From the “More Things Change” department comes this paragraph about America’s religious rightwing … in 1958.
Writing in _Life_ Magazine on «9-Jun-1958», Dr. Henry P. Van Dusen, president of the New York Union Seminary and chairman of the Joint Committee of the World Council of Churches and International Missionary Council notes a salient feature of America’s rightwing fundamentalist Christianity that would prove to be unchanged for the next half-century:
‘There are shortcomings in the movement. Its intellectual outlook is quite limited. For the most part, it is blithely indifferent to scientific and historical advances, including the proven results of modern inquiry into the writing of the Bible and the development of the church. Its Christian message tends to be so simple as to be incomplete. Its spirit is all too often narrow, bigoted and intolerant.’
—Life Magazine
You have to thumb through the pages to find the exact article, which is titled, “The Third Force in Christendom,” on page 113.
Also of note in the article is the tidbit that the Rapture is a relatively recent (1850-vintage) American invention. Which says a lot. But, like Dr. Van Dusen notes, historical advances and modern inquiry don’t mean anything. The Left Behind books are Jesus-inspired prophecy. Period.
And, of course, Dr. Van Dusen’s legitimacy is to be rejected as well, if you are part of the ‘Third Force.’ As I was told back in the ’70s, the World Council of Churches is actually a Satanic front; it will help usher in a false religion controlled by the Antichrist. So, you know, dude is just a shill for Lucifer.
I thought as we hit the 21st century that this sort of thing had gotten worse than it was in my childhood. Funny how it turns out to have been pretty much the same all my life. I suppose the only difference between now and then is that the ‘Third Force’ actually wields civil power, having rejected the policy of non-involvement in civil affairs it followed during my early years.
I witnessed the ‘Third Force’ up close and personal; for what it’s worth, take it from me that none of those people should ever allowed anywhere near the reins of state. Unfortunately, we’re probably already past that point.
AirBeagle 