Monday, February 07, 2005
Worshipping Molech
Today, I have an op-ed published at www.FreeMarketNews.com in their “Editorials & Market Analysis” section (no direct link available at this time) called Worshipping Molech – A Partial Review of the State of the Union. Here’s an excerpt…
Molech was a pagan god in the Old Testament. Why do I bring up the Old Testament?
Because there is an odd paradox going on right in front of us: All-too-many of the folks who cheered the very brief pro-life/anti-cloning portion of Bush’s State of the Union and who claim that the O.T. is part of their scripture – their guide to life – are celebrating the sacrifice of young men and women for the god of Security.
They might as well be worshipping Molech.
Worship of Molech required people to throw one of their living children into a fire. The O.T. tells us this sacrifice was strongly condemned, for obvious reasons, by God.
But the people worshipping Molech undoubtedly believed they were serving their community. Things like the prosperity of the harvest and protection from invaders may have been deep motivators as they attempted to please their blood-thirsty god.
Apparently, the same idolatry exists today. Here is George W. Bush, from the most memorable part of his speech last night…
One name we honor is Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Texas, who was killed during the assault on Fallujah. His mom, Janet, sent me a letter and told me how much Byron loved being a Marine, and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror. Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts, we honor freedom's defenders, and our military families, represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood's mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood.
The presence of this couple garnered the longest ovation of the night. I ached for the couple as I watched Janet Norwood clutch her husband as hard as she could. In fact, I choked-up. I felt so sorry for these people.
I believe the only lasting memory we’ll have of this speech will have nothing to do with Social Security. We will remember that somber couple in tears, standing without their son and hardly able to stand at that.
You can call me an iconoclast, for if that means turning my back on idolatry, then I wear the label proudly.
I maintain that this was cruel and heartless. This was not a grand gesture. While the Norwood’s are sincerely attempting to find meaning in the loss of their son, the Bush administration was using them as a prop. This is the cold calculus of politics.
Today, I have an op-ed published at www.FreeMarketNews.com in their “Editorials & Market Analysis” section (no direct link available at this time) called Worshipping Molech – A Partial Review of the State of the Union. Here’s an excerpt…
Molech was a pagan god in the Old Testament. Why do I bring up the Old Testament?
Because there is an odd paradox going on right in front of us: All-too-many of the folks who cheered the very brief pro-life/anti-cloning portion of Bush’s State of the Union and who claim that the O.T. is part of their scripture – their guide to life – are celebrating the sacrifice of young men and women for the god of Security.
They might as well be worshipping Molech.
Worship of Molech required people to throw one of their living children into a fire. The O.T. tells us this sacrifice was strongly condemned, for obvious reasons, by God.
But the people worshipping Molech undoubtedly believed they were serving their community. Things like the prosperity of the harvest and protection from invaders may have been deep motivators as they attempted to please their blood-thirsty god.
Apparently, the same idolatry exists today. Here is George W. Bush, from the most memorable part of his speech last night…
One name we honor is Marine Corps Sergeant Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Texas, who was killed during the assault on Fallujah. His mom, Janet, sent me a letter and told me how much Byron loved being a Marine, and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror. Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts, we honor freedom's defenders, and our military families, represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood's mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood.
The presence of this couple garnered the longest ovation of the night. I ached for the couple as I watched Janet Norwood clutch her husband as hard as she could. In fact, I choked-up. I felt so sorry for these people.
I believe the only lasting memory we’ll have of this speech will have nothing to do with Social Security. We will remember that somber couple in tears, standing without their son and hardly able to stand at that.
You can call me an iconoclast, for if that means turning my back on idolatry, then I wear the label proudly.
I maintain that this was cruel and heartless. This was not a grand gesture. While the Norwood’s are sincerely attempting to find meaning in the loss of their son, the Bush administration was using them as a prop. This is the cold calculus of politics.
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