Idiots Abroad

I find it bemusing when the Guardian runs opinion pieces on the crisis in the Anglican Church. Who reads them? Who cares? With the percentage of church attendance in England numbering in the single digits, it's a fair guess among Guardian readers it doesn't even crack one percent. Nonetheless, the paper persists in dredging up effete socialist clergymen who, eager to increase their street creds with their atheist comrades, churn out tiresome twaddle like this from a month ago, with the usual indictments of the usual suspects. Fortunately, England is blessed with The Fisk, where Cranmer operates on dithering fools like this with the precision of a surgeon. Herewith an example:

Dithering Fool+

"For hard-core evangelicals, this manufactured crisis is a golden opportunity to create new rules to oust the progressive voice from the church, perhaps even to crown Archbishop Peter Akinola as, de facto, the new Anglican pope. Thus evangelicals have a vested interest in keeping an atmosphere of crisis going as long as possible. The best way to mount a coup is to get everybody panicky and confused - and then emerge as a strong leader, the only one able to impose order."

Dr. Cranmer's response

"Is it any wonder that members of the Church of England are converting to Roman Catholicism, or even leaving the church altogether? When a church has a strong leader, there is vision; when a church has vision, there is enthusiasm; when there is enthusiasm, there is unity of purpose and growth. Some may say that the Church of England needs a Margaret Thatcher; it is a certain fact that too many more John Majors will destroy hope, and leave a demoralised and decimated fellowship. This ‘crisis’ is not manufactured; it is a direct result of the purposeful successive appointments of archbishops who try to please everybody by avoiding anything that might offend. The cross is meant to cause offence; when it begins to offend Christians, it is justifiable to ask whether they understand the meaning of the faith they profess."

Read it all. Oh, and here's a handy hint: If a priest uses the word "imperialism" without even a trace of irony it is perfectly reasonable to question his faith; in God, anyway.