Theocracy at the Grocery Store
If you follow Church/State separation issues, you've probably heard of the Alliance Defense Fund, the funding arm of the Right's legal machine. The ADF, a creation of the likes of Don Wildmon and James Dobson, usually raises funds for the likes of Pat Robertson's ACLJ and other ostensibly Christian legal groups whose specialty is defending Church/State entanglements. Typical cases funded by the ADF almost invariably involve enforcement of Christian's "rights" to harass gays and other groups they disapprove of, litigation against legalizing gay marriage, and defending Christian religious displays on government property.
The ADF has long been linked to the ultraconservative Reconstructionists, an extremist movement that advocates a "Christian" takover of US government. Reconstructionists are the dirty little secret of the Christian Right, and make many of its better-known public faces seem positively tame by comparison. While Jerry Falwell speaks ill of homosexuals, witches, and liberals, the influential recons behind the scene are actively working to bring about a theocratic government where these "social ills" will be eradicated. Never mind Jesus and his attitude of peace, these so-called Christians long for a government through which they will enforce Old Testament values- that is, making "offenses" such as homosexuiality, blasphemy, adultery, and witchcraft capital crimes. In the Reconstructionist dystopia, non Christians would be prevented from holding political office, marginalized as second class citizens. Some Recons have even advocated the veiling of women and other notions usually thought to be the domain of conservative Islam.
One of the ways Reconstructionists promote their agenda is through groups like the ADF- but who pays the bills? I must admit I was rather shocked to discover that I've been helping. The innocently wholesome-looking juice I've been buying has a dark little secret of its own. I readily admit I'm not the most diligent of consumers- my grocery politics activism have been largely confined to avoiding Walmart and Domino's Pizza. Even so, I was a bit aghast to discover that my dollars are helping to fund the Bolthouse Foundation, one of the ADF's major sources of income- nothing on these product's slick labels give any clues that this is a company that funds Reconstructionist causes or who asks recipients of its largesse to sign statements eschewing belief in evolution and affirming that people like me are bound for "everlasting punishment." Now, what to do with a half drunk bottle of carrot blend that makes me slightly queasy to look at?
Comments
who would have thought that there are christian nut cases like that out there. wow bolthouse is off my shopping list, why give money to the nazis that may try to round me up some day! nuff said. so…..whats wrong with walmart and domino’s pizza?
I agree with Jennifer on Walmart; that company represents capitalism run amok (despite themany benefits of capitalism). Domino’s would be interesting to hear about.
Jennifer?
Oh, and BTW, The ACLJ is Pat Robertson’s baby, not Jerry Falwell’s. This I know because my dear mother works for Pat Robertson, and she’s constantly singing the praises of God, Jesus, and Pat - in that order.
I’ve added a link that should clear up the Domino’s issue (and a correction on the Falwell/Robertson blooper)
i thought this was an alternative religion article, like the heading about: alternative religions. clearly a liberal, plolitical, anti-christian (which seems to go hand in hand with the term liberal nowadays)attack piece.
if i own domino’s or wal-mart or whatever, i can support any cause or give my money or make as much money as i want to whoever i want to. am i still living in america?
this country is out of control anymore. if anyone says any word whether derogatory or not, that’s not on the “approved” list, they’re ostracized, condemned and turned into some kind of social pariah. there’s your freedom. you know, when entertainers, who lead the most decadent, greedy, self-absorbed, egotistical lifestyles, are telling me who to vote for, what’s right and wrong, what’s is acceptable behavior in society, how i’m destroying the environment while they’re riding around in their hummers and flying cross country all day in their personal jets, and on and on, something’s terribly wrong with this country. you’re jealous or politically correct? start your own company, make it successful and give your money to whoever you want. quit your whining. the fact is that capitalism is what made this country what it is. being liberal isn’t cool, cool people blaze new trails and stand apart from the mobs. you know, think for themselves, instead of spouting off how “righteous” they are for not being righteous and repeating everything their “idols” say. and the lemmings march on….
Sure, anyone with a business can support any cause they like- be that Rushdoony or al-queda*- but those of us who enjoy religious freedom under a constitutional government have as much or more right to sound the alarm when those rights are threatened. My apologies if you prefer a soft-sell, but then, if you don’t like what i blog, take your own advice and get your own.
*another group funded by trail-blazing capitalists out to erase the civil rights of half the population
blah, blah, blah,….erase the civil rights of half the population… blah, blah, blah. it sounds like the only civil rights being threatened are those of christians. you don’t support any statements you make. i looked up alternative religions on google and see a link to your site, and it’s not about alternative religions it’s a political, anti-christian attack piece (and it wasn’t totally true. you corrected it yourself. shooting off your mouth without the facts is a dangerous thing). typical liberal tactics, i don’t agree with you and you resort to calling me names and pidgeon-holeing me without providing any practical solutions to anything. it sounds like you only want people who agree with you to respond to this blog. where’s this “diversity” i keep hearing we need more of? yeah, that would be a great country, where everyone agrees with each other, that doesn’t sound like freedom to me, smells more like big brother. you sound like what you accuse others of doing. rushdoony? al-queda? huh? you don’t know anything about me, except that i don’t agree with you and that bothers you. i read what i read til i turned red. everyone in this country is entitled to the same rights, christian, satanist, religious freedom freak, anti-religious freak…whatever. no one is entitled any “more” or less. why don’t you go throw another book on the list into the fire, until the only ones left are the ones you like or approve of. your going down a “slippery slope”. i thought and still do, that your “article” is decietful, and misleading under its heading and i responded, sorry i didn’t agree with you, but that’s my right. and if you don’t want or like anyone disagreeing with you, don’t present an open forum like this so called blog, which you seem to think is a rallying point for your beliefs. when i was a kid in school, my teacher held a class on elections in this country, and after class, i asked my teacher who she voted for, and she said it was none of my business. you know why? because if you tell someone who you vote for and they disagree with you, they try to convince you that they’re right and you’re wrong. that’s intimidation and imposing your will on someone else. that’s what’s going on in this country now, and it’s sad, because that’s not what freedom is. like i said, you don’t know me, but you assume you do, kind of a judgemental from someone who seems to think that others are just that. i can go to a kkk page and they will tell me it’s all about god, but really it’s about hate. i go to a page about “alternative religions” and it sounds like it’s about hate. i might as well wear an armband that symbolizes what you say i am since i don’t buy your hard-sell. i guess i’m just saying that when you need others to agree with you, you come off sounding insecure about what you’re saying or writing or whatever you want to call it. well, onward into oblivion.
Wow, looks like I hit a nerve.
by the way, your easter article is not entirely accurate, again. why don’t you research something first? that’s what’s good about the internet. everyone has a voice, but it’s also everything that’s bad about it too, because most of it is untrue and misleading so, anyone can say anything whether it’s accurate or not. nice, intelligent response by the way. exactly what i expected
Well, WT, that’s very wise, but I think I’m going to have to decline your sage advice for the time being.
i’m not wise,even though i get the sarcastic condescension. i just don’t like being lied to.
I think the only person doing any prevarication here is you, WT. You can’t even be honest about how you came to be here, yet you coment on my blog as if I should be expected to respect the opinion of an anonymous commenter who wants to tell me what to write about?
It really takes some serious ego to come here with anonymous criticism and demand to be catered to, but this last comment just takes the cake. If you can’t find something you like on the ten thousand-plus pages that make up this site, that’s fine- it’s a great big internet. But don’t come here and whine and stamp your feet and demand I write for you and your expectations- I don’t work for you and I’m not particularly interested in your opinion.
i’m anonymous because i choose to be, and i’m not an egomaniac writing misleading “articles” (and i use that word loosely), with a little picture of myself at the top of the page, trying to impress and astound people with selections from my word of the day calendar. you put yourself out there, not me, and if you can’t stand the heat…well, you know.
i’m just responding to what you put there. and that is, that it is untrue. if you’re going to be dishonest i’m allowed my opinion on that. and since you have a blog, i thought i was allowed to respond to it. apparently when someone disagrees with you and challenges your assertions, you feel the need to attack them by calling them whiners and such. why do you have a blog? why is there a link to comments underneath your inaccurate articles? so that i can read who agrees with you? you made this mess you call “alternative religions” not me. and you could take a lesson from rush limbaugh. i don’t subscribe to his website or listen to his show except for snippets when i’m switching stations. but i noticed when someone who disagrees with him calls his show, he treats them with respect, and does it in an honest and charming way and more often than not he wins that persons respect in return. if he treated people who didn’t agree with him the way you do, he wouldn’t be as popular as he is, i gather, so even though i don’t think i am and i’m unsure of what it means, being called a rushdooney is sort of a compliment coming from you. not that you want to, but you’ll never win anyone over by inviting them in and then insulting them when they come just because they have a different opinion than you and tells you honestly that your not being honest. i’m who i am. my name is pointless. i think my words speak for themself. and if i wasn’t so bored, i wouldn’t be wasting my time responding to your inane political pieces and responses to my comments. but i have nothing better to do i guess. if you’re going to step in the water expect to get wet.
and i think i was quite honest about how i came here and that was googling alternative religion, which your site is obviously not about. your pieces aren’t even accurate. and if i want to be catered to, i know a good one, but thanks just the same.
Okay, I get it, you’re trying to be funny. Carry on, then.
ok, this is it. first i was directed by a link from google to a an alternative religions site, under the link it says “Alternative religion and spirituality. Information and resources for dozens of non mainstream religions and practices including Santeria, Taoism, …”
it annoyed me when it wasn’t about that. second, it was anti-christian “they’re out to take over the world” propaganda, that i, being a christian and thankful for it, was annoyed about a little more. it’s just another in a long, repetitive list of christian bashing pieces, lacking any originality or flair, called articles by some, but really are thinly disguised socialist, humanistic attacks on people of a certain faith. then i asked why is this site called alternative religion? no answer, insults. then, why the blog? no answer. i guess i just don’t get it. i saw something on falun gong, but other than that why not call this site what it is? socialism 101, humanist philosophy, liberalism for dummies, etc., etc.
maybe i’m wrong, but your last two “writings” seem tinged with anti-christian bias. the only religion allowed relentless, mostly untrue criticisms on in this society seems to be christianity. if i’m the richest person in the country and i want to give money to pat robertson, it’s a big deal and people feel threatened by it. if i’m some poor nobody and i give the last i have to the same cause, no one cares. there’s something wrong with that. i’m not defending pat robertson, i’m just saying this is still america, at least to me, y’know, land of the free. so, i was not only mislead to your website, but i wasted my time reading your piece and i responded to it because i found something i didn’t like about it and i disagreed with it. you want everyone to agree with you? that’s fantastic in your universe, but we don’t all live there. i noticed that you don’t care about logic, and scolai’s anonymity. only mine. and there’s your flaw. you betray yourself by not only attacking me for questioning you on your own blog, but you show me no respect, try to insult me (and what a pathetic attempt it was), and you want to play on a playing field that isn’t quite level. this is your website, not mine, i don’t have to defend what i wrote or copied and pasted before i checked out all the facts. that’s your picture on that page, not mine. you want to advertise yourself and what you post here, stand by it and defend it. don’t insult me with some kind of smug reply. i responded on your blog. i thought that’s what the purpose of it was. i didn’t attack you. i questioned you and your integrity, and you neither defended it or convinced me that i’m wrong. “Information and resources for dozens of non mainstream religions and practices”, i think not. information about what you don’t like, there’s an abundance of from what i’ve seen. you’re right. it’s your website, you can put whatever you want on it. i called you out on it and you won’t own up to it. if you’re proud of that, hey..whatever. good day and good bye
Awww I guess WT is going to take his ball and go home now….for being the superior christian he sure is touchy and doesn’t seem to handle it well that content on your blog isn’t shaped around what he thinks….He should look into the history of his hero Rush Limbaugh who’s notorious for not allowing any sort of decent of his rantings…..if you hear any “disagreement” on his radio show that caller is nothing short of a shill….And think back to his old TV show notice no one in the audience said a word, it was 20min of him telling it like it is….
wasn’t going to reply again, but hey, you don’t tell the truth either. rush isn’t my hero. if i have a hero it wouldn’t be a celebrity, or athlete. more like jesus, or buddha or ghandi. but who are you? are you anyone? why am i even wasting my time arguing with someone who cuts and pastes articles and provides misleading links to your propaganda filled website void of any redeeming value or content. face it, your some middle aged hack wannabe. since you insist on insulting me and not responding with any intelligent reply to any of my questions, i’ll respond in the only method of argument that you seem to understand and that’s by flinging insults at anyone who disagrees with you or challenges anything you say. you’re ridiculous. now you’re not only insulting me, but you’re doing it to someone else who i’m not representing in any way, (and is not here to defend himself. real courageous and daring of you) other than answering your cheap pathetic claim that i’m some “rushdooney” or whatever that’s supposed to mean. what are you saying? nothing. you obviously can’t have an intelligent conversation with you let alone any kind of debate. of course the only debate i’ve ever seen that a liberal win was one where the other point of view wasn’t represented or by yelling over the other one. anyone reading this exchange can see one thing. you haven’t answered anything that i’ve asked that i can see. so, make your accusations against me and your cheap, pathetic attempts at insulting me. and by the way, i see why you attack rush, he makes alot of money. you don’t seem to like that. he has an audience. he has people paying to hear what he has to say. what do you have? three people commenting on some piece of rubbish you put up. two of whom agree with you. you just refuse to answer me and i would dare to say your starting to look foolish, but you’ve already accomplished that with the crap you put on this site. remember, the only reason i’m here to begin with is because of the name of your site. duh, alternative religion? huh? what? where? i will say this though, i do respect the fact that you don’t censor me and allow me to keep posting, but that’s about it.
Is it christian-bashing when one points out specific groups that are actively trying to turn america into a theocracy? The article was specifically about Reconstructionists and the groups that fund their activities. (Thaks for putting a link to the Ave Maria thing, Jennifer. I’m surprised how far along it is now.) If you really want christian bashing, I can direct you to some much more severe sites. I won’t say that this site is totally unbiased, but they are far from being very right or left. Also, it doesn’t help the fact that you claim you are being insulted, yet you don’t mind throwing around accusations of being socialist. As for this site not being alternative religion, that would call for a definition of what “alternative” is in this case. I can’t really find an explaination right now, but I think Reconstructionism would probably fall squarely into it.
What WT just doesn’t seem to get is that while the owners of companies are more than free to fund whatever groups/organizations they want to, consumers are also free to do the same. If that means consumers choose not to buy a particular product because the company making that product supports a particular cause, that’s their right. There are many reasons why consumers will buy or not buy different products. This just makes one more.
And incidently WT, have you ever checked to see what the requirements for this site are to become a guide? They have some pretty high standards and this section does have some information on a number of alternative religions. The least you can do is be constructive. If something is lacking and you would like more information, let the guide know. Maybe she can come up with something and maybe she can’t. Personally, I’ve found the guides to be generally helpful, even if it is only to get an idea what direction I should head in next. Thanks for all the hard work, Jennifer (and all the other guides, too.)
I sense a bit of bias in this article. Their was not one full quote supporting the claim that the right was intending on enforcing old testament law. The author also ignores that Jesus was not someone who advocated complete peace at all costs. This article reflects the taking out of context of various aspects of Jesus and Biblical passages, assumptions, and claims typical of anyone who hates Christianity. I challenge anyone to actually read the Bible and find out if it is really the religion of Christianity that corrupts or the person who corrupts the religion. Think about it. The suthor is so scared that our country might actually be thinking of reestablishing it’s roots, which is based on Christian principles, instead of basing it’s principles on New Age philosophy. Is this so bad? If you want to live in a country who’s foundations are based on the New Age, try India.
First, to WT, the shift key is at the bottom of your keyboard. Let’s try learning how to use it; this would make your useless blather much easier to read. Also, Jennifer needn’t ask me about my anonymity simply because she and I email each other a few times a month. She knows who I am. Just clearing that up for ya, pal.
Jason: believe it or not, there are fractious xian groups who would love to see a xian theocracy implemented. For you to say, “Is this so bad” indicates that you have no concept of what it’s like to be a minority religion, where even practicing or declaring our beliefs in public can cause job loss, public scorn, or (at worst) personal injury.
Yes, it’s so bad because I personally do not want to surrender what I believe in order to comply with the beliefs of the “ruling class”. This country is so far removed from its xian roots (i.e. Jamestown Puritans) that going back to those roots would cause tremendous social upheaval. Only a fool would suggest that we force millions of people to comply with a state religion because some religious dissidents believed in that same religion some 400 years ago.
FWIW, I was “saved” in 1991 - a true conversion experience. I served the church and its “founder” for the next 12 years of my life. I attended church at every possible opportunity, planned and organized street ministries, participated in praise and worship, performed xian drama, was President of my college’s xian fraternity, etc. I have read the bible and probably know just as much about it as you do.
Then I learned it’s all basically bullshit. From “In the beginning” to “Amen” at the end. The figure of Jesus, the apostles, the trial, the crucifixion, the resurrection, all of it. It’s all a huge political construct that controls the population through fear.
Hmmm. I’m betting that position won’t make me a popular person with WT.
Oh well.
This whole thing is growing ridiculous. As far as I know almost every religion, main stream or alternative, refers somewhere to respecting the other person even if you voice opposition to their beliefs. Debate is good for the religious (read spiritual-not necessarily any organized religion)soul. Speak your mind as much as you wish, but try to be somewhat civil without being reduced to namecalling.
WT - somehow I’m doubting your version of how you came to be here. You remind me of someone I’ve seen before… BTW, the shift key is at the bottom of your keyboard. Using it will make your mindless blather a little easier to read.
And Jennifer needn’t ask me about my anonymity; she and I email each other a couple of times a month. She knows who I am. Just wanted to clear that up for ya.
Jason: The whole “going back to its roots” thing is silly, mainly because this country is not the same as it was in 1622. Sure, the Puritans were xians, but they did the service of killing or driving out the native “heathen” populations. Personally, as a non-xian, going back to those “roots” is a bit unsettling.
Besides, why should I have to give up my beliefs to accomodate a xian theocracy? Does my religion so threaten yours that you believe a government should be established that would make laws to protect you while stripping me of my right to worship freely? Pretty lame.
FWIW, I was “born again” in 1991 in a true conversion experience. I acquired the gift of speaking in “other tongues” about 6 months later. During the next 12 years I attended church every time the doors were open, taught youth, participated in praise and worship leadership, performed church drama, planned and organized street ministries, served as President of my university’s xian fraternity, was active in campus ministries (including teaching), and lived according to the words and example of Jesus of Nazareth. I’ve read the bible and daresay I know it at least as well as you do.
I did a bit of research into church history and learned that everything from “In the beginning” to “Amen” at the end is a sack of dung. The character of Jesus, the triumphant entry, the trial and crucifixion, and the resurrection - all lies.
The way I came to this conclustion is too lengthy a discussion for this forum, but suffice it to say, retreating back to the “foundation” of this country, which itself is based on a complete hoax, would not serve the greater interest of millions of “alternative religion” adherents in the USA.
i am a fan of this site and your newsletters and think that i need to let you know that i live outside the chicago area….i have to say that the religions you need to fear are not any of the christian ones……the muslim religious sects all over the chicago area are openly preach not only hatred of christians and jews but any…..ANY people who will not submit to their religion…islam…..they actually preach to kill americans openly…on our soil….they make no bones about killing us if we dont except their religion……i’m afraid that you are in fear of the wrong people
Sorry about the double post. I wasn’t aware that it would take 18 hours to post my messages.
Ah well.
i wasn’t going to come back here. i thought i deleted this shortcut. it was fun, but now i’m kinda bored with it. i think i made my point. i feel i have to respond to scolai. i know where the shift key is. i am who i am. no one else. you apparently frequent this site, which doesn’t surprise me. i noticed (again) that your anonymity wasn’t challenged, just mine. i don’t see how your beliefs are being attacked. just christians (on this website). every religion and culture has skeletons in their respective closets. how do i know you’re not jennifer? you seem to have the same dislike of my questions without answering any of them, and your paranoid, “christians are out to get me” act to change the subject is pretty obvious for what it is. diversion. debate among liberals seems to be a one sided affair. theirs. if you disagree they attack you, instead of answering any of the (basic) questions. i’d use bigger longer words, but i don’t think you’d understand. accuse me of all the shenanigans you like. it doesn’t change the fact that you or jennifer won’t answer a couple of simple questions. if anyone sounds like anyone, it’s you two, which would make more sense (by the way, that’s not an accusation. i’m just being a wiseguy. i wouldn’t say that unless i knew it was true, which it isn’t right?).
“I did a bit of research into church history and learned that everything from “In the beginning” to “Amen” at the end is a sack of dung. The character of Jesus, the triumphant entry, the trial and crucifixion, and the resurrection - all lies.”
you say absolutely nothing to support that statement. nothing. it’s just a statement, and a childish, simplistic one at that. no, it’s not even that. it’s an uneducated opinion. you seem to want everyone to respect every religion or belief except the one that “you” don’t like. hey, just my opinion.
i would try to make this a longer one paragraph non shift key event, just to annoy you some more, but you seem to make me tired for some reason. oh well…what’s the popular catch phrase now? “it is what it is”…bye now
This is an interesting article, but Christians are not an “Alternative Religion”, the reason I come to this site.
Also, a citation to show that ACLJ was founded by Pat Robertson, not Jerry Falwell:
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=7649
Yes, which is why Jerry has been struck out and replaced with Robert for some time now.
To Scolaí,
I doubt everything that you have said in post 23 and 21. It is the same speech that is said by everyone who wishes to discredit Christianity. It’s much like talking points rather than real life. I could say that I came to Christ the exact way that you say you left Christ, however that wouldn’t be true and I don’t believe your “testimony” either.
Doubt all you want. I have no reason to shade my past for you or anyone else. The position I take is one based on living the life of a devout fundamentalist xian. After doing copious amounts of research, I discovered that there is very little of the new testament story that is unique or original. Empirical proof is out there, you only have to open your eyes and see it, something very few fundamentalists are willing to do.
You doubt my testimony. Whoop-di-frickin’-doo. It’s not like I live by that testimony any more, so doubt all you want. It doesn’t change the truth of what happened to me, but you’re entitled to your opinion no matter how uninformed it may be.
I have been reading through the comments and see how much people seem to be pointing to an idea that this article some how is about bashing the religions views of christens. However something that I did not see as I skimmed over the posts was the idea that some Christens, Muslims, or what ever extremist point of views some people may have are attacking the freedoms of all people of American no matter their faith. If religion X makes it so that anyone that does not follow their religion loses freedoms that we all hold close to are hearts they are taking away are rights as Americans. I hope for peace and love for all people and hold strong antiwar views but if someone tried to take away the freedom of my children to live an American life with the right to think and live as they wish I would finally find something to stand and fight for.
This post was meant as a WARNING to those of us of “alternative” beliefs. This article was meant to inform us that, should we purchase things like Domino’s Pizza (The founder of which is a devout bankroller of groups like “Operation Rescue” and even used to set up “safe houses” for OR members to stay at when they traveled the country to deny women medical care!) and Bolthouse Farms products, our money will go to fund those who would deny us our First Amendment Rights. In my opinion, I should be allowed to spend MY money as *I* see fit, and deny it to companies who I feel are out to infringe on MY rights. You want to be a fundamentalist “Christian” Reconstructionist Dominionist End-Times-er pain in the backside? You have that right. And I have every right to tell you where to stuff it. Sideways. Goddess Bless America, where I have the same rights as Christians. Now, whether some of you like it or not, I’m going to share this link with my Witchy friends, so that we can deny Domino and Bolthouse more money.
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Ignoring fot the moment the very-”un-Christian” Jeremiads that have so self-righteously invaded these proceedings, first I’d like to note that those misnamed “Reconstructionist” Christians are indeed a divergent and “alternative” sect of mainstream Protestant Christianity, just as Opus Dei bears the same relationship to mainstream Catholocism. There are as many different kinds of Christians as there are different kinds of Buddhists (or Muslims) and some of them are are far more “out there” than the average mainstream person of any of those religions would believe.
Every large group has its extremists. But any group which intolerantly and narrow-mindedly assumes that their own particular brand of belief is so superior to all others that it would be right and proper for it to take over our national government and mandate their own beliefs on everyone else–OR else!–especially if it is well-funded and counts among it’s members significant numbers of disproportionately powerful well-moneyed elite institutional corporate-societal-political power-brokers, then that group is extremely dangerous–to everybody. Therefore it (and they) more than merely deserve to be “outed”–that finger must be pointed, be so that the rest of us can protect ourselves (and each other) against them.
{Topical example: Some prominent supporters of John McCain’s Republican Presidential bid–not kidding here!–privately sincerely believe that all Jews must be converted or killed (or “Raptured”) to clear the way for the much-to-be-desired Second Coming of Christ. (And the sooner the better.) If he needs these bloody-minded genocidal radical–and entirely sincere–Christians to fund his campaign, what’s he gonna do for them once he’s elected…? Such are the extreme dangers of mixing religion and politics…}
And–especially when such a group funds itself by taking money from everyone for goods and services without acknowledging that this cash is going to be funnelled into funding their unholy, malign and already too-well-padded (not to mention wholly un-American) ideological coffers–which was the specific thrust of the original post–then warnings ought and must be issued, and everyone of any or all faiths (or no faith whatsoever) needs and ought to be warned.
So thank you Jennifer. Do keep your eye on this topic and continue to keep us all informed (despite the unpleasant knee-jerk “WT”s of the world). Some of us really appreciate it, and think you’re doing a great job!
Later! ~~SAM
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Somehow I think that the underlying point to this article, and to the resulting “discussion”, is being missed.
Fundamentalism in most religions and philosophies is the danger. And to separate the fringe from the main body of a belief is an error, as large masses of people have been caught up in the rhetoric of extremists many times before in human history.
As multinational capitalism grows and exceeds the power of many nations, we face the prospect that our next war will not be between countries (bad for business), but between ideologies lead by the fanatics that we today ignore as they are not viewed as representing the social group (religion, philosophy, etc) as a whole.
The old chestnut about power corrupting, is valid today, and we need to be wary of where that power is and how much support and/or energy we give to it.
On the flip side of that coin is the problem that as we explore more about the companies that we do business with, so it becomes more impossible to buy, acquire, or consume anything at all!
Cheers Laurie
Make carrot cake; replace some fluid with the carrot juice. Or make soup, and use it as part of your base.
Seriously, thanks SO MUCH for sharing this!!!
I love my country, but hate my government. Canada looks more beautiful everyday. Although, if I had the money, I’d move to Japan, they have a great government that includes freedom of religion.
I would also move to Japan for the same reasons…
And the awesome video game culture as well.