Confusing child dependence with opinion

Submitted by Stephen Gray (Brazil), Nov 3, 2008 at 14:08

Dear Mr Pipes, Intelligence is not a given, a permanent fact, it's a momentary result. Sometimes we fail. Those who do not work against failure through reflection fail more often. Thus, I ask you to consider the wisdom of branding children with the religions of their parents: "Therefore, what MMfA calls the "Obama-Muslim falsehood" is in fact confirmed by both articles as truthful and accurate. Calling this a falsehood is in itself a falsehood."

"Interviews with dozens of former classmates, teachers, neighbors and friends show that Obama was not a regular practising Muslim when he was in Indonesia, despite being listed as a Muslim on the registration form for the Catholic school, Strada Asisia, where he attended 1st through 3rd grades." You are talking about a boy who left Indonesia at the age of 10. Tell me: Was he a Keynesian or a laissez- faire Capitalist? Was he a Democrat or revolutionary communist? Do you have children yourself? Would you describe any of them as witch doctors, pantheists or empiricists? In your published defence of your position you mention that the question is of importance as: "All this matters, for if Obama once was a Muslim, he is now what Islamic law calls a murtadd (apostate)"

Certainly that is true in Iran. It is also true that efforts are currently being made by human rights groups to encourage Iran to stop executing children. I have a very good friend in the UK who, as a young girl, fled the country alone on the execution of her cousin, having being denounced by his mother for political subversion at school... as a 17 year-old. They made a school newspaper together.

Do you really not hold the United States of America to a higher moral standard? I do realise that the Jesuits knew their business when they stated: "Give me the child and I'll show you the man." It explains religions' geographic distribution. It describes a kind of indoctrination imprisoning the adult mind. The problem with it is two-fold: responsibility lies with the Jesuits, not the children, and it is a generalisation. Stronger intellects choose for themselves. I have read your adult reputation as a Republican. It appears your political persuasions have caused you to mistake the explorations of a child's growing intellect for political opportunity. While 7 year-old Obama was no more a Muslim than a post-modernist cultural relativist you, as an adult, are responsible for what you publish and when you let political persuasions over-ride your better judgement you risk under-performing. The intellect is a fickle facet: take it for granted, ignore it's health, let the cancers of vanity and conformity grow and it disappears...

Yours sincerely, Stephen Gray.

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