Rove is an atheist
By Libby Spencer
I heard it from Matthew Yglesias who got it from Christopher Hitchens. According to Chris, it's no secret that when Rove is questioned about his religiosity he replies along the lines of, "I'm not fortunate enough to be a person of faith." The ensuing discussion seems to center around whether that's a reflection of a condescending mindset.
Generally, I don't think it is. I'm not an atheist but neither would I be considered a person of faith in this context. I don't believe in churches or in any particular religion. I believe in a universal source of power but I don't think it can save my soul. My spirtual beliefs are so complicated that I envy those people who can fully commit to a simplistic faith and find comfort in a God they believe can save theirs. But I don't find either position superior - morally or intellectually. It is what it is.
In Karl's case, there's probably an element of condescension in his pat answer but more likely it's a just a convenient politic response to a question that's bound to come up because he's surrounded by fundies.
I'm not at all surprised to learn he's atheist though. It's clear the man believes in nothing but power. If he was a "person of faith" he would have to believe he was going straight to hell for a lifetime's worth of deceit and outright malevolence. How on earth would he even drag himself out of bed in the morning, if he believed in the evangelical God?
(Cross-posted at The Impolitic.)
I heard it from Matthew Yglesias who got it from Christopher Hitchens. According to Chris, it's no secret that when Rove is questioned about his religiosity he replies along the lines of, "I'm not fortunate enough to be a person of faith." The ensuing discussion seems to center around whether that's a reflection of a condescending mindset.
Generally, I don't think it is. I'm not an atheist but neither would I be considered a person of faith in this context. I don't believe in churches or in any particular religion. I believe in a universal source of power but I don't think it can save my soul. My spirtual beliefs are so complicated that I envy those people who can fully commit to a simplistic faith and find comfort in a God they believe can save theirs. But I don't find either position superior - morally or intellectually. It is what it is.
In Karl's case, there's probably an element of condescension in his pat answer but more likely it's a just a convenient politic response to a question that's bound to come up because he's surrounded by fundies.
I'm not at all surprised to learn he's atheist though. It's clear the man believes in nothing but power. If he was a "person of faith" he would have to believe he was going straight to hell for a lifetime's worth of deceit and outright malevolence. How on earth would he even drag himself out of bed in the morning, if he believed in the evangelical God?
(Cross-posted at The Impolitic.)
posted by Libby Spencer at
6:36 PM
3 Comments:
"How on earth would he even drag himself out of bed in the morning, if he believed in the evangelical God?"
Unless,of course, he were the Devil.
By
Capt. Fogg, at 10:07 AM
Libby said:
I believe in a universal source of power but I don't think it can save my soul. My spirtual beliefs are so complicated that I envy those people who can fully commit to a simplistic faith and find comfort in a God they believe can save theirs.
Why envy anyone who can fully commit to a "simplistic" faith?
Of course, one can believe (have "faith" in) in a "universal source of power" without believing that such "faith" results in being saved. One can believe that "salvation" only comes from our own efforts in this life to do what that "universal source" would want us to do. It's not a simplistic idea at all. In fact, it's actually quite complicated. And clearly far too complicated for simple minds like Rove's.
By
avishalom, at 3:34 PM
LOL Fogg - I sometimes wonder if Rove isn't the fabled antichrist at least.
Zed - Perhaps I worded that badly. The point was that it's so much easier to believe in salvation no matter what you do as long as you pray and appear pious and accept a entity as your saviour. That's why I envy those who can take comfort from a belief in a beneficent paternal figure who save them in the end. I don't have that source of comfort.
I envy them in the same way I sometimes envy wingnut bloggers. How much simpler it is to blog slogans and fake memes than to have to spend hours reading the news and try to get your head around just how corrupt the world has become.
I envy the easiness of it, but I don't want to adopt either for myself.
As for Rove, I don't think he's simple minded, I think he simply doesn't care - about anything -- well except himself.
By
Libby Spencer, at 6:15 PM
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