Monday, August 29, 2011

Why is Bill Keller's communion comment offensive?

I need some help wit this one. Outgoing NY Times Editor Bill Keller said the following in a reCent article.: “If a candidate for president said he believed that space aliens dwell among us, would that affect your willingness to vote for him? Personally, I might not disqualify him out of hand ... But I would certainly want to ask a few questions. Like, where does he get his information? Does he talk to the aliens? Do they have an economic plan? Yet when it comes to the religious beliefs of our would-be presidents, we are a little squeamish about probing too aggressively… I grew up believing that a priest could turn a bread wafer into the actual flesh of Christ.” — Outgoing NY Times editor Bill Keller

A lot of folks on the news are decrying this as an attack on Christianity. I'm not familiar with Mr. Keller or his politics, but I don't see what's offensive about this statement.

If you believe the communion wafer becomes the flesh of Christ, why would you be offended that someone pointed it out? If Keller got it wrong, correct him and point out his ignorance. If the whole question makes you uncomfortable, maybe you're really not sure what you believe.

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