Walking? Or just talking? - Molly Ivins

[nosmokes]

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Molly Ivins
Creators Syndicate
06.29.04

Walking? Or just talking?
'Family values' crowd drags God into the mud of partisan politics

AUSTIN, Texas -- When it comes to religion, I've always believed it's more important to walk the walk than to talk the talk. I come from a tradition (Episcopal) that considers it rather in bad taste to wear your religion on your sleeve, presumably from Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 5 and 6:

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."

Of course, I also had some Baptist input and so am fond of making a joyful noise unto the Lord. Texans even like to sing hymns around campfires while drinking beer -- I'm not sure if that counts.
~snip~
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I sometimes think we've gotten ourselves into a pointless argument in this country, as we rather often do, by exaggerating the extremes. We are not faced with a choice between imposing some Christian version of Sharia law on the one hand, or "driving religion out of the public square" altogether on the other.

Two hundred years of not terribly rigid separation of church and state has given us one precious gift. As a quote attributed to James Madison (never been able to find the correct citation on it) put it, "The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe with blood for centuries." Religious strife is still soaking the soil with blood, isn't it, in Kosovo and elsewhere.
~snip~
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To the extent that politics should be based on moral and ethical considerations, of course it has religious foundations. But dragging God into partisan politics is, in my view, a sin.
~snip~

(c) 2004 Creators Syndicate

[mzmolly]

1. I love Molly Ivins. She has such a way with words!

...

"Is it Christian to cut money for Head Start? Is it Christian to cut poor children off health care? Is it Christian to cut old people off Medicare? Is it Christian to write memos justifying torture? Is it Christian to cut after-school, nutrition and AIDS programs so multimillionaires can have bigger tax cuts?

Historically, the Bible has been used to justify some stupefying crimes, including slavery and genocide. I see no indication we are any better at divining the Lord's intent now than we ever were."

I sent myself a copy of this one! Thanks :hi:

[Joy Anne]

2. read the full column

or you'll miss her "stink of sanctimony" comments. Oh, wouldn't I like to be able to write like Molly!

[yellowcanine]

3. Yep - no one is better at spotting sanctimony than Molly. That is why she

has such a handle on the likes of Bush and Tom Delay.

On Edit: spelled "one" as "won". What a moran!

[struggle4progress]

4. "I call upon the Lord rather frequently myself, often for patience ...

... in dealing with those who presume to speak in His name."

[Raster]

5. Amen, Sister Molly!!!

[sonias]

6. Thank you Molly

See there are many good people in Texas and a lot of us are sticking it out. If Molly thought we were hopeless, she wouldn't be inspiring us with her good words.

And where else but in the Texas Lege would you have someone utter these words:
"I am not so much concerned about the natural bastards as I am about the self-made ones."



Sonia