The American Mullahs

[Rohirrim]

Think this is all far fetched? Then you never sat in secret meetings with Pat Robertson or the late Dr. Kennedy -- as I did when I was a religious right leader -- fomenting plans to "bring America back to God." If we'd won America would be a slicker more dangerous version of Iran.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/the-real-lesson-of-iran_b_218359.html

Many evangelical leaders deny holding Reconstructionist beliefs but Beverly and Tim LaHaye (of Concerned Women for Americaand the "Left Behind" novels that glorify religious violence), Donald Wildmon (American Family Association) and the late D. James Kennedy (Coral Ridge Ministries) -- served alongside Rushdoony on the secretive Coalition for Revival, a group formed in 1981 to "reclaim America for Christ." I went to the early meetings. I first met Tim LaHaye at one such meeting. And what Dobson, Falwell et al were pushing, and what the "tea parties" and Fox News are all about today, is one or another version of the Rushdoony/theocracy version of the Iranian mullahs American-style.

File this under "How America can become just like Iran." I wonder if this is not our destiny? After all, the fervor of zealots, even if they are in the minority, can win it all if they are willing to sacrifice everything for their goals, especially if they face no overt opposition. And the American people seem too lazy to stand up for their Constitution anymore. Perfect recipe. Palin in 2012, eh?

[sisterhellfyre]

Interesting, Roh, but not too surprising. Years ago, Robert Heinlein predicted an era of theocracy in America, which ended with a Second American Revolution in the early 2100s. IIRC, the period of theocracy followed a period of economic unrest, rising unemployment, and social chaos that he called "The Crazy Years."

It do make one think, now don't it? :-)


Think this is all far fetched? Then you never sat in secret meetings with Pat Robertson or the late Dr. Kennedy -- as I did when I was a religious right leader -- fomenting plans to "bring America back to God." If we'd won America would be a slicker more dangerous version of Iran.

[Rohirrim]

Interesting, Roh, but not too surprising. Years ago, Robert Heinlein predicted an era of theocracy in America, which ended with a Second American Revolution in the early 2100s. IIRC, the period of theocracy followed a period of economic unrest, rising unemployment, and social chaos that he called "The Crazy Years."

It do make one think, now don't it? :-)

Gave me a chill. If Palin ever gets elected president, I definitely pack up and get out. I just don't know where you can go on this Earth anymore to escape the religious nutjobs. They seem to be everywhere.

(Always loved Heinlein. The sci-fi writers are our modern haruspices)

[cutthemdown]

Gave me a chill. If Palin ever gets elected president, I definitely pack up and get out. I just don't know where you can go on this Earth anymore to escape the religious nutjobs. They seem to be everywhere.

(Always loved Heinlein. The sci-fi writers are our modern haruspices)

Palin will never be President. Maybe Senator from Alaska someday.

[Rohirrim]

Palin will never be President. Maybe Senator from Alaska someday.

[Dr. Emmett Brown is doubting Marty McFly's story about that he is from the future]
Dr. Emmett Brown: Then tell me, "Future Boy", who's President in the United States in 1985?
Marty McFly: Ronald Reagan.
Dr. Emmett Brown: Ronald Reagan? The actor?
[chuckles in disbelief]
Dr. Emmett Brown: Then who's VICE-President? Jerry Lewis?
[rushing out and down a hill toward his laboratory]
Dr. Emmett Brown: I suppose Jane Wyman is the First Lady!
Marty McFly: [following Doc] Whoa! Wait! Doc!
Dr. Emmett Brown: And Jack Benny is Secretary of the Treasury.
Marty McFly: [outside the lab door] Doc, you gotta listen to me.
Dr. Emmett Brown: [opens the door to the lab] I've had enough practical jokes for one evening. Good night, Future Boy!
[closes the door leaving Marty outside]

[footstepsfrom#27]

If the far right of the Republican Party and we of the Religious Right had had our way by now there would be a constitutional amendment and/or laws forcing prayer in schools, disenfranchising gay men and women, banning all abortions under penalty of death, banning gay men and women from serving in the military, launching a neoconservative led and religious right backed holy war against Islam, fixing Israel's borders permanently to incorporate all the land taken in 1967 forever into a "Greater Israel" based on the "fact" that "God gave the Jews" the land "forever," capital punishment would be used routinely to punish a variety of crimes including being gay, civil rights for blacks, women, gays, unions would be in retreat, and -- other than enforcing "morality" - George W. Bush's style of "free market" non-governance would be permanent.
I read the entire article. As someone who 1) grew up in the religious right and 2) moved toward the left in the mid-90's...I have to say while he made a few good points, that most of this is nonsense. No fundy I've ever met...and I've met Falwell and numerous others...ever advocated for half this stuff he's saying they did.

The zenith of popularity for the religious right was 15 years ago...with a brief revival when Bush got in in 2000. Most white evangelicals have never been on board with the political agenda and black evangelicals vote overwhelmingly democratic. Even most hard core religious fundamentalists had some problems with the political side of this stuff based on the idea that it was "social gospel". However by citing the outer fringes of the movement and making it look like it's mainstream within evangelical Christianity, it sells papers and advertising and makes for a good scary story to stir up hysteria.

Let's get real...Iran is a nation utterly and completely dominated by religious insanity. Religious fundamentalists pushing politics in Christianity aren't even widely accepted within evangelical circles and are probably the most marginalized group in the country at large. The comparison is ludicrous and sensationalistic.

[epicSocialism4tw]

I read the entire article. As someone who 1) grew up in the religious right and 2) moved toward the left in the mid-90's...I have to say while he made a few good points, that most of this is nonsense. No fundy I've ever met...and I've met Falwell and numerous others...ever advocated for half this stuff he's saying they did.

The zenith of popularity for the religious right was 15 years ago...with a brief revival when Bush got in in 2000. Most white evangelicals have never been on board with the political agenda and black evangelicals vote overwhelmingly democratic. Even most hard core religious fundamentalists had some problems with the political side of this stuff based on the idea that it was "social gospel". However by citing the outer fringes of the movement and making it look like it's mainstream within evangelical Christianity, it sells papers and advertising and makes for a good scary story to stir up hysteria.

Let's get real...Iran is a nation utterly and completely dominated by religious insanity. Religious fundamentalists pushing politics in Christianity aren't even widely accepted within evangelical circles and are probably the most marginalized group in the country at large. The comparison is ludicrous and sensationalistic.

Yeah... some people will go shamelessly out of their way to use what is happening in the middle east as a straw man prop to try to use to push faiths and religions into the ocean and out of American.

This country was founded in the search for religious freedom and has been a mecca of sorts for people who want to practice their religion freely.

The day that the quiet movement against American faiths becomes loud enough to hear is the day that the left will lose its chance at moderate voters. Attempting to force people to give up their faiths at the demand of the state would be a huge mistake.

[ORTONRULES]

Some of you act as if religion is evil. I dont see the harm in our leaders having solid moral and ethics.

[Rohirrim]

I read the entire article. As someone who 1) grew up in the religious right and 2) moved toward the left in the mid-90's...I have to say while he made a few good points, that most of this is nonsense. No fundy I've ever met...and I've met Falwell and numerous others...ever advocated for half this stuff he's saying they did.

The zenith of popularity for the religious right was 15 years ago...with a brief revival when Bush got in in 2000. Most white evangelicals have never been on board with the political agenda and black evangelicals vote overwhelmingly democratic. Even most hard core religious fundamentalists had some problems with the political side of this stuff based on the idea that it was "social gospel". However by citing the outer fringes of the movement and making it look like it's mainstream within evangelical Christianity, it sells papers and advertising and makes for a good scary story to stir up hysteria.

Let's get real...Iran is a nation utterly and completely dominated by religious insanity. Religious fundamentalists pushing politics in Christianity aren't even widely accepted within evangelical circles and are probably the most marginalized group in the country at large. The comparison is ludicrous and sensationalistic.

I hope you're right.

[Garcia Bronco]

I read the entire article. As someone who 1) grew up in the religious right and 2) moved toward the left in the mid-90's...I have to say while he made a few good points, that most of this is nonsense. No fundy I've ever met...and I've met Falwell and numerous others...ever advocated for half this stuff he's saying they did.

The zenith of popularity for the religious right was 15 years ago...with a brief revival when Bush got in in 2000. Most white evangelicals have never been on board with the political agenda and black evangelicals vote overwhelmingly democratic. Even most hard core religious fundamentalists had some problems with the political side of this stuff based on the idea that it was "social gospel". However by citing the outer fringes of the movement and making it look like it's mainstream within evangelical Christianity, it sells papers and advertising and makes for a good scary story to stir up hysteria.

Let's get real...Iran is a nation utterly and completely dominated by religious insanity. Religious fundamentalists pushing politics in Christianity aren't even widely accepted within evangelical circles and are probably the most marginalized group in the country at large. The comparison is ludicrous and sensationalistic.


Excellent post

[watermock]

BS.

The Evangelical right is generally ruled by telvangelists who's major aim is to build temples to themselves.

The fact is these groups are lumped into a "religious rightard" paradigm, which isn't accurate nor politcally viable in any form.

The current pardigm is to keep the religious "in a box" for the forseeable future.

[Odysseus]

Some of you act as if religion is evil. I dont see the harm in our leaders having solid moral and ethics.

Religion has been and will always be political. Politics are a NECESSARY evil therefore this presumption is well grounded.

[sisterhellfyre]

Some of you act as if religion is evil. I dont see the harm in our leaders having solid moral and ethics.

Hey, if our leaders had solid morals and ethics, that would make the new leaders a darned sight better than most that we've had so far!

It's not the religion itself that's evil. It's the way the followers use the religion that's evil.

How many people have been killed in the name of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Shintoism (among others) over just the last 200 years?

[epicSocialism4tw]

Hey, if our leaders had solid morals and ethics, that would make the new leaders a darned sight better than most that we've had so far!

It's not the religion itself that's evil. It's the way the followers use the religion that's evil.

How many people have been killed in the name of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Shintoism (among others) over just the last 200 years?

How many goats, chickens, etc., have been brutalized by backwoods meth-gobbling Satanists while listening to Slayer?

[sisterhellfyre]

How many goats, chickens, etc., have been brutalized by backwoods meth-gobbling Satanists while listening to Slayer?

Why, I don't know, Mac. How many goats, chickens, etc., have been brutalized by backwoods meth-gobbling Satanists while listening to Slayer?

(Waiting for the punchline... :devil: )

[epicSocialism4tw]

Why, I don't know, Mac. How many goats, chickens, etc., have been brutalized by backwoods meth-gobbling Satanists while listening to Slayer?

(Waiting for the punchline... :devil: )

I thought that we needed another stereotype, and the meth-gobbling backwoods Satanist is a stereotype that is unfortunately neglected despite its awesomeness.

[Br0nc0Buster]

Some of you act as if religion is evil. I dont see the harm in our leaders having solid moral and ethics.

Morals dont come from the Bronze Age

Anyone who claims to have gotten their morals from the Bible or Quran should have their head checked

[epicSocialism4tw]

Morals dont come from the Bronze Age

Anyone who claims to have gotten their morals from the Bible or Quran should have their head checked

Either that or you could just admit that you have no idea what you are talking about and move on to the next topic like a good little boy.

[peacepipe]

Some of you act as if religion is evil. I dont see the harm in our leaders having solid moral and ethics.

Since when do you need religion in order to have ethics & morals!

[Garcia Bronco]

Morals dont come from the Bronze Age

Anyone who claims to have gotten their morals from the Bible or Quran should have their head checked

Anyway

[sisterhellfyre]

I thought that we needed another stereotype, and the meth-gobbling backwoods Satanist is a stereotype that is unfortunately neglected despite its awesomeness.

Mac, if I'd wanted to play games with stereotypes I would have just shortened the list to Christianity alone.

But then, picking on conservative-slash-fundamentalist Christians is just about right up there with teasing the Down's Syndrome kid down the block. The biggest difference is that their handicap is self-inflicted.

[shrug] Bored now. Wandering off to find better games to play...

[epicSocialism4tw]

Mac, if I'd wanted to play games with stereotypes I would have just shortened the list to Christianity alone.

But then, picking on conservative-slash-fundamentalist Christians is just about right up there with teasing the Down's Syndrome kid down the block. The biggest difference is that their handicap is self-inflicted.

[shrug] Bored now. Wandering off to find better games to play...

You cant tell me this guy didnt wander out of Armpit, Arkansas:
http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e8/norwegian-black-metal-images-of-satan-nsfw.2771245.56.jpg

[sisterhellfyre]

You cant tell me this guy didnt wander out of Armpit, Arkansas:

LOL Okay, I'll give you credit, that one was pretty scary. But if you read the URL, it indicates "Norwegian black metal images." [wink] Norway & Sweden were THE centers of black metal when that genre was at its peak during the late 80s to the mid-90s. Some of those guys were seriously dangerous: some ended up in prison for burning churches, and others were convicted of first-degree murder in a feud between bands.