Cranky Bastard

Soon after the news broke, I read one of the obits linked on Drudge, though I can’t remember from which outlet it came. My Dad, a big Firing Line fan from way back, and me, a recovering Conservative, I was more than just familiar with William F. Frankly, though, he has been out of the picture as of late, so I hadn’t thought of him in the context of my current beliefs. So, I am reading this obituary that makes clear that while a very respected intellectual, he was also known (at least by the obit writer) as a bigot and a racist. Err. Now, while I am the one who often says that generations simply have to die off (yes, mine too eventually) in order for progress to occur, I did not think about a person with that kind of fame and influence being the kind that needed to die to allow for progress. It really seems counter-intuitive, given how I viewed him earlier in my life. Although, times were different back then. What is now considered redneck was more common among all socio-economic groups. As I often say, we cannot judge historical beliefs by today’s standards, and even the 70’s and 80’s were very different than today. Thank goodness. This really begs the questions though, first, was he really that lacking in humanity to begin with, and if so, did he evolve as he aged?
And will I? Am I simply being too demanding because I am young enough not to understand how difficult it is to change your long-held beliefs? Will it be my great challenge as I age to force myself to consider that I have held beliefs that were simply wrong all these many years? Or even if I can be okay with being wrong, this certainly does not mean that everyone can deal with having their own intellectual foundation shaken. Was his intellect built upon memory and lacking in problem-solving? Could it have been that we were so drawn in my his contemplative speaking style as to believe that he was being thoughtful, when he was really simply hiding his flaws?
I wonder if he would see his beliefs on women, minorities and gays as flaws now? What was it about him that drew people (that did not think this way) to love him? Was it his charisma that kept even a youngster like me interested, such a force that he was a must at parties and panels? Was he a center of attention or a mere novelty to which liberals stared and mocked? It certainly could be that the upper crust did love him flaws and all, genuinely waiting to hear what he thought as they gathered wide-eyed ‘round his socks. I do not know what to think of him. I do not suppose I need to think much of anything, but I feel torn.

FresnoBee.com: California State Wire: Calif. Capitol chaplain says religious tolerance offends God: "An evangelical chaplain who leads Bible studies for California lawmakers says God is disgusted with a rival fellowship group that includes people of all faiths.
Capitol Ministries head Ralph Drollinger says the members of the other group may be pleasant, but that God is disgusted with them for allowing people to participate without requiring them to accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
He made the remarks on the Capitol Ministries Web site.
Sacramento Sen. Darrell Steinberg, who is Jewish and will be the Senate president pro tem next year, said Drollinger's remarks were intolerant and troubling.
Drollinger has held Capitol Bible study for more than a decade. He is not paid by the state."

I absolutely love these stories. It simply proves how cooky all of this can get. This chaplain says he knows what God thinks, that god is disgusted. More troubling than his belief that he can read the mind of God is that he has been at the Capitol for that long. The California Capitol, the state known for its accepting of all kinds of people, for its leadership, and ahead-of-its-time status. And then there's Ralph. What to do with Ralph and the other Ralph's among us?

Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate, Report Finds - New York Times: "The Catholic Church has lost more adherents than any other group: about one-third of respondents raised Catholic said they no longer identified as such. Based on the data, the survey showed, “this means that roughly 10 percent of all Americans are former Catholics.”"

I have often wondered, to myself and on this blog, why so many Catholics were not more upset by the myriad scandals. This data shows that they might be. The loss of Catholics to the Church could also be people who have simply decided against faith. Both are sound reasons to reject the Catholic Church. I am simply glad to know the Church is losing at least the American-born tithers.