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| Glenn Beck at the chalkboard |
Some time ago, I wrote an article about how Harry Reid is like Lucifer, which generated a lot of anger from some readers. It will be interesting to see whether this article will generate even more anger.
Utahns were fooled en mass by George W Bush, having voted for him overwhelmingly in both 2000 and 2004. Mitt Romney, despite subscribing to a socialistic health care scheme that is helping to bankrupt the state of Massachusetts, has become the poster child of many allegedly conservative Republicans. It is probably with this knowledge of Utah naivete' that snake oil salesman Glenn Beck has chosen Utah as Ground Zero for his American Revival tour this summer.
I listen to the Glenn Beck program every now and again just to make sure that it is still stupid. Nearly every time I tune in, he's exaggerating some claim against Barack Obama, calling someone an idiot, claiming credit for the Tea Party movement, or petting himself for some other heroic act. Which is why I'm not very confident that his American Revival tour will be based exclusively on "faith, hope, and charity" as a recent radio ad told me.
How can anyone take seriously that a person who wrote a book entitled "Arguing With Idiots" can be an authority on faith, hope, and charity?
In the Garden of Eden, the uber-snake oil salesman plied the lying trade with great craftiness. When Eve balked at partaking of the fruit of the tree of good and evil because she had been told that it would bring death to her, Satan replied with a mix of truth and lies.
And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;It was true that if Eve and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit they would know good from evil, but it was a lie that they would not die. Half truth, half lie--that's okay isn't it?
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
If not, you probably ought to find a different source for your news and rabble rousing than Glenn Beck. Beck mixes truth and falsehood with the best of them.
Aren't you proud he is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints just like yourself? He really represents your religion to the world very well, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteI could also go into a discussion of an otherwise intelligent adult who actually believes the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with the serpent to be literally true, but that would be beside the point---or would it?
Life imitates art. Glenn Beck is a real-world incarnation of Howard Beale from the movie "Network" (1976). Probably a lot of people don't recall it because for some reason it's never shown on TV.
ReplyDeleteLying on TV is a lucrative line of work. Beck makes $23 million a year.
Please say your next article will be "How Mitt Romney is like Lucifer."
ReplyDeleteThe original sin was anal intercourse. For the exegesis, google the first scandal Adam and Eve. Then click, read, and comment. Please. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGlenn Beck uses satire, maybe you're just not a big fan of satire.
ReplyDeleteDo you watch the Simpson's? (If you watch the Simpson's and enjoy it, then you probably are a fan of satire)
Michael: Good point. I don't generally like satire, unless it's done in good faith (i.e. courteously and the object of the satire is not offended). I once left a basketball game because a member of MY team wouldn't stop trash talking someone on the other team.
ReplyDeleteBut still, Glenn Beck is often JUST PLAIN RUDE. I remember starting to read the Arguing with Idiots book (it's been 6 months or so) and thinking that the first chapter was actually quite informative and truthful. But it seemed that no matter which other chapter I started to read, his prose was caustic, and I felt like he thought that I MYSELF was an idiot. I don't recall details anymore, but I remember thinking how so much of what he said was at best an exaggeration, and at worst not independently verifiable based on the footnotes that he provided in his book.
Michael: The problem with Glenn Beck, in my opinion, is that he uses satire and sarcasm in place of real evidence. I get the satire; it's just poorly executed.
ReplyDelete