Thursday, December 30, 2004
Faithless in their faith.
I have always suspected that those who choose to legislate morality, have no real faith in their faith. I have always suspected that they either have no education, or choose to leave their intelligence at the door, once they become "Born Again." (Full disclosure: I was a "born again" christian and grew up in a fundamentalist christian church. I attended church until my mid-twenties.) I am a great apologist for christians in America, so don't start bitching about my "anti-christian" attitudes. What I resent is the utter lack of analytical skills that most fundamentalist christians seem to possess. I also resent fundamentalists deciding what I can and cannot consume in films, books, television, music, etc... It is this zealotry that reveals their own fear of desire and their lack of self control that is driving the "war on culture" that in turns drives these fundamentalists to vote against their own economic and social interests. They have so fully drank the far right kool-aid, that I have been seriously toying with the idea of joining any succession movement. A letter to the editor in the current issue of The New York Press confirms my suspicions that lack of intellectual curiosity and belief in the manufactured war on values is destroying our democracy and ultimately will destroy the rich social justice legacy of the church in America. The article in question was articulating a hopeful pro-environmental christian theological movement and was far from a anti-Christian polemic. I guess the shoes that Jesus wore is of more importance than the whole of his message of love.
Birking Off (Letter to the editor headline)
"Just finished "Jesus Wore Birks" by Alexander Zaitchik (12/15). How dare you insult Our Lord with such a cheap headline. You can write what you will, but when I'm confronted by such a degrading headline, I'm outraged. Such a cover line could only have been written by Christians who have forgotten their roots or by non-Christians. How do you think the Jewish community would react if you had used a headline like "Moses Masturbated"?
I'm a professional writer and have toyed with cutesy headlines in the past to get attention. But I always dumped the idea because I'm a pro who is aware that genuinely good writing does not need to resort to offensive tricks to have an impact.
If you insist on slapping us Christians in the face with such disgusting verbiage, I will do everything in my power to see that you are permanently taken off the street. And I have a track record of effectiveness to prove what I mean."
Susan J. Trammell, Manhattan
By the way Susan, Birks are shoes. According to history, the people of that time wore sandals. As a professional writer, you must have a hard time making a living, noting your clear lack of a sense of humor and your exaggerated self importance.
BTW, are you the same Susan J. Trammell of Trammell Editorial Services? If so, that says it all. Professional writer? Good god we have dumbed down the writing profession.
Birking Off (Letter to the editor headline)
"Just finished "Jesus Wore Birks" by Alexander Zaitchik (12/15). How dare you insult Our Lord with such a cheap headline. You can write what you will, but when I'm confronted by such a degrading headline, I'm outraged. Such a cover line could only have been written by Christians who have forgotten their roots or by non-Christians. How do you think the Jewish community would react if you had used a headline like "Moses Masturbated"?
I'm a professional writer and have toyed with cutesy headlines in the past to get attention. But I always dumped the idea because I'm a pro who is aware that genuinely good writing does not need to resort to offensive tricks to have an impact.
If you insist on slapping us Christians in the face with such disgusting verbiage, I will do everything in my power to see that you are permanently taken off the street. And I have a track record of effectiveness to prove what I mean."
Susan J. Trammell, Manhattan
By the way Susan, Birks are shoes. According to history, the people of that time wore sandals. As a professional writer, you must have a hard time making a living, noting your clear lack of a sense of humor and your exaggerated self importance.
BTW, are you the same Susan J. Trammell of Trammell Editorial Services? If so, that says it all. Professional writer? Good god we have dumbed down the writing profession.
