Crazy God People
I just came across a quote from author Sam Harris that is simultaneously hilarious, terrifying, and completely true. Thus, I pass it on to all of you:
"The President of theUnited States
"The President of the
-W.
posted by William H. Harwood at 1:06 AM
4 Comments:
Our enemy, the terrorists, commune with God five times a day. And forget hair dryers, these people do it through little rugs!!!
And you call Bush crazy? Bush has to go to Church at least once a week to keep up with these nutjobs. Signal the national emergency sirens when Bush starts promising Army recruits 100 virgins. And for God's sake, someone pull Bill Clinton out of line.
I think you missed the point of the quote. It is one thing to go to church on Sunday. It is another to think that you are in direct contact with the divine. Still another to believe that you can speak for the Almighty, as to his plans, desires, motivations, and preferences. People like bin Laden or David Karesh tend to be derided by the majority of the religious community for their respective belief that they are tuned in to God Radio. Occasionally someone like Oliver Cromwell slips through this crazy meter. But our country has tended more on the side of suspicion over the last few decades when faced with such individuals.
Then again, times are a changin'. The X-ian world is delighted with those billboards that quote God (e.g., "Don't make me come down there." - God). What happened to the days when X-ians had enough humility, education and belief to know that speaking in the name of God is a big no-no?
Then again, a recent Baylor University study ("The God Slot," The Economist, Sept 14th) put the number of Americans at 19% who believe "God favors the United States in international politics."
P.S. Careful with your generalizations. True, the U.S. has enemies who believe they are God's chosen and who pray five times a day on rugs. Ironically, rather than take away from the quote, your statement at best supports it. Presumably we would want a president who can afford a higher standard of comparison. Second, the wording of your statement could imply that anyone who prays five times a day on a rug is an enemy and a terrorist. I assume this is not your intent.
William, you need to find and watch the film "Jesus Camp." It will scare the shit out of you.
-Emily
Perhaps Mr. Bush is a bicameral human who, like the characters of the Iliad, has not yet developed his consciousness, and so receives his inner voice through the boom of a God.
I borrow heavily from Julian Jaynes here.
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