Shouldn't the press be looking into a domestic 'religion' that was built off the 1844 prediction of the second coming Jesus Christ? Ambitious Baptist minister William Miller - without the aid of newfangled computers or nuthin', mind you - figured that radicalized came up with a salvation plan. Doing some quick math, and working from the book of Daniel, he figured out that Christ was coming back in 1844. And he had a lot of Millerites following him, all across the country.
Imagine the egg on his face when Jesus didn't show up!
This is schism that created the SDA. And not that the SDA backed off this absurd belief. The husband and wife founders Ellen and James White, riffed on this whole thing. Here's a few of the highlights from Wikipedia:
- Second Coming and End times (fundamental beliefs 25–28)—Jesus Christ will return visibly to earth after a "time of trouble", during which the Sabbath will become a worldwide test. The Second Coming will be followed by a millennial reign of the saints in heaven. Adventist eschatology is based on the historicist method of prophetic interpretation.
- Wholistic human nature (fundamental beliefs 7, 26)—Humans are an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit. They do not possess an immortal soul and there is no consciousness after death (commonly referred to as "soul sleep"). (See also: Christian anthropology)
- Conditional immortality (fundamental belief 27)—The wicked will not suffer eternal torment in hell, but instead will be permanently destroyed.
- Investigative Judgment (fundamental belief 24)—A judgment of professed Christians began in 1844, in which the books of record are examined for all the universe to see. The investigative judgment will affirm who will receive salvation, and vindicate God in the eyes of the universe as just in his dealings with mankind.
- Spirit of Prophecy (fundamental belief 18)—The ministry of Ellen G. White is commonly referred to as the "Spirit of Prophecy" and her writings are considered "a continuing and authoritative source of truth",[24]though ultimately subject to the Bible. (See: Inspiration of Ellen White)
I chose Wikepedia because it was likely the middle ground between critics and believers on these doctrines. It may not be the most incisive source but it's the best general source.
So, with all this 'easy target' stuff to go after with Carson, the 'press' goes after whether he was promised or kind of led to believe he might get a full ride to West Point. Really?
I'm not quite sure who's more lame, the corporate media or Ben Carson.
So, I don't want to waste photons on my feelings on the state of corporate media these days (yet).
That means, it's Ben Carson's religious cult ranting time.
Obviously no one has the balls to say anything about this odd sect.
But given our love of liberty and 1st Amendment, I will start the ball rolling.
Let's start with this whole Second Coming thing: When asked what day Jesus might show up, so as to have a nice cup of tea or coffee available or some good barbecue, Miller differred to come up with a date and would only offer up the Jewish year (don't ask) March 21, 1843 to March 21, 1844. No believer alarm bells?
Outrageous sounding yes. But like today, when Ben Carson stands by the fact that Joseph built the pyramids to store grain and people defend this idiocy (little things like the pyramids were built 2000 years before Jesus showed up, or the Jews were slaves back when the pyramids were actually built), plenty people blindly follow this absurdity.
In 1844 these people sold their belongings, left their homes and congregated in fields, together across the US to wait. And wait. And wait.
Yet this, literally, Great Disappointment, didn't deter the movement. That's frightening in and of itself. I mean, you promise the freakin' second coming of Jesus Christ and blow it.
Who are these people that continue to follow people who got it so wrong? What is in their nature that is so gullible that they can be lead by proven charlatans? The real American spirit? I hope not.
But Ben Carson is the progeny of these people. The Seventh Day Adventists were formed from the folks who got screwed at The Great Disappointment.
Now, as a man of science, you would figure someone like Carson would look at empirical data. If someone tried a procedure and it failed miserably, you look for variation on that procedure, or a fresh start.
But under this logic, he has stuck with girl he brung to the dance, regardless of whether he found out it wasn't actually the girl he thought she was.
And the weird thing about this is, he's continually talking about how intellectually flexible he is and how he's the 'smart' candidate, dispassionately looking at his past positions and changing them (like pro-choice vs pro-life) as he 'evolves'.
The SDA didn't back away from the second coming. It's still waiting. And it celebrates the Sabbath on Saturday - like Judaism and Islam.
This SDA thing is like a mild form of Scientology. It's certainly uniquely American. And it's based on some long-standing religious belief structure. But it ain't you're average Protestant sect. We're not quibbling here between Lutheran and Episcopalian.
It's time for religious people to grow up and ask their questions and for the press to ask their questions. They did it when a Catholic was first elected. And they explored it when we had a potential Mormon (which has just as bizarre and origin myth) seeking the office. What sets Carson apart? And why isn't someone exploring the hypocrisy of his faith and his scientific reasoning?
That's all target rich shit for real journalism.
No comments:
Post a Comment