Blind attempting to lead--cynically - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Reader comment on:
Patriotism and Piety
in response to reader comment: Cynical use of piety.

Submitted by John Spencer Yantiss, Dec 9, 2007 04:46

While my religious beliefs are not in agreement with Mr. Romney's, I can at least refrain from chiding him for attempting to lay them open for public inspection, and recalling the same in others as part of the explication. "Cynical" is a good word to describe his detractors responding to this article. Sadly most people believe their own piety--even though denying its existence--to be the only authentic, candid instance thereof. Every FORMAL religion that has ever existed has fostered its fair share of atrocities; that does NOT reflect on pious, i.e. devoted, followers. When any society reaches the point where piety itself is disdained and sneered at, it is in dire trouble indeed. Those respondents who ridicule Mr. Romney for invoking historical examples of faith in the public forum are in fact engaging in exactly what they accuse him of doing--swaggering, bedecked in their own self-righteous FALSE piety, all the worse because of denying its existence in themselves. To paraphrase Shakespeare, methinks thou dost PROJECT too much. One might even call on a decidedly non-religious (in the formal sense) individual, Oscar Wilde, who put it this way: "A cynic is one who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing."

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
I think this entire discussion is a waste of effort. I disagree with most of what Mr. Romney says, but... [MORE]	John House	Dec 9, 2007 11:33
What I find amusing and disturbing is that there is a large proportion of America, poorly educated on both the... [MORE]	Fred Willis	Dec 8, 2007 11:55
While Central Europe relied upon religious orthodoxy to confer legitimacy upon the reigning sovereign, the result was the unhealthy accretion... [MORE]	Claude Bogardus	Dec 8, 2007 11:19
I submit that it was Duche's mistake to loose faith in the cause of freedom, not Adam's mistake to have... [MORE]	A. Keller	Dec 7, 2007 11:32
The Constitution rules out any law making any religious belief a criterion for office. But the electorate can take into account... [MORE]	Joel Meyers	Dec 8, 2007 14:44
In referring to Samuel Adams's invocation of prayer at the first Continental Congress, Governor Mitt Romney belies his argument that... [MORE]	Bart	Dec 7, 2007 01:37
I agree with Bart's comment above. I do, unfortunately, think Mitt Romney has the same "self-serving motives" as our founding... [MORE]	Rebecca	Dec 7, 2007 11:31
Regardless of Sam Adam's motives or Jacob Duche's ultimate disgrace, the gist of what Mr. Romney said is profoundly true.... [MORE]	Dan Dismuke	Dec 7, 2007 14:50
There is nothing shameFUL in enticing, provoking, cajoling, otherwise attempting to persuade others to invoke and reflect upon their own... [MORE]	John Spencer Yantiss	Dec 7, 2007 17:47
While my religious beliefs are not in agreement with Mr. Romney's, I can at least refrain from chiding him for...	John Spencer Yantiss	Dec 9, 2007 04:46
Your insight is a reason I deliberately read viewpoints I disagree with. You are very insightful. Thanks isn't a strong... [MORE]	John House	Dec 9, 2007 12:39

Reader comment on:Patriotism and Pietyin response to reader comment: Cynical use of piety.

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Reader comment on:
Patriotism and Piety
in response to reader comment: Cynical use of piety.