While reading the NYT magazine, this interview with John Ashcroft just stopped me in my tracks. I enjoy this column in the the mag because they often do ask questions that are a little forward and get some apparently pretty candid responses. This one takes the cake. No offense to anyone’s politics or religion, but here goes.
Don’t all the major monotheistic religions — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — teach compassion?In some cases, they do. I can’t really speak for them. I’m a Christian for a variety of reasons. Maybe because it’s easy. What I have to do to please God is to confess that I am a sinner instead of trying to prove that I am good.
So you see yourself as a sinner?
Yes. I fail and do things that I wish I didn’t do.
Such as?
I’m unkind on occasion, and I am selfish. For me, embracing the Christian faith is something that I do not because I am good but because I am not good, because I need help.
Carry on.
