Random Thoughts 
John Bacon, Past President

I was in Barnes and Noble and Books-a-Million looking for Bill Moyers’ latest book, Moyers on America, and wondering why it was not in plain sight. Even more puzzling was its location in Barnes and Noble on the bottom shelf of the Civics section. I didn’t find it at all in Books-a-Million but, in fairness, I didn’t ask for help. I put the thought aside until I read the book. It was then new questions came to mind: was the book out-of-sight because the dealer feared alienating the local populace, the Chris tian right or the born-agains? The thought is not comforting.

This is on page 7 of Moyers’ book and I cite it as an example of what Toronto Star reporter Tom Harpur and others think of our culture or at least a part of it. He’s writing about the Village Baptist Church in Destin.

“I have never heard so much venom and dangerous ignorance spouted before an utterly unquestioning other wise normal-looking crowd in my life . . . There were stunning statements about humans having been only 6,000 years on Earth and other denials of contemporary geology and biology. And we learned that the Rapture, which could happen any second now, but surely within the next 40 years, will instantly sweep all the ‘saved’ Americans (perhaps one-half the population) to heaven.

“But these fantasies were harmless compared with the hatred against Islam that followed . . . ‘Islam is an intolerant religion . . . Allah and Jehovah are not the same God . . .’ And roughly 800 heads (at $25 per) nodded approval as he added that the left-wing, anti-Israel media — ‘for example CNN’ — will never tell the world the truth about Islam.”

It’s a puzzlement. The same bookseller, responding, I suppose, to demand, featured the spinmeisters of the left and the right. I find it scary to think American readers are more attuned to the likes of Ann Coulter than to a thoughtful and respected Bill Moyers. Is what I found coincidence or am I pursuing another conspiracy theory?

We read and hear a lot about the Christian Right. Whatever happened to the Christian Left?

Just a Reminder : There are literally hundreds of Free-thought and progressive items (magazines, periodical, emails etc.) available for the taking here at the fellowship. For those interested, feel free to browse the bookshelves under the window in the meeting room. Good hunting!