"Jesus Christ, policy wonk"

Cathy Seipp writes a funny column about the Pasadena church that's being investigated by the I.R.S. for violating its tax exempt status. My husband and I actually attended services at All Saints Episcopal one Sunday with a friend of ours who was a member of the congregation and the choir. The choir was very good. The sermon was . . . not very good. But so what? I've heard very few sermons in my life that I'd call brilliant or important. There are very few priests or preachers who can be exciting, eloquent, and profound week in and week out over the course of their careers. But, goodness, don't these people ever tire of having their pet assumptions confirmed by their church? Don't they detect the irony of sneering at those "Christian fundamentalists" who claim to have a direct line to Jesus, even while they listen to their priest impersonate a pacifist, "pro-choice" Jesus in a debate with George W. Bush? Heck, I'm not claiming that my own church constantly challenges my own assumptions, but I like to think we're not so smug about it.