Rosie ODonnell has triggered a useful and healthy debate with her remarks this week on The View, the morning ABC program featuring a band of women talking freely and often outrageously. ODonnell asserted that radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America.As expected, Christianitys most vociferous defenders on the right came down hard and fast on Rosie. Miss ODonnells comment was recklessly irresponsible and even dangerous, said the Rev. Rob Schenck, founder of Faith and Action, a Christian ministry on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. In his press release, he would have to identify her as the lesbian activist actress. Like what does that have to do with the issue? During their Tuesday morning show, the ladies were reviewing the Sept. 11th fifth anniversary and President Bushs White House remarks tied to it. ODonnell reacted to co-host Elisabeth Hasselbecks statement that militant Islam provides a threat to free people. Just a minute, radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam in a country like America where we have separation of church and state, Rosie fired back, noting that America was never attacked by a nation in 2001.
And as a result of the attack and the killing of nearly 3,000 innocent people, we invaded two countries and killed innocent people, ODonnell said. It prompted another co-host, Joy Behar, to interject that Christians are not threatening to impose mass murder on Americans. Theres that difference. This group is threatening to kills us, she said.
The fiery Rosie retorted, No, but we are bombing innocent people in other countries. True or false? The audiences applause favored ODonnell, whose outspokenness is her trademark. It only proved that “The View” is more than visuals, that it is sharply differing opinions targeted for ratings and provocation.
Schenck attempted, in his press release, to define radical Christian as someone who is deeply committed to his or her faith, takes it seriously and embraces a concept that blessed are the peacemakers. He denounced Rosie and said she was contributing to the suffering of Christians around the world. He noted, O’Donnells comments are dripping with contempt and hostility for the vast majority of Americans who consider themselves religious.
The American Family Association called on its followers to demand ABC apologize and to reprimand O’Donnell. Had she made similar comments about minorities or homosexuals, there would have been an apology, and she would probably have been fired, said Donald Wildman, AFA founder and president. He said ABCs message from it all is that bashing Christians is acceptable, even comparing them with murderers who kill in the name of Allah.
Well, this American who considers himself a committed Christian is not offended by ODonnell. It surely underscores a growing hopelessly polarized division that has no signs of being bridged. Radical Christianity, as Schenck would like people to believe, is NOT
fervent faith. It has a militancy, religious xenophobia and ultraconservative bent. It is not characterized by Christians who truly embrace the true tenets of the faith. Instead, radical Christians are the modern-day Pharisees who have distorted the words and teachings of Jesus. They are zealots dividing the world into camps. At the heart of their mindset is a cocksure belief their Christianity — only their brand and version of it — offers hope, instruction and salvation for humankind.
Radical Christians relentless demonizing of Islam, their failure to find common ground with it, or accommodation, does not portend good things. They are hellbent on hijacking the Christian faith and inciting Muslims in the process. Those who deliberately use the term Islamic fascism dont merit respect. From my newspaper position of following and writing about the religious scene for 15 years, I see these Christians as out of bounds and incapable of speaking for the majority of Christians. They only seem to want to capitalize on the fear-mongering that is so pervasive and to paint Islam as one monolithic threat to be dealt by launching the new Crusades. The two monotheistic religions with enormous, farflung followings, must co-exist. True Christians should not let radicals co-opt the faith nor gain greater advantage in public policy. Rosie was right: Radical Islam and radical Christianity are both dangerous. Militancy by either is unacceptable.
