Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

By this point, the interview was already over for me.  Because as soon as the host identified the Westboro clan as religious extremists, my synapses were firing with comparisons.  

Callers to the show missed those comparisons entirely.  One of the first callers after the interview was quick to point out that Phelps-Roker's views "Do not represent the view of typical Christians (Unspoken: Prices may not reflect sales tax, void in New Hampshire)."  Another caller was quick to label Phelps and his gang as "typical war protestors".  Huh?

You see, to the host's (and the callers') middle-of-the-road when-it's-convenient Conservative Christian ideology, the members of the Westboro Baptist Church are obscene unamerican wackos, and they have twisted God's word into horrifying contortions.  

This, incidentally, is exactly how I feel about large chunks of mainstream Christianity in America in 2006.  Hear me out on this...

Westboro Baptists say that America's obsene, immoral lifestyle, with extreme focus on "Pagan traditions" of possessions and self-gratification, is bringing the fire and brimstone down on itself.  Similarly, many mainstream Christian war-hawks believe that the heathen ways of the Muslim community are bringing God's vengeance down on the other side, as the one true God defends his righteous chosen bretheren.  Muslim extremists are even less ambiguous about their own motivations, as they don't even try to hide the fact that they fight in the name of a "Holy War", or jihad.  

Phelps offends mainstream Christians and Muslims, mainstream Christians offend Muslims and Phelps, and Muslims offend Phelps and mainstream Christians.  At the center of all of this are people like you and me, who are simply offended by ALL OF IT.  Forgive me if I gaze around with amused befuddlement at myriads of extremist groups all clamoring to label each other as "more extreme".

I cringe when I hear my neighbors on talk radio speaking on warfare in terms of good vs. evil - little more than early slang for "suburban Holy War".  The ever popular phrase, "Islamofascist" is, you guessed it, also preparatory slang for a "Holy War".  The constant subtle reminders of "our God" vs. "their God" are almost laughable, as though there is more than one (if there is one at all - sorry mom and dad).

Phelps and his band of merry men and women are disgusting.  Modern mainstream Christian groups who condone the "War on Islamofascism" and the inevitable death of innocents in the name of defeating "evil" are similarly disgusting in their ignorance in the name of religion.  And likewise, Muslims who carry out death and terror in the name of contorted religion are of equal disgust in my eyes.

One religious view more extreme than another?  These days, it's a matter of perspective isn't it.  I wonder whether a grieving Iraqi mother would view a typical Christian war-hawk as a religious extremist?

Yet, I just can't help but find the pissing contest amusing.  Is it a sign of insanity to laugh uncontrollably in the middle of Hell?