The Inside Assyria Discussion Forum #5
=> Secularism
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Posted by
pancho
(Moderator)
- Monday, July 28 2008, 23:33:00 (CEST) from *** - ***  Non-Profit Organizations -  Linux -   MozillaWebsite: Website title: |
The last paragraphs of Lewis’s book; “I said a little earlier that historically speaking there are no lords spiritual for Muslims or, for that matter, for Jews, no political churchmen like Richelieu or Wolsey (both Cardinals who held political office, mine). The first statement, that there are no lords spiritual, is clearly no longer true, either for Jews or for Muslims. I wonder if it is still true, and if so, how long it will remain true, that there are no political ecclesiastics. There is of course the obvious example of Khomeini in Iran, though if one looks for a Christian parallel he was a Savonarola (Christian fanatic evangelist, contemporary of Michelangelo, who was, thankfully, put to death, mine) rather than a Richelieu. One may also see, if one looks nearer, other Muslim and Jewish men of religion who, forsaking traditional values, have become both political and ecclesiastical. “Secularism in the Christian world was an attempt to resolve the long and destructive struggle of church and state. Separation, adopted in the American and French revolutions, and elsewhere after that, was designed to prevent two things; the use of religion by the state to reinforce and extend its authority and the use of state power by the clergy to impose their doctrines and rules on others. This is a problem long seen as purely Christian, not relevant to Jews or Muslims. Looking at the contemporary Middle East, both Jewish and Muslim, one must ask whether this is still true...or whether Jews and Muslims may perhaps have caught a Christian disease and might therefore consider a Christian remedy.” Mostly true and well-said...except.... That’s an odd sentiment to end with...that people who catch a Christian “disease” must also look to Christians for the cure. Funny, that’s exactly what Christian lore is...the same person who infects you with the crap brings you “relief” as well...if a doctor did such a thing he’d wind up in jail...which is where most priests belong anyway. It needs to be pointed out that the Jews and Muslims of the Middle East were forcibly set against each other by, who else, the Christians. Had the Christians not been tainted with the disease of murder-as-a-symbol-of-love, they may never have forced the Jews into the ovens in the first place...and then sent the remainder to live on stolen Muslim lands. I’m not so sure Christians are the best role models, for anything, where Jews and Muslims are concerned...but then they don’t provide any better role models to their own children...hence Iraq so soon after Vietnam...and maybe Iran next? It can be safely said, with apologies to Lewis, that where Christianity is concerned, any cure it offers is far worse than the disease. Best to avoid infection altogether. --------------------- |
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