Since I only heard the pronunciation, I phonetically spelled the name of the 'Fellow' at Heritage, whose rough version of the 'original schism' I mentioned. Maybe his little vignette on NPR is findable via Google. I didn't look.

I'd no more apply the word *all* as in, "all Southerners, and right on through 2002" than I would suggest that all Germans were Nazis (in any year). Ditto respect. I've become inured to the obvious fact that, picking a particular metaphor for the unknowable - is clearly a fairly common peculiarity of our species. But among those who do (or don't) I deem a one a 'bigot' only where s/he appears to have the other necessary characteristics of that attitude: a palpable disrespect for the Other decent/ though different/ opinions of mankind. And they are all opinions, in the end. By the time they reach any word-form.

I pretend no lore about the machinations of the current incarnations of both factions, though a certain amount of individual choice (if I read that right) would seem to be a Good thing - in esoteric as in other matters.

(We needn't redo here, the wonderments over the fact of every single Christian possessing his/her own personal interpretation of.. a lot of previous interpretations and translations of - the Absolute's apparent decision to form close personal relationships with Her products. This while counting on (perhaps the least reliable relayers of messages! we know of) to pass along Her intentions. She would be Smarter than that IMhO. By definition.)

Finally - obviously Christians did not invent slavery, but at various times and places were forced to reconcile their understanding of a decent set of ethics with.. survival in that particular milieu. It should not surprise anyone that -- individual Christian choices were no more or less courageous than those of practitioners of other metaphors - including those of the non-personal-theists (of whom there are quite a few in the world).

Personal integrity, ethics and behaviour would vary in exactly the same distribution in any group -- despite the now countless wars which suppose that One Group is Right and therefore the others are Wrong:

The history thru today of our bellicose, intransigent, ego-besotted species, I daresay. In fact I've said it. But I didn't say or imply - the rest, above.


HTH,

Ashton

Oh.. to clarify a bit your initial presumptions about 'practitioners':

If someone tells me s/he has a comprehension of the Absolute (via any name will smell as sweet), I may be surprised to hear - since it seems that, "those who know don't say; those who say don't know", is a pretty good and certainly very old old Sufi saying. I won't think less (or more) of him for the comment.

But I admit that I tend to become testy, ~ anytime such a one claims next that, s/he can "pass it on" to me And BTW - knows what it is that God Wants Me to Do (too). Worse yet would be: a next recitation of My Punishment, should I fail to take this advice or this course. (Did you know that there are some who begin with #2 Before #1 .. and sometimes - without a person asking about either one ?!)

ie my sense of Right/Wrong just may not be what you imagine or impute - but then, you've already guessed what I think of digital-thinking, generally.. right?

[Hint: I think it Kills. Why.. I could even prove it! Naaah.]

Cheers,
A.