Monday, November 14, 2011

Nuking Japan: Bloody Evil

The last issue of The Taney County Times ran a jingoistic piece justifying the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I was provoked to send a response (the TCT printed it on 11-23-11).


Mr. Groman’s defense of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki expressed the politically correct version of history so replete in textbooks and so confidently asserted by both Conservatives and Liberals.

The dilemma of whether to end the war by nuking Japan, or permit many more people to die by continuing the war was resolved in favor of the former option, thereby saving many lives. This narrative provides true comfort in the face of our having caused hundreds of thousands of children, women, and old men to die horrific deaths by fire.

Correction: This narrative provides FALSE comfort in the face of our having caused hundreds of thousands of children, women, and old men to die horrific deaths by fire. False, because there was a third option besides, 1.) nuking Japan, and 2.) continuing the war.

Option three was as follows: Instead of holding to our demand for Japan’s unconditional surrender Truman could’ve offered peace feelers granting one concession - that being an assurance that Emperor Hirohito would be allowed to remain enthroned. This likely would’ve resulted in Japan’s earlier surrender, particularly in the aftermath of the massive conventional firebombing of Tokyo by B-29s.

Of course, allowing the Japanese to keep their Emperor would arguably have been too much to concede.

Except for one fact. That’s what we ended up doing, anyway. Emperor Hirohito remained Japan’s figurehead ruler until his death in 1989.


(see quotes from American leaders who disagreed with the decision to use atomic bombs on Japan here:)

http://www.doug-long.com/quotes.htm

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Apostle - great movie

If you have any interest in Fundamentalism, and more particularly Pentecostalism, Robert Duvall's The Apostle http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1183383833/ is a film worth seeing. Duvall wrote the script, produced, directed, and played the lead role of Euliss F. “Sonny” Dewey. Such was his passion for this project that he used his own money to finance it when he found no takers in Hollywood .

The Apostle Sonny embodies the dilemma faced by the Apostle Paul: “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do” (Romans 7:19).

As a work of art, the film is a nuanced presentation of a mostly stereotyped part of our cultural landscape. It conveys affection for Pentecostals - yet the characters have unflattering quirks. Its portrayal of zealous faith strikes a middle ground between the gaudiness of a televangelist's program and the hatefulness of Bill Maher's mockumentary, Religulous. It's not a hit-piece or a puff-piece. Pentecostal power wins the heart of a hardcore racist redneck. Pentecostal petulance has grown women quarreling childishly on the church bus.
In the flesh, the Pentecostal preacher clubs his wife's lover with a baseball bat. In the spirit, he shows poor folks on the wrong side of the tracks how to work together and love each other.

Pentecostals are worthy of respect as part of America. You don't have to choose between adoring them and loathing them.

Some personal background information about myself might explain why I so appreciate this movie.

After my conversion to Christianity in 1976, I spent twenty years in Fundamentalist, Pentecostal, and Holiness churches, including over ten in the notorious Community Chapel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Chapel_and_Bible_Training_Center

Those two decades were the best and worst years of my life. During them, I saw and experienced extremes of both: joy and despair; friendship and betrayal; affirmation and abuse; enlightenment and deception; revelation and confusion. I met the love of my life, my wife, and came to know God as my very best friend.

Fundamentalists and Pentecostals were there with encouragement and friendship for me at several key times in my life. They taught me many good things that will always be part of my foundation.

During those years, I also met tremendously gifted people who committed suicide, and others who did unspeakable things.

I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything. Nor would I want to go through them again.

Today, I'm just a Christian, not a Fundamentalist or a Pentecostal. I find their views of the Bible and Christian faith to be truncated. Nevertheless, I'll defend these good people against scurrilous attacks, and denounce the bigotry so often directed at them from those who claim to stand for tolerance and diversity.

And recommend The Apostle as a worthy approach to the subject.