Thursday, January 27, 2011

Joel Osteen and the Thought Police: A Cautionary Tale

I believe it was the theologian Donald Grey Barnhouse who, when asked what he thought about Norman Vincent Peale, the previous generation's feel good ambassador and author of The Power of Positive Thinking, responded, "I find Paul appealing and Peale appalling."

Joel Osteen is the newest incarnation of Peale--who spouts a sort of warmed over version of the power of positive thinking with a light Jesus coating. So he's not exactly Jeremiah. In fact, he's a pretty good approximation of Pollyanna. So it is a bit surprising that Osteen would become the latest target for the verbal truncheons of the Tolerance Police.

What caused the Brown Shorts to take to the streets was Osteen's remark on Piers Morgan Tonight that homosexuality is a sin. It apparently came as a surprise to the Thought Monitors that this is a Christian position. Such is the state of Biblical literacy. But perhaps they can be excused for being surprised that Osteen said it.

But it wasn't just surprise that resulted in all the liberal goose stepping. It was the remark itself. So now we have all of these angry champions of Tolerance and Diversity running around, pointing their fingers at Osteen, trying to expel him from civilized society for espousing a view different from theirs.

These people have passed the point of self-parody and have now entered the realm of utter ridiculousness.

Piers Morgan himself, apparently outraged that someone would have moral beliefs that diverge from the official Diversity position, rent his black robe and declared Osteen "judgmental." I missed the last part of the interview, but I wouldn't be surprised if Morgan's last words on the program were something akin to, "take this man away!"

Pretty soon we'll all be asked to extend our right arms out straight in front of ourselves and salute the PC flag as we are forced to march by in perfect formation, chanting peace slogans and singing Diversity songs.

So anyway, I gotta go. There's a knock at my door. They're probably here to install the telescreen.

5 comments:

Lee said...

Is it judgmental to call someone judgmental?

Hannah Lashbrook said...

I find it funny that they still use the word 'diversity' as a synonym for Uniformity to Political Correctness

KyCobb said...

Martin,

I would think that as an intolerant person yourself, you would not be intolerant of tolerant people's intolerance of intolerance. If you expect tolerant people to tolerate intolerance, shouldn't you tolerate the intolerance of the tolerant?

Martin Cothran said...

I think I'm going to have to study this one for a few minutes...

Martin Cothran said...

KyCobb,

Why should I not be intolerant of the intolerance of the intolerant by people who claim to be tolerant, since I have made no claims of tolerance for myself?