News-Record.com

I don't often agree with Pitts' writing, but in this case, I think he's spot on. It's a little difficult to figure out exactly what point Coulter is trying to make (as she almost never makes any sense whatsoever), but it's not really a stretch to call her intolerant. Her comment in the same interview of interracial couples is evidence enough of that.

Intolerance is more than simply believing you're right and someone else is wrong. That's what Coulter is expressing in this conversation, as best I can tell.

What is the appropriate mechanism for addressing the 'intolerant'?

If you feel they need something from a little 'perfecting' to 'being wiped off the map', you are no different than Ann Coulter.

In my thesaurus, intolerant and narrow-minded are synonyms.

This reminds me of my favorite quote from the third Austin Powers movie. Oscar winner Michael Caine, playing Austin Powers' father, says, "There are two kinds of people I can't stand – those who are intolerant of other cultures and the Dutch.”

Doug: "Coulter did NOT say Jews need to be made to accept Jesus as savior."

Not in those words, Doug, but what in the heck does "perfected" mean, other than implying that non-Christians are imperfect?

Are you honestly writing that you think she was sincere in what she said? That this was some sort of religious philosophical discussion? C'mon.

The purpose of this woman is to antagonize others through over-the-top inflammatory remarks (truth or tolerance be damned! ratings! sell books!) for monetary gain. Anything that purports to 'explain' what is meant to be absurd and controversial rhetoric just gets her invited back to teevee to sell more books, while you, like a sane editor, resist buying her syndicated tripe (via the sane half of your brain).

She's a package of marketing herself via intentionally absurd talk and nothing more.

Sue, it looks to me as if she was invited on the program and prompted to discuss her religious beliefs.

I certainly would not have used a term like "perfected." Christians don't claim to be perfect. But anyone who sincerely believes in his or her own religious tradition would regard it as closer to the truth, or the perfect, than others. I'm guessing that's all she meant.

Yes, Doug, you're right. Look, if you want to find an example of Coulter's intolerance, it's not hard, but this is a bad example. She's simply stating a core doctrine of Christianity: Jesus's assertion that "I am the way, the truth, and the light. No man comes to the Father but by me." The pope says the same thing, as does almost any Protestant denomination this side of Unitarianism. Christianity is an evangelical religion premised on the availability of grace through Christ. If Coulter were suggesting--she's not--that nonbelievers be forced to convert, we would be talking about intolerance. As is, we're not. There's no line to the boxcars and concentration camps.

A necessary precondition for intolerance, including it's most extreme forms like hanging, cutting off heads, or incineration, is first of all; believing that the religion one is inculated with is the only true religion ie; you are right and everybody else is wrong.

I think it is more like a continuim from ethno-religiocentric belief to intolerance to active agression rather than a discrete classes of behaviors.

Doug seems to imply that maybe the lower end of the continum is okay (it's at least not breaking any laws and after all- it's what HE was taught) but there is a dicrete line somewhere that can't be crossed.

Whos' right??

Look, there have been those in history, sadly, who have jumped from "Go and make disciples of all nations" to "kill the nonbelievers." But their gross misunderstanding does not transform the Great Commission of Christianity into hate speech. That would be taking that command out of the context of other Christian teachings.

brian444 said it better than I did originally.

Obviously the problem is; the Great Commssion's been taken out of context over and over and over again. Just using Christianity (since surely we are much less barbaric than Islam) you still have Crusades, Inquistion, Kiev, extermination of the American Indian, Auschwitz (although the Nazi's weren't Christian).

The problem is people can't be trusted to think that there religion is the only true one. They can't seem to reconcile this with the fact that there are billions of people in the world who don't give a speck of fly doo what their beliefs are.

I don't trust someone to decide what people can be trusted to think ... or believe.

Doug, you seem to be making this into a circular argument. I am drawing you out a little bit and I'm getting vibes you'll be dragging me off to burn me at the stake here in a minute.

I was just citing examples. If mis-interpretation of the Commission is the problem, then maybe the problem IS the Commission.

I don't agree. Furthermore, Christians aren't burning people at the stake anymore. On the contrary, most Christian missionaries try to convert through humanitarian service.

Furthermore, Christians aren't burning people at the stake anymore.* Doug

Sure they are, but under another name. It's call torture under the present born again Skull and Crossbones President George Bush.

And whoever thought that Bob Jones the 3 rd would endorsed Mitt Romey!

I doubt that Ann gives a flip, that a flaming liberal, that writes for a flaming liberal tabloid, does not like her. She pretty, has brains, sells millions of great books,and is a tv star. She also speaks her mind. Rushs letter is now over $2,000,000, and he is going to match it for the marines. Rush once again makes a @#% out of Dingy Harry, one of your liberal tabloid heros.

Thanks for the update, Doug.

Well, time to go dance naked in the woods.

However, there is room for hope here, Doug, after reading your post above about not trusting somebody to decide what people can be trusted to think or believe.

Ah...seems like only yesterday my favorite columnist was telling we what kind of housing should be in my neighborhood and, along with my favorite schoolboard member, was telling me where my kids MUST go to school.

Se' la vie. Viva' la differ'ence

"Doesn't everyone who follows a regious path -- whether it's Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, whatever -- believe theirs is the right path?" -- Doug

Sure. But the difference you don't seem to get is that some, like Coulter, and seemingly you, beleive that theirs is the ONLY right way -- you know, like the Taliban.

When Coulter says that we should all be Christians and that Christians want Jews to be perfected, she's revealing a belief that hers is the only "right" way to God. That may not be intollerant, but it is disturbingly arrogant, condesending and narrow-minded. Defenders of her view paint themselves with the same brush.

I agree with what Sue was getting at above.

Ann Coulter is an entertainer. A well paid entertainer just like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Rush. The program where this occured and similar ones are nothing more than verbal, philosophical professional wrestling. It is staged. It's an act. Instead of adopting names like Chief J. Strongbow or The Rock they are simply Ann and Al etc.

It's what passes for entertainment in the age of Survivor and Amercian Idol.

Anybody looking for profundity or meaning here is a fool.

Roch, the monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all hold that their way is THE way. That is their mainstream and traditional dogma.

That does NOT make followers of those faiths like the Taliban, who actively suppress other faiths.

Savage, I agree with your last point. The conversation was meaningless and not worth the condemnation of Pitts and others who made much of nothing.

I mean, it's probably only a matter of time before they actually stage physical wresting bouts, say put Ann Coulter in the ring with say Juliannne Malveaux. If Ann wins- more tax breaks for the rich. If Ms. Malveaux wins-unlimited no-bid contracts awarded. Not only will this help preserve the dignity of math-challenged City Mgrs and certain schoolboard members, it could raise millions for local charities etc.

She pretty, has brains,* Doug J

Are you kidding? She would come in first in a " Ugly Transgender contest" And last in the " Wizard of Oz Strawman contest for brains"

"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times building."

- Ann Coulter, New York Observer, 08-26-02