Daily Fix
House Of Cards: The Madness Of Pastor Arnold Murray - Part II
T. SHER SINGH
DAILY FIX
Sunday, May 6, 2012
“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
Myths and legends have long inspired humanity to greater heights. As described so succinctly by Joseph Campbell in his tomes, the archetypal tales have not only captured our imagination through the millennia, but they have also helped us understand ourselves.
No wonder mythology is a mainstay of poetry, both secular and religious. It helps simplify complex concepts and give depth to basic emotions.
Things, however, tend to get out of hand when people start taking myths a little too seriously, citing them as facts, and interpreting them literally, word for word.
Worse still, then some want those literalities to be made law and mandatorially govern society.
Sadly, the only place that this literalizing of mythology takes place is in the field of religion.
Ancient scriptures were written in the form of stories - which were rarely, if ever, based on fact or history - in order to convey to the populace the larger, universal truths. But priests and clergy latched on to those stories and began to ply them as weapons in order to wield power over their flock.
Thus, many a professional practitioner of religion became a conjurer of lies, a builder of a house of cards. [Mind, my emphasis here is on “profession” as opposed to “vocation”, on “religion” instead of “spirituality”.]
And when your entire life-work involves purveying myths as truth, you not only start believing your own lies but also that lying is fine, as long as it is done “in the name of God.“
The video you have seen, as introduced in my column yesterday (DAILY FIX, Saturday, May 5, 2012), depicts one such man.
He has spent an entire lifetime in literalizing religious mythology and whacking his followers and enemies alike with his clubs of misinformation. It’s for good reason that we use the term “bible-thumping” in this regard!
Sadly, he doesn’t do it because he believes in what he says. He does it because it helps to rake in money from his gullible flock. Millions and millions of dollars!
He threatens them with Armageddon, and they send him money in order to buy off perdition.
Along the way, he leaves no prisoners.
Jews, for example, are his chosen enemy. “Children of Satan”, he calls them.
And, now he’s found an easy target in Muslims.
Hence the turban clip, which is but one of many of his tirades. Sikhs are but victims of collateral damage in this instance.
No one escapes his wrath, as long as his foamy-mouthed proclamations can generate revenue and add to his already swollen personal wealth.
Respectable Christians and Christian churches have tripped over each other to distance themselves from him.
One declares unequivocally that Pastor Arnold Murray is “not even competent to teach kindergarten in a real Christian church!”
For many a good reason.
Someone recently investigated Murray’s claim that he has a doctorate degree. The university Murray claims as his alma mater denies any connection with him whatsoever.
And so on and so forth.
That’s what happens when you start believing that myths are facts, and start pandering them as fact and history. You start enjoying the power of lying, and justify it as a valid means to a desirable end.
Hence, such videos from a man who believes that every word in the bible he preaches is a historical fact - especially in the way he interprets it!
May the good Lord forgive us our trespasses … and deliver us from such evil. Amen.
HERE’S THE VIDEO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT ALREADY. PLEASE CLICK HERE.
To read Part I of this column, please CLICK here.
Conversation about this article
1: Baldev Singh (Bradford, United Kingdom), May 07, 2012, 6:34 AM.
If the 'oldest profession' is prostitution, then the second oldest must be 'priesthood' ... it's a great way to make easy money.
2: Irvinder Singh Babra (Brampton, Ontario, Canada), May 07, 2012, 1:53 PM.
T. Sher Singh works hard on his writings and brings the best to safeguard Sikh interests. He is a fine watchdog, and also a Sikh ambassador around the world. From a small Canadian village! More power to him and his internet team.