Posted under Christianity & Conservatism & Culture War & Political Correctness & Political Philosophy
I have never been hostile to Wendell Berry, but I have never quite understood the veneration some crunchy con/Front Porch Republic types seem to have for the guy. Well now he has come out rather obnoxiously for gay marriage and some conservatives are disappointed to say the least.
“If I were one of a homosexual couple — the same as I am one of a heterosexual couple — I would place my faith and hope in the mercy of Christ, not in the judgment of Christians,” Berry said.
Um Wendell, the Bible condemns homosexual behavior as a sin. The Church has recognized this from the beginning as did Jews before them. Under Jewish law, a law Christians believe was written by God Himself, homosexual acts were a capital offense. That’s pretty serious business.
Of course all Christians place their “faith and hope in the mercy of Christ,” but they don’t get to rewrite the rule book based on modern PC sensibilities. How silly does Berry’s quote sound when we replace homosexuality with some other sins that haven’t yet gotten the PC reprieve.
If I were an adulterer I would place my faith and hope in the mercy of Christ, not in the judgment of Christians.
If I were a thief I would place my faith and hope in the mercy of Christ, not in the judgement of Christians.
This is true, adulterers and thieves should place their faith and hope in the mercy of Christ. It is the only hope they have. But they don’t get to write thievery and adultery out of the list of things condemned by the Bible and go on about their adultering and thieving ways.
robert m. peters on 16 Jan 2013 at 2:52 pm #
Mr. Phillips,
I do not know the context of the quote which you cited. One could see a meaning contrary to your understanding of it; however, if that meaning is there, Mr. Berry makes it difficult to find in his words as you have rendered them. Your analysis has to stand unless some compelling counter evidence can be presented.
By the way, I visit The Front Porch from time to time and shoot the bull and chew the fat with those boys from time to time. (One always shoots the bull before one chews his fat!)
Mr. Berry deftly skirts the issue of marriage with “couples,” a favorite loophole of those who would “normalize” sodomy. I would hope that Mr. Berry’s state of matrimony is something much more sacred than merely being one of a couple. Mr. Berry also disembodies Christ from His Church, i.e. turn to the Gnostic Christ but reject His foolish and hypocritical Bride and Body. At the heart of things, the attack on marriage with the weapon of “legitimized” sodomy, that not being the only weapon used against marriage, is an attack on the Trinity and on the union of Christ with His Church and on the sacramental nature of marriage as reflective of those realities.
RedPhillips on 16 Jan 2013 at 5:41 pm #
Mr. Peters, click on the “some conservatives are disappointed” link. Rod Dreher is talking about it. It has a longer quote and a link to the source story.
robert m. peters on 16 Jan 2013 at 6:42 pm #
Mr. Phillips,
I should have read the link before posting. The greater context provided in that link shows that your analysis is absolutely correct. I have more astute friends among the disciples of Southern agrarians who have always been skeptical of Mr. Berry while I have been his reluctant apologist. It seems that they have been right all along.
Matt Weber on 17 Jan 2013 at 5:31 pm #
I wouldn’t be too hard on Berry. This is probably something he doesn’t think about much, doesn’t care about much, and hence is being reactionary about. He doesn’t like rank-and-file conservatives, therefore doesn’t want to go along with them on anything. People usually appreciate Berry more for his holistic vision than role in fighting this or that culture war battle.
savrola on 17 Jan 2013 at 8:59 pm #
Fag marriage is a cheap fad that would have passed long ago if conservatives had been adults about it.
But since even paleoconservative writers have become oversized adult fanboys living in a dream world of their own making, we have to hear these endless debate and suffer through these tedious court battles and constitutional amendments.
Ostrascism is the answer. However, conservatives are in a smaller minority than they imagine, and it’s growing smaller all the time, as this piece demonstrates.
The first step when you’re in a hole is to stop digging. But Red continues to swing his pick with diligence.
RedPhillips on 17 Jan 2013 at 9:09 pm #
Just out of curiosity, who or what am I a fanboy of?
savrola on 17 Jan 2013 at 10:42 pm #
So many things, Red.
RedPhillips on 18 Jan 2013 at 12:22 am #
Sav is a fanboy of Sav.
I assumed the fanboy reference was in regard to the paleoconservative descriptor that preceded it, not some swipe at MMA, action movies, etc.
savrola on 18 Jan 2013 at 1:10 am #
The first part of your assertion is truth and based on sound facts.