Tuesday, March 29, 2005
No Hope?
The Boston Globe and Brian MacQuarrie wrote the following regarding the "Christian" Wilkerson family that they observed or discovered in Mason, Ohio. Hugh Hewitt asks: "So why the story?" Here is my guess:
The Globe is just pointing out the ridiculous point in trying to reach out to us dense Christians. The Globe implies: "Is there really any sense in even trying to reach out to the Wilkerson's?" The article begins with the premise below, but the lack of any summary or conclusion addressing it, emphasizes the Globe's resignation to the fact that Christians are likely unreachable, given their beliefs. When I read it, there is a sense the Globe is saying in a mocking tone: "Would we (the Democrats) really want the Wilkerson's? I mean, c'mon, can you believe that they actually believe that Bible stuff and are using it for a guide to live by, you've got to be kidding me."
The Globe repeatedly states the Wilkerson's belief in Jesus as the only way to heaven. This seems to be an attempt to put down the Wilkerson's as extremely close minded and intolerant. There appears to be little or no understanding of what conviction to your faith and living it out really means.
The Globe intended to make a case for how to reach the Wilkerson's and people like them, but in the end simply gave up. They ran it to show how hopeless (from their liberal view) and pointless it would be to even bother to embrace all those Christian Bush backers.
Even the title reflects the Globe's inability to comprehend that it is beliefs in action, not their religion at the base of the Wilkerson's politics. The distinction is crucial. The depth of their conviction and personal faith and relationship with God drives their life including their politics. The requirement to surrender ones self to God and establish a personal relationship seems beyond the pale for the Globe, lacking the personal experience, the only way the Globe can describe it is the term religion.
The Globe expresses a sense of contempt for the Wilkerson's and in their amazement, even failed to write a coherent article. Maybe God had a hand in it and is using it to spread his message through a rather unlikely medium.
Here is the presumed premise of the story:
The Globe is just pointing out the ridiculous point in trying to reach out to us dense Christians. The Globe implies: "Is there really any sense in even trying to reach out to the Wilkerson's?" The article begins with the premise below, but the lack of any summary or conclusion addressing it, emphasizes the Globe's resignation to the fact that Christians are likely unreachable, given their beliefs. When I read it, there is a sense the Globe is saying in a mocking tone: "Would we (the Democrats) really want the Wilkerson's? I mean, c'mon, can you believe that they actually believe that Bible stuff and are using it for a guide to live by, you've got to be kidding me."
The Globe repeatedly states the Wilkerson's belief in Jesus as the only way to heaven. This seems to be an attempt to put down the Wilkerson's as extremely close minded and intolerant. There appears to be little or no understanding of what conviction to your faith and living it out really means.
The Globe intended to make a case for how to reach the Wilkerson's and people like them, but in the end simply gave up. They ran it to show how hopeless (from their liberal view) and pointless it would be to even bother to embrace all those Christian Bush backers.
Even the title reflects the Globe's inability to comprehend that it is beliefs in action, not their religion at the base of the Wilkerson's politics. The distinction is crucial. The depth of their conviction and personal faith and relationship with God drives their life including their politics. The requirement to surrender ones self to God and establish a personal relationship seems beyond the pale for the Globe, lacking the personal experience, the only way the Globe can describe it is the term religion.
The Globe expresses a sense of contempt for the Wilkerson's and in their amazement, even failed to write a coherent article. Maybe God had a hand in it and is using it to spread his message through a rather unlikely medium.
Here is the presumed premise of the story:
To them, the president is ''a godly man" and Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts is not.
Such thinking is prompting many Democrats to rethink the party's message on religion and abortion, and how to reach out to voters for whom religion plays a critical, determining role. But in the Wilkersons' four-bedroom home, nestled between a creek and a cul-de-sac, a political conversion seems unlikely at best.
The Wilkersons oppose abortion and stem-cell research, consider homosexuality a sin, and regard same-sex marriage as the work of activist judges who cater to a
dangerous fringe group. The future holds either heaven or hell, and the only way
to paradise is to accept Jesus Christ.
# posted by Steve @ 8:11 PM 
