The Inclusion Delusion

CAUTION: THIS IS HARSH COMMENTARY. It is hard to miss the daily updates regarding participants in Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. I am particularly entertained by the conspicuous jockeying of political correctness related to the ‘religious’ figures invited to play a role in this mighty affair. The outcry from the gay and lesbian community against Pastor Rick Warren’s invitation to deliver an invocation has now been balanced by an invitation to Bishop Gene Robinson to speak the opening prayer. Rabbis and Muslim clergy will also be integrally involved in the National Prayer Service the day following the inaugural and the sermon during that service will be delivered by Sharon Watkins, president of a small, mainline protestant denomination, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – the denomination of which I am a member. Of course, never to be silenced, Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Now organization – an atheist group - has sued someone or something to keep any religious language from the inauguration, as it is an affront to those who do not believe. It is a very lovely proposition to ‘Imagine’ that everyone is right in his or her thinking about spiritual matters. The fact is that religion, like it or not, is a fundamental cause of so much of our trouble on this earth. It is an absolute joke to ‘Imagine’ that we will ever coalesce into a singular heart or mind ‘and the world will be as one.’ Rick Warren is adamantly opposed to the gay lifestyle on religious grounds and speaks out against it. Gene Robinson is an admitted homosexual holding a prominent position within the Anglican Church and has caused a significant and hurtful schism in that denomination. Orthodox Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah and if Muslims and Christians are worshipping the same God/Allah they certainly get to Her/Him by very different roads. (Of course, never to be silenced there are those who do not believe.) Making room for this handful of disparate ‘believers’ is a very lovely gesture on the surface but it is a sign of politically correct weakness, indecisiveness and the delusion of inclusion. I know it sounds harsh in this oh-so-modern world to make the bold statement that all of these people can’t be right but all of these people can’t be right. Sometimes it just comes down to algebra. Consider this formula:

(RW/GR) + (Jew/Muslim) + (Luther/Pope) + (Believer/Atheist) = 0

Anyway, with all of this praying going on I hope one of them gets through - and humbly asks for that which we really need – whatever that is. And I hope they include me.