Guest Poster: Retrogrouch
It should be apparent to all by now that Christian Fundamentalists make up the core of the GOG (Grand Old Graft) Party base. The GOG Party loyalists subscribe to a very extreme and very marginal theology. They are a tiny and wholly unrepresentative sample of Christianity. However, they do have disproportional influence in American politics today.
Machiavellian political operatives in the GOG Party are aware of this and have become quite expert at communicating with this base in a way that calls them to support Bush and his policies in the face of all logic and reason. Frankly, they are attempts to influence these Christian Fundamentalists with complete disregard for the actual teachings of Jesus Christ.
For those not familiar with Christian scripture, this presents a problem. Too often these communications fly under the radar. It is my modest hope that I can illuminate some of these communications. I believe that if we can expose these virulent ideas to a little sunshine, we can rescue both politics and Christian theology from their ill effects.
Many people, including many luminaries in the liberal blogosphere, have been rightly outraged by comments by the Stupidest Secretary of State Ever describing the war between Israel and Hezbollah as the “Birth Pangs” of a new middle east. In fact, the “Birth Pangs” comment is an allusion to several passages in the Christian bible.
First, it should be clear that the phrase was a calculated one and not some off-the cuff description based on the way she backtracked from saying “Growing Pains”. Let’s roll the tape:
“What we're seeing here, in a sense, is the growing -- the birth pangs of a new Middle East and whatever we do we have to be certain that we're pushing forward to the new Middle East not going back to the old one.”
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/69331.htm
So what is Stupidest Secretary of State Ever trying to communicate to the GOG Party faithful? Of the several passages this alludes to, the two that are most relevant for this message are from the gospel of Mark and the book of Isaiah.
Mark 13:7-8 (Emphasis added)
7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.
In this passage, Jesus is telling his disciples about the end of the world. In a moment of irony lost on the GOG Party faithful, immediately before this passage, Jesus warns his followers not to be deceived by people claiming to speak in his name.
The Stupidest Secretary of State Ever is making this allusion in order to calm any uneasiness on the part of the loyal GOG Party base.
“Don’t be alarmed,” she is saying, “Our policy here is ordained by God and will bring about the end of the world you so fervently hope for.”
The second allusion is to the book of Isaiah. It reads as follows:
Isaiah 13:3-9 (Emphasis added)
3 I have commanded my holy ones;
I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath—
those who rejoice in my triumph.
4 Listen, a noise on the mountains,
like that of a great multitude!
Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms,
like nations massing together!
The LORD Almighty is mustering
an army for war.
5 They come from faraway lands,
from the ends of the heavens—
the LORD and the weapons of his wrath—
to destroy the whole country.
6 Wail, for the day of the LORD is near;
it will come like destruction from the Almighty. [a]
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,
every man's heart will melt.
8 Terror will seize them,
pain and anguish will grip them;
they will writhe like a woman in labor.
They will look aghast at each other,
their faces aflame.
9 See, the day of the LORD is coming
—a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.
By referencing this passage, the Stupidest Secretary of State Ever is seeking to claim for Bush the mantle of holy chosen instrument of God’s wrath. This passage comes in the middle of an oracle concerning Babylon – the land we now call Iraq. It is important to note that both Christian and Jewish scholars consider this a discussion of Babylon’s fall to the ancient Medes (Persians). In fact, later in the chapter Isaiah identifies the Medes as the instrument of God’s wrath.
It is important to understand that the extremists in Christianity view prophecy as literal predictions of future events. The vast majority of Christians view prophecy as explanation of what happens when a people stop being faithful to the will of a loving God. This is an important distinction, for where most Christians hear the prophets call the people to tend to the poor, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and turn away from war, the extremists hear a checklist that must be fulfilled for Christ to return.
When dealing with the extremist Christians, those who want to complete a checklist, you have to keep focused on what they are called to do by their own scripture. Isaiah calls the leaders of the nations to “Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.” (Chapter 1:16-17). Micah says it more simply: Act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with your God. (6:8)
After all, to paraphrase Mill, we are not in danger from their Justice, Mercy and Humility.