Tuesday, October 6
Monday, October 5
Hypermasculinized Postmillennial Fanatics Deny Exist Of Merciful God
They are correct to call to resist pandering to shrewish banshees.
They go a step too far in insisting this is a cause for eternal damnation.
These religionists insist women are almost always wrong.
Most men I’ve observed have a track record as nearly as abysmal.
Friday, October 2
Are Churches Becoming Increasingly Authoritarian & Dictatorial?
These pastors might claim they hear from God as to what goes on in the church.
Fair enough.
A pastor can have leeway in regards to what is said from a pulpit and in directing what goes on within the confines of a church.
But when it comes to your own life, his role is more of an advisory capacity.
You can hear from God that when things begin to approach this level of arrogance, it might be time to leave that style of congregation.
These religionists make it sound like the pewfillers exist as canon fodder.
Just as a pastor is supposed to protect the church, you in your capacity as a household is to protect those living in that context even if it means defending them from those that wrap themselves in an alleged divine anointing.
We are in the post-Protestant Reformation.
You are no longer obligated to remain in any institution where you believe you are being mistreated.
By Frederick Meekins
Thursday, October 1
Wednesday, September 30
Tuesday, September 29
Monday, September 28
Wednesday, September 23
Tuesday, September 22
Monday, September 21
Thursday, September 17
Wednesday, September 16
The Christian Century Fails To Conceal Agenda In Editorial On Masks
In the October 2026 edition of the Christian Century, the monthly Peter Marty editorial is titled “Masks hide us — and Shape Us”.
One doesn’t imagine this publication was all that concerned about the psychologically manipulative and deleterious nature of masks during the Plague Cult hysteria.
It is revealing as to The Christian Century’s true agenda that Marty justifies his hypothesis by referencing the Patriot Front march when 400 masked alleged “White ethno nationalists” perambulated in rhythmic synchronicity through parts of Washington, DC.
Marty writes, “It’s fair to wonder why White supremacists cover their faces if they think they are really doing the right thing.”
Yet he says nothing in opposition to the Black Lives Matter, Antifia, and Intifada types that not only shrouded their countenances but who destroyed and looted far more property than the Patriotic Front despite its ideological shortcomings.
by Frederick Meekins
Tuesday, September 15
Monday, September 14
A Review Of “Attributes Of God On F.I.R.E: Probing Fourteen Character Traits Of God To Imitate”
With the F.I.R.E. method, Dr. Ken Burge, Sr. is diligently carving out a niche for one of the most effective systematized approaches to the study and application of the Scripture available today.
Previously applied to specific books of the Bible, in “Attributes Of God On F.I.R.E: Probing Fourteen Character Traits Of God To Imitate”, Dr. Burge utilizes the methodology to better acquaint the believer with what can be known about God from the Bible.
Awed by the ways in which God differs from ourselves that we are not (known as the via negativa) such as infinite, immaterial, and eternal, we often forget that our own nature is a conscribed reflection of His.
In this study, Dr. Burge emphatically details those characteristics that we in our own human nature share with the Almighty in a finite form derived from and bestowed by God.
These include truth, mercy, love, and even sanctified jealousy.
By definition, no subject is more complex than that of God.
Dr. Ken Burge is not only to be commended for the reverent enthusiasm in which he takes on such a formidable topic but for also engaging this study in such a way that fellow believers are able to reflect upon these profundities as well.
By Frederick Meekins
Thursday, September 10
Wednesday, September 9
Tuesday, September 8
Wednesday, September 2
Tuesday, September 1
Monday, August 31
Will You Be Damned For Refusing To Allow Religious Functionaries To Select Your Mate?
Still won't do you any good if church folk don't give a flip you exist either.
Sounds like a scam if love only comes to those deemed as having acceptable character according to the COMMUNITY.
Friday, August 28
"Christian Century" Selective In Pointing Out Historical Shortcomings
The editorial in the July 2025 edition of Christian Century is titled “Patriots: The church is called to be a loving critic, not a national cheerleader” by that publication's editor/publisher who holds that position in good measure because his daddy Martin held it previously.
In the opening of the essay, this particular Marty compares the United States and the celebration of Independence Day with Nazism and the ceremonial pomp he equates with both regimes in his mind.
Peter Marty begins this analogy by referencing a plaque hung on the gatehouse of the Buchenwald concentration camp brandished with the phrase “My country, right or wrong.” The opening paragraph concludes with the observation, “An uncritical love of country held a warm appeal to the Nazis. Authoritarian governments thrive on the people's unquestioning obedience, and uncritical patriotism usually follows.”
Yet it is not enough for the Marty lad to render such judgments against a presidential administration not to his liking.
To emphasize that his comparisons between Nazism and traditional American patriotism are quite deliberate and not accidental verbal over-exuberance, Marty invokes an additional verbal flourish in the sentence, “The all-night blitzkrieg of neighborhood fireworks is not for me.”
The entire essay pretty much consists of Marty virtue signaling just how much more he values reflective history resulting in a stifling sense of White guilt than hayseeds that rather spend the Fourth of July enjoying their country instead of flagellating themselves over what are the historical shortcomings of their genetic forbearers.
As such, it is not out of line to assume that Marty as the progeny of good Midwestern Lutheran stock and thus most likely of German lineage himself knows that the term “blitzkrieg” translates from that particular tongue into English as “lightening war”. The term gained a degree of infamy when invoked to describe the spread of Germany's overwhelming attacks during the early days of World War II.
As to why Rev. Marty believes it is his homiletical responsibility as a pastor to assume the role of wet blanket and scold in regards to celebrating civic commemorations, he writes, “If we're open to ...a constructive patriotism ... then we should know these injustices well.” He is referring to the sorts of events, of course, that no one alive today directly experienced or themselves bear responsibility for by any legal standard.
For example, in his liturgy of grievances, Marty references a book on voter suppression, a Frederick Douglas address from 1852 titled “What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July”, and a dairy entry by a Presbyterian missionary venting over President Andrew Johnson (a Democrat by the way) ordering the Cherokees off their land.
But aren't those finding themselves in settings such as schools, corporate workplaces, and an increasing number of churches already subjected to such mandatory chastisement especially during the month of February when it's scheduled on the calendar? What makes the most ardent virtue signalers think most Americans want another round of it at a time not agreed to by the complexities of civic temporal convention?
If Marty and those under his editorialship at the Christian Century want to be sticklers having history be an account of what actually happened rather than an ossified glorification of how the nation would nostalgically liked things to have been, does he intend to turn the resources of the venerable media institution under his guidance to expose the assorted shortcomings of the causes and personages that the publication has supported over the years and decades?
For example, despite the power of the Martin Luther King “I Have A Dream” Speech, does Christian Century in the name of historical accuracy intend to exhibit the moral strength necessary to examine the questionable Marxist ties King might have had through a number of associates or that he certainly wasn't husband of the year material as a result of his documented marital infidelities? To be honest, King wasn't even really that orthodox of a Christan given the number of fundamental doctrines he denied such as the Virgin Birth, the Bodily Resurrection of Christ, and even Jesus' divinity.
Over the course of the past decade or so, numerous articles have appeared in the pages of assorted publications of the leftwing Social Gospel mindset such as Sojourners and even Christian Century extolling the virtue of agitation front groups such as Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter and Antifa.
In an 11/17/2011 column, Jim Wallis did far more than praise the ideology and activism of these sorts of organizations. In the piece titled “A Church Sanctuary For The Occupy Movement”, he demanded that congregations across America open their doors to these militant subversives.
However, this outreach was not part of some evangelization strategy in the hopes of confronting the Occupy Movement about the errors of that protest movement founded on an underlying socialist ideology manifesting in acts of vandalism. Rather the invitation called for by Wallis was one of pandering, capitulation, and solidarity. For instead of verbally reaming the Occupy Movement for their antics or even dispassionately detailing the errors of this subversive ideology in a rational manner, Wallis calls upon the congregations of his ilk to provide these activists with sympathetic succor.
Wallis writes, “If our mayors and police departments are making the Occupiers feel unwelcome, why don't we welcome them to stay on our church property if they need some place to go? Open our church basements and parish halls as safe places to sleep --- shelter and sanctuary as cold weather descends upon many of our cities.”
Maybe these activists brought into these houses of worship almost Trojan Horse style can do the exact same thing to the sanctuaries of these progressive religionists that a number of these hooligans did to the side of police cars. Namely pull down their pants, relax their sphincters, and smear their fecal slurry all over property that does not belong to them.
Effetes such as Peter Marty will recoil in horror at subjecting their genteel sensibilities to such a disturbing image. Yet that is mild compared to those these same progressives want to subject the minds of school children to in regards to raunchy library books.
In his column, the young Marty insists that what he is calling for is an embrace of history as it actually transpired rather than the Hallmark greeting card of how we would have liked it to have been. This sensitive thinker insists upon highlighting those sorts of events that spoil the good times and warm feelings inherent to most celebratory civic commemorations. As such, Christian Century ought to rank foremost among the publications eager to expose the profound moral and civilizational shortcomings of organized leftwing protest movements.
By Frederick Meekins
Wednesday, August 26
Tuesday, August 25
Monday, August 24
What Historians Should Know About Classical Education
Interesting how these academics that disparage this pedagogy for lack of factual accuracy or its bias in favor of a Eurocentric epistemology rank among a profession that downplays the importance of factual accuracy or even the existence of eternal verities when it comes to advancing their own preferred agendas.
Secularist historians have for decades insisted it is not their place to make moral judgements.
As such, who are they to dictate as to how those outside of this profession that analyzes the past teach virtue —- something more the domain philosophers and theologians —- to the youth under the guidance of parents and educators deciding upon this instructional approach?
Saturday, August 22
Wednesday, August 19
Vatican, Correct Thyself
Maybe if the ONE TRUE CHURCH had stuck with what had been delivered once to the saints rather than making much of it up as the organization went along, such would not have been the case of which this meme complains.
The basic teachings of Protestantism are a lot less man made than things such as clerical celibacy, indulgences, and bodily assumptions.
Think You Are Called To Ministry?
This video featured an image captioned “We Don’t Hire Lone Rangers”.
Maybe not.
But they really can’t prevent you from posting content and gaining an audience that way if you are not a groupish sort of individual.
If they won’t let you on the inside, subvert them where you can from the outside.
Too much indoctrination that one has to be dependent upon formalized organization in an era of systemic decentralization.
Monday, August 17
Sunday, August 16
Wednesday, August 12
Tuesday, August 11
Monday, August 10
Wednesday, August 5
Tuesday, July 14
The Performative Virtue Preening Of Cornel West's Redistributionism
Cornel West in a social media post wrote, “To my dear brother Eric Adams, my dear brother Zohran Mamdani has got it right! Based on Acts 2:45 and Acts 4:35, a call to abolish poverty and redistribute wealth downwards is a moral and spiritual matter. In this way, Karl Marx is building on a rich prophetic tradition of Jerusalem shot through the best of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.”
The texts referenced by Professor West document the practice in the early church where Christians freely shared of their bounty to assist the less fortunate among their number.
According to West's interpretation, this is the source's dictum referenced by Zohran Mamdami in a tweet posted 5/27/20 reading “Each according to their need, each according to their ability.”
For supposedly being one of America's foremost public intellectuals, West's exegesis is disturbingly incomplete.
For starters, these particular scriptural texts are descriptive in that these passages detail what these particular believers did.
The actions are not extolled as binding upon all Christians in every conceivable circumstance.
While the narrative can inspire emulation, other admonitions in the same book extolled by West clarify that not everyone is obligated to respond with the same degree of eleemosynary.
If Professor West had not allowed his grandiose virtue signaling to get in the way of his study of the Scriptures, he would have encountered the account of Ananias and Saphirra.
In the anecdote of the couple struck dead not for financial avarice but rather for deliberate deception in the hopes of gaining the sort of public acclaim of which Dr. West is himself a connoisseur, the Apostle Peter explains that the proceeds raised from the sale of their land was their's to do with as they pleased so long as they did not make a spectacle.
Yet the Marxism, celebrated by West as a rudiment of divine revelation despite Marx ranking as a foremost blasphemer and his ideology being a justification for religious persecution on the part of regime's built upon his thought, does not grant any freedom like Peter the Apostle did as to whether or not the individual participates in these income redistribution campaigns.
For example, Zohran Mamdani is on the record as proposing that White neighborhoods ought to pay higher taxes than jurisdictions populated by residents of other phenotypes.
So if the form of wealth redistribution advocated by Mamdani is a Biblical one, as Dr. West assures by his accumulated knowledge in the realm of religious studies, then a Mamdani administration would have no issue with Whites refusing to comply with these punitive assessments.
It is revealing to the extent to which West advocates despotic intervention in the lives of citizens when it comes to confiscatory asset seizure in the name of religion.
Yet as a reflexive progressive, West would probably recoil in horror at the mere suggestion that the rights enjoyed by free people do not stem from the state but rather as a gift imbued by God as an inherent part of being made in the Creator's image.
Despite his considerable ballyhooing about the ethical beauty of invoking the threat of force in the name of resource redistribution in pursuit of radical egalitarianism, Professor West is as capitalist as anybody else when it comes to jockeying for his own economic advantage with the least amount of effort possible.
Something of an academic diva, Professor West is not so much about what is best for the discipline he espouses or even his students.
First and foremost, Cornel West is about what is best for Cornel West.
For example, rather than picking a single Ivy League institution and dedicating his life to it for the benefit of the student body and the expansion of human knowledge, Dr. West bounces back and forth clamoring for position and individual recognition.
Such is not idle speculation that cannot be backed up with evidence.
In a high-profile dispute with the then-president of Harvard Lawrence Summers documented by sources no less esteemed by the circles in which West attempts to ply the racial guilt from which he finances his posh lifestyle such as the New York Times and the Associated Press, the celebrity academic was accused of ditching classes and failing to produce serious scholarship in favor of more “financially lucrative” projects such as a spoken-word CD.
So apparently Dr. West thinks that he should not only be able to accumulate wealth but also keep it for himself.
It must be remembered that West is something of a preening virtue signaler in not only condemning those doing so as capitalists but also condemning those not eager to do so for violating key tenets of the Gospel message.
For it seems giving away other people's money is one of the few allegedly Biblical virtues that Professor West vocalizes any degree of enthusiasm in support of.
From texts such as Luke 16:18 and I Corinthians 7:15, those unlike Dr. West who are not educated beyond the point of wisdom and common sense come away with the impression that God is not really all that keen on most of those having gotten a divorce getting remarried while the former spouse is still alive.
After all, Malachi 2:16 informs that God hates divorce.
Yet God is also a forgiving God.
With fallen people and societies already hobbling through life as it is, nearly all but the most hardline of Christians and congregations are willing to overlook failed marriages in the lives of fellow believers so long as some harsh lessons are learned from the heartache and such souls go on to make betters lives for themselves should they find love again.
But despite his knack for education, it seems Cornel West has learned very little in this regard. For it seems this otherwise homely academic that women would otherwise recoil in revulsion from if he did not labor in a vocation that afforded him a degree of celebrity has been able to pull off five marriages interspersed between four divorces.
Among the circles in which Cornel West orbits, if one proves useful to the elites undermining sound tradition and good morals, such wanton libertinism is not frowned upon. Secularist education has often been at the forefront of encouraging the erotic exploration of almost every bodily orifice in nearly every possible permutation of titillating stimulation.
Sophisticates might posture so as to overlook shortcomings such as carnal promiscuity. However, it cannot be overlooked that a number of liaisons and concubines accuse West of abandoning the children resulting from these dalliances when much of West's public persona is predicated on his vocal concern for those marginalized and neglected as a result of what he critiques as a free market economy run amok.
Yet another common tactic to divert attention from what is the scandal of a father abandoning his children --- a number seemingly sired with women he was never married to --- is the invocation of the adage of let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
By this, it is meant that most in one way or another have led less than exemplary lives in regards to relationships, matters of the heart or even family. For these concerns rank among the most subjective aspects of all of human existence.
Though it falls woefully short of the stated public objective, unlike the vagaries of human romantic and erotic impulses, the United States tax code is alleged to operate by a logic that would leave Mr. Spock cold. One is either in compliance with a given regulation or not.
One might sympathize with the average individual found ensnared in these Byzantine regulations.
However, Cornel West is celebrated as one of the nation's keenest philosophers not only schooled at and employed by the most elite universities but (as noted in his posted social media remarks) but for possessing what might be considered prophetic insight into God's plan as to how resources accumulated by others ought to be redistributed as to how the government sees fit.
If that is such a moral profundity (the kind of thing Professor West is lavished with accolades for his ability to point out) why at one point did he owe over $500,000 in delinquent taxes?
For if Cornel West really believed that the destitute have a claim to the resources of the privileged such as himself (but a deceptive rhetorician such as himself would probably insist that such a categorization can only be applied to the White devils) wouldn't he be chomping at the bit to get things squared away with the IRS well before any deadline after which he would stand in default?
Another of the few Biblical admonishes favored by those from the leftwing of the political spectrum is “judge not, lest ye be judged”. Usually this is invoked to deflect criticism regarding any number of carnal debaucheries wallowed in by those downplaying traditional moral standards.
In the case of Professor West, perhaps his time would be better spent ensuring that his own finances are in compliance with the dictates of the revenuers rather than grandstanding in condemnation of you simply wanting to keep more of your own.
By Frederick Meekins
Thursday, July 2
Tuesday, June 30
Saturday, June 27
Sunday, June 21
Contemporary "Racism" Not Necessarily The Unpardonable Sin
Now it seems the meme bandwagon many are getting on goes something like "racism disqualifies you from being a Christian."
Yet how is this being defined? Failure to denounce White people and to advocate Marxist redistributionist reparations propaganda?
Many of the posts are directed at MAGA which despite the movement's shortcomings is not racist.
Ironic to see professed Universalists endorse this given to them being a Christian is no big deal since their schtick is that we all get to Heaven anyway.
By Frederick Meekins
Friday, June 19
Friday, June 12
Friday, May 29
The Rise Of Apologetics Influencers
This speaker looks down on the holders of Master’s degrees in Apologetics as generalists.
So there is no place for someone that is not a pastor or a professor?
Why isn’t it our role to point out how often those types are so full of it? Isn’t this attitude one of the primary reasons organized religion has pretty much lost the culture war?
Friday, May 22
Navigating Cohabiting Elderly Couples
He’s not wrong.
But I wonder how enthusiastic he’d be about the beauty of couples sacrificing for love it if that meant fewer coins slipped into the collection plate.
As an alternative, why not suggest being a committed couple that lives apart and do most activities together apart from sex?
Are You Called To Counsel?
It is God’s money as this podcaster states.
However, that does not mean that the majority of it belongs to organized religion or to distant family members that live like whoremongers, drunkards, and over all profligates either.
If I have to go to work irrespective of how blah and blue I feel, there is no reason their lazy backsides can’t either.
Friday, May 15
Wednesday, May 13
Saturday, May 9
Friday, May 1
Sunday, April 26
Tuesday, April 21
Monday, April 20
Monday, April 6
Wednesday, April 1
An Analysis Of “Blinded By Might: Can The Religious Right Save America”, Part 4
Given the amount of alcohol consumed in America during the 1800's, the morally concerned could not help but be moved by the social implications of such as manifested in the form of dysfunctional families, soaring rates of crime, and squandered economic productivity. It was believed in an era often characterized by an eschatological perspective best described as expectant postmillennialism that it was a Christian obligation to exert power and influence for the purposes of perfecting social institutions and elevating conditions for the greatest possible number. Composed primarily of an alliance of Protestant clergyman and reformist suffragettes motivated in large part by religious principles hoping to advance the plight of women, the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League achieved their ultimate objective in the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which on the national level forbade the production, sale, and distribution of alcohol.
Dobson admits at first Prohibition was a success since for a brief period the consumption of alcohol did decrease. However, consumption eventually returned to previous levels thanks to an elicit want met as a result of a network of criminal bootleggers and law enforcement unwilling or too overwhelmed to enforce these statutes. This resulted in the need to repeal the amendment, it was argued, in order to preserve respect for the law in its totality without which the entire political system could potentially collapse. With the advance of assorted forms of socialism across Europe such as Bolshevism in Russia and Nazism in German, the potential of revolutionary upheaval was a viable possibility.
Dobson is correct that one cannot hope to transform a culture through law alone without corresponding changes also taking place in hearts and minds. However, Dobson's viewpoint is disturbingly deficient in the role law ought to play as a bulwark standing for what is right irrespective of popularity and to protect the innocent from those capable of imposing their viewpoint on the basis of accrued power or brute strength alone. Dobson argues that respect for the law is based on moral consensus with this also serving as the foundation of legislation as well.
Yet such a position differs little from pluralism or relativism. Endorsing Barack Obama for the presidency a few years later despite emphasizing throughout Blinded By Might his reticence as a member of the clergy to endorse one particular candidate over another, it is evident that Rev. Dobson cared profoundly for what he considered issues of civil rights or what some might refer to as racial justice. But utilizing Dobson's reasoning, one would possess little leg to stand on in decades past opposing laws that upheld racial segregation, a practice now deemed deplorable by most Americans. For at one time did not sufficient majorities within distinct cultural regions of this country have few moral qualms against the practice and in certain instances even upheld the notion as inherent to the divinely established social order? One might even make the case that the philosophical critical mass for such a monumental paradigm shift to take place was not reached until a definitive pronouncement was set down in law or at least judicial rulings. In certain instances, the decision had to be implemented by force in areas where such ethical conclusions were not initially embraced.
By Frederick Meekins
Wednesday, March 18
Thursday, March 5
Monday, March 2
Why CS Lewis Called A Garbage Apologist
An atheist perspective.
Interesting how he condemns C.S. Lewis as stupid for insinuating others are stupid.
This atheist still doesn’t provide much reason for adhering to any criteria if everything is all blind chance.
Tuesday, February 17
An Analysis Of “Blinded By Might: Can The Religious Right Save America”, Part 3
In the chapter titled “Seduced By Power”, Cal Thomas reflects in depth upon his response to a question asked of him following a worship service by a woman concerned about pro-life activists threatening to withdraw from the Republic Party over weakening opposition to abortion. To the inquiry Thomas responded, “You can't apply the principles of a kingdom not of this world to a kingdom of this world. The purists want to apply the principles of a kingdom that knows no compromise to a kingdom that is all about compromise (49).” One of the foremost motivations since the earliest days of human history has been power (defined as control, authority, or influence over others) and the desire to obtain it. The problem that arises for any religiously motivated individual or organization that gets involved with politics is that eventually the decision will need to be made what will be of ultimate importance: the values initially prompting such civic activism or the influence achieved as a result of diligently advocating one's message. In most instances, it is institutional perpetuation that wins out.
In the spirit of bipartisanship, Thomas details how this temptation to retain favor with those in power has compromised ministers across the political and theological spectrums. For example, in terms of prominent Democrats, Thomas points out how Jesse Jackson over the course of his career went from advocating a strong pro-life position to one accepting abortion in order to cultivate the favor of Democratic leaders as well as the party's key constituencies. Even a Christian luminary as celebrated for his integrity as Bill Graham was not immune to this tendency of human nature. Thomas references a “Today Show” interview in which Graham was asked about then-President Bill Cliton's marital infidelities. Surprisingly, the evangelist famed for such impeccable standards that it is claimed Graham would not enter a room without it being inspected to determine if there was a woman in it other than his wife in order to avoid compromising his testimony essentially, though upholding the principle that a leader should strive to live above reproach, dismissed concerns regarding the allegations. Instead, Graham seemed to brush the allegations aside, dismissively replying, “...we're living in a whole different world today” with overwhelming pressure on someone women were so apparently drawn to unlike anything the world had ever seen (52).
Such an urge to compromise is also fraught with numerous policy implications as well. As an example, Thomas references the case of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor (58-59). Not a month into his presidency, Ronald Reagan nominated the relatively unknown jurist. The Chief Executive called Falwell directly soliciting the minister for support essentially sight unseen despite early concerns regarding O'Connor's views pertaining to abortion. Even though Reagan assured that the Religious Right would not be let down by O'Connor's jurisprudence and judicial philosophy, the highest praise Falwell could articulate regarding Justice O'Connor was that “she broke the (all-male) tradition in a dignified way (59).” But as Thomas astutely observed, “What is the difference between a male pro-choice judge and a female pro-choice judge (59).”
With compromise so easy and some might contend necessary in order to remain politically viable, the centrality of one's values over time slips in terms of their preeminence. According to Thomas, this tendency is probably most evident in regards to fund raising. Whereas it could be fairly said that the mainstream media of the late twentieth century trended towards the left of the establishmentarian center, the conservative movement of which the Religious Right was a significant component excelled at direct mail solicitation appeals.
Thomas' criticism of direct mail fund raising are valid in asking just what percentage of the funds raised went to the addressed cause and would a donation make an actual difference. Often one might accomplish more by donating to a local charity rather than a national organization. Corollarily, many of the funds directed towards national campaigns and organizations actually instead go to cover overhead. For example, for years it seemed that a classified ad ran in the conservative newsweekly Human Events seeking potential direct mail copywriters promising six figure salaries for qualified experienced applicants.
Yet additional criticisms are invoked by Thomas that he himself fails to live up to. Of direct mail fundraising letters Thomas writes, “If you were to do a content analysis of the fund-raising letters of the Religious Right, you would discover that they are basically the same, regardless of the organization (54).” Thomas observes of the epistles soliciting funds, “First they identify an enemy ... liberals in general. Second, the enemies are accused of being out 'to get us' or destroy the country (54).” Thomas proceeds to lament how he wishes that these letters could be positive for a change and to renounce their demonization of liberal icons such as Norman Lear and Ted Kennedy.
It can be a challenge to discern how Thomas' own editorial output in terms of published columns and broadcast commentaries are appreciably different. For as in the case of conservative or Republican operatives more directly involved in politics than Thomas chastized by the renowned pundit, Thomas cannot overcome the tendency to cast verbal aspersions in the direction of those with whom the renowned pundit happens to disagree. Nor can he resist the temptation to craft his rhetoric in such a way as to placate the influential with whom Thomas desires to curry favor.
Interestingly, Thomas has not totally renounced his career in advocacy journalism in favor of missions outreach and monastic withdrawal from public life. At times, it could be argued that the partisan positions he takes are lacking in rigor of consistency. For example, in a commentary titled “Electing a President or a Pastor?”, Thomas reflected upon the reluctance of politically active Evangelicals to support Mitt Romney over that candidate's professed Mormonism in light of former Texas Governor Rick Perry suggesting that he was their only viable alternative since he shared the faith of these concerned voters. It was Thomas' contention that such should not be a campaign issue because Christian voters were electing a president and not a pastor. As such, it was policy rather than doctrine that mattered in such a context. Yet such was not a courtesy Thomas seemed willing to extend to Romney's fellow Mormon Glenn Beck. Thomas was notably eager to overlook Romney's shortcomings in terms of professed ultimate religious commitments for the sake of the broader conservative movement and even the nation in terms of elected office. Yet the columnist was quite explicit in his remarks how this aspect of Glenn Beck's own worldview imperiled the spiritual well being of American Christians unable to discern between the gold and the dross presented by Beck spanning a variety of media formats.
Thomas mused in remarks published 4/11/11, “Beck is not only a Mormon, he frequently drifts into universalism.” But if Romney's most basic beliefs differ little from Beck's in terms of both public figures holding membership in the exact same religious body and that these do not matter since he is a politician and not a pastor, why should not the same distinction apply to Beck who in terms of national persona serves in the role of a commentator not that different than Thomas? Thomas concluded the remarks regarding Beck by observing, “They come and they go in this business...and eventually flame out ... Put not your trust in princes and kings. That goes for show hosts, too.” Such a remark prompts one to stop and ponder is what really concerns Thomas actually his own loss of market share?
By Frederick Meekins