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I just finished reading “Hitch-22,” the memoir of Christopher Hitchens, an atheist whose political views defy an easy label. Once an anti-war Marxist, he became a staunch supporter of our war in Iraq. He also has been quite vocal in his criticism of Pope Benedict and the canonization of Mother Theresa. He is known as one of the leading contrarians of the day. “Contrarian” may be the Latin word for “flip-flopper.”
Your columnist originally supported our invasion of Iraq and then turned against it. I also supported going into Afghanistan and bailed on that war, too, all of which has been enough to brand me a flip-flopper with some friends (if I ever get a book published, perhaps I might be elevated to the status of contrarian). As far as my feelings about the current pope or canonization, I will leave those areas to the purview of practicing Catholics.
I am with Hitchens when he reserves the right to change one’s mind. As Hitchens would put it, “I change my mind when the facts change. What would you do?” When the search for WMDs in Iraq came up as empty as my once-adolescent search for compliant females, I changed my mind about the war. Iraq was back in the news last week when President Obama announced the end of “combat operations.”
The president seems to this observer to be parsing his words when he specifies combat troops. Question — When inevitably the remaining 50,000 non-combat Americans are attacked and they understandably respond, does that render those troops combat troops (or how about troops in combat)? Is it considered poor form to interrupt Sen. John McCain from patting himself on the back for supporting the surge, to remind him the goal of the Iraq War has not made us safer at home?
I lost faith in the viability of our war in Afghanistan when we learned the Karzai government is more corrupt than the Philadelphia Housing Authority on a bad day. It bothers me some of those Afghan officials are on the CIA payroll. Nothing inspires faith in the Afghan population like finding out the outcome of their election was fixed and some members of their government are working for the CIA. It must be the part of winning the hearts and minds that I missed. I have lost my faith in our ever living to see the day when we are really out of Iraq or Afghanistan.
I take a much more Clintonian position on religious faith. I unashamedly hedge my bets. Let’s say I have partaken of the incense, but never inhaled. But really, dear readers, faith is an overrated virtue.
By definition, faith does not rest on logical or material evidence. It seems to me any virtue that depends on suspending rational thought is really no virtue at all. Perhaps that is when the Bible mentions faith, hope and charity, it is charity that is cited as the greatest virtue of all. Faith gets honorable mention. Hope should be in second place, but I believe the Bible is silent on that point. I can hope something is true, but to unquestionably believe it is a bridge too far.
Faith was paraded at that peculiar Glenn Beck rally Aug. 28 in D.C. I use the word “peculiar” because anytime you get a Mormon addressing mostly Christians on religion, what else is it? The day after, some Christian leaders already were criticizing Beck’s Mormon religion. I don’t agree with those who found Beck’s role frightening in the quasi-religious revival.
It is a plus anytime Beck speaks and doesn’t use the president’s name and “racist” in the same sentence. I realize I may be guilty of having low expectations when it comes to Beck. Personally, I have nothing against Mormons, Christians, Jews or Muslims (you can throw in Buddhists and Scientologists, if you wish). All have their strange rituals. So long as none include sacrificing a chicken instead of deep-frying it, I am as tolerant as the next person. I don’t have the same faith in the tolerance of some of the rally’s attendees when it comes to Muslims.
While on the subject of religion, does Tony Dungy bug you as much as he does me? Dungy has somehow emerged as the unofficial spiritual adviser of the NFL. Dungy is a professional Christian. He gives self-righteousness a bad name. He’s the guy who foisted Michael Vick off on the Eagles and then exonerated Vick of bad behavior when he got himself into trouble in the off-season.
We should remind ourselves Vick was not found guilty of wrongdoing in the shooting incident at his birthday party, essentially because no one there would talk to the police. Recently, Dungy has risen up (to coin a phrase) to scold Jets coach Rex Ryan for using profanity on the HBO reality series “Hard Knocks,” which has cameras following the team during pre-season. It is reasonable to expect a pro football coach might use some colorful language when speaking to his players and staff, most of whom are quite proficient in its usage themselves. Dungy almost came down harder on Ryan than Vick. Most of us don’t consider cursing in the same league as executing dogs.
I do not take on faith that because he wears his religion on his sleeve, Dungy is necessarily a better person than Ryan. Sometimes doubt is a virtue. SPR
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