Re: Science teacher fired for teaching (pro)Creation

On 5/18/06, Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> At 12:17 PM 5/18/2006, Michael Roberts wrote:
>
> Has any Republican ever committed adultery or fornication?
> @ Not the right question.
>
> The right question is this, "When Republicans commit sin, do their
> constituents consider it as an enhancement to their resume` for election to
> high office?"

Yes. One such sin being bearing false witness against their neighbor
when their neighbor is a Democrat or even worse a RINO. Note to
Janice: I am only answering your question of WHEN Republicans commit
sin. I do not mean to imply anything about which political party is
more truthful than others. Furthermore, Republicans do not have
anywhere close to a monopoly on this. This is a resume enhancer of
partisans of all stripes and here I am expanding the term partisan
beyond merely the advocates of traditional political parties.

Nor is this particularly new. Augustine defines rhetoric in his
Confessions as "mere verbiage, a combination of guile and deceit,
disguised by sheer verbosity". Jonathan Edwards noted the following in
his journal while preaching the Gospel to the Indians in Western
Massachussetts: "Was exceedingly pressed under a sense of my pride,
selfishness, bitterness, and party spirit, in times past, while
attempted to promote the cause of God. Its vile nature and dreadful
consequences appeared in such odious colours to me, that my very heart
was pained."

This shows the temptation to do this is most strong when we believe or
are truly doing some great cause. We excuse sins in ourselves and
others in the name of accomplishing great things. The details of the
sins differ but the temptation itself remains constant. Merely because
Republican constituents as a rule do not excuse sexual sins in their
leaders does not mean that this is extended to all sins, particularly
"spiritual" ones such as pride, selfishness, bitterness and party
spirit.
Received on Thu May 18 15:00:58 2006