*UPDATED* Ann Coulter: Everyone Take A Step Back

What did Ann Coulter say that was so offensive?

The line to bash Coulter is now longer than the line of those who camped out to see the opening day screening of last Star Wars release. It is also evident that many of the same people who camped out for days in costume are the same people who are now bashing Coulter for her beliefs.

It is curious that those who are so outraged and obsessed with Ann Coulter could not even muster half the feigned outrage directed at Richard Dawkins, a man who derides God, religion and believers of all faiths.

Ann Coulter stated her beliefs- no more, no less. What did she say that was so offensive?

Absolutely nothing.

She did not call for forced conversions. She did not suggest or advocate the persecution of any other religious group.

Non Christians who take take offense when Christians state their beliefs are certainly entitled to do so- just as Christians who take offense to the beliefs of others are certainly allowed to be offended.

While Ann Coulter’s beliefs may upset some Jews, it is equally true that some Christians may be upset with Jews who deny the messiaship of Jesus Christ. Would Coulter’s critics deny those Christians the right to be as outraged as they? There seems to be no lack criticism directed at Christians!

The Inquisition ended a long time ago. They are no forced conversions and non Christians are not burned at the stake. For decades, religious conciliation and ecumenical concerns have been a priority for Christians of all denomination. John Paul II embodied the spirit and theology that wanted to bury malignant Catholic attitudes towards Jews and replace them with a spirit of brotherhood. Jews warmed to John Paul’s overtures and actions.

In doing so, neither faith was asked to relinquish fundamental beliefs. Jews could reject the messiahship of Christ and Christians could embrace Him. The divisions of religious dogma have nothing to do with religious tolerance.

Christian support of Israel as a Jewish state marks a fundamental and foundational confluence of religious beliefs that have nothing to do with dogma. Jews and other non Christians cannot be the arbiter of which Christian beliefs are acceptable and which are not, any more than Christians and other non Jews can be the arbiter of what are acceptable Jewish beliefs.

Ann Coulter can be obtuse, insensitive and an ass at times, but in the end her remarks are no more obtuse, insensitive and an ass-like than the remarks of many of her critics.

When Jane Hamsher published an image of Joe Lieberman in blackface, many on the left found that racism perfectly acceptable- and decried the right’s ‘lack of sense of humor.’

Hamsher’s humor was meant to denigrate. Coulters remarks (whatever you may make of them) were meant to elevate. There is no possible way that Coulter’s remarks could be construed as deliberately malicious or offensive.

Lay off Ann Coulter- it’s a glass house thing.

*UPDATE* Great minds really do think alike. The Anchoress addresses the Coulter brouhaha with her usual aplomb. In Now Coulter And The Jews, she notes:

I’ve written before about Ann Coulter’s untamed mouth and how she manages to weaken her own arguments (and cause relentless misunderstanding and hardship for “her side”) with her undisciplined “let me be caustic, free-wheeling and outrageous” schtick. I don’t understand other people’s adoration of the woman. To me she has always been a partly exploded roman candle whose remaining gunpowder has seemed at risk to imminent blast, leaving a trail of destruction behind her…

…her host is, from his perspective as a Jew, unsurprisingly appalled by what he is hearing, by what he thinks Coulter is saying…

The damage is done and it is HUGE damage, done very thoroughly; and her clarification is too little, too late and too inarticulate to do the job. And this is going to be red meat all through ‘08, folks. This is going to be the caricature of Christians and conservatives for the next 18 months, (and beyond) and it’s going to stick because people want it to stick and because it’s EASIER to let it stick than to find out what this woman – who is really out of her depths here – was trying to say…

…as a commenter elsewhere said, Christians can hope that the rest of the world comes into the fullness of Christ without being repelled by the manner in which they are invited.

As commenter Bilgeman noted,

S’alright…the Left was very badly in need of a well-known conservative “anti-semite”, and now it seems that they have one.

Frankly, this is fairly meaningless compared to Algore winning the Nobel Peace Prize…

Now THAT is an obscenity and an offense against against God and Man.

Surely people of all faiths can agree on that?

As is often the case, there are those who celebrate and revel in the lowest common denominator. Some Islamic commentators are delighted that Jews are offended at Coulter the Christian. Why shouldn’t they celebrate? Jews revile the Christians too, just as the Muslims have been saying all along. Muslims and Christians have the Jew as the common enemy.

Surely Jews can respond to Coulter’s poor choice of words- indeed, they should. That said, let’s not make Coulter into something she isn’t. Her remarks are not the equivalent to the remarks made by many Muslims and were never intended to be hurtful.

Christians can defend their beliefs with the same tenaciousness as others- and they have no need to apologize for those beliefs any more than others need to apologize for their beliefs.

Perhaps many of Coulter’s critics would do well to show some Christian charity and turn the other cheek. In the long run, it is in their best interest. Playing the comparison game is a dangerous game that usually ends in disaster.