Principles, Not People

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I Know Who Pat Condell Is, And I Posted His Video Anyway.

A recent post on Political Pistachio was a video by a gentleman named Pat Condell by the title of "No Mosque At Ground Zero." I titled the post: Mosque in New York Being Built By Bigger Threat Than Nazism, piggy-backing upon some of the statements made by Mr. Condell in the video.

Everything in the video that Pat Condell says is correct.

Amused by the fact that I put the video on my site was Liberal Tom the Neurotic hard left automaton. He left a comment asking if I know who Pat Condell is, and then assuming I have no idea regarding Mr. Condell's other video's goes on to say something along the line that I simply found an anti-Muslim video, and posted it for only that reason.

Tom then added that Mr. Condell hates Christians too.

Well, I am aware of who Pat Condell is. His videos go back years, and some of them discuss his opinion of religion in general, and even goes as far as calling the Holy Bible a work of fantasy fiction. Listening to Mr. Condell, however, the clearest message he sends is that he hates religion.

Just because I disagree with him on some things, partially agree with him on others, and fully agree with him at other times, such as in the case of this recent video, it doesn't mean that I am going to refuse to put up a video where I think he is on the money. I know that he and I don't see eye to eye on "Christianity," but my reason for posting the video had nothing to do with that. It was not about the person, it was about the principles, and in that video his principles were correct in my personal opinion.

And, when it comes to religion, often I find myself in partial agreement with him. I think when it comes down to brass tacks, his true problem is with the institution of religion, in whatever form it takes.

Well, I agree with Mr. Condell in that respect. People assume that since I am a Christian, I must love religion. What these people don't seem to be able to grasp is that religion is man-made. Religion, like any entity made by man, led by man, and ruled by man is a dangerous proposition.

Relativistic liberals are quite absolute when it comes to this topic. You are either all in, or all out. Therefore, I could say I have a real problem with religion, but since I am a Christian I am viewed by the left as a liar - for to some of them, even believing that there is a God, or believing that Christ died on the cross for our sins, means I must love religion.

As a Christian, when I have the opportunity, I attend a non-denominational church. I do so because I enjoy, and see the importance of, fellowship with fellow believers. I suppose it goes back to that birds of a feather thing - we tend to congregate with those we share our beliefs with.

If my church was to decide to become a member of a denomination, or was to begin to act "religious," I would leave the church, and find a new home for fellowship and worship.

Religion tends to place man above God. Religion tends to place its own importance at a level higher than biblical text. Religion, while under the control of men, can convince the members to do things in the interest of the religion. That is what you see happening in Islam, and that is what you see happening in some of the Christian denominations. People sometimes act for the church, rather than for God.

You see, the reason why the leftists jumped all over the fact that I used a video by Pat Condell is because they follow people. They don't follow principles, values, or any particular sane idea in the arena of thought. Principles play a nearly zero role in who these people are. This is why the Democrats are always accusing the GOP of not having a clearly defined leader. Like sheep, the Democrats need someone to follow, and they can't understand how anyone else can function without a leader. Liberals follow people. Evolutionists follow Darwin. Atheists follow people like Newdow, Hitchens, or Dawkins. Liberals follow Obama, or Pelosi, or whoever else their blinders let them chase. Islam follows Muhammad. Mormonism follows Joseph Smith. The Nazis followed Adolf Hitler. The Soviets followed Lenin and Stalin. The Chinese communists followed Mao Tse Tung. I follow God, not a mere man.

I don't follow much of the teachings of man, either. I follow God's inspired Word, God's handiwork, in an otherwise ignorant world full of the followers of men.

So to go back to the question, "Why would I put Pat Condell's video on my site when Pat Condell, a raging atheist that hates all religion, including my own Christianity, is the commentator?"

The answer is simple. He made a video about Islam, and the Muslim's attempt to build a mosque at Ground Zero, and I agreed with the principles in that video. Just because I agree with him on that video, it does not mean I agree with him on everything else.

Pat Condell is articulate, puts across his points in an extremely well thought out manner, and in my opinion, in that particular video, was right on target - not because of the man, but because of the principles relayed.

Still, I do use the word "religion" to describe faith in a general sense. It is not because I love religion, but simply because of the lack of a better word.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary