"Membership in the family of God is neither inconsequential or something to be casually ignored. The church is God's agenda for the world. Jesus said, "I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it." The church is indestructable and will exist for eternity. It will outlive this universe, and so will your role in it."
- Rick Warren
Monday, June 20, 2011
Why so many expend such sweat and precious breath to fluidize and demonize Christianity is simply quite beyond me. Surely there are infinitely more negative and disruptive forces at work in the universe than something that gives hope and comfort, let alone refuge, aid and medical assistance to countless millions. I imagine it’s pretty much the same old bag of rattling bones, the detractors and stone throwers bitch and whine while negativity and selfishness runs rampant in their insular worlds. When was the last time you heard of “The American Atheist Association” building schools and housing for the homeless and disposed on the frozen slopes of China or bringing in medical supplies and vaccinating poverty stricken tribes in the African wilderness while warring factions try to kill them?That's from a dizzying -- and quite bold -- rant by Bernie Taupin, perhaps best known as Elton John's longtime songwriting partner. You should read the whole thing.
(HT: Daniel)
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Comments on "In Defense of Religion (From an Unlikely Place?)":
2. Daniel Ross
- 06/21/2011 7:25 am CDT
I found it very interesting. He hits the typical liberal points on some items, but, overall, I found it pretty reasonable ... and I love it whenever anybody stands up to that putz Bill Maher. ;-)
3. damien
- 06/21/2011 8:30 am CDT
without bernie, elton is reduced to stuff like little jeannie. bernie's lyrics are brilliant and superbly poetic.
4. nhe
- 06/21/2011 3:43 pm CDT
Isn't he also Elton's life partner/or was?
This is great.
....and re: Bill Maher - I make a point to watch his show on HBO every week. I think he's a seeker deep down......way deep down, it may never surface......but he went on a rant a few weeks ago about why so called Christians don't act like Martin Luther King more often.......it was actually spot on. He thinks most of us are whack jobs, but he openly admits he can't dismiss MLK and Mother Theresa, among others - which is something his buddy Hitchens still manages to do.
7. Bill
- 06/23/2011 6:40 am CDT
Hey Jez,
I was a huge John Lennon fan back in the day. In college I even had a Lennon poster on my wall upon which I had scrawled "Long Live Lennon" in an embarrassing fit of adolescent over-dramatization after he was killed. :-)
But I think you're making a stretch there. Lennon had a fabulous dry wit, but he lost most of it, at least in his songwriting, after his Beatles days and "Imagine" is ridiculously earnest (and also, I might add, a recipe for disaster. It's been tried in places like Russia, China, and North Korea with lots of imaginatively awful results).
I've never understood the pull of that dumb song. It's catchy, but entertainers still earnestly and solemnly sing it as if it is "the answer" when they themselves would never for a minute follow its tenets.
"Imagine no possessions. I wonder if you can" wrote the man, from his luxury apartment in New York.
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Heh - that's awesome. Saturday night's alright for fighting, you go Bernie!
All kidding aside, it's a good rant and spot on in many places. Refreshing.