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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

On Jul 8, 2008, at 8:07 AM, Don Bowen wrote:

> "In keeping with our unrestrained consumptiveness, the commonly  
> accepted basis of our economy is the supposed possibility of  
> limitless growth, limitless wants, limitless wealth, limitless  
> natural resources, limitless energy, and limitless debt. The idea of  
> a limitless economy implies and requires a doctrine of general human  
> limitlessness: all are entitled to pursue without limit whatever  
> they conceive as desirable-a license that classifies the most  
> exalted Christian capitalist with the lowliest pornographer."
>
> http://www.carolynbaker.net/site/content/view/575/1/

I've been a fan of Berry for decades. I find it unsettling that he has  
chosen here to ignore that his readers may well think, "Wendell, that  
lowliest pornographer may be a Christian, also." And then consider  
that the esteemed author has diminished himself.

One of the rules of writing is that an author must always consider  
that readers are at least as smart as the writer, and often smarter,  
no matter the writer.

He could have used "moral" instead of "exalted Christian" and made his  
point just as well.

It is stuff like this that diminishes my respect for those who think  
their religion lifts them above the rest of us. No matter the writer.