# When will white, christian moderates speak up? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 24, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895 "2015-03-24T21:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/21 "2015-03-25T00:29:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Again I ask: Who are the major Moderate Christian Voices out there that could be countering crap like this out on the public airwaves? There are no “major Moderate Christian Voices,” unless you count the Pope. Moderate Christians tend to be, well, moderate, and make for boring news reports. Around Chicago we have Fr Michael Pfleger generally speaking sense, but by being in your face and on the news all the time he is more like a radical voice, only one many people can agree with (but not everybody). The Venerable Fulton Sheen was a good choice, but a pre-req for getting venerated is being dead. We live in a mostly-secular country, where the squeakiest wheels get to bloviate. A lot of people who happen to be Christian talk about what a tool Robertson is, but none speak as major Moderate Christian Voices. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/22 "2015-03-25T00:30:28Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > I can’t see why a Christian would pay to hear this guy talk about Christianity. He’s a character on a reality TV show. > I can imagine if he had some really intelligent ideas and was a very thoughtful speaker but he’s not. He comes across as crass and simple minded. I can. He’s RICH! He hunts ducks! No office! No Obamacare! And since he’s Christian, that MUST be why he’s so successful! ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/23 "2015-03-25T00:30:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > We _know_ what he says is full of shit. :smack: > The point is, he(and so many others) are rabble-rousing using shit like this via the national airwaves and major Christian press, and you seem to think the answer is to point out that he is wrong…here. Again I ask: Who are the major Moderate Christian Voices out there that could be countering crap like this out on the public airwaves? It’s ‘Man Bites Dog’, extremists of any political or religious persuasion are going to be more newsworthy than the vast majority of moderate people. “An aeroplane landed safely at Heathrow today… here’s Bob with the weather” ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/24 "2015-03-25T00:34:47Z")
I find it somewhat amusing that he made the perpetrator a believer. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/25 "2015-03-25T00:43:22Z")
Why have us Good And Moderate Christians let those assholes have the megaphone for so long? They’re making us look like idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/26 "2015-03-25T00:45:49Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > It’s ‘Man Bites Dog’, extremists of any political or religious persuasion are going to be more newsworthy than the vast majority of moderate people. > > “An aeroplane landed safely at Heathrow today… here’s Bob with the weather” That doesn’t answer my question as to whether there is an effort being made at all, though. For example, when Vero Beach first announced that this far-right dunderhead was going to speak at their prayer breakfast, were there any protests from moderate Christian leaders there that it might inappropriate for someone like him to speak at their prayer breakfast? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/27 "2015-03-25T00:58:41Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Why have us Good And Moderate Christians let those assholes have the megaphone for so long? They’re making us look like idiots. Hey that was real cute, and so original an idea-take a big bow. In the meantime, he’s touring the country and spreading his crap…but since “he only speaks for himself”, no one could possibly be listening and contributing money to the causes he speaks at, right? ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/28 "2015-03-25T01:01:52Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > Why have us Good And Moderate Christians let those assholes have the megaphone for so long? They’re making us look like idiots. This. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/29 "2015-03-25T01:05:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Hey that was real cute, and so original an idea-take a big bow. In the meantime, he’s touring the country and spreading his crap…but since “he only speaks for himself”, no one could possibly be listening and contributing money to the causes he speaks at, right? I said exactly what you thought I should be saying, word for word. Want I should set up a Kickstarter so I can pursue him all over the country and refute him publicly? Seriously, I have no Earthly idea what you want from us. The whole concept of being a “moderate” is that we don’t look for the microphone. The very notion that his is extremist behavior is demonstrated by the fact that we’re not all lined up behind him to support his idiocy. I know, maybe we can take his ass out back and kick the shit out of him. Prove what good moderates we all are, prove that we won’t tolerate his kind. Yeah, that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/30 "2015-03-25T01:06:37Z")
What an incredibly vile thing to say. And you know it was preplanned. Any outrage or criticism of his remarks will just make him feel even more satisfied. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/31 "2015-03-25T01:09:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > We _know_ what he says is full of shit. :smack: > The point is, he(and so many others) are rabble-rousing using shit like this via the national airwaves and major Christian press, and you seem to think the answer is to point out that he is wrong…here. Again I ask: Who are the major Moderate Christian Voices out there that could be countering crap like this out on the public airwaves? This represents the fallacy of equivocation: the OP suggests that Robertson is inciting violence. You then say that the point is he is “rabble rousing,” which is a phrase that could be applied to calls to violence. But I suspect, if pressed on the issue, you’ll acknowledge he’s not inciting violence and you meant “rabble rousing,” Ina. More general sense. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/32 "2015-03-25T01:11:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That doesn’t answer my question as to whether there is an effort being made at all, though. For example, when Vero Beach first announced that this far-right dunderhead was going to speak at their prayer breakfast, were there any protests from moderate Christian leaders there that it might inappropriate for someone like him to speak at their prayer breakfast? I think it it does. I haven’t a clue whether there was opposition from moderate Christian leaders, but I would think it unlikely they would garner the same amount of media interest as extremists. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/33 "2015-03-25T01:12:26Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > This represents the fallacy of equivocation: the OP suggests that Robertson is inciting violence. You then say that the point is he is “rabble rousing,” which is a phrase that could be applied to calls to violence. But I suspect, if pressed on the issue, you’ll acknowledge he’s not inciting violence and you meant “rabble rousing,” Ina. More general sense. With you defending his comments it makes you look almost as bad as he does ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/34 "2015-03-25T01:15:10Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I said exactly what you thought I should be saying, word for word. Want I should set up a Kickstarter so I can pursue him all over the country and refute him publicly? > > Seriously, I have no Earthly idea what you want from us. The whole concept of being a “moderate” is that we don’t look for the microphone. The very notion that his is extremist behavior is demonstrated by the fact that we’re not all lined up behind him to support his idiocy. > > I know, maybe we can take his ass out back and kick the shit out of him. Prove what good moderates we all are, prove that we won’t tolerate his kind. Yeah, that’s it. No, the concept of being a “Moderate” does not mean you step back and just let the extremists hog the microphone, and it doesn’t mean you let them get away with shit. If there truly is a moderate Christian majority that think that letting jackasses like Robertson speak on their behalf(and that _is_ the message that is getting out there to the contributors and voters), then there is nothing wrong with Church leaders of supposed moderate Christian groups to make their voices known and at least _try_ to put a stop to this shit. Where is the fear here-that it might look like Christians are turning on each other? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/35 "2015-03-25T01:19:00Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > I think it it does. > > I haven’t a clue whether there was opposition from moderate Christian leaders, but I would think it unlikely they would garner the same amount of media interest as extremists. Back in post #5, **Guinastasia** said they do it all the time. Where are these public efforts to denounce these far right-wing Christians and say that they do _not_ represent the majority of Christians in this country? ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/36 "2015-03-25T01:21:41Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > I said exactly what you thought I should be saying, word for word. Want I should set up a Kickstarter so I can pursue him all over the country and refute him publicly? > > Seriously, I have no Earthly idea what you want from us. The whole concept of being a “moderate” is that we don’t look for the microphone. The very notion that his is extremist behavior is demonstrated by the fact that we’re not all lined up behind him to support his idiocy. > > I know, maybe we can take his ass out back and kick the shit out of him. Prove what good moderates we all are, prove that we won’t tolerate his kind. Yeah, that’s it. There is a missing element here. You moderates are the only people that people like Robertson will listen too. Criticism from other Christians. If an Atheist, the ACLU or MSNBC criticize him, he is simply not going to listen. In fact it will just make him feel like he is doing the right thing when we criticize him. You’re not responsible for his remarks but you’ll are the only people he will listen too. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/37 "2015-03-25T01:31:17Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Back in post #5, **Guinastasia** said they do it all the time. Where are these public efforts to denounce these far right-wing Christians and say that they do _not_ represent the majority of Christians in this country? Are there no public efforts to denounce them? Or is it just the nature of of news reporting? Serial Killers make the news, the vast majority of law abiding people don’t. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/38 "2015-03-25T01:32:38Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > There is a missing element here. You moderates are the only people that people like Robertson will listen too. Criticism from other Christians. It is to laugh! He will pay NO attention to us because he is not speaking as an ecumenical Christian, his mind open to discussion, but as a closed-minded nut. I’m as much a heretic to him as any member of ISIS. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/39 "2015-03-25T01:33:50Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Are there no public efforts to denounce them? Or is it just the nature of of news reporting? > > Serial Killers make the news, the vast majority of law abiding people don’t. Well, she said there were. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895/40 "2015-03-25T01:43:20Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > It is to laugh! He will pay NO attention to us because he is not speaking as an ecumenical Christian, his mind open to discussion, but as a closed-minded nut. I’m as much a heretic to him as any member of ISIS. But the Moderate Christian leaders don’t _have_ to speak to him to get their point across, do they? It’s already well-known what his opinions are and what type of speaker he is, and it was advertised well in advance that he would be the speaker. If any of the local Christian leaders or any of the sponsors objected that this fruitcake would be the lead speaker at one of the main Christian events of the season, I can’t seem to find any mention of it at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-white-christian-moderates-speak-up/715895.md?page=3)