I heard about Pat Robertson's new prediction of a Tsunami striking the Pacific Northwest in 2006 and thought I would check out his website to see if the prediction was there. I did not search hard, but did not find anything overtly highlighting that prediction from God.

Regardless what you think of Robertson I was struck to see that such a religious leader in America would be struck with a standard American Christian epidemic - the compartmentalization of religion. His website describes him as:

a broadcaster, statesman, author, humanitarian, businessman and Christian.

Christian is used as a noun here and not an adjective. I personally get sick of Christian as an adjective, like "Christian" band or something like that. So I'm a bit conflicted, but this description of Robertson cannot hid the fact that his Christianity is apart, set aside from his other beings.

I find it very interesting that it is last on the list as well. Although I do think one could make a good case about rhetorical style, culminating the list with "Christian" and could get away with arguing that its placement in the finality of the list almost umbrellas the other terms. Fair enough.

I can also see somebody make a good rhetorical argument about how its place in the list can convey order of importance. I am not the author, so I won't go into it more, but I found it very interesting.

It is not wrong to be a "Christian" band, as long as the adjective doesn't stifle creativity or originality or art. The word as an adjective works well to convey the culture and implications behind the art. It need not set somebody over and above, but give helpful background.

It is wrong I think to be compartmentalizing religion and other forms of being. I also think it is abusive to utilize Christian as an adjective to market a constituency or set yourself outside the culture.

Now I am thoroughly confused after my observations and don't know what to think...how about you...what do you think?

3 comments | Permalink