Jimmy Carter, of course, is no stranger to controversy. That is because he is such a strange man.For whether it is his cowardice towards that "killer rabbit," his pitiful (but unending) efforts of self aggrandizement, his dreadful "American malaise" speech, or his momentously failed policies in dealing with terrorists, the Middle East, and his own bizarre family, the former President stands as a truly pathetic figure.
Still, Jimmy Carter's latest action, an address to a gathering sponsored by the World Parliament of Religions, proved an over-the-top embarrassment even for him. Though Carter admits he has no religious or theological training, because he has "taught Bible lessons for more than 65 years," his remarkable ego found justification for pronouncing scorn and scandal on the whole of Christianity.
In particular, Carter blamed Christianity (he got round to especially excoriating the Southern Baptists and the Roman Catholics) for "creating an environment where violations against women are justified" since they "view that the Almighty considers women to be inferior to men." To prove his point, the former president badly mangled history as he claimed (quite contrary to the most basic findings of historians), "It's clear that during the early Christian era women served as deacons, priests, bishops, apostles, teachers and prophets...It wasn't until the 4th century or the 3rd at the earliest that dominant Christian leaders, all men, twisted and distorted Holy Scriptures to perpetuate their ascendant position within the religious hierarchy."
Now Jimmy. You stopped reading history books and started listening to Bill Moyers again, didn't you?
Carter went on to list rape, genital mutilation, abortion of female embryos and spousal battery as religiously-defended violations against women. And all the while he managed to criticize only Christianity. Nothing against Islam, Jimmy?
Oh yes. The key solution to ending this pattern of injustice, oppression, and subjugation is quite simple -- the Baptists and the Catholics need to start ordaining women.
Jimmy Carter was a poor president: egotistical, petty, without vision, and apologetic for our nation's heritage and strength. He was a Barack Obama without Obama's teleprompter or his toadying press.
But Carter has now become a national mortification, someone who makes even his few friends cringe whenever he picks up a microphone. Please, Jimmy. Go home to Plains. Put on a sweater and sit on the porch. Read the Washington Post. Look at your pictures of Arafat.
But please, for your sakes and certainly for ours, stay off the stage.
