Joe Bodell at the Minnesota “Progressive” Project may know his technology. But he needs to work a little on his cultural and language literacy:
It’s always been a curiosity to me that our media calls radical Muslim leaders “clerics” while people like Terry in Florida and Phelps in Kansas get to hang on to the title “Pastor.”
{{facepalm}}
That’s partly because Christian churches have a fairly uniform system for naming and identifying clergy; Islam’s system isn’t nearly as uniform. “Pastor” is a very broadly-accepted definitive for protestant clergy; “Father” works for Catholics, while “Rabbi” generally works for Jews.
“Imam” is usually, but not always, an appropriate definitive for a Muslim prayer leader.
Sounds less ominous than “cleric”, doesn’t it?Are we trying to make the other side’s radicals sound like Dungeons & Dragons characters? Does that make them scarier, somehow?
Only if you are completely unaware that “cleric” is the singular of the plural “clergy” – which, to be fair, didn’t pop up in “Dungeons and Dragons”.
Now, if they were calling them ‘Magic User’s, he might have a point.
Has it occurred to any of the hyperventilating appeasers warning the minister who threatens to burn the Koran not to do it – they’re proving his point for him?
The highest officials in the United States political, military and media ranks warn we are incapable of defending this country from radical Islamists if his Koran burning riles them up; therefore, ordinary citizens must cower and grovel to keep the peace.
Apparently, our elite believe Muslims cannot be expected to abide by the ordinary rules of civilized behavior, cannot be expected to “live and let live,” cannot be expected to ignore insults and get on with their lives. Instead, Muslims must be treated like spoiled children whose every whim is indulged and we Americans must do the indulging.
“Keep your head down. Don’t stir up trouble. Don’t speak your mind. Bow to your betters. Apologize.” Seriously – that’s Obama’s best advice?
Who would have thought the concepts of noblese oblige and White Man’s Burden lived on during the First Black President’s administration?
“If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing and turn the other cheek” might be good manners but it’s lousy foreign policy. And now, thanks to some crackpot in Florida, we know it’s official United States government policy toward Muslims. Not toward Jews – just ask Israel – but toward Muslims alone. And Obama wonders why people question his religion.
Teddy Roosevelt must be spinning in his grave.
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Can we start calling Joe Bodell a “clerk”? He’s able to put the words in the right order, but I don’t think he should be deciding which words to use.
I think MinnPost might have a point if they criticized John Hinderaker for pronouncing imam as “eye-ma’am” instead of “ee-MAHM” . . .
(By the way, didn’t D & D do away with the “Cleric” PC in favor of the “Priest”? And I think “Magic Users” became “Wizards”, but what do I know?)
They are called clerics because they know how to read. I am not sure that is true of this Terry Jones person, so it is appropriate to call him “pastor”.
didn’t D & D do away with…
No idea. I played D&D a few times in high school. Didn’t much like it.
But I did a lot of “Traveller” in college, and “Twilight 2000” (postapocalypse, not vampires) after I moved to Minnesota.
Anyone who engages in role playing games for any length of time is seriously, mentally ill. We have this thing called “reality”. More people need to engage in that.
We have this thing called “reality”. More people need to engage in that. he says, staring at the illuminated screen, his fingers pressed against the keyboard.
I once rolled up a Traveller character who got more demolitions and vac suit experience with every roll of the die.
He was so good, he could take a dump in his vac suit and cause it to make YOURS blow up.
Didn’t know much else, though. Died early.
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Anyone who engages in role playing games for any length of time is seriously, mentally ill.
Nah. They may have kept me sane for a while; in those days before blogs and after my first hitch in talk radio, it exercised my “spin a yarn and keep my brain working” requirement.
Only if you are completely unaware that “cleric” is the singular of the plural “clergy
As most people are.
D&D went to priests in 2nd Ed., then went back to cleric for 3rd Ed. I don’t know about 4th Ed.
Anyone who engages in role playing games for any length of time is seriously, mentally ill.
And they probably worship the devil and think they are their character for real. Is it the mid 80’s again?
DiscordianStooj said:
“And they probably worship the devil and think they are their character for real. Is it the mid 80’s again?”
I laughed out loud.
Kermit’s got a grudge.
:Start wavy flashback lines:
Hot girlfriend: “Kermit, I am leaving you for a Dungeons & Dragons geek.”
Kermit: “NO-O-O-O-O-O-!”
:END wavy flashback lines:
Anyone who engages in role playing games for any length of time is seriously, mentally ill.
Farmville addicts, however, are teh shiny happy people. . .
I once had a biker friend who would get crazy jealous about his girlfriend whenever he got drunk. I mean crazy jealous. He would accuse the poor sod on the bar stool next to him of f*ck*ng her. He would go to the parking lot of her condo and threaten strangers going into her building.
His self-diagnoses?
He had a blood sugar problem.
Perhaps he watched “Raging Bull” one too many times. 😉