{"id":4141,"date":"2015-01-11T08:07:05","date_gmt":"2015-01-11T13:07:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=4141"},"modified":"2015-01-11T08:20:18","modified_gmt":"2015-01-11T13:20:18","slug":"the-rhetorical-dance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=4141","title":{"rendered":"the rhetorical dance"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"FullSizeRender\"<\/a>As we witness the world\u2019s reaction to the pursuit of the Islamic terrorists, there exists an evolving irony I just can\u2019t seem to shake. I can\u2019t quite put my finger on it, and yet it\u2019s an inconsistency potentially saturated in some degree of ignorance and\/or hypocrisy. Here are these terrorists… men and women motivated to kill based on religious reasons. So many leaders, however, tiptoe around the stated motive.<\/p>\n

As previously referenced here, even though the terrorists shouted Muhammad\u2019s name in France last week, our leaders were silent about the stated motive. In the initial public response by the White House last Wednesday morning, spokesman Josh Earnest even refused to call it \u201cterrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not simply the omission of the motive that\u2019s glaring; it\u2019s the accompanying, rhetorical dance. In their first public comments, both Earnest, French Pres. Francois Hollande, and others declared multiple times that Islam is a “peaceful religion.” It\u2019s as if the leaders of both France and America bend over backwards both to praise Islam and omit it as the killers\u2019 motive at the same time. Their rhetorical two-step is a seemingly intentional attempt to both appease and ignore.<\/p>\n

The dripping irony I thus see is the contrast with how America\u2019s most popular religion is publicly articulated. According to Pew Research, over 75% of Americans identify themselves as Christians. Christians are persons who have faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ. And yet, as previously discussed by the Intramuralist, there seems an intentional movement to remove any accreditation to God and Jesus in our country; there is very little<\/em> public praise. No, I am not referring to the so-called \u201cwar on Christmas\u201d or \u201cwar on teachers\u201d or any other rhetorical misuse of military terminology. I do passionately believe, however, that although the pursuit is somewhat subjective, in recent years we have witnessed calculated, adrenalized attempts to remove the name of God and Jesus from our society.<\/p>\n

Let me be more clear… \u00a0I am not speaking about the separation of church and state; respected persons have valid perspectives on all sides of said argument. I am instead addressing the removal<\/strong><\/em> of church from state — the total removal of God’s name<\/em>\u00a0from far more<\/strong> than our state.<\/em> Separation is the intent expressed by some, for example, for the expulsion\u00a0of seasonal nativity scenes on the public square. \u00a0Separation (albeit a\u00a0comical stretch)<\/em> is the school systems which no longer allow for the mention of Santa (… uh… even though Santa is already separate from the church and state).<\/em> Many persons work to omit any reference to God or Jesus, with many also seemingly wanting to eliminate Christianity\u00a0from the public narrative.<\/p>\n

Just last week NBC aired a commercial in which the Pledge of Allegiance was articulated. The chorus echoed it as follows: \u201cI pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.\u201d<\/em> They omitted God\u2019s name; no one nation \u201cunder God\u201d was acknowledged. In a later, apologetic statement — only after a social media uproar — NBC acknowledged the elimination was intentional.<\/p>\n

So back to the evolving irony…<\/p>\n

Our leaders are going out of their way to intentionally characterize the religion of Islam as one that is peaceful and rational. Less than 1% of America\u2019s overall adult population identifies themselves as Muslim. Obviously, therefore,\u00a0our leaders either believe or want us to believe that the terrorists are distorting the religion. My presumption is that in order to counteract the negative impression that is building by\u00a0the multiple terrorist attacks continuing across the globe,\u00a0our leaders are speaking out on Islam in order to paint a more respected\u00a0impression. At the same time they publicly praise Islam, though, many are accepting of being quiet about the saving power of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Something is not ok about that. Something is inconsistent.<\/p>\n

Respectfully…<\/p>\n

AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As we witness the world\u2019s reaction to the pursuit of the Islamic terrorists, there exists an evolving irony I just can\u2019t seem to shake. I can\u2019t quite put my finger on it, and yet it\u2019s an inconsistency potentially saturated in some degree of ignorance and\/or hypocrisy. Here are these terrorists… men and women motivated to … <\/p>\n

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