[Vision2020] A Plague On Both Their Houses

Wed Sep 12 12:13:13 PDT 2012

Cultural or religious tribalism is a manifestation of ignorance,
superstition, xenophobia, and patriarchy.  Today, as we learn of the
monstrous events last night in Libya and the current rioting in Egypt
against the diplomatic representatives of our country I am angry and
disgusted.  The notion that the memory of a long dead “prophet” is debased
by a cartoon or a film is ridiculous.   If his teachings were uplifting,
inspirational, and world changing his memory and good works could not be
diminished by criticism, or even mockery.  Do adherents to this faith find
their philosophy so fragile that the only defense they can muster is murder
and carnage?  When fatwā is used to threaten intellectual freedom it says
more about the religion then it does about the supposed offender. 

We don’t have to travel to Tripoli to find disgraceful examples of religious
hypocrites and would be theocratic despots.  The following repulsive twaddle
was originally published in Doug Wilson’s “literature” (what an abomination
to call it literature) ministry Credenda Agenda.  It was written by Greg
Dickison, a local attorney – (how’s that for brass?) and although it could
originally be found at this url.
<http://www.credenda.org/index.php/Uncategorized/pdf-archive.html>
http://www.credenda.org/index.php/Uncategorized/pdf-archive.html  even Doug
and the Toadies have backed off and have replaced it with
http://www.credenda.org/images/stories/pdf/13-3.pdf . 

Your Eye Shall Not Pity

“The Laws of the Bible should be our only laws. These include the laws of
the Old Testament, except when explicitly overruled in the New Testament. No
other laws are required or permitted. Biblical punishments would be imposed,
including death for homosexuals, disobedient children, those who worship
another god, and many others. No pity would be shown to those who are
punished, even when the punishment includes cutting off a woman's hand for
touching a man's genitals.

Let's pretend, just for a moment, that we could have it our way. The great
revival we have been praying for has occurred, and every executive,
legislator, and bureaucrat in the capital has just been saved. Knowing they
ought to begin applying Scripture in their jobs, but not knowing how to go
about it, they come to you and your church for advice. What will you tell
them? How should they apply God's law?

 . . .The civil magistrate is the minister of God to execute wrath on the
wrongdoer (Rom. 13:4). God has not left his civil minister without guidance
on how to exercise his office. The Scriptures set forth clear standards of
judgment for many offenses. Capital crimes, for example, include
premeditated killing (murder), kidnapping, sorcery, bestiality, adultery,
homosexuality, and cursing one's parents (Ex. 21:14; 21:16; 22:18; 22:19;
Lev. 20:10; 20:13; Ex. 21:17).

 In contemporary American jurisprudence, none of these offenses is
punishable by death, with the occasional exception of murder. The
magistrates have dispensed with God's standards of justice. Some Christians
believe this is an improvement. They would be horrified to 

think that the "harsh" penalties of the law should still be applied.
Sometimes this is the result of the mistaken belief that the Old Testament
has no further application after the advent of Christ. This is an exegetical
problem. Too often, it is the result of a sinful view of the criminal. This
sin is called pity. ... Why is pity a sin?

 First, pity is not always a sin. But neither is it always good. ... God
included in the law specific prohibitions against the exercise of pity in
meting out punishment.

 God commands the judge to evaluate the crime rather than the criminal. If
the crime is one for which God requires death, then death must be the
punishment. Your eye shall not pity. ... Thus, the Bible teaches that pity
is not an option where God has decided the matter. The magistrate, 

God's minister, is to faithfully execute justice according to God's
standard, not man's."

The fact that Greg is a local embarrassment does not diminish my relentless
disdain for subsets of Islam like   <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafi>
Salaf which I believe can best be understood as the excuse for troglodytes,
dangerous bullies, feckless philosophers,  and tyrants in their homes as
well as the public sphere to hide under the cover of religiosity.  Were we
supposed to applaud their generosity and decency when they decided not to
kill a
<http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/08/pakistani-christian-girl-rimsha-
masih-blasphemy_n_1866973.html> young Pakistani Christian for blasphemy?
They hold the same breathtakingly ignorant intolerance that motivates
jackass like Greg Dickison and his pastor, Doug Wilson.   

A plague on both their houses.

Rose Huskey

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