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A Politician Taken in Adultery
"Forgiveness" comes in many shapes and sizes, from this sort of politically important, largely ritualized statement from a highly public figure (how many women, cheated on by major political figures, in the past decade did not publicly forgive their erring spouses? I bet you could count them on the ring finger of your left hand) to the more personal and private need to forgive those who trespass against us, a need that is recognized in the rituals of many religions.
Adultery, too, comes in many forms, some of which have been minutely scrutinized by (often celibate) religious thinkers, both in human life (casting the first stone, scarlet letters and all that) and in divine metaphor: Israelites who worshiped false idols were likened to unfaithful wives, and medieval Hindus, both male and female, who adored the god Krishna likened themselves to the cowherd women who left their husbands for Krishna. The two subjects intersect in this question of whether a "person of faith" (in this case, someone who believes what his or her religion teaches about both forgiveness and adultery) might eventually cease to forgive or, on the other hand, forgive too much.
To forgive is not to condone nor to forget, as we learn not just from personal psychology but from the larger political arenas of the Holocaust and reconciliation theology in Africa. "Go and sin no more," is an essential condition of religious forgiveness. But with that proviso, forgiveness is surely the only hope we have of surviving in this wicked, wicked world.
What goes on in the heart of Elizabeth Edwards is her own concern, and the concern of her children and her husband. She joins the honorable ranks of other long-suffering wives of adulterous politicians--Eleanor Roosevelt, Mamie Eisenhower, Jackie Kennedy, Coretta Scott King--a great sisterhood. But what goes on in the minds of the voters, who have seen fit to ruin a number of men who might have brought some decency and reform to our increasingly corrupt political world, ruined those men just because they could not keep their pants zipped--this is, I think, something worth arguing about. Edwards is now out of the political maelstrom, at least for the moment, but his fall from grace not only calls up the ghosts of Bill Clinton and Gary Hart but casts the same old sanctimonious shadow into the future. If the various faiths of the American people have not taught them to forgive, so that they too might be forgiven--Shakespeare's Hamlet said it as well as anyone: "Use every man after his desert, and who should 'scape whipping?"--their secular human decency should do the job. Let him (or her) who is without sin cast the first vote.
By
Wendy Doniger
|
August 25, 2008; 8:55 AM ET
| Category:
Morality
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Posted by: LOL | September 12, 2008 11:33 AM
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Coll blog.
Thanks, webmaster.
Posted by: Order Cialis | August 29, 2008 5:45 AM
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Michael Karg:
Well, not exactly. Andrew Jackson and U.S. Grant were two of the worst mass murderers of Native Americans in our history, and they were both impossibly corrupt and dishonest. If adultery would have made them more decent human beings, then they should have cheated on their wives.
Posted by: DZ | August 27, 2008 10:35 AM
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The professor might stick to her thesis on divinity, and leave reality to us simple folk. In reality, there is such a thing, a very important thing, called, "The decorum of duty."
George Washington had it, as did John Adams, Andrew Jackson, U. S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt -- not many since these.
Martha, Abigail, Rachel, Mary, Julia suffered not a moment of the sub-subject here.
And you know something interesting, neither did the wife of Octavian. Great leaders/rulers don't need forgiveness, in this "thing," called adultry. Other types, this professor's types, evidently do.
Actually, there is no subject here, because history will simply ignore her types -- no such thing as forgiveness necessary.
Posted by: Michael Karg | August 26, 2008 5:39 AM
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Sex is not love, this is a true statement.
Posted by: Anonymous | August 25, 2008 7:26 PM
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---
Note: Att: WAPO et al:
ATT: P A G A N-P L A C E , B - M A N , A R M I N U S, etc..,
Most Pagans are QUEER NATiONAL(s), a secret National & International ‘Non-Straight’ Mafiaoso conspiracy. They are Anti-ECLAT{ARiAN}-AMERiCAN-NATiONALis!
Note: Each National is an Automatic Citizen/Denizen of Holy Cosmic NEBULA-Built Space-Ship Earth(s), aka S.S. GAiA, S.S. GEOiD, S.S. TELLUSng something! A very Hol{i}, Hol{i}, experience!
Only Jealous/lost Queers can make Fun of the 4-way Totem Pole Reality! (not Cross).
ATT: P A G A N-P L A C E , B - M A N , A R M I N U S, etc.., an Openly QUEER-GANG of National vile Homosexual(s) on WAPO whom was Told To Leave this Straight-Blogg for a Non Straight Blog of Many!
Why Don't Ye Evilgelicals Fundamentalist & counter partners ,QUEERS NATIONALS , LEAVE Us SECULAR-STRAiGHTS or ApocalyptarIan-NATiONALS ,ALONE?!
For the Nth time, please Go to Queer Bars, Queer Blogs, Queer-Places, Fetish Church’s etc.. but , no more Here! (Straight-Place)! Don’t Worry, Blogs , life Life, wil go-on w/out Ye QUEER Nationals!
QUESTION f.a.g.i.t QUEER : A R M i N U i S and or wanna B-aMAN, P A G O N - P L A C E. et al:
Stop Evading the Mavorite & Sporade Hol{i} No-Men Question!
" A Marriage (oral or Writtenly) is Sacred/Hol{i} (if Ye Know What that Word Means) between a real Gent (Mavorite, aka HUE{Mate}) and a Real Lady (Sporade, aka HUE{mate}) is IT! Never Between a 1/2 Man & !/2 Women! aka QUEERS-interchange!
So: P A G A N Queer: Yes or NO! Please no in between! YES or No on Marriage Question. Please don't tell Us Ye Don't Knoweth!???
We are still waiting for answer that ye Evaded on this straight Blogg: Soo,: YES (Yea) or NO (Nay)!?
Ahhhh. When Ye PAGAN QUEER Nationalis today are asked for a YES or No on the 'Marriage is Between a Real Man & Woman as Sacred-Union , so Apocalyptically exposing TRUTH (opposite of MYTH) that Ye F.A.A.G. Nationalis of America & Abroad are ignoring this like count Dracula runs away from a Cross!
Originally posted August 22, 2008 5:48 PM , but jealously deleted by Non-Straights ‘Offensive Comment” via Jealousy ABUSE!
WE are all Daughters & Sons of the Creator of O.U.R. Hol{i}-Cosmic Fiat Luix! A genuine non-Jealous, thus a genuine fearless Hol{i} No Men!
Bye Bye F.a.g.g.i.t.s!
Posted by: Frm: Joktan-ian Hue{mate}'s of Nebula Built Ma/Pa-Earth(s), not Bible(s) | August 25, 2008 5:52 PM
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SEX -- IS -- NOT -- LOVE!
Posted by: <?:♦)/ YA YA! | August 25, 2008 1:00 PM
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We must judge those running for leadership positions. A person who cheats on his wife or husband cannot be trusted. Those that cheat on a sick wife or husband multiply the distrust and are even more unfit for leadership positions.
Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | August 25, 2008 11:33 AM
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@ Concerned The Christian Now Liberated:
You wrote:
"We must judge those running for leadership positions. A person who cheats on his wife or husband cannot be trusted. Those that cheat on a sick wife or husband multiply the distrust and are even more unfit for leadership positions."
THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU WORK TO IMPEACH CLINTON, YOU LIBERAL DOUCHE?