What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
(and remember, you can always e-mail me if you love or loathe anything you're about to read)...


   Friday, August 30, 2002

MAYBE IT'LL SOUND BETTER COMING FROM HIM

Charles Kimball is chair of the department of religion at Wake Forest University and the author of three books about religion in the Middle East. His latest couldn't be more necessary -- it seems he's cast his net a little wider this time for a timely overview entitled When Religion Becomes Evil. As he puts it:

"Whatever religious people may say about their love of God or the mandates of their religion, when their behavior toward others is violent and destructive, when it causes suffering among their neighbors, you can be sure the religion has been corrupted and reform is desperately needed. When religion becomes evil these five corruptions are always present. Conversely, when religion remains true to its authentic sources, it is actively dismantling these corruptions ..."

Dr. Kimball's new book will be featured in the New York Times on -- when else? -- September 11th and while I'm sure the press and public will eagerly listen to his critiques of Islamic fundamentalism, I hope this Baptist scholar won't let his own clan off too easy. Religious fundamentalism -- Islamic, Christian, Zionist, whichever -- is steadily becoming one of humanity's most troubling issues and it has to stop before more innocents are killed. Cheers to Charles Kimball for beating the drum.

Labels: religion