February 25, 2008

Risibly lame.....

Diogenes writes:

The Religious Right is what Lefties call believing Christians during an election year. Believers are generally loathed by the glitterati, but there's votes in them thar hills, and every four years, in order to score higher in the southern states, the Democratic leadership makes tardy and risibly lame attempts at church-going. It always backfires. The news footage of Hillary leaving church with her white-gloved hand clutching a prayer-book is as convincing as the famous shot of the senior George Bush tossing back a beer in that Jersey City tavern. To fake an interest, you need a trace of familiarity with your subject....(There's more. Fun.)

Too true. Obama has a huge advantage here, because he can tap into the whole "Christianity equals the Civil Rights Movement equals liberal Democrats" thing. It's a fake, but it always plays well. Blacks have a pass on the derision that liberals heap on Christians. It's allowed, as a sort of charming folk-custom among the colorful simple folk. White liberals can patronize their darkies, much as they might go watch whirling dervishes or Hindoo fakirs. It's understood that this faith stuff has nothing to do with the elites.

Things are much harder for Lefty white guys. I always remember Al Gore saying that we do such-and-such "In my faith tradition." Clang! He gave away the game right there. Fake, fake, got no rhythm. I bet Bush senior gave away his little game of being one of the guys, by politely sipping his schooner of beer, and leaving half of it unconsumed. He should have downed it with a smile, and wiped the foam off his lip with the back of his hand. And maybe asked for a shot to go with it...

Posted by John Weidner at February 25, 2008 08:26 AM
Comments

Actually, I've gotta tell you, "In my faith tradition" doesn't actually ring false to me - it just rings Future Church Liberal. That kind of tripe was tossed around constantly in the seminary, mostly by the younger generation of professors at the graduate level - the real academic types. Not that it doesn't show true colors, of course - it certainly shows that he's well-steeped in anti-traditionalist beliefs - but it isn't necessarily evidence that he's faking those beliefs...

Posted by: Ethan Hahn at February 25, 2008 01:42 PM

Perhaps I'm too cynical and skeptical about people. And I should clarify that I don't know if Gore is consciously a fake. He may be fooling himself. Probably is.

By I doubt if you will find anybody willing to go to the stake for their "faith tradition."

Posted by: John Weidner at February 25, 2008 01:58 PM

I doubt if you will find anybody willing to go to the stake for their "faith tradition."

No doubt - but they always seemed eager to stake up other, less tolerant people!

Posted by: Ethan Hahn at February 26, 2008 05:51 AM

Ethan, I think your example reinforces the point Mr. Weidner was making. The people you mention don't have a belief, they have a job.....

Posted by: Robert Mitchell Jr. at February 26, 2008 07:31 PM
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