Professor Teaches Religious People Are Retarded

[Bonnie]

A CUNY professor who called religious believers "moral retards" has gone on another Internet rant - calling himself a defiant "superman" and comparing religion to oppressive regimes.
A firestorm erupted at Brooklyn College after the views of Timothy Shortell - elected to head the sociology department this month - were revealed in a Daily News story on Monday.

"Christians claim that theirs is faith based on love, but they'll just as soon kill you," Shortell wrote in an online journal that is linked to his Web site (www.shortell.org).

Brooklyn College officials responded yesterday by launching an investigation into the controversial professor's views.

"I sharply disagree with the offensive anti-religion opinions of Prof. Timothy Shortell," Brooklyn College President Christoph Kimmich wrote in a letter to The News.

But Shortell remained defiant in his latest post.

"I have been attacked recently in the New York newspapers," he wrote. "We laugh at our critics. We will behold with joy their silly tantrums."

He also called himself and others who share his beliefs "Übermenschen," a reference to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's idea of the perfect person, or "superman."

Hugh Son

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/312862p-267534c.html

 

[no1tovote4]

Wow, I never noticed that I had such significant retardation! Well to be honest I am not Christian and this guy is pretty specific....

 

[dmp]

I'm sure he'll enjoy hell.

 

[Bonnie]

Makes one wonder what the hiring proceedure is for college professors??

 

[Bullypulpit]

The professor is wrong to generalize in such manner. It is, unfortunately, a few who bring disrepute onto the many.

Some of the fringe elements of evangelical Christian sects often seem to have eschewed their faith in a bid for political power. It is these who are the 'moral retards' in that they willfully ignore Christ's message in their efforts to secure political power and give their version of Christianity the force of law.

 

[no1tovote4]

Makes one wonder what the hiring proceedure is for college professors??

Well, if we use Ward Churchill as an example it appears that your only qualifications need be a vehement hatred of all things American and some niche like lying about Native American Ancestry, or being Gay and hating Christianity at the same time....

 

[freeandfun1]

Some of the fringe elements of evangelical Christian sects often seem to have eschewed their faith in a bid for political power. It is these who are the 'moral retards' in that they willfully ignore Christ's message in their efforts to secure political power and give their version of Christianity the force of law.

Elaborate.

 

[Yurt]

I'm sure he'll enjoy hell.

I hear the coffee is always hot

 

[archangel]

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/312862p-267534c.html

Guilty as charged...my IQ was tested in school and in the military as 135 and 137...and I am a believer and dedicated...so if I were not... my IQ would be much higher....sigh... :shocked:

 

[Bullypulpit]

Elaborate.

Have you read <a href=http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060558288><i>God's Politics</i></a> by Jim Wallis? He details how, rather than working in the realms of grassroots movement building and values changing, the religious right moved straight into political organizing. Their stated goal being "...to takeover the Republican party...". In essence, they ignored the persuasion by moral argument that gives rise to genuine social change. He criticized the leaders of the religious right for leaving behind...

<blockquote>that faith challenges the powers that be to do justice for the poor instead of preaching a "prosperity gospel" and supporting politicians who further enrich the wealthy...that faith hates violence and tries to reduce it and exerts a fundamental presumption against war instead of justifying it in God's name...that faith creates community from racial, class, and gender divisions, prefers international community over nationalist religion and that "God bless America" is found nowhere in the Bible...that faith regards matters such as the sacredness of life and family bonds as so important that they should never be used as ideological symbols or mere political pawns...</blockquote>

Also, if we look back a few years, we find many of the evangelical schools of Christianity supporting the separation of church and state, as they feared the influence that mainstream Protestantism and Catholicism would have on the political process. With the decline of the Protestant and Catholic denominations and the rise of the Evangalicals, particularly those associated with the "religious right", that beleif in the separation of church and state has evaporated, as Republican leadership faces greater and greater pressure from the religious right to implement their political agenda.

So, rather than convincing others of the correctness of their faith by walking the walk...The leadership of the religious right has sought the easy path of gathering political power into their hands. As we have seen all too often, that power corrupts...both the secular and religious folk who grasp it too tightly or too avidly.

 

[5stringJeff]

My IQ is certified to be well above "retarded," as are many, many other religious people (Christian or otherwise).

Mr. Shortell seems to have a problem distinguishing reality from his humanistic wishful thinking.

 

[Bonnie]

Bullypulpit

So, rather than convincing others of the correctness of their faith by walking the walk...The leadership of the religious right has sought the easy path of gathering political power into their hands. As we have seen all too often, that power corrupts...both the secular and religious folk who grasp it too tightly or too avidly.

Most Christians do their best to walk the walk daily in their lives, but to suggest that would also include sitting back and not asking for any say in the political process goes beyond setting an example. Christ teaches to show and to lead by example. For many that are wealthy and Chrsitian they do an awful lot for charity and keep it to themselves as they see that it was from Christ that they have their fortunes and wish to give back.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Bullypulpit

Most Christians do their best to walk the walk daily in their lives, but to suggest that would also include sitting back and not asking for any say in the political process goes beyond setting an example. Christ teaches to show and to lead by example. For many that are wealthy and Chrsitian they do an awful lot for charity and keep it to themselves as they see that it was from Christ that they have their fortunes and wish to give back.

Nothing at all wrong with that, and most all of the Christian folk I know do their best to walk it like they talk it. It's those that claim to be Christian, but act otherwise that give real Christians a bad name. And the hypocrites are in the minority...but yell the loudest about their piety and virtue.

One's religious beliefs are personal, but they are never private. They influence our actions in every arena, including that of politics. However, when religious doctrine is elevated to the status of law...moral argument and example are abandoned in favor of the power of govenrment enforcing religious doctrine as law. And we see that in the words and actions of individuals like James Dobson, Don Wildmon, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson and others as they and their followers put pressure on govenment institutions to implement their agenda as law.

 

[Hobbit]

Have you read <a href=http://www.harpercollins.com/global_scripts/product_catalog/book_xml.asp?isbn=0060558288><i>God's Politics</i></a> by Jim Wallis? He details how, rather than working in the realms of grassroots movement building and values changing, the religious right moved straight into political organizing. Their stated goal being "...to takeover the Republican party...". In essence, they ignored the persuasion by moral argument that gives rise to genuine social change. He criticized the leaders of the religious right for leaving behind...

<blockquote>that faith challenges the powers that be to do justice for the poor instead of preaching a "prosperity gospel" and supporting politicians who further enrich the wealthy...that faith hates violence and tries to reduce it and exerts a fundamental presumption against war instead of justifying it in God's name...that faith creates community from racial, class, and gender divisions, prefers international community over nationalist religion and that "God bless America" is found nowhere in the Bible...that faith regards matters such as the sacredness of life and family bonds as so important that they should never be used as ideological symbols or mere political pawns...</blockquote>

Also, if we look back a few years, we find many of the evangelical schools of Christianity supporting the separation of church and state, as they feared the influence that mainstream Protestantism and Catholicism would have on the political process. With the decline of the Protestant and Catholic denominations and the rise of the Evangalicals, particularly those associated with the "religious right", that beleif in the separation of church and state has evaporated, as Republican leadership faces greater and greater pressure from the religious right to implement their political agenda.

So, rather than convincing others of the correctness of their faith by walking the walk...The leadership of the religious right has sought the easy path of gathering political power into their hands. As we have seen all too often, that power corrupts...both the secular and religious folk who grasp it too tightly or too avidly.

While I agree that many Christians have given the rest of us a bad rap, this isn't really very true. Many Christians supported the idea of having the freedom of religion, as forcing people into a religion is often counterproductive and goes against the biblical principle of coming to Christ willingly. However, the reason many modern Christians are againt what "seperation of church and state" has become is because it's turning into freedom from religion and is beginning to infringe upon the rights of Christians to worship openly.

 

[dmp]

I wonder why 'non-christians' NEVER apologize on behalf of the OTHER non-believers...

Christians continuously write "They give 'real' christians a bad name - don't judge us all by the likes of Robert Tilton". Yet, I have NEVER read people like Bully apologizing for the likes of Hitler, John Kerry, Attilla the Hun, Osama Bin Laden, etc.

(shrug)

 

[Bullypulpit]

While I agree that many Christians have given the rest of us a bad rap, this isn't really very true. Many Christians supported the idea of having the freedom of religion, as forcing people into a religion is often counterproductive and goes against the biblical principle of coming to Christ willingly. However, the reason many modern Christians are againt what "seperation of church and state" has become is because it's turning into freedom from religion and is beginning to infringe upon the rights of Christians to worship openly.

I don't hear any of my Christian friends complaining that they can't worship openly. Their churches aren't being picketed or firebombed...They don't feel persecuted in the least. They enjoy the respect of their friends and neighbors.

 

[musicman]

However, when religious doctrine is elevated to the status of law...moral argument and example are abandoned in favor of the power of govenrment enforcing religious doctrine as law.

Give me one example.

 

[no1tovote4]

I don't hear any of my Christian friends complaining that they can't worship openly. Their churches aren't being picketed or firebombed...They don't feel persecuted in the least. They enjoy the respect of their friends and neighbors.

When a Christian symbol is taken out of a City Seal, while leaving Pagan symbols behind, it becomes clear that the aim was not at removing mention of religion from that seal, but removing a specific religion from being expressed. How often have I heard somebody say that you should keep that in your house, in private, directly against the Free Expression clause of the constitution that limits the government's powers.

 

[Bullypulpit]

Give me one example.

Terri Schiavo.

 

[musicman]

Terri Schiavo.

What has religion to do with a due process issue?