non-manicheist Christians

[Jim Metcalf]

Dear Julie and all,

> As Artur has so beautifully explained, a Manicheist is a dualist, one
> who sees the world in terms of "good guys" and "bad guys". This goes
> much farther back in history than the 1950s Hollywood westerns where
the
> good guys wore white hats. It goes back to Persia a couple thousand
> years ago. The good and the bad/evil in Manichaeism often have equal,
or
> nearly equal power. Before he was a Christian, Augustine of Hippo was
a
> Manicheist.
> Today, there is this odd combination of convictions (odd from an
> historical viewpoint) that Artur describes as a manicheist Christian.
> Pres. George Bush, for example, is a manicheist Christian. He easily
> talks of an axis of evil, "and it ain't us". A non-Manicheist
> Christian takes a more complex view of good and evil. We recognize
> that there is moral evil in the hearts of all, or nearly all. (I
> suppose it would have taken a heart like that of the Dalai Lama's to
> have not felt fear and revenge at noon, September 11.) A
> non-Manicheist Christian realizes that there is room for moral good in

> the hearts of all, or nearly all. I, e.g., believe that a war on
terror
> must begin in my own heart, by my heart, on my heart, for my heart
holds
> both a desire for peace and a desire for revenge. Furthermore, a
> non-manicheist Christian realizes that s/he frequently is, but ought
not
> be, the one who decides what is good and what is evil, even in a moral

> sense. This is, I think, a more complex view of good and evil than
> President Bush sets forth in his public pronouncements. There is much
> more to a non-manicheist Christianity than this, (the whole faith
> relationship to the love of God business, for one) but I think that
> this answers your question. If I've not been sufficiently detailed,
> I'll be happy to write more.
>
>
Joy in the Journey of Life,,

Jim

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