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Here we have a tour de force of leftist talking points about Christian conservatives. Not a single assertion is documented. There are no quotes from evangelical leaders. The author can't seem to trouble himself with any references at all to this supposed danger.
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“The Council For National Policy” is a Conservative Think Tank, made up of a who’s who of prominent conservatives; Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee, Reince Priebus, Tim LaHaye, Bobby Jindal, John McCain… the list goes on…
This article, published by the Washington Post, but reported elsewhere, lays out the group’s plan to “restore education in America,” by bringing god into classrooms.
I have said for years and years, the Christian Right is really seeking to establish a theocracy in the United States — at least regionally, throughout the deep south. (The only people who talk about theocracy is the Left. The religious right doesn't. Christians aren't interested in theocracy, they pretty much all believe that the world system is not to be participated in. And those Christians who want to participate in government believe they have as much right to express their beliefs as the religion-haters.
In fact, Christians generally want to be left alone, like most people. Ironically, this is why they finally began to engage the culture. They were forced to by the Left. The Left keeps pushing, keeps intruding, they keep adding mandates and requirements and restrictions and provisos. They police peoples' speech. They insist on their way of doing things, and everyone else is a bigot and a hater. Thus the Left has brought the battle to the religious right, and the religious right got pushed into a battle they don't want but the Left does.
Ironically, the Christians' response is then branded "theocracy." But it's the Left that seeks theocracy, a godless theocracy where everyone is controlled and surveilled and brought into compliance by the hand of a government that knows better than you how you should lead your life. The Left's theocracy knows which light bulb you must use, what words you must say, which causes you must support, They even know how your religion ought to be practiced.
It is actually the Left that wants theocracy.)
And this latest effort by the “Council for National Policy” lays further proof to that claim. This is an effort which — in spite of what many Christian leaders say — is NOT supported by the Constitution. The Constitution strictly prohibits the establishment of Religion, as part of the First Amendment, which also guarantees Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press. (Indeed it does. Perhaps we could trouble the author for the historical context of this establishment, because the founders openly practiced their religion in the halls of congress, the courts, and the presidency. Could it be that the founder's view contradicts the contemporary leftist view?)
The purpose of this “Separation of Church and State” (Apparently the author intends to suggest that this quote is in the constitution. It is not. )
is intended to do two things:
1. It protects religious freedom for everyone.
2. It prevents the tyranny of any one religion.
(The author appears reluctant to actually quote the first amendment. So we shall: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Notice first that the amendment addresses Congress. It tells Congress it shall make no law regarding the subsequently listed items. No law.
Congress has no authority whatsoever to pass any law regarding establishing or preventing the free exercise of religion. It must remain silent. This ought to be pretty clear for those of us who have not spent a lifetime redefining, parsing, and obfuscating the meaning of the constitution.
Government wants to edit a valedictorian speech? It can't. Government wants to prevent prayer before a city council meeting? It can't. Government wants to tell preachers they can't advocate a specific candidate for office? it can't. Government wants to tell a businessman who they must serve? It can't. government wants to prevent a group of people from demonstrating outside an abortion clinic? It can't.
Do you see how far off the author is, that he can't even recognize the plain language of the first amendment? Government has no authority to address the religious practices of anyone!)
But this fact won’t stop many southern christians, who feel it is their duty — as christians — to make the United States “a godly nation” in their eyes. (Reference?)
And they will cite the numerous biblical passages in which god exhorts all nations to be faithful to him and condemns those nations who are not, as the basis for this duty — which they feel is their right. (Reference?)
I grew up in this world, so I know what I’m talking about. As a kid, during the 1970’s, I attended churches in Atlanta with my devout grandmother. I heard Jerry Falwell speak numerous times at First Baptist on Peachtree. I was indoctrinated into the evangelical way of thinking by a fiery minister in Smyrna. I studied my “King James” bible. I feverishly read Ernest Angley’s book about the “end times” that depicted christians being boiled alive by the antichrist. I loved “The Omen” movies, wholly believing they portended something real. Trust me. I’ve been there. Fortunately, I had the sense to give it up. By age 15, at the peak of my adolescent sexual curiosity, I realized that any religion that demanded giving up my basic humanity was nuts. (None of these observations have anything to do with theocracy.)
Of course, not all christian evangelicals share this extreme view. Nevertheless, the extremists always give themselves away with their trademark refrain, “I’ll pray for you,” as if you are possessed by demons and in need of an exorcism. (Ah, it's extreme to want to pray for people.)
They seem completely unaware of how this statement makes them appear; that they alone understand “truth,” that everyone else is “ungodly” and in need of “redemption,” as they see it; by being “born again,” and baptized, and accepting their world view. This self-righteous arrogant presumption is at the root of all religious extremism. (Irony is often lost on the ironic. The author has railed about the supposed danger of evangelicals, presuming his withering diatribe is correct and should be imposed on everyone.)
Evangelicals in churches and state houses across the country support laws and political systems that brutalize and imprison MILLIONS of African Americans, (????)
that deny equal rights and protections to LGBT people and tacitly support violence toward them, (????)
and seek to deny women the right to govern their own bodies, often with threats or outright acts of physical violence. (????)
They seem hell-bent on ejecting science from education and replacing it with their own creationist ideas. (???? Not a single one of these claims are documented. We therefore summarily reject them.)
In doing these things, evangelicals are advocating a religious extremism that is no different from muslim extremism, (No different???? Whaaaa?)
which projects religious authority over all people in their domain, which limits the rights of women, controls and limits education, and enforces strict adherence to a moral code, which naturally rejects and punishes all forms of “decadence,” including; “deviant sexuality,” science, reason, and any questioning of authority. Christian fundamentalists, if given the power, will do the same things. (Undocumented claim. And by the way, the author's people have been in power and have imposed their world view, philosophy of religion, and their most treasured of precepts. Why is this good but Christians doing the same thing isn't?)
Evangelical christians in the United States condemn muslim extremism as a threat to the country and their way of life, while clearly endorsing their own form of extreme religious authoritarianism. (Undocumented assertion.)
This form of religion establishes a tribally divisive “us” versus “them” mentality, which places “our” rights and prerogatives above the needs of any other group. (Irony again. The author has been talking about this eeeevil "them" for several paragraphs now.)
And it’s used repeatedly as the basis for denying other people’s rights — particularly their freedom to choose and even their right to exist. (Unsupported, and frankly, a bizarre assertion.)
It’s worth pointing out that in the south religion buttressed this tribal mentality to force a separation between whites and blacks, who were/are seen as inferior. (Unsupported, and a false assertion. It was government that encoded and enforced racism in the south. It was the church that precipitated the movement to abolish slavery.)
This tribalism is deeply embedded in white suburban christian thinking, and accepted without question. I shouldn’t have to point out that, in the end, this is not Christian at all. (Unsupported assertion.)
Religious extremism is religious extremism. Using words like “righteousness” or “faith” or “Christ-given mission,” and hiding behind ideas like “tradition” and “heritage” and “family values” won’t cover up this fact. (The author does not define any of these terms or cite references.)
And it is up to every freedom-loving person, who prefers freedom of choice, freedom of worship, who cares about protecting women’s rights and equality for all, and advancing reason and scientific knowledge, to be aware and oppose it.
I do not suggest that evangelicals should give up their faith. (No, I guess not. But he sure wants it taken out of the public sphere. The further underground the better, it seems.)
But I strongly suggest they should not trample on other people’s religious beliefs, or insist that people should conform themselves with the evangelical worldview. (Irony again. He is attempting to conform people to his worldview.)
If evangelicals hate tyranny, they should be very wary of becoming tyrants. But evangelicals will never see themselves as tyrants, because they are commanded by their faith to be “missionaries for Christ.” (Oh, so he DOES want people to give up their faith! The express words of Christ were to make disciples of all nations. Apparently this is part of a long list of things Christians must give up to conform to the author's view.)
This mandate engages them in a zero-sum game to convert the country, indeed the whole world, to their faith. And over the decades they have increasingly reached for more and more political power to achieve this goal. (Unsupported assertion.)
This is exactly what ISIS proposes, by trying to establish a global muslim caliphate. The goal of religious extremists, regardless of faith, is always the same: Dominion. (Unsupported assertion. And notice how the author characterizes all people of faith as religious extremists.)
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” ~Genesis 1:28 (Finally the author quotes the Bible. And he apparently disagrees with it, presenting it as evidence that Christians want to dominate the world through government. Of course, the verse says no such thing.
But once again we note that the author actually does want Christians to change their beliefs.)
Evangelicals are The American Taliban. (Because they are all religious extremists. And they all want to take over government and force people to convert. And they all believe that people ought to, what, be killed for disagreeing? None of this passes the smell test, and in fact, none of this is true.
The author apparently believes leftist rhetoric without question. This is apparent from his complete lack of documentation. Thus we can conclude that the author has simply copied and pasted talking points.)
To many, that will seem a garish and inconceivable statement. (Because it is.)
The entire purpose of this article is to point out that religious extremism also exists in America as it does in other parts of the world, and that it is not just radical muslims who are extreme, it’s also radical christians … and that religious extremism can start with something as simple as, “I’ll pray for you.” (And so he lays the groundwork for impugning any and all religious expression, including and particularly praying, as extremism, worthy of being opposed, shouted down, and legislated out of existence.
Christians, please report to the nearest re-education camp.)
Do you see how far off the author is, that he can't even recognize the plain language of the first amendment? Government has no authority to address the religious practices of anyone!)
But this fact won’t stop many southern christians, who feel it is their duty — as christians — to make the United States “a godly nation” in their eyes. (Reference?)
And they will cite the numerous biblical passages in which god exhorts all nations to be faithful to him and condemns those nations who are not, as the basis for this duty — which they feel is their right. (Reference?)
I grew up in this world, so I know what I’m talking about. As a kid, during the 1970’s, I attended churches in Atlanta with my devout grandmother. I heard Jerry Falwell speak numerous times at First Baptist on Peachtree. I was indoctrinated into the evangelical way of thinking by a fiery minister in Smyrna. I studied my “King James” bible. I feverishly read Ernest Angley’s book about the “end times” that depicted christians being boiled alive by the antichrist. I loved “The Omen” movies, wholly believing they portended something real. Trust me. I’ve been there. Fortunately, I had the sense to give it up. By age 15, at the peak of my adolescent sexual curiosity, I realized that any religion that demanded giving up my basic humanity was nuts. (None of these observations have anything to do with theocracy.)
Of course, not all christian evangelicals share this extreme view. Nevertheless, the extremists always give themselves away with their trademark refrain, “I’ll pray for you,” as if you are possessed by demons and in need of an exorcism. (Ah, it's extreme to want to pray for people.)
They seem completely unaware of how this statement makes them appear; that they alone understand “truth,” that everyone else is “ungodly” and in need of “redemption,” as they see it; by being “born again,” and baptized, and accepting their world view. This self-righteous arrogant presumption is at the root of all religious extremism. (Irony is often lost on the ironic. The author has railed about the supposed danger of evangelicals, presuming his withering diatribe is correct and should be imposed on everyone.)
Evangelicals in churches and state houses across the country support laws and political systems that brutalize and imprison MILLIONS of African Americans, (????)
that deny equal rights and protections to LGBT people and tacitly support violence toward them, (????)
and seek to deny women the right to govern their own bodies, often with threats or outright acts of physical violence. (????)
They seem hell-bent on ejecting science from education and replacing it with their own creationist ideas. (???? Not a single one of these claims are documented. We therefore summarily reject them.)
In doing these things, evangelicals are advocating a religious extremism that is no different from muslim extremism, (No different???? Whaaaa?)
which projects religious authority over all people in their domain, which limits the rights of women, controls and limits education, and enforces strict adherence to a moral code, which naturally rejects and punishes all forms of “decadence,” including; “deviant sexuality,” science, reason, and any questioning of authority. Christian fundamentalists, if given the power, will do the same things. (Undocumented claim. And by the way, the author's people have been in power and have imposed their world view, philosophy of religion, and their most treasured of precepts. Why is this good but Christians doing the same thing isn't?)
Evangelical christians in the United States condemn muslim extremism as a threat to the country and their way of life, while clearly endorsing their own form of extreme religious authoritarianism. (Undocumented assertion.)
This form of religion establishes a tribally divisive “us” versus “them” mentality, which places “our” rights and prerogatives above the needs of any other group. (Irony again. The author has been talking about this eeeevil "them" for several paragraphs now.)
And it’s used repeatedly as the basis for denying other people’s rights — particularly their freedom to choose and even their right to exist. (Unsupported, and frankly, a bizarre assertion.)
It’s worth pointing out that in the south religion buttressed this tribal mentality to force a separation between whites and blacks, who were/are seen as inferior. (Unsupported, and a false assertion. It was government that encoded and enforced racism in the south. It was the church that precipitated the movement to abolish slavery.)
This tribalism is deeply embedded in white suburban christian thinking, and accepted without question. I shouldn’t have to point out that, in the end, this is not Christian at all. (Unsupported assertion.)
Religious extremism is religious extremism. Using words like “righteousness” or “faith” or “Christ-given mission,” and hiding behind ideas like “tradition” and “heritage” and “family values” won’t cover up this fact. (The author does not define any of these terms or cite references.)
And it is up to every freedom-loving person, who prefers freedom of choice, freedom of worship, who cares about protecting women’s rights and equality for all, and advancing reason and scientific knowledge, to be aware and oppose it.
I do not suggest that evangelicals should give up their faith. (No, I guess not. But he sure wants it taken out of the public sphere. The further underground the better, it seems.)
But I strongly suggest they should not trample on other people’s religious beliefs, or insist that people should conform themselves with the evangelical worldview. (Irony again. He is attempting to conform people to his worldview.)
If evangelicals hate tyranny, they should be very wary of becoming tyrants. But evangelicals will never see themselves as tyrants, because they are commanded by their faith to be “missionaries for Christ.” (Oh, so he DOES want people to give up their faith! The express words of Christ were to make disciples of all nations. Apparently this is part of a long list of things Christians must give up to conform to the author's view.)
This mandate engages them in a zero-sum game to convert the country, indeed the whole world, to their faith. And over the decades they have increasingly reached for more and more political power to achieve this goal. (Unsupported assertion.)
This is exactly what ISIS proposes, by trying to establish a global muslim caliphate. The goal of religious extremists, regardless of faith, is always the same: Dominion. (Unsupported assertion. And notice how the author characterizes all people of faith as religious extremists.)
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the foul of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” ~Genesis 1:28 (Finally the author quotes the Bible. And he apparently disagrees with it, presenting it as evidence that Christians want to dominate the world through government. Of course, the verse says no such thing.
But once again we note that the author actually does want Christians to change their beliefs.)
Evangelicals are The American Taliban. (Because they are all religious extremists. And they all want to take over government and force people to convert. And they all believe that people ought to, what, be killed for disagreeing? None of this passes the smell test, and in fact, none of this is true.
The author apparently believes leftist rhetoric without question. This is apparent from his complete lack of documentation. Thus we can conclude that the author has simply copied and pasted talking points.)
To many, that will seem a garish and inconceivable statement. (Because it is.)
The entire purpose of this article is to point out that religious extremism also exists in America as it does in other parts of the world, and that it is not just radical muslims who are extreme, it’s also radical christians … and that religious extremism can start with something as simple as, “I’ll pray for you.” (And so he lays the groundwork for impugning any and all religious expression, including and particularly praying, as extremism, worthy of being opposed, shouted down, and legislated out of existence.
Christians, please report to the nearest re-education camp.)
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