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Tuesday, 10 October 2006 13:42 |
Meaning of fundamentalism
challenged by columnist
Carl Milstedës piece on fundamentalism (Oct. 4 Daily Planet) needs more background. He seems happy to define the F-word as "reactionary," which it is. But he goes on to lead the reader astray by suggesting that fundamentalism can help one gain "a more faithful interpretation of the original text."
I wish it were true. Only a true conservative can get the most faithful interpretations, because the conservative seeks to return to the firepits of the past, not to remove the ashes, but find the still-glowing coals.
Fundamentalism
was not needed, and did not exist, until the modern, Enlightenment
world. It needs Modernism in order to exist. Fundamentalism is
essentially a scientific method (but hardly science!) whereby one seeks
proof. The method of fundamentalism is to treat scripture as a
proof-text (as opposed to "assurance-text"), to treat it as
science-like-true. This is why fundamentalists can be of the Left, the
Middle and the Right.
Fundamentalism
is a johnny-come-lately method of reading texts. Milsted demonstrates
over and over in his column that he is more a true conservative than a
fundamentalist. He does border on fundamentalism, however, by
wanna-seeing (erroneously, methinks) homosexuality addressed in the
Bible. It just isnët. Only a fundamentalist with a Modernist agenda ǃÓ
not a true conservative ÇƒÓ would believe such.
Marc Mullinax
Asheville
EDITORëS NOTE:
Marc Mullinax, chairman of the philosophy and religion departments at
Mars Hill College, writes a weekly spirituality column for the Daily
Planet.
County OK of road access
termed error in judgment
No doubt the
Buncombe County Planning Board has the growth interests of the
community at heart, but they have, in my opinion, made a judgment error
in granting Town Mountain Road access to the Bartramës Walk developer.
Town Mountain
Road is a single lane route that snakes up a six-mile circuitous
course. Under the best of daylight conditions, it is a driving
challenge, as ever-growing traffic negotiate quadruple S-curves that
often cross the double yellow line.
With the advent
of over 100 new homes reflecting a potential 150 additional cars, plus
their visitors and service personnel, we can expect the problem to grow
exponentially.
Now letës add
three years of construction equipment and materials moving slowly up
and down this road on a daily basis and throw inclement weather into
the mix. When the Blue Ridge Parkway shuts down for the winter, you
have a recipe for not only a major, perpetual inconvenience but a
disaster, which will only come to the fore the first time an emergency
vehicle canët get through.
While we
recognize the inevitability of logical, planned growth and even the
right of a developer to despoil our landscape heritage in the name of
profit ÇƒÓ and this is certainly a really gross example ÇƒÓ decisions about
our future need to be tempered with reality and humanness. The Planning
Board is our only advocate when, as neophytes, we are confronted with
highly skilled attorneys and their developer clients who use their
negotiating prowess to their home-field advantage. Who speaks for us if
not you?
We who play by
the rules donët consider the peaceful enjoyment of our lives and
property as a privilege ÇƒÓ they are our right. We see the next three
years of muck, nose, diesel smells, inherent inconveniences and
potential life-threatening dangers on our main artery to be a menace to
our way of life and our property values. We look to the planning board
as our champion in the area and trust they will reconsider their
decision.
BOSH STACK
Asheville
City ban of dancing chicken
lamented by letter writer
Last Wednesday I
learned that the City of Asheville will no longer allow employees of
Picnics restaurant to stand outside on Merrimon Avenue in a chicken
costume.
The ostensible
reason for this action is that the city has an ordinance barring
animate outdoor representations of food sold by restaurants, such as
chicken, beef, or pork. Whether the ordinance applies to cake or pies
is uncertain.
This restriction
by the city disheartens me for a few reasons. For one, a small
restaurant like Picnics has the right to advertise on property it rents
at a hefty price from the city.
For another, the
Chicken, actually a very hard-working human being, parades up and down
a small patch of Merrimon Avenue holding up a sign listing the daily
specials at Picnics. The man in the chicken suit struts, dances and
even plays air guitar in all types of weather, provides good
entertainment and positive energy for motorists, and increases
business for the restaurant and possibly even for nearby
establishments. I doubt the city realizes how hard the Chicken and
other "mascots," such as Verlo Mattress Man in Biltmore Village, work
to combine honest enterprise with self-expression.
Finally, I think
the city should look favorably on any activity that suggests Asheville
is a fun and creative place to live and work.
Is barring of the Chicken just an enforcement of a silly ordinance or some deeper effort to homogenize Asheville?
MIKE TAYLOR
Asheville
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