Comments on: World Magazine’s Marvin Olasky messes up interview with Jeff Sharlet http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2008/09/07/world-magazines-marvin-olasky-messes-up-interview-with-jeff-sharlet/ Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:45:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Ralph Davis http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2008/09/07/world-magazines-marvin-olasky-messes-up-interview-with-jeff-sharlet/#comment-109350 Ralph Davis Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:21:16 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=4242#comment-109350 Hi Jeff, I only just heard of your book "The Family" today, having read an interview with you in Harpers. I have to say I find it incredibly irresponsible and sensationalist that the first thing you do is compare evangelical devotion to their faith with Hitler.... Might you be a tad bit hyper-paranoid? Devout Christians have ALWAYS called for full devotion to Christ--reflecting back to the Torah's call (repeated by Jesus) to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength." (Deut. 6:4,5) Only among certain elites in the past 100 years or so has devotion to ones faith--more than that of a casual hobby--been seen as characteristically suspect of would-be-totalitarians. I know Doug Coe, and my father and he are friends. Dad helped organize the National Prayer Breakfast for over 20 years--and I helped during that time as well. NEVER EVER, have I heard anyone associated with the Fellowship Foundation express any admiration of any kind for Hitler or Mao--nor have they shown any love for anything resembling a totalitarian form of government--on the contrary most are small-government conservatives-verging-on-libertarians. Every world religion that I know of envisions a time when all people will come to accept the universal truths that religion holds... And most world religions (Christianity included) see that day coming about NOT THROUGH ANY COMPULSION. The Crusades--and the mentality behind them--ended 700 years ago--and the great majority of Christians, evangelical fundamentalists included--see no place for forcing their faith on anyone. Gotta watch out for those Amish fundamentalists, right? Islam....not "The Family" (shudder! is it the MAFIA???) in its fundamentalist form is the biggest risk today--not those who believe, teach and live, "God is love." (1 John 4:16) Why you, and others are so afraid of people that actually make their religion (not their politics...) the deepest and most central aspect of their life--ie they are religious about it.... I'll never understand. Hi Jeff,
I only just heard of your book “The Family” today, having read an interview with you in Harpers. I have to say I find it incredibly irresponsible and sensationalist that the first thing you do is compare evangelical devotion to their faith with Hitler…. Might you be a tad bit hyper-paranoid?

Devout Christians have ALWAYS called for full devotion to Christ–reflecting back to the Torah’s call (repeated by Jesus) to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.” (Deut. 6:4,5) Only among certain elites in the past 100 years or so has devotion to ones faith–more than that of a casual hobby–been seen as characteristically suspect of would-be-totalitarians.

I know Doug Coe, and my father and he are friends. Dad helped organize the National Prayer Breakfast for over 20 years–and I helped during that time as well. NEVER EVER, have I heard anyone associated with the Fellowship Foundation express any admiration of any kind for Hitler or Mao–nor have they shown any love for anything resembling a totalitarian form of government–on the contrary most are small-government conservatives-verging-on-libertarians.

Every world religion that I know of envisions a time when all people will come to accept the universal truths that religion holds… And most world religions (Christianity included) see that day coming about NOT THROUGH ANY COMPULSION. The Crusades–and the mentality behind them–ended 700 years ago–and the great majority of Christians, evangelical fundamentalists included–see no place for forcing their faith on anyone. Gotta watch out for those Amish fundamentalists, right? Islam….not “The Family” (shudder! is it the MAFIA???) in its fundamentalist form is the biggest risk today–not those who believe, teach and live, “God is love.” (1 John 4:16)

Why you, and others are so afraid of people that actually make their religion (not their politics…) the deepest and most central aspect of their life–ie they are religious about it…. I’ll never understand.

]]> By: Bene Diction http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2008/09/07/world-magazines-marvin-olasky-messes-up-interview-with-jeff-sharlet/#comment-109296 Bene Diction Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:34:28 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=4242#comment-109296 You're welcome Jeff, I'd actually like to read his interview but it isn't worth signing into the mag to do so. Given how you've been treated at the World blog in the past, I'm curious.:^) You’re welcome Jeff, I’d actually like to read his interview but it isn’t worth signing into the mag to do so.

Given how you’ve been treated at the World blog in the past, I’m curious.:^)

]]> By: Jeff Sharlet http://www.benedictionblogson.com/2008/09/07/world-magazines-marvin-olasky-messes-up-interview-with-jeff-sharlet/#comment-109294 Jeff Sharlet Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:32:51 +0000 http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=4242#comment-109294 Thanks, Bene. Thanks, Bene.

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