David Brooks shows once again why he’s one of the most level-headed and important political writers in the country.
Read this column, and keep in mind, this isn’t a Christian defending the church. This is someone else who has taken the time to listen and to understand.
Now, if only more people within the church would exercise such patience and understanding with those outside of their own community.
Way to go, Brooksie!
The other day here at the Seminary, I passed a big poster of Sojourners Magazine’s “GOD IS NOT A REPUBLICAN …or a democrat” slogan – it was topped by a quote from Fallwell – something like “Kill them all in Jesus’ name” or something like that. Typical deranged Fallwell stuff. It struck me anew why I cannot take so much of the Christian Left seriously. Here is Sojourners Magazine, allegedly the sane voice of the Evangelical Left – and the person they pick as their sparring partner is Jerry Fallwell? That’s like trying to set yourself up as heavyweight champion of the world, and scheduling your first bout with Katie Holmes. (To show you my age, I almost wrote “Emmanuel Lewis”) Wallis and Company display their smug sense of superiority every day in Sojo and their newsletters, but they do it by crowing over folks like Pat Robertson. I’d listen to them a lot more carefully if they’d engage people like Colson, or Mohler, or any of the saner conservative Evangelical voices. Instead, like the political left in this country, they demonize their opponents and prefer to engage caricatures.
Let’s face it, 75% of Americans react with disgust when GWB is portrayed as Hitler (statistic provided by UMadeItUp.com). They just know instinctually that this is ridiculous, and react against it. But they rarely get a more nuanced argument from the left.
Unfortunately, most lefties in America have no idea who John Stott is, or Chuck Colson, or any other Evangelical “leader” than Fallwell and Robertson. So when they see F&R paraded as examples of the Christian Right, they have a hard time seeing what caricatures they really are.
I was always wondering why you had such a love for A Boot and a Shoe, which seemed to me one of Sam’s weaker albums. It’s much clearer now. Thanks for your willingness to share.