Alan: In the 1990s, Christian fundamentalist friend KD sat on a North Carolina School Board.
During his tenure, he was convinced that under-performing students were lazy and that teachers who championed such n'er-do-wells by promoting "special programs" were nothing but "bleeding heart liberals," pragmatically determined to metastasize their programs.
Then, in 2001, KD broke his neck in a workplace fall, and for some while, wondered if he would ever walk again.
Even after lengthy hospitalization to stabilize his neck, KD was bedeviled by short-term memory loss which prevented him from "keeping up" with his Associate Degree curriculum at a nearby community college.
Now that experience obliged KD to understand the inner workings of "compromised capability," he had an "epiphany" (his word) that there must be many organic reasons (as well as cultural reasons) that impede or prevent learning.
A major drawback of conservative Christianity is its built-in theological need to believe in un-compromised "free will" and "personal responsibility" as the upshot of right-thinking and righteous initiative.
Fundamentalists (and other traditional Christians) cannot conceive that a just God would allow deprivation of free will or external compromise of personal responsibility.
And so, to protect the survival of their fragile faith, Christian conservatives deny the existence of "deprivation" and "compromise" and vehemently assert that any social, cultural and economic failure is rooted in individual shortcomings.
Instead of studying "the literature" to learn what intellectually-rigorous scholars have learned about "compromised will" and "diminished responsibility," conservative Christians dedicate themselves to blanket denial, harboring supercilious (or frankly hostile) disdain for underachievers and anyone whose ignominious behavior "liberals" attribute to "cultural deprivation," "childhood trauma" or "economic hardship."
In the conservative Christian view, each and every human being is responsible for his actions and anyone saying otherwise is an apologist for evil and a promoter of vility that is properly nipped in the bud through punishment, reprimand and (with surprisingly regularity) slaughter.
If this triumvirate of punitive torment fails to turn the tide, then - blessedly - God will eternally damn them to The Unquenchable Lake Of Fire.
During his tenure, he was convinced that under-performing students were lazy and that teachers who championed such n'er-do-wells by promoting "special programs" were nothing but "bleeding heart liberals," pragmatically determined to metastasize their programs.
Then, in 2001, KD broke his neck in a workplace fall, and for some while, wondered if he would ever walk again.
Even after lengthy hospitalization to stabilize his neck, KD was bedeviled by short-term memory loss which prevented him from "keeping up" with his Associate Degree curriculum at a nearby community college.
Now that experience obliged KD to understand the inner workings of "compromised capability," he had an "epiphany" (his word) that there must be many organic reasons (as well as cultural reasons) that impede or prevent learning.
A major drawback of conservative Christianity is its built-in theological need to believe in un-compromised "free will" and "personal responsibility" as the upshot of right-thinking and righteous initiative.
Fundamentalists (and other traditional Christians) cannot conceive that a just God would allow deprivation of free will or external compromise of personal responsibility.
And so, to protect the survival of their fragile faith, Christian conservatives deny the existence of "deprivation" and "compromise" and vehemently assert that any social, cultural and economic failure is rooted in individual shortcomings.
"The Man Born Blind": Jesus Overturns The Core Supposition Of The Ancient World
"Officer Krupke"
In the conservative Christian view, each and every human being is responsible for his actions and anyone saying otherwise is an apologist for evil and a promoter of vility that is properly nipped in the bud through punishment, reprimand and (with surprisingly regularity) slaughter.
If this triumvirate of punitive torment fails to turn the tide, then - blessedly - God will eternally damn them to The Unquenchable Lake Of Fire.
The Thinking Housewife: "We Can Be Pretty Sure That Many Good People Are Roasting In Hell"
James' Epistle: "Judgment Without Mercy Will Be Shown To Anyone Who Has Not Shown Mercy"
http://paxonbothhouses.
"Frog Hospital" And "Pax On Both Houses" Discuss Judgment. Is It As Bad As Jesus And St. Paul Said
"Frog Hospital" And "Pax On Both Houses" Discuss Judgment. Is It As Bad As Jesus And St. Paul Said
“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
James 2:13
"Any Religion That Needs Fear To Thrive Is Bad Religion"
"Bad Religion: A Compendium"
“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”
James 2:13
"Any Religion That Needs Fear To Thrive Is Bad Religion"
"Bad Religion: A Compendium"
"Trial By Ordeal: The Bloody Old Testamental Roots Of Modern Justice"
"Trial By Ordeal: The Bloody Old Testamental Roots Of Modern Justice"
"Trial By Ordeal: Alive And Well Into The 17th Century"
"Trial By Ordeal: Alive And Well Into The 17th Century"
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