'What Would Any Jesus Do?'
(April, 2000, Column)
Gerald Gage
From: "Gerald Gage"
To: Positive Atheism <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Comment on your editorial
Date: Monday, May 15, 2000 8:04 AM
For my own enlightenment I would appreciate some additional comments from you regarding a statement in your editorial, What Would Any Jesus Do?, which appeared in the April, 2000 issue of Positive Atheism.
To quote you, Myths are good as long as we admit they're myths. Certainly myths have about them a durability that exceeds almost any other form of communications. And almost all myths contain some elements of truth. But almost every myth is used by someone as means to pursue unworthy ends. The modern slogan Growth is good is certainly known as myth by many who behave as though it were truth. Add a lane to a highway to reduce congestion, is known by almost any objective observer of traffic to be a myth, yet civil engineers continue to promote such construction. My suspicion is that wealthy televangelists know that they are using myths to exploit those gullible. So my sense is that whether or not myths are recognized as such, their evaluation as to goodness must be based upon how they are used.
So explicate your statement some. It may be accurate, but I'm having difficulty accepting it as such.
From: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: "Gerald Gage"
Subject: Re: Comment on your editorial
Date: Monday, May 15, 2000 3:10 PM
If the televangelists admitted that their "Jesus" was mythical, I don't think the exploitation you describe would exist.
The exploitation results from (among other things) their insistence that Jesus was (and is still) real and that he will, in fact, exact punishment against those who disagree with Him. The key here is the claim that Jesus can enforce His claims.
As long as the myth is seen by all involved as an unenforceable myth, it seems to me that the element of exploitation is drastically weakened.
From: "Gerald Gage"
To: "Positive Atheism" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
Subject: Re: Comment on your editorial Date: Monday, May 15, 2000 6:42
PM
At 03:10 PM 5/15/00 -0700, you wrote:
If the televangelists admitted that their "Jesus" was mythical, I don't think the exploitation you describe would exist.
I have a sense that we are communicating past one another; not an unusual event in my life. Of course televangelists cannot admit publically that their Jesus is mythical. What I'm trying to communicate, apparently unsuccessfully, is that they know they are dealing with myths, and withhold their insights to consequently do much harm to those less sophisticated than themselves. So the statement you made that knowing if something is mythical renders it harmless is I think missing some point that we are failing to communicate to one another. Your statement suggested that myths were not harmful if we admitted that they were myths. I think, and I'm not a skilled communicator, that I'm suggesting that whether or not myths are harmful depends upon who admits that they are myths and how they are then used. My suspicion is that we may agree but we are passing one another by. I think the more we can explain that some things are myths the better the world will be. I also think some people know they are dealing with myths but use their insights in very harmful ways. E.g., "While I know Jesus is most likely a myth, I think you are better off just believing in Him as your savior. I'll help you accept that. Now don't you feel much better?"
From: Positive Atheism <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: "Gerald Gage"
Subject: Re: Comment on your editorial
Date: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 6:26 PM
Yes, we seem to agree: when someone teaches that a myth is reality, they are, at minimum, mistaken. When they do this deliberately, for the puropse of personal or political gain, they are exploiting.
Cliff Walker
"Positive Atheism" Magazine
Material by Cliff Walker (including unsigned editorial commentary) is copyright ©1995-2006 by Cliff Walker. Each submission is copyrighted by its writer, who retains control of the work except that by submitting it to Positive Atheism, permission has been granted to use the material or an edited version: (1) on the Positive Atheism web site; (2) in Positive Atheism Magazine; (3) in subsequent works controlled by Cliff Walker or Positive Atheism Magazine (including published or posted compilations). Excerpts not exceeding 500 words are allowed provided the proper copyright notice is affixed. Other use requires permission; Positive Atheism will work to protect the rights of all who submit their writings to us.