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None of Our Business Where Presidents Worship
Where should a president and his family worship, which means to many, which church should they join? Should a president-elect ask me for an opinion on this subject--fat chance that one ever would, because on subjects I speak in parables. I hope readers will stay with me in the present case, because the fable I will use may seem to be irrelevant or irreverent, but it is precisely relavant and I intend its employment in this context to be reverent. It is from the 1881 translation of Aesop's Fables, the one on which the Marty kids grew up in the 1930s:
A Miller and his sons were driving their Ass to a fair. On the way they met a trooop of girls. Look there! cried one of them, did you ever see such fools, to be trudging along on foot when they might be riding? The old Man, hearing this, quietly bade his Son to get on the Ass, and walked along merriily by his side.
Presently they came to a group of old men in earnest debate. There, said one of them, it proves what I was saying. What respect is shown to old age in these days. Do you see that idle young rogue riding, while his old father has to walk? Get down, you scapegrace! and let the old man rest his weary limbs. Upon this the Father made his son dismount, and got up himself.
In this manner they had not proceeded far when they met a company of women and children. Why you lazy old fellow! cried several tongues at once. How can you ride upon the beast, while that poor little lad there can hardly keep pace by the side of you? The good-natured Miller immediately took up his son behind him.
They had now almost reached the town. Pray, honest friend, said a townsman, is that Ass you own? Yes, says the old Man. Oh! One would not have thought so by the way you load him. Why you two fellows are better able to carry the poor beast then he you! Anything to please you, said the old Man. So, alighting with his son, they tied the Ass's legs together, and by the help of a pole eneavored to carry him on their shoulders over a bridge.
The people ran out in crowds to laugh at the sight, till the Ass, not liking the noise nor his situation, kicked asunder the cords, and, tumbling off the pole, fell into the river. Upon this the old Man, made the best of his way home with his Son -convinced that, by endeavoring to pleae everybody, he had succeeded in pleasing nobody, and lost his Ass into the bargain.
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By
Martin Marty
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December 1, 2008; 6:38 AM ET
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Posted by: Anonymous | December 2, 2008 3:24 PM
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If you're reading this and you're someone who voted for Obama because he "goes to church", please try to find a better criteria for who to base your vote on. With all that's going on in the country and the world, it shouldn't matter how often someone goes to church.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 2, 2008 9:24 AM
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I haven't heard that story in years, but it does aptly apply. Mind your business as my mother would say.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 1, 2008 3:18 PM
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I never factor in "church-going" to my voting decisions, but millions of people do. So those millions of people are now saying "I voted for a church-going person, so now I want him to go to church." It's a painful thing to watch a politician (or the owner of an Ass) try to please everybody. I hope Obama doesn't fall into that trap.
Posted by: Anonymous | December 1, 2008 12:50 PM
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I like your little tale. I do not know if Obama would, or does, adjust his actions based on the whims of others around him. I certainly hope that he does not. If he does it would be no small concern.
How is it that this debate is even an issue? Our famous current president does not go to church. Was this an issue then, or rather did noone care, trusting that he was a true evangelical believer, and make it an issue with Obama because he is not evangelical?
I bet there lies a rub.