So some knot-head pastor in Florida with a congregation of 40 people announces an idiotic publicity stunt and it dominates the national headlines for a week and counting?
Really?
Sweet mother of cheese . . . the Pope felt obligated to weigh in on the matter today.
A commenter on some blog pointed out that on any given day, there are probably several dozen pastors of tiny churches doing something weird in this country.
Sadly, he’s probably correct. But it is also true that on any given day there are thousands of churches across this country doing wonderful things in their communities. Sacrificial things. Redemptive things. Noble things.
And those acts will go unnoticed. Which is fine, because they are not done for show or for the praises of man.
So why is this nutburger with extra cheese the central topic of the national conversation day after day? Obviously, it is exacerbating a pre-existing condition. Namely, the debate over the proposed mosque near Ground Zero in Lower Manhattan.
Indeed there is a lovely symmetry with these two proposed actions. In both cases, the parties have a constitutional right to do what they are planning. In both cases, they should decline to exercise that right.
Yes, I know that Muslim activist groups in this country are constantly whining and bellyaching about sensitivity and deference to Islamic sensibilities which makes the mosque project gallingly hypocritical.
But then Muslims don’t have Jesus in the Koran establishing what we call the Golden Rule. Those who claim the Bible as their final authority and guide do have encouragement to “treat others as you want to be treated.”
In his heart of hearts, does Pastor Goofball want to see groups of skeptics, atheists, Muslims, or Wiccans holding Bible burnings? I doubt it. So the biblical course of action is clear. But I doubt that he’ll see it that way any more than that detestable Fred Phelps fellow and his creepy cult followers do.
And so the media circus continues, with a little Florida church serving as the clown car in the center ring.