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Lawrence O'Donnell Skewers Glenn Beck on Literalism

It was a joy watching Larry O'Donnell deconstruct Glenn Beck upon catching him telling his radio audience that he agreed with O'Donnell, that we are not witnessing the End Times, much less pre-Rapture conditions. Then O'Donnell discussed other instances of Beck's multiple failures to honor as literally true the Old Testament, including some Commandments. If the Bible were literally observed, O'Donnell pointed out, Christians would go to church on Saturdays, not Sundays, as directed in the O.T. When he gets going, O'Donnell can be very effective, as here. I hope it is on YouTube or some other social medium since it would be nice of someone to put the segment on the site.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Anderson on March 19, 2011 at 6:03pm

I was totally floored when I saw that!! I think it's absolutely brilliant that someone in the public eye (on a popular US NEWS show nonetheless) was brave enough to say something like this! He wasn't fluffy about it, he wasn't wishy-washy about it, he just said it plain and simple! I've always liked Lawrence O'Donnell but now I have a whole new level of respect for him! This is milestone!

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Permalink Reply by James M. Martin on March 19, 2011 at 6:22pm

In its way, a braver thing than his predecessor would do. Not to say Olbermann did not do some outrageous, quasi-atheist stuff -- the guy had progressive secular written all over him -- but O'Donnell told it like it is, just as you say. Secularlists in the sexual minorities have begun to actually read O.T. gospels such as Leviticus and ask why evangelicals haven't all been slain, they so cafeteria shop for their do's and don'ts. If beards are popular among religious right wingnuts they nevertheless shave them on occasion, just the type of transgression Lawrence envisioned in his magnificent essay on Judeo-Christer hypocrisies. But the late George Carlin said it all when he pointed out that "God" must be "awfully capricious" or "completely confused": he makes women cover their heads in cathedrals but makes covering a woman's head at synagogues an act subject to stoning. Exactly what does he want of us?

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Anderson on March 20, 2011 at 1:20am

Right! Or as Tom Waits put it "Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk?" Yeah, it seems that as society evolves, more and more things are suddenly "acceptable" or "metaphorical" vs. the "literal word". Please, people! ENOUGH already! And you're so right about the bravery of O'Donnell's segment. I have NEVER seen a news-person say anything like this before because, like he pointed out, it's taboo. But you should see all the nasty comments he's getting back from people. They've completely missed the point.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on March 20, 2011 at 9:51am

That Tom Waits quote is a KEEPER, Jennifer! Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by James M. Martin on March 20, 2011 at 10:42am

Second that. My brother is a big Waits fan and will either chuckle when he hears it again or laugh his head off if he is new to it. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on March 20, 2011 at 10:00am

This is the first I've heard of the cartoon, which if it's anything like what O'Donnell describes, is pretty depraved political commentary. But if O'Donnell thinks he's anyone's Keith Olbermann, he should check the expiration date on his meds!

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Permalink Reply by James M. Martin on March 20, 2011 at 10:42am

He is sometimes ineffective, granted. But sitting through hours of him were worth it to hear this segment.

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Permalink Reply by Brent Feeney on March 30, 2011 at 10:30am

Speaking of Glenn Beck, here's an on-line commentary from a friend of mine named David 2, who's also the co-host of the ShockNet Radio program American Heathen on Friday nights and also has his own show, BRUTALLY HONEST (also the name of his commentaries) on Saturday evenings:

http://brutallyhonestcolumn.blogspot.com/2011/03/week-of-03282011.html

*Cue up the Fractured Fairy Tales music here*