Her.meneutics: Anthony Weiner, Gnostic

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« A Backyard Garden of Grace | Main | Taste and Smell That the Lord Is Good »

June 9, 2011

Anthony Weiner, Gnostic

The embroiled congressman's defense that sexting is not adultery reveals a mind-body dualism long resisted by Christian tradition.

Karen Swallow Prior

The technology is new, but the sin is so, so old.

The latest “victim” betrayed by the very technology he thought to have harnessed for his own nefarious ends — in case you’ve been fast asleep under a rock somewhere — is Rep. Anthony Wiener (D-NY), busted this week for emailing and tweeting half-a-dozen women, none of whom happened to be his wife, sexually explicit messages and photos. The story ballooned into a media frenzy largely because Weiner’s initial denials dragged a story that should have been over in 24 hours into days of increasingly bizarre interviews and defenses. Finally, it all culminated in the sort of tearful, emotional confession that has been played out on the public stage far too often before, and, arguably, to greater effect.

The overwhelming sense of the whole lurid affair is sadness: what a waste of a man, a marriage, a political career, power, time, and human relationships. Along with the sadness, of course, is much room for outrage, particularly from Weiner’s constituents and his wife, who reports now say is pregnant with the couple’s first child, and her family and friends.

Yet some encouraging news has emerged from the mire.

Media coverage of the story and the public’s reaction seems to indicate that we’ve come a long way in our professed sexual ethics since the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, circa 1998. At that time, then-President Bill Clinton insisted that oral sex did not constitute actual sex, and that he had therefore not committed adultery. Although 87 percent of Americans disagreed with Mr. Clinton then, much public discussion at that time centered on the exact definition of adultery, and which particular sex acts crossed the line (fellatio?) and which ones didn’t (cigars?).

However, with Weinergate (as the case, naturally, has been dubbed), the discussion is a bit more morally sophisticated. For the moral debate swirling around this scandal, besides whether or not Weiner should resign, centers not on the merely technical definition of adultery but on the more holistic, and even more biblical, idea of fidelity. If the Clinton sex scandal focused on the letter of the law, the Weiner situation seems to be more centered on the spirit of the law.

Neither the public nor the proliferating experts and bloggers seem to be buying into a bright line between actual physical contact (which Weiner denies) and online liaisons, despite Weiner’s attempt to cop that plea in his confession. In fact, a quick poll done by the Associated Press in the wake of his Monday confession found that many Americans say that it doesn’t have to be physical to be cheating. In another poll, “60 percent considered sending lewd photos over the Internet ‘to people other than your partner’ to be cheating.”

Like the public, experts, rather than being concerned with one specific sexual act, have been discussing the larger context of marital fidelity, one describing Weiner’s online behavior as “foreplay for an affair,” stating simply that “cheating is lying [to] and betraying your spouse.” Over and over, the experts are wisely identifying the litmus test for infidelity as the question, “Would you do this in front of your partner?” Many say the congressman's conduct does constitute adultery or, at the very least, an “emotional affair.”

Both national sex scandals — first Clinton’s and now Anthony Weiner’s, with oodles more in between — reveal at work the old mind-body dualism that Christian tradition has worked hard to overcome. This dualism sees the human being not as an integrated whole self, but as a composite of warring elements, material vs. immaterial, physical vs. spiritual, and, in this brave new world of technology, “real” vs. “virtual.” The Clinton scandal emphasized the physical aspect, such as which kinds of bodily contact are considered adultery. Weiner, on the other hand, parses his transgressions according to this body-mind split: he acknowledges virtual liaisons, but suggests that his alleged lack of physical contact constitutes a difference in kind not degree.

In the space of a decade and a half, these two cases reflect a subtle transition of our cultural mindset away from a modernist way of thinking, one based in black and white classifications and definitions rooted in a scientific worldview, to a more nuanced (some would say postmodern) way of thinking that focuses more on the relationships and contexts that transcend the old categories.

As usual, the Bible's view is not either-or but rather both-and. In the Christian view, definitions (“adultery”) and categories (“married”) matter deeply. So do relationships (even online ones) and context. In other words, the letter of the law — “Thou shalt not commit adultery” — matters. At the same time, as Jesus indicated when he called lust of the heart a form of adultery, the spirit of the law matters deeply, too.

Clearly, adultery was prevalent enough in ancient cultures that it needed to be addressed in the Old Testament and the New. What’s new in the 21st century is not the sin but the increased opportunities offered by the structure of modern life and its technology. Technology contributes to the illusion of a dualistic view of human nature by offering a false sense of privacy and control as well as the chimera of disembodied human experience.

If nothing else then, this latest scandal provides some powerful reminders: namely, that our secrets are not hidden from God and can't be hidden from others forever; that our sense of control is but child’s play to a God who is sovereign over the universe; and that fidelity — whether to God or one another — requires our whole being, body and soul.

Comments

You're right. All the situation does is conjure up sadness. A great sadness for sin and broken relationships.

There is nothing particularly Gnostic about asserting a mind-body dualism. (if there were, a great many thinkers from Plato to Origen to Aquinas to Descartes would all be considered Gnostics.) Dualism and Gnosticism are not coterminous, even if many classical Gnostics were dualists.

In fact, the mind-body dichotomy is an essential element of the historical ontology of Christianity. That doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't work to overcome it, but to ignore its role in Christianity would be to betray a profound ignorance of both scripture and theology.

Karen & CT, great job tackling a difficult topic with intelligence, understanding and truth. I'm saddened to learn of Mrs. Weiner's pregnancy, not because it's a life, but because of the emotional stress this will take on her ability to fully enjoy what should be a wonderful time in their life and marriage. Sadly, been there, done that. Today, I am thankful that even though marriages sometimes end, children are a gift from the Lord.

Well said, agree with CT view.

Am I the only one left who doesn't agree with Nietsche? GOD did not die and make me judge.

John, in Romans it says that God wrote a moral code into our hearts so that we do know right from wrong. Do you think that it's wrong to say that murder is wrong too? The Bereans were commended for "judging" what Paul was saying compared to what was in the Scriptures. And it says it says to judge "with righteous judgment" in John 7:24. 1Cor chapter 5 says to throw the immoral brother out because he was living with his father's wife, and they were scolded for not doing it sooner. That certainly requires judgment, and they were told to do it. The hope of course is that the person would repent and then be welcomed again into fellowship. If you look up the word "rebuke" in a concordance, you'll find it listed many, many times. God did give us a sense of right and wrong, and the Bible says to "judge with righteous judgment". You are right though, that only God knows a person's heart and whether they are saved or not, but we're certainly not told to throw our brains and sense of morality out the door.

On top of it, after lying, Weiner admitted to everything, including the nude picture. His wife is pregnant. Or let me guess, he just should not be judged because he is a liberal? Funny how that works, but really, it's sad. Everyone is so blind to what people in their own party do.

In a 1976 interview with Playboy, Jimmy Carter's comments caused a media firestorm when he said he'd committed adultery in his heart many time because he'd lusted after women other than his wife. He was simply affirming the truth of Scripture, but his confession - and the choice of the publication in which he choose to make it - was an awkward and uncomfortable version of TMI at the time. As far as I know, he remained faithful to wife Roslyn and his Southern Baptist Church. (Side note: He broke his long-standing membership with the SBC in 2000 over issues related to treatment of women.)

Confession has become something entirely different a generation later. In case after case of public figures, it happens only after (a) the individual gets caught, (b) denials and smokescreens no longer work, and (c) becomes fodder for Comedy Central wags and late night TV monologues. Ironically, it is in these moments of forced truth-telling and plllory-by-media that these public figures have their only shot at moving away from the Gnostic disconnect that has shaped their lousy, sinful choices.

Jimmy Carter no doubt faced the same temptations as other powerful men, but appears to have been a whole, healthy (non-Gnostic) person telling the truth, instead of a fragmented person following the tabloid script designed to save a public persona.

Great article, Karen! This has really got me to thinking more about the dualistic culture created by the internet. Given that the cyberworld seems somehow less real, Christians are emboldened to cross lines they might not otherwise cross in person. In addition to martial infidelity, Christians feel freer to slander and are more prone to lack gentleness and kindness in the comments sections of blogs--these are all examples of our perceived disconnect between the internet and "real life." Truly, Weiner's mistake is a wake-up call to us all!

@William Behun - Perhaps in sin there is a dichotomy between mind and body, though that is not my personal belief, as our thoughts almost always lead to actions. In Christ, the whole person is to be submitted, allowing the Spirit to reshape and conform the entirety to the will of God.

That being said, there is an element of rightness to your saying that this is not Gnosticism in the strictest sense. Traditionally, Gnostics either were in total abstention from the desires of the flesh, whether they were good or bad, and would therefore be appalled at Weiner's actions; or they were libertines and would applaud him. Of course, there were shades in between, but the general idea was that the physical world was not important.

Bottom line: we all need Jesus.

Actually, the name "gnostic" is not the first word that comes to my mind when I think of this hot dog. And about Pres. Jimmy Carter: I was a college student during his years in office. He was perceived as weak then and he continues to be perceived as weak even to this day. Imo history will record him as being one of our worst presidents - ever, with the possible exception of BHO. Other things I remember about Pres. C (other than his stupid Playboy interview): he admitted to seeing a UFO, and he was attacked by a swimming killer rabbit - while boating in the middle of a lake. He did report, however, he was successful in fending it off with his paddle. Oh, but he tried to lead our nation by example - he turned the thermostat in the WH down to 68 degrees during the winter. I guess he thought he would inspire us with his sacrifice. And I'll never forget his address to the nation where he showed up in a sweater to lecture us on energy conservation. He reminded me of a President Mr. Rogers - sitting there in the Oval Office, hands folded in front of him, a wan smile fixed on his face. I distinctly remember him beginning his address: "Hello, boys and gir...er...a...Good evening my fellow Americans..." I really think his brother Billy exhibited more leadership skills than "Jimmie" ever did. I know his mother Miss Lillian did. But he wasn't completely a stuffed shirt. He did have a sense of humor and could get off a good line every now and then. Shortly after becoming President, he reportedly mused in his soft Georgian accent: "At last we have a President in the White House who doesn't have an accent." But for all of his weakness, to his credit he didn't do what Bill Clinton or Anthony Weiner did. So back to AW: why should AW resign? Bill Clinton didn't resign for what he did IN THE OVAL OFFICE with "that woman". Nor did AW lie under oath to Congress - like Bill Clinton did. No, we need to keep AW in office - for the entertainment value.

I understand the emphasis on fidelity and adultery. But would this be ok by Christian standards if Weiner was single?

Concerned, a question to ask if you're unsure if something is right or not, ask yourself, Will this glorify God? Will this bring others closer to God? Will this bless my relationships (including your relationship with God) or will it damage them? Also, would you feel embarrassed or ashamed if your church family found out about it?

So, after giving you all those thoughts, I humbly say the answer would be, No, this wouldn't be right for a single Christian guy or girl to do either.

@Dan...we get it...you didn't/don't like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton or BHO as you nicely call the President...emphasis on the H as usual. That's ok, you're obviously not a Democrat but what in the world has your diatribe got to do with Weiner's troubles?? And what do you think about Sens. John Ensign, Larry Craig and David Vitter, or Rep Mark Foley??? Do they all get a free pass from you because they're Republican??

Here are some good questions in determining right from wrong.
In The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges points out, from principles in scripture, four questions to ask yourself to aid in determining if a particular action is right or wrong:

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV
Question #1

Is it helpful physically, spiritually, and mentally?

Question #2

Does it bring me under its power?

Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. 1 Corinthians 8:13 ESV

Question #3

Does it hurt others?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

Question #4

Does it glorify God?

Hey Heather, lighten up a little. For crying out loud, it's Friday. F-R-I-D-A-Y! About BHO: I bet you probably aren't old enough to have ever heard of JFK or FDR, are you? Don't you know presidents are often called by their initials with no disrespect intended? But you know I could have left the "H" out BHO = BO. But then you would have been offended that I called the president the abbreviation for body odor. (I can tell there is no pleasing you.) Incidently, after BHO was elected he started adding the "H" to BO. And didn't you pay attention, H., when I said AW SHOULDN'T resign. Btw, it wasn't a rant; it was a romp - down memory lane. Oh those were the good old days - the '70's: double digit inflation, double digit interest rates on mortgage loans, soaring gas prices, and Jimmy Carter.
"And what do you think about Sens. John Ensign, Larry Craig and David Vitter, or Rep Mark Foley???" When there is a blog about them, I'll let you know what I think should happen to them. (Btw, you left out Newt Gingrich and Henry Hyde (deceased).)

So a liberal Jew with an exhibitionist streak is being pressured to resign by other liberals, and yet not a peep from the conservative 'Christians' in the political world for adulterer and brothel-browser David Vitter to resign? He had no Gnostic 'mind-body disconnect', he simply joined his flesh with that of a hooker.
I guess as long as your adultery is done for the glory of Jesus, it isn't worth making a stink over.

The depth of theological knowledge required to conclude Wiener is "Gnostic", along with such positions as YEC, is why so many other denominations often find it difficult to take Evangelicals seriously. Simply Google "bible flesh" and you'll have all the scriptural backing you could want for the notion that the body and spirit are often in conflict, as a consequence of sin that we will not be fully free of ever in this life. My two cents, from a curmudgeonly Lutheran--who also happens to see some "Gnostic" thought of nonzero theological value, rather than a label of insult to be applied to the most vaguely-corresponding situations and people.

empiric -

I'm not sure I see how this article goes against what you're saying. The article does not deny that the body and spirit are often in conflict from a Biblical perspective; in fact, it affirms such a notion. The Holy Spirit, however, works in us to overcome this warring dualism, so that our flesh obeys our mind/will. Actually, Jesus himself deconstructs such a mind-body dualism when he says lust is of the heart, as the article points out.

JJ, maybe you've noticed (the press has), that many of the Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner, have kept pretty quiet or altogether silent about Weiner, and are so maybe it's not so strange that they don't have a lot to say about Vitter either. There are a lot of other things to focus on as well, such as the high unemployment rate, the 14 trillion dollar debt, Obama's decision to get involved with Libya, etc.

I had sex with an extremely Republican, extremely evangelical Christian man who once worked for a quite Republican and Christian institution. He was married. Before the intercourse occurred, discussions grew deeper and longer as we bonded emotionally in a way that has been described as being an emotional affair. At the time, I was 18 years old and had never heard of the term emotional affair, and I did not know that I was in one.
The man of whom I speak is not a Gnostic, nor am I, although he struggles with compartmentalization and I have wrestled with balance and understanding the connection between body and spirit, as well as between body and soul. I, too, am a Christian.
I can say now, though, that I am convinced that the breadth of an affair is not limited merely to the tangible domain of skin grazing skin, in whatever form such may take place. I now know that infidelity can begin, or even blossom and remain, in the realm of the unseen: the mind, the heart, the attitude, and the imagination. Corporal lust is not the only lust.
In your article, you mention the drama of apology ensuing. You are right that such happens all too often. Currently, the popular phrase is, "in an attempt to rebuild his image,[insert celebrity name]is [insert act of contrition or charity]."
Yet, I believe that the way of true apology for adultery is not the building up of oneself or one's image, but the voluntary tearing down of one's ego, the backing away from all air-brushing of one's reputation, and the quiet, secret bowing down to the one true God.
Concerning your article's title: Anthony Weiner is Jewish. Jewish Gnosticism exists, yes, but "[parsing] his transgressions according to this body-mind split" does not definitely make Weiner a Gnostic.
However, I agree with your brilliantly stated observation: "Technology contributes to the illusion of a dualistic view of human nature by offering a false sense of privacy and control as well as the chimera of disembodied human experience."
I know such not only by observation but by experience. Early in my aforementioned adulterous relationship, emails were prevalent. Through rapidly typed word I found a mode of expressing an inner thought life that I most likely would have been shy of revealing in face-to-face conversation. Your usage of "disembodied" is key.
I am a guilty woman. I am not only guilty by the definition of law, but I am ravaged by feelings of remorse. In erroneous acts of atonement and apology, I have seriously attempted suicide on multiple occasions. My biggest daily struggle even during my healthier times (I am diagnosed with mental disorders) is remembering the man's ex-wife commanding me repeatedly to kill myself. But, I have learned that no act of atonement whether radical or mild could ever compensate for my crime. No act could ever rewind time and erase my sin. No act of mine could mend the family that once was, although I deeply long for them to be reunited and restored.
Although, such truth only registers in my mind, and not yet in my heart. I long to know with my heart the forgiveness that God imparts, but I do not know with my heart how God could love and forgive me. I am a bad, evil, person, and I wish I had been eliminated pre-birth so that I could have never ruined lives. As his ex-wife reminds me, "[I] am not normal... and [I] am not a real Christian."
You say "that fidelity — whether to God or one another — requires our whole being, body and soul." Absolutely!
Infidelities often occur when we cheat on God and/or our spouses with ourselves via worship of ourselves, even before we cheat on either of them with involvement with others. Fidelity truly does demand our entire "beings, body, and soul."

B. G.,

I'm sure you are familiar with this passage of scripture from Psalm 139, but I pray that meditating on it will be of some comfort and hope to you:

13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

By Christ you are forgiven, my sister. Go and sin no more. You are free.

Karen Swallow Prior

BG: You wrote: "I am a bad, evil, person, and I wish I had been eliminated pre-birth so that I could have never ruined lives." The truth of the matter is this: we all are bad, evil people - and if God were merely just, all of us would find hell as our just deserts. But He is much more.

In addition to that beautiful passage from Ps. 139 shared above, may I add these:
Ps. 130: 1 Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let Your ears be attentive
To the voice of my supplications.
3 If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You..."

All of Ps. 103 and all of Ps. 51. (I would copy and paste these, but why? You have a Bible I'm sure.)

BG, let me add this: your testimony is a warning to us all (so thank you for your transparency and openess) that the wages of sin is not just embarassment, inconvenience, or even heartbreak for an error made in the heat of a passionate moment; indeed it is a testimony of death - death of relationships, death of a marriage, death of one's own psychological and mental health, careers, the future, etc., the death of all we hold important in this life, and in a real sense - the death of hope.
But you said you are a Christian, and that makes all the difference. Only Jesus can give hope to the hopeless. He said in John 12:24-26 "24Verily, verily I say unto you, unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

And John 16:33 "33These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world."

BG, I hope you are under medical and spiritual care. Certainly if there is anyone with whom we should weep, it is you. May you experience God's grace and mercy. You will be in my prayers.

Thank you for this reminder that "our sense of control is but child’s play to a God who is sovereign over the universe; and that fidelity — whether to God or one another — requires our whole being, body and soul." As one who is far too prone to allow technology to put asunder the elements of my being, I always need reminders that true community encourages a more integrated being as much as detachment from such community discourages it. I agree with Sharon that this story is a good wake-up call for us all. I am thankful tonight that while faith in God requires our whole being, body and soul, it is his forgiveness and the fellowship of others that enable us to come closer to that wholeness, and that in him we might have peace.

B.G.,

Thank you for sharing your story. The article was very thought-provoking but your story drove it home at an emotional level.

Dr. Prior,

I've read numerous articles on Weinergate and none of them delved as deep as dualism to explore the broader cultural issue. I'm glad you did: it's an increasingly relevant topic as new, virtual technologies develop. I knew an IT professor at my old school who was married in real life but also openly had a "virtual" wife inside World of Warcraft, an online role playing game populated with other real people. His real world wife, also an avid gamer, chalked it up to harmless fun. Yowza...

John

BG,
I came across a comforting verse yesterday that is helping me accept God's forgiveness for acts committed as a teenager and young mother. It gave me a piece of the WHY God is willing to forgive me.
Psalm 103:14 ...For He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust...

God does understand our human weakness and is ever so willing to work with us as we confess, repent, and try to continue on with the help of the Spirit! Your story is an excellent example of how God's laws are there for our own good, but when we transgress them amidst the natural consequences is understanding and forgiveness.

@Jane - good point, there is little point trying to score cheap political points by pointing fingers but CT while you are doing it, it is hackery of the worst kind to cite Weiner, Clinton, (Carter). David Vitter broke the law, visited prostitutes, the madam of the brothel killed herself in suspicious circumstances. Where is Vitter now? still in the Senate - Weiner is guilty of bad judgement but little else.

I have to disagree with the premise of this article about mind-body dualism. Romans 7 lays out the classic explanation of that dualism. It doesn't deny it exists. Instead, it offers a way to integate that duality. Romans 7, except for the solution, reads just like Rep. Weiner's confessional. If Christianity didn't have that same dualism at its heart, it wouldn't need to offer a solution.

"15 I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. 17 But in fact it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. ... 22 For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members." Rom. 7:15-23.

Interesting that when Her.meneutics wrote about Sanford, Craig, Vitter, Ensign (and also Spitzer), the question was whether their wives should have stood by them. Not so much about those men's sins.

"Interesting that when Her.meneutics wrote about Sanford, Craig, Vitter, Ensign (and also Spitzer), the question was whether their wives should have stood by them. Not so much about those men's sins."
Sounds just like middle schoolers when they are called on their inappropriate behavior: "What about Johnny/Susie? They were talking too and you didn't say anything to them."

Hey, CT. Next scandal, please call CL and ask her how you should cover it. Sheesh.

God is the final judge, but we certainly can judge people by their outward fruit!!
O what tangled webs we weave.....

Christian Lawyer -

Neither does the article deny it exists. The article argues that Christ overcomes the mind-body war that wages within us. Of course that battle will never be completed until this life is over.

True, Anthony Weiner made a spectacle of himself in public. There for the grace of God go I. Like a two-year old proudly showing off his anatomy, Anthony showed his anatomy to the world. At worst, his stage of development was frozen at age-2. It has always escaped me why women are shocked and angered by the behavior of men. No excuses for Anthony here because a marriage contract is a legally binding contract that he did not live up to and should pay the price under law. The moral aspect? Not our business. As followers of Jesus need to focus on cleaning up our side of the street. Let Rome decide what to do with their Weiner.

"Let Rome decide what to do with their Weiner." LOL
And how about forming a new movement? Possible slogans: Save the Weiner. Or how about: Free Weiner! (Put these on bumper stickers.)The possibilities are endless. So seriously ;-D keep Weiner in congress. I wonder what he'll name his child? If it is a boy, how about...you know what I'm going to say...Oscar.

@Nadine: Thank you.

:-O = NOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooo!!!
"It was inevitable: Weiner becomes action figure"
http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/technology/herobuilderscoms-latest-toy-is-a-blackberry-toting-anatomically-correct-anthony-weiner-action-figure/story-fn7bsj10-1226074048361

This has now gone too far ;-D and has taken on a life of its own. It must be stopped! But how?

[The next thing you know AW will be the main character in a reality TV show - and then comes the book deal, then the movie [and the big question then will be who will play...No! I dasn't ask that; then the video game. Weiner Tee shirts. Weiner Hats. 1001 Weiner Jokes book, Weiner Weiners, Bologna, Cotto Salami, etc. And a ton of other merchandise, too. And then there will inevitably be "The Weiner Institute for the Advancement of Really Dumb Behavior". The Weiner Journal: for the scholarly discussion really dumb behavior. The Weiner Foundation: helping those "Weiners" out there with the costs of rehab. Awesome. He is a national treasure! And finally, his name will live eternally (or in infamy) as an epithet for the common sense challenged politicians. Boy, if I weren't a Christian I would so want to be AW - beaucoup $$$$$. Unfortunately, my last name does not inspire such investments nor does my home training countenance such behavior.]

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=310929
After all of the adolescent and immature humor I find in this, I must admit the whole affair is in the end sad. The link above is to an an excellent analysis by Pat Buchanan and is worth the read.

Its funny how this word "gnostic" comes up, whenever someone is disliked. The majority of Gnostics were not libertine, and didn't believe in breeding slaves for the Lord of this World, not unlike Paul. The one Gnostic libertine sect believed in over-indugence to acheive a kind withdrawal sickness from worldy things, which is the "sin-boldly" approach preached by evangelicals. I could quote bible verses that justify both gnostic behaviors and approaches based on the words and actions of Christ himself. When the news is 24/7 penis, can we leave Christ and the Gnostics out of it, please?

I should point out that Gnostic don't believe that flesh/the world has any saving merit. The letter kills, and the spirit gives life. That letter could even be the bible, or the writtings christian bloggers and Andrew Brietbart who walks around with photos of another man's penis on his cell phone. Who does that?

Anyway, Gnostics would be, by definition Libertarian, not neccessarily libertine. Think Ron Paul or Gary Johnson.

uurm what has this story got to do with gnosticism? It is a guy with perveted sinful ideals. Something we all wrestle with of course.

The author of this piece has no concept of Gnosticism whatsoever. And if Weiner were a Gnostic, being Jewish, he would be a Kabbalist.

I would know.

Anthony Weiner, as everyone knows by now, has become a footnote in history. Let me be the first here to predict (disclaimer: I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, tho!)that in the not-too-distant future, Mrs. Weiner will quietly divorce Mr. Weiner for irreconcilable differences. (Thank goodness, their names are not Potatohead! That would be a scandal!) Truly, a very predictable denouement.

I agree, this is not gnosticism but I don't think the author is really arguing that. I find it funny that the author doesn't refer to gnosticism in the article itself. So why would the idea be included in the title? I see titles that don't really reflect the content of articles a lot. Knowing how newspapers etc. work, the author may not have submitted this title. It could've been changed during the editing process. That happens all of the time.

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