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The Voice of Chalcedon: Death to Liberals! (?)
Ortiz knows that we honor civil discourse at Talk to Action -- and having met him and corresponded a bit, some of us thought that perhaps he did too. He has heard me speak in person about how whatever the political outcomes of the day, an integral part of living together in peace is how we approach civil discourse. Eliminationist rhetoric, such as that used by Ann Coulter, Bill O'Reilly, Pat Robertson and organized hate groups, typically calls for the death or removal of people with whom they happen to disagree.
"I am willing to swallow most criticisms from the secular anti-theocrats. Much of their critique stems from misinformation so I try to be patient and instructive. There is much that could be said about this extraordinary statement. And I am sure others will have much to add. But I want to say just one or two simple things, lest they get lost. Let's start by noting that Bruce Prescott is a serious Christian whose view of Christianity happens to be different than that of Rev. Ortiz. And that, more than anything else seems to be what challenges Ortiz's toleration. Ortiz claims that "liberal" and "Christian" are mutually exclusive identities. Liberal Christians, he says, are "satanic," "unbiblical" "wolves," who must be "condemned in the severest terms." He also strongly implies that the only reason they should not be eliminated now, is that they will eventually eliminate themselves by failing to sufficiently breed. As R.J. Rushdoony cataloged in his major work, the Institutes of Biblical Law, come the theocracy, there will be a long list of capital offenses, including such religious crimes as heresy, apostasy and idolatry, alongside such sex crimes as adultery and homosexuality. (I discuss this in some detail in Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy.) Rushdoony's list of capital offenses has in fact, been a matter of considerable concern to many. Recently, Ortiz has actively sought to reassure people -- particularly gays and lesbians -- that they shouldn't worry, because Rushdoony felt that theocracy is a long, long way off. Ortiz also says that theocracy cannot be imposed via political takeover, but that it must be universally accepted (more or less) by believers. While this argument deserves to be debated on its merits another time, suffice to say that Ortiz displays the very impatience for theocracy -- with all that that implies -- that rightfully alarms other sectors of society in the face of the the contemporary theocratic movement now under way. His words sound a great deal more like a call for theocratic vigilantism than the patience he elsewhere claims to counsel. UPDATE: Chalcedon & Clarkson, Cont.
The Voice of Chalcedon: Death to Liberals! (?) | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
The Voice of Chalcedon: Death to Liberals! (?) | 9 comments (9 topical, 0 hidden)
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