Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Credit Where Credit Is Due

It becomes progressively more and more difficult to find worthwhile stuff about which to blog or comment these days. My erstwhile denomination, the Episcopal Church (USA), has sunk into the mire of blasphemy and irrelevance, and is not even worthy any more of notice. My country is headed by an utterly self-absorbed, pusillanimous and law-breaking President, whom neither his friends nor his enemies will rein in. It has a Congress consisting largely of people so absorbed by their need to get re-elected that they are afraid to have any principles, and consequently are beneath contempt. And it has five Supreme Court justices who simply mock the law and their function as the tribunal of last resort in a putative democracy, and see nothing wrong with making up the law as they go, while openly flouting their contempt for the rule of law.

There remain, I am glad to report, a few voices of sanity in this chaos of lawlessness and cowardice. These voices have the courage to say what they know to be right, to be heedless of the consequences of their standing up for the right, and to press their case for unvarnished truth without ceasing, all in the teeth of implacable hatred and opposition.

That said, it is rare enough when these voices recognize and acknowledge each other.

The always excellent Touchstone Magazine, well worth its reasonable price of subscription and a continuing source of inspiration and refreshment, has published just such a tribute -- from one notable Christian voice of sanity to another. One of its long-time senior editors, Dr. S. M. Hutchens, has written a fine tribute to the crucial role played in our country today by none other than -- yes, you heard me correctly -- Rush Limbaugh. Here is a key extract:
I have a personal interest in what Rush says and how he is treated because the more I listen to and about him, the more I am frightened by the venom and mendacity of charges brought against the sanity and simple goodness for which he stands as a national symbol, his faults notwithstanding. Christians who speak ill of him should in justice recognize him as an ally, for if he sinks, they will sink with him, and for the same reasons. Where the hatred of his accusers, fortified by absolute faith in the rectitude of their madness, is not constrained by law and superior force, it will surely lead to persecution, eventually bloody, because that is the way of the world. Hatred must have a victim to charge with its own sins, and to visit with the appropriate punishments.
Be sure to read the entire brief essay. And while you're at it, consider supporting such voices of sanity by subscribing to Touchstone Magazine.

6 comments:

  1. Those who challenge the Zeitgeist will be attacked no matter how big or how lowly they may be.

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  2. http://celdf.org/ might give you some hope
    Jim of Olym

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  3. Being Rush's first cousin, three times removed, through Peter Limbaugh (grandson of the first American Limbaugh), whose daughter Amelia (Meli) Limbaugh did marry Asa Grant and bear him several children, including William (Billy Dutch) Grant, my great-grandfather, I am charged with coming up with the word that Rush might search for during his monologues. To this point, I am 98,5% accurate in my word choice.
    Diana and I were also sponsors of the Rush to Excellence Tour stop in McAllen Texas, back in 1989 when KURV Radio - 710 AM shook down four small businessmen to sponsor the event at the Civic Centre at 1,000 Yankee Dollars per sponsor. That was before we learned of our neither close nor distant relation.
    In keeping with Republican wisdom, my brother who had been AA for John Tower in Washington and Executive Director of the Republican Party of Texas for a long stint deferred attending the event which was overwhelmed by 4,000 attendees, by saying, "The guy's a blowhard who will fad out in 18 months. Mark my words."
    My wife and mother attended the private reception at the Tower Club in downtown McAllen during the afternoon before the show. The complementary picture, with my mother standing by Rush, who towered over both was interesting. When I saw them I said, "Look mother, Rush looks like a twin of Uncle Billy and you." She looked again at the picture, along with Diana, and said, "Oh, My God! You don't think he's one of the same Limbaughs as Granny Grant, do you?"
    "I don't know, mom, but I'll check it out. As it turned out, without Peter Limbaugh, his forbearers, Asa Grant, and his wife Amelia Limbaugh, El Gringo Viejo would not be here.

    Shall the Circle Remain Un-broken.....

    Thanks for the time, and we hear you about that hollow ring through the fog and drizzle, on that cold December morning, when the funereal peal sounds, and there is no funeral, only the recognition of a cold, Episcopal Church, with no lights, no Advent Wreath, no kneeler squeaky or clunking, no "A Mighty Fortress...." crisping through the frosty air, heard from a mile away.....all gone.

    El Gringo Viejo

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    1. El Gringo Viejo, It's interesting to see those varying degrees of separation in full action, and that last section after the circle remaining unbroken was more than powerful. The words had feeling, dread, beauty and great sadness. You brought the reality to life. Thank you for commenting here.

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