More on Jim Wallis and Mark Pinsky, at Talk2Action, which was the object of much of their criticism/bullying.
It was bad enough when Mark I. Pinsky recently took to the op-ed page of USA Today to smear four Jewish writers who have had the temerity to write critically and well about dominionism and related matters — comparingtheir work to historic anti-Semitic smears including the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Then Jim Wallis chimed in last week, accusing unnamed liberal writers of engaging in thought crimes against evangelicals. His charges were as unsubstantiated as Pinsky’s, whose essay he praised and linked to.
Some of us who figured to be among the unnamed decided it was time to speak, perchance to be heard. So we wrote an Open Letter to Jim Wallis asking that he please stop mischaracterizing our work and that he rethink and renounce his endorsement of Pinsky’s outrageous smears. I am pleased to report that our modest effort has helped spark some discussion in the greater blogosphere.
Pinsky comments.
I stand by the point of the piece. The exigencies of politics/academics/journalism/fundraising notwithstanding, this is about a need for a boogeyman, particularly in an election year. I maintain these theological doctrines are numerically marginal and their influence on any serious GOP presidential candidates tenuous. I seriously doubt that more than five percent of the suburban evangelicals who form the bedrock of the demographic would recognize the bizarre tenets of the New Apostolic Reformation; that figure might bump to the 10-15 percent range for Dominionism.
Glib, isn’t it – who cares what he “doubts,” even seriously? Maybe he should have found out before writing that article, instead of just going by his hunch.
Chip Berlet retorted:
Having just spent two days at the 2011 Values Voter Summit in DC I assure you that Christian Nationalism in the form of Dominionism is hardly marginal. Major Republican Presidential hopefuls pitched to the audience of over 2000 committed conservative activists. Jews are given revocable full citizenship in the Christian nation they envision. You still owe us an apology.
Stay tuned.
Shorter Jim Wallis: <sticks fingers in ears> La la la I can’t hear you.
Sorry, that should have been shorter Mark Pinsky.
Fred Clark of Slactivist is unhappy with these guys as well.
Given this:
I’m curious what this guy’s thoughts are on atheists in politics? Is he one of the many that uses atheists/secularists as a boogeyman? Considering we’re about 15% of the US population, I would like some clarification.
Boy…I know you all like Fred Clark, but some of the comments over there at his site are INTERESTING.
Gosh….I didn’t know I was trying to “dictate” what food one commenter’s daughter eats or what modes of transportation she can use. (As if the junk food sold in public schools is some kind of “right” or her access to public roads so she can drive her three ton SUV everywhere is given to her by GOD, don’t you know?
Much of the Slacktivist commentariat is a pretty tight-knit community, and some of the regulars are a little tightly wound, so much so that they used to stage Thursday flame wars. I’ve seldom been inclined to participate.
Nevertheless, Fred Clark has some unique insights into the evangelical mindset. He’s read books we wouldn’t dream of reading, and he’s also a flaming liberal, so I consider him a resource.
Were these regularly scheduled, official Flame Wars?
What a COOL concept.
I would also note that the numbers keep rising with each comment. First it was nil, then it was 5%, then it 15-20%. That seems rather worrisome, no?