One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy. But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans.
I’m glad we have a day for the presidents. But shouldn’t we also have a day that honors Congress? You know, when the Senate and House can kick back and not worry about getting anything done?
For example, in January President Bush sacrificed the meaning of Matthew 5:14 on the altar of national pride, when he said to the National Religious Broadcasters in defense of the Gulf war, “I want to thank you for helping America, as Christ ordained, to be a light unto the world.” What that amounts to is an outrageous distortion of Jesus’ meaning. That misuse of Scripture is designed for immature babes that are easily swayed by surface words without thought and discernment. The “light of the world” in Matthew 5:14 does not refer to Americans bombing Iraq no matter how justified the war may have been.
With a deadpan, Beck insists that he is not political: “I could give a flying crap about the political process.” Making money, on the other hand, is to be taken very seriously, and controversy is its own coinage. “We’re an entertainment company,” Beck says.
