Wellyopolis

July 27, 2004

the aesthetic value of religion

When I worked in retail we used to say that the only problem with the job was the customers. In a similar vein, my only problem with religion is it's organized faith in a god.

I used to think the best things about religion that even the atheist and secular could appreciate were the architecture and the music.

But after watching Bill Clinton's speech last night you could make a case that it also provides a well of language to draw on for inspiring speeches. That's not precisely what Amy Sullivan says, over at Political Animal, because she is just thrilled about the religious 'code' in the speech.

Leaving aside the religious phrases, what I thought was most effective about Clinton's speech was the use of more standard oratorical devices: repetition of key phrases, rephrasing of a couple of big ideas, and framing the Democrats as the party of national unity.

Posted by robe0419 at July 27, 2004 4:50 PM