Friday, August 18, 2006
A Bishop who takes on more than he can chew
I confess: Bishop John Shelby Spong, the quasi-atheistic Episcopal author, is one of my favorite theologians. While I reject most of his thoughts concerning God's impact on the world around us, I agree with his crusade to foster a better understanding of the manner in which the Old and New Testament were handed down through the ages.
Perhaps to reinforce his reputation as a "liberal" theologian, Bishop Spong often dips his toe into the stream of contemporary politics; and, without fail, he aligns himself with the denizens of the loony left. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Bishop Spong has explained away Islamic terrorism as an understandable (if not heroic) lashing out of the oppressed.
First of all, if the Islamic world is indeed a land of "perpetual" poverty, as Spong submits, it is a self-inflicted state of being. The West has pumped billions into the region, much of which has been squandered by corrupt leaders. (It was recently revealed that Yasir Arafat, head of the Palestinian Authority, has skimmed enough from aid payments to become a millionaire.) Furthermore, governments in the Middle East refuse to modernize their economies, knowing full well that economic liberalization is a first step toward political pluralism. If people in the Middle East are so downtrodden that they feel compelled to "lash out," it is not the West that should be targeted.
Second, and this is something that's not discussed much in left-wing circles, Osama bin Laden is, and the September 11 hijackers were, hardly destitute. Bin Laden is the scion of a wealthy Saudi construction magnate; the 9/11 terrorists were all decidedly middle and upper-middle class. To say that "poverty" or "oppression" motivated them is laughable. No, what motivates Islamic fascists to this day is a hatred of all that we in the West hold sacred: Economic and political freedom; freedom of religion; freedom of thought; gender equality; and the idea that Jews should have the right to live peacefully within the state of Israel.
Not unlike a whole host of so-called "experts," Bishop Spong's acclaim as a media-friendly theologian compels him to comment on subjects about which he knows little. That's sad, really. A learned man, indeed, Spong should stick to his attempts to explain the complexities of the Bible -- and leave discussions of international relations to people who know better.
Perhaps to reinforce his reputation as a "liberal" theologian, Bishop Spong often dips his toe into the stream of contemporary politics; and, without fail, he aligns himself with the denizens of the loony left. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Bishop Spong has explained away Islamic terrorism as an understandable (if not heroic) lashing out of the oppressed.
First of all, if the Islamic world is indeed a land of "perpetual" poverty, as Spong submits, it is a self-inflicted state of being. The West has pumped billions into the region, much of which has been squandered by corrupt leaders. (It was recently revealed that Yasir Arafat, head of the Palestinian Authority, has skimmed enough from aid payments to become a millionaire.) Furthermore, governments in the Middle East refuse to modernize their economies, knowing full well that economic liberalization is a first step toward political pluralism. If people in the Middle East are so downtrodden that they feel compelled to "lash out," it is not the West that should be targeted.
Second, and this is something that's not discussed much in left-wing circles, Osama bin Laden is, and the September 11 hijackers were, hardly destitute. Bin Laden is the scion of a wealthy Saudi construction magnate; the 9/11 terrorists were all decidedly middle and upper-middle class. To say that "poverty" or "oppression" motivated them is laughable. No, what motivates Islamic fascists to this day is a hatred of all that we in the West hold sacred: Economic and political freedom; freedom of religion; freedom of thought; gender equality; and the idea that Jews should have the right to live peacefully within the state of Israel.
Not unlike a whole host of so-called "experts," Bishop Spong's acclaim as a media-friendly theologian compels him to comment on subjects about which he knows little. That's sad, really. A learned man, indeed, Spong should stick to his attempts to explain the complexities of the Bible -- and leave discussions of international relations to people who know better.
# posted by Joltin' Django @ Friday, August 18, 2006 
