: that’s her job.

  9. jamie Avatar
    jamie

    The IRA deals drugs? I haven’t heard that one. Where did you read it?

  10. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Jamie: When I was on active duty I heard many briefings from UK Officers – drug running, racketering (protection) and guns is IRA business. It isn’t 1920 anymore.

  11. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    There can be absolutely no doubt that radical Islam is a bigger threat than radical Christianity. Simply put, we modernized and civilized Christianity in a way that Islam has never experienced.

    Of course, while they are not comparable in threat level or even approaching in violence level, there certainly is a growing movement aiming at Christian theocracy that has gained considerable public influence. That’s something to oppose even as fundamentalist violence from Islam is the big threat.

  12. James Atticus Bowden Avatar
    James Atticus Bowden

    Anon: Name a politician who supports Christian theocracy.

    Name a religious leader,his sect and the document that calls for Christian theocracy.

  13. jamie Avatar
    jamie

    JAB – While no politician will actually come out in open support of a Theocracy, or any steps leading towards it (whether they believe it or not, it would be politcally stupid), please see The Chalcedon Foundation -RJ Rushdoony and his followers. Also, Gary North, who has a divergent view that goes toward the same (if stricter) end.

    Christopher J. Ortiz wrote an interesting article calling for exactly what you said doesn’t exist.

    http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=2308

    They are a recognized 501(c)3 think tank, with their hands in a lot of cookie jars, even though they don’t like to admit it. See Howard Abrahamson and Wayne C. Johnson

    They tend to call themselves “Dominionists or “Reconstructionists”, as “Theocrat” has such a distasteful moniker.

    They’re out there working towards that goal, and they have deep pockets.

  14. Harriet Avatar
    Harriet

    we modernized and civilized Christianity in a way that Islam has never experienced

    There might not be a civilized “we” if it weren’t for the effect of people believing someone who said everything hinged on loving one’s neighbor as one loved oneself.

    Christianity tamed the “we”. The “we” didn’t civilize Christianity.

    One early example, from Wikipedia:

    “Banned
    Gladiator fights were first outlawed by Constantine I in AD 325, but they kept going for many years. Such contests were finally stopped in AD 404, supposedly as a result of the daring of Telemachus, an Asian monk. After he rushed into the arena to try to separate two gladiators, the spectators stoned him to death. Afterward the Emperor Honorius issued an edict suppressing such exhibitions.”

    Other notable religiously-motivated movements in America:

    Abolition of slavery
    Public schooling
    Prison- and asylum-building

  15. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Where do the doctor killing, clinic bombing “Christians” fit into this debate?

  16. Kyle Avatar
    Kyle

    Where do the doctor killing, clinic bombing “Christians” fit into this debate?

    What all five of them?

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