TOPIC RELIGION
by Ralph Filicchia | Print
“Well here we are back again, and welcome to Topic Religion. Our guests this evening are Rabbi Eli Pearlman, Father David Mooreland, and the Rev. Charles Foster, all scholarly gentlemen who are here to share their insights with us. Our phone bank looks full already, so why don’t we go right to the phones.”
“Hello, this is Eddie Enders and you’re on the air on Topic Religion.”
“Uhh…hi, am in on?”
“Yes, you’re on the air. Your name?”
“This is the first time I ever called, you know.”
Enders glanced at the Rev. Foster and rolled his eyes. Was it going to be one of those nights? “Well, welcome to the show,” he said to the caller. “Now could we have your name?”
“Clayton Mickel, and, uh…I’m calling to say that I think your three guests are a bunch of bigots.”
“Bigots? Would you mind explaining that, Mr. Nickel?”
“The name’s Mickel!”
“Oh, excuse me,” Enders said. “Mickel. Now Mr. Mickel, why do you feel my guests are bigots?”
“Well, it seems to me that they spent the whole first hour of the show throwing down anyone who believes anything specific. All they did was generalize religion to the point where it doesn’t mean anything. And the Father there says we should affirm the validity and dignity of other religions. I’d like to know where Jesus taught that?”
Enders turned to Father Mooreland. “Would you like to respond to that, Father?”
“Well, yes, I would. We have to remember that God is not just the God of one particular sect or denomination. God is the God of all men, and He respects the efforts of those who seek Him regardless of the approach used. We can’t go writing off everyone who doesn’t see things the way we do.”
“Where do you get all this?” the caller asked. “And where did Jesus ever say that? I never read that in my Bible? You sound like one of those phony politicians who wants to make sure he doesn’t offend anyone.”
“This is the position of the Catholic Church,” Father Mooreland responded evenly.
“Yeah, but I want to know where Jesus said that? I think you’re inventing the—“
“Now just a minute,” Enders broke in. “Father Mooreland has given you his position. You may not agree with that position, but it is apparently accepted in many areas of Christian thought.”
“Oh, is that right? Well name two.”
“Well, ah…I’m no theologian,” Enders said. He turned to his guests.
The caller said, “Father Mooreland gave us the position of his church, but he didn’t give us God’s position as recorded in the Scriptures.”
“What makes you so sure they differ?” Rev. Foster asked.
“Because I know the book!” the caller shot back.
“Very commendable,” Foster said. “But you should not presume to know the mind of God on every issue. I think—“
“I asked a simple question and you guys are starting to hem and haw all over the place. You’re like a bunch of slippery eels with your man-made theories.”
Rabbi Pearlman said, “May I ask what denomination you belong to?”
“I go to an independent Bible preaching church. I just got saved last summer.”
“Oh…well, that’s nice. And do you also believe what your Bible says about love?”
“Sure I do. And I also believe what it says about salvation, sin, judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and false prophets. Do you believe all that?”
“Well, er…what I might believe about such matters is irrelevant at the moment. We are dealing here with one’s views toward other beliefs.”
“Well I don’t think the Bible takes the generous view toward other religions that you people take. In fact, I think it’s kind of narrow in its outlook. Wasn’t Jesus narrow? Didn’t He say that He was the only way to heaven? I think it’s obvious that He did, so as a Christian it’s only proper for me to take seriously what He said.”
“No one questions your right to believe what you want,” the Rabbi said. “But will you grant others the same right?”
“Sure,” the caller said, “provided you grant me the right to state publicly that I think they’re hypocrites and don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“Pardon me,” Enders said, “but are you a divinity student?”
“No, I’m a sanitary engineer.”
“A sanitary engineer?”
“Yeah, I work in the city garbage collecting department.”
“Oh…well you’re in the company of three distinguished guests tonight who have spent their lives studying the subject of religion. Don’t you feel---“
“Hold on. If they spent so much time studying the subject how come they don’t know anything about it? In the Old Testament God did not tell the Israelites to respect the religion of the Philistines or any of the other pagan nations. And in the New Testament Jesus did not speak in glowing terms about other religious beliefs.”
“I think this young man is taking the Bible much too literally,” The Rev. Foster broke in. “This fundamentalist mentality that says---“
“Wait a minute!” the caller said. “Now you’re going to knock everybody who takes the Bible seriously and believes what it says.”
“It is not my intention to knock anybody,” Foster replied stiffly. “I am merely trying to show that there are different ways of understanding these issues.”
“Then what do you mean by this fundamentalist mentality business?” the caller asked. “All I’m doing is believing what the Bible has to say and you’re trying to make that sound foolish. I’ve heard about preachers like you before. You probably spend more time worrying about the pay scale of some immigrant tomato picker than you do about his soul.”
“This is ridiculous!” Foster snapped. “I think your whole problem is in your interpretation of what the Bible actually says.”
“Oh, yeah? Well you show me where God is pushing the idea that all religions are of equal value. Where did He say that?”
“Whoa, let’s hold on here a minute,” Enders said. “Mr. Nickel, you seem to be making some wild claims for someone who is not learned on the subject.”
“It’s Mickel, and what do you mean that I’m not learned on the subject? I’ve been going to church twice each Sunday since last summer? I also attend Sunday school and read a lot.”
Father Mooreland chuckled. “A little knowledge can be dangerous.”
“I think we’d all have to agree with that, Father,” Enders said. “Religion is not something that should be examined superficially. It calls for detailed study and investigation.”
“Which means what?” the caller said. “That you’re right and I’m wrong? That you guys with the phony degrees are the only ones who know anything?”
“No,” Enders said. “What it means is that one should have respect for the opinions of scholars who have delved deeply into the subject. More deeply than, ah…people like yourself.”
“Yes, what is your academic background?’ Rev. Foster asked. “What did you do before you acquired your present position?”
“I was a carbonic engineer.”
Eddie Ender’s eyes narrowed. He leaned toward his mike and motioned for the others not to speak. “A carbonic engineer…?”
“That’s right,” the caller said. “And sometimes when things were slow on the job I would read my Bible. So it’s not like I don’t know anything. You can pick up a lot of information that way.”
Enders hesitated for a brief moment. “Well, yes, that’s probably true. But tell me, just what is a carbonic engineer?”
“Well, some people would call us soda jerks. I used to mix ice cream sodas in an ice cream parlor, but I quit when I found out I could make more money on the garbage trucks. The smell isn’t too good, buy hey, no job is perfect.”
“All work is noble,” Father Mooreland said. “The Holy Father has spoken out many times on the dignity of all labor and---“
“He wouldn’t last a day on our truck,” the caller interrupted. “We move too fast to worry about whether or not we look dignified.”
Rabbi Pearlman smiled and leaned toward his mike. “Young man, I don’t think you are qualified to represent the views of the Christian faith.”
“Oh, knock it off, will you?” the caller said. “How would a Jew like you know who’s qualified to represent the Christian faith? My views square exactly with what the Bible teaches and your two pals on that panel know it.”
“Now just a minute,” the Rabbi said. “I commend you on the little bit of knowledge you have picked up on the subject, but I think that before you speak publicly you should do a bit more reading from the works of others who take a broader view of the issue.”
“Amen to that!” said Rev. Foster.
“Is that your way of telling me I don’t know what I’m talking about?” the caller asked.
“I don’t think our guests would put it quite that way,” Enders said. “But I think you are talking right past each other because of your different backgrounds and particular fields of study.” He smiled at his studio guests.
“Well everything I know comes right out of the Bible,” the caller said. “What I’d like to know is, where do the views of your guests come from?”
“Mr. Nickel, I would remind you that these men are scholars in their field. They are well read.”
“Mickel, Mickel, and never mind trying to impress me with all the academic baloney. Can I ask one final question before I go?”
“Of course,” Enders said. “What is it?”
“Will you please ask your guests where it says in anyone’s Bible that God puts an equal value on all religions?”
“I think we’ve already gone through all that,” Enders said.
“C’mon, just ask them.”
Enders turned to his guests.
Father Mooreland said, “All things are not found in the Bible.”
Rabbi Pearlman said, “As Americans we are taught to show respect for the religious beliefs of others.”
The Rev. Foster said, “I don’t think God meant for us to idolize the Bible. It is the compassion and love of Jesus that we should consider. We should show love for others as He did.”
“Well, there you have it!” Enders sang out smartly to his audience. “Straight answers from our panel of experts on---“
“Hey, wait a minute!” the caller cried out. “What are you trying to pull here? They never answered the question!”
“I’m afraid that’s all we have time for,” Enders said. “We have other callers waiting.”
“Yeah, but---“ CLICK
“Now let’s take more calls,” Enders said. “And let’s hope we can lift the level of discussion. Boy, there must be a full moon out there tonight. Hello, you’re on the air with Topic Religion. Go ahead…”
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