A synopsis on the depth of corruption in the quest for absolute power...
Frances Morey
austin-ghetto-list@pairlist.net
Sat Mar 20 16:02:01 2004
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This is a stunning stroll through the history of power in America, of cynicism at the highest reaches of government and the vengeful capture of the churches to be used subversively as a Trojan horses for neocon control of the populace.
Other than this, have a nice weekend,
Frances
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 10:23 AM
>Subject: The theocratic menace & Imperial Presidency
>
>Thanks to Mark Crispin Miller, author of The Bush
Dyslexicon, for this
>goodie...I think this more fully illustrates why we
need to elect judges
>and representative officials who are not right wing
extremists. Judges
>who care about our laws and the Constitution are
especially important to
>our Democratic way of life in America.
>
>George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascism
>The Imperial Presidency
>
>Subj: Fwd: Speech on Pirate TV Monday, Ides of March
2004
>Date: 3/16/04 8:12:09 PM Central Standard Time
>From:
>
>Please try to distribute this transcript of a speech
given by The Rev Rich
>Lang presented to his congregation, but I cannot
tell you which day it
>was. He is the Methodist minister of the Seattle
Trinity Lutheran Church
>in Ballard. It was a transforming moment (hour) as I
watched the video
>last night on Community Access Channel. I suggest
that you print it out
>and study it and make copies to give to folks who are
not on the Internet.
>You will need to cut and paste, but I wanted you to
see my letter to him
>(at the bottom) and his response to me at the top.
Enjoy - or at least if
>you can't "enjoy" it , enjoy thinking! Isn't this
experience that we are
>having right now actually rather fun just because we
are having "to think"
>so much? :)
>
>Cheryl
>
>-----------------
>Forwarded Message:
>Subj: Re: Speech on Pirate TV Monday, Ides of March
2004
>Date: 3/16/04 12:25:15 AM Central Standard Time
>From: oddrev@yahoo.com (Rich Lang)
>To:
>
>Do with this as you see fit,
>Rich
>George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascism
>The Imperial Presidency
>The men who wrote the Constitution of the United
States knew that if power
>accrued into the hands of an elite the experiment of
democracy (power
>spread out into the realm of the people) would be
over. So they created a
>system of checks and balances which blocked access to
any one person, or
>any one special interest or elite gaining too much
power over others. Thus
>our executive, legislative and judicial branches of
government "balanced"
>each other. The media was yet another "check" on the
accrual of too much
>power, as was the Bill of Rights, and to some extent
the Church (or
>churches). The system wasn't perfect but it kept
alive the possibility of
>true democracy. It kept alive the dream that one day
"we the people" could
>live in a peaceful commonwealth where every person
has what they need to
>survive and thrive.
>
>That dream died in December 2000 when the checks and
balances of our
>Constitution collapsed and George Bush was inserted
into the Presidency of
>the United States. September 11, 2001 furthered the
atrophying of
>democracy handing the country into the hands of an
emerging Corporate (and
>I say Christian) Fascism. Fascism meaning the
collapse of diverse spheres
>of power into one. Since that time we have witnessed,
and have been unable
>to prevent, the emergence of an Imperial Presidency
that has the
>unrestricted power to declare war against any country
it chooses. The
>Imperial Presidency has brought to end the
Constitutional mandate that
>ONLY CONGRESS has the authority to declare war. It
has furthered weakened
>international law and undermined the potential of the
United Nations to
>spread democracy throughout the earth.
>
>The Imperial Presidency has also gained unrestricted
potential to round up
>American citizens incarcerating them in military
brigs or concentration
>camps for unlimited amounts of time. The presidency
can keep the accused
>from ever again communicating with friends, families,
and attorneys,
>simply on the certification that the incarcerated are
"terrorists," as he
>has done with Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi. The
Presidency may also
>now kill American citizens abroad solely on the basis
of naming the one
>killed "a terrorist". Just ask the family and friends
of Ahmed Hijazi, an
>American killed with a U.S.-fired missile in Yemen.
This nullifies the
>Constitutional right: "no person shall be denied
life, liberty or property
>without due process of law."
>
>Ominous signs are all around us concerning the
accrual of power into the
>hands of the Presidency. If Mr. Bush stays in office
I think our future
>will continue to witness shrinking political rights,
financial collapse
>and endless war. Part of the power and seduction of
this administration
>emerges from its diabolical manipulation of Christian
rhetoric. I want to
>flesh out the ideology of the Christian Fascism that
Mr. Bush articulates.
>It is a form of Christianity that is the mirror
opposite of what Jesus
>embodied. It is, indeed, the materialization of the
spirit of antichrist:
>a perversion of Christian faith and practice.
>
>Christian Fascism
>
>This country, like it or not, is overwhelmingly
dominated by the ideology
>of the Christian story. It is not so much that our
founders were all
>Christians. Rather, they lived in an atmosphere which
was visioned through
>the lens of Christian thought and rhetoric. What they
saw was that America
>had become the New Israel (the new Promised Land) of
God. America was a
>benevolent nation seeking only the good of all. Our
wealth is a blessing
>given to us as a sign that we are a "chosen, special
people" whose larger
>meaning is to help the world into an era of peace,
prosperity and justice.
>Every politician draws on this "civil religion story"
of benevolence which
>gives authority to the politicians ambition and
agenda. Another way of
>saying this is: every nation needs sacred
legitimation. It needs the
>authority of transcendence: of a story larger than
itself … a story that
>connects past with present and future. An Empire
needs an even broader
>story: one that connects with cosmic and/or
historical redemption and new
>creation.
>
>Martin Luther King understood this sacred American
civil religion and was
>able to wed it brilliantly with the prophetic
religious teachings of the
>Bible. He drew upon Biblical narratives which limited
the power and
>authority of the elite while calling for economic
redistribution of
>wealth. He drew upon teachings rooted in the personal
morality of
>nonviolence and compassion. George Bush, on the other
hand, also
>understands this sacred American 'civic gospel' and
has brilliantly
>merged it with Biblical Holiness and Holy War
traditions. These traditions
>call for the emergence of the Righteous Warrior who
will cleanse the land
>of its impurity. These traditions are rooted in the
personal morality of
>righteous zeal and obedience.
>
>For example:
>
>Mr. Bush consistently sends signals to his right wing
religious base. In
>the 2003 State of the Union he exhorted: "there's
power, wonder working
>power, in the goodness and idealism and faith of the
American people".
>It's a phrase from a well known Communion hymn
"there's power, wonder
>working power in the blood of the lamb". Bush brings
together the holiness
>zeal of Christian evangelicalism with patriotic
fundamentalism. The core
>belief system of this 'civic gospel' goes something
like this: The United
>States was founded as a Christian nation with free
enterprise as the only
>economic system truly compatible with Christian
beliefs. These religious
>values are today under attack in America. The danger
is that without faith
>in God America will lose its blessing. Therefore, the
government needs to
>act to protect the nation's religious heritage.
>
>Mr. Bush's teachings on terrorism: "you are with us
or against us" cements
>for the hearer the apocalyptic world of good versus
evil. There can be no
>neutral ground. You have to make a decision.
Patriotism is now all or
>nothing: it is either total agreement or a slippery
slope towards treason.
>In the Church you come to Jesus alone for salvation.
In the state you obey
>the God-anointed leader and are thereby secured.
>
>Renana Brooks writes (The Nation June 24, 2003: Bush
Dominates A Nation of
>Victims):
>"Bush is a master at inducing learned helplessness in
the electorate. He
>uses pessimistic language that creates fear and
disables people from
>feeling they can solve their problems. In his
September 20, 2001 speech to
>Congress on the 9/11 attacks, he chose to increase
people's sense of
>vulnerability: 'Americans should not expect one
battle, but a lengthy
>campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. … I ask
you to live your
>lives, and hug your children. I know many citizens
have fears tonight …
>Be calm and resolute, even in the face of a
continuing threat.'
>(Subsequent terror alerts .. have maintained and
expanded this fear of
>unknown, sinister enemies.)"
>
>The terror threat itself can only be combated with
increases in military
>force, domestic security and curtailment of civil
rights through Patriot
>Acts. There are no other options nor any dialog or
debate that would
>create an alternative way to deal with terrorism.
>
>3.) Mr. Bush certainly sees himself as a Messiah
figure. Listen to his
>language after 9-11: " I will not forget this wound
to our country or
>those who inflicted it. I will not yield; I will not
rest; I will not
>relent in waging this struggle for freedom and
security for the American
>people." Or, in his 2003 State of the Union speech:
"I will defend the
>freedom and security of the American people". He has
become the nation. He
>is its embodiment. According to Palestinian Prime
Minister Mahmoud Abbas,
>- Bush told him: "God told me to strike at al Qaida
and I struck them, and
>then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I
did, and now I am
>determined to solve the problem in the Middle East.
If you help me I will
>act, and if not, the elections will come and I will
have to focus on
>them." This is Biblical language … it isn't
political script. This is
>Bush's soul language. He understands himself as a man
with a Divine
>mission. It also means that for him leadership is not
"representing the
>people" rather leadership means transcending the will
of the people.
>George Bush already knows the truth before the
evidence is presented. He
>is guided by God and must blaze the trial even if the
people are reluctant.
>
>Iraq, for example, was a necessary war whether or not
Saddam had nukes.
>Saddam, for Bush, was a bad guy who tried to kill "my
dad". The war, for
>Bush, was holy and justified and necessary. Purging
evil is necessary in
>the Holiness/Holy War tradition of the Bible. The
righteous will purge
>evil but the unrighteous will be consumed by it.
>
>Like all religions the Bible has various narratives
within its pages:
>Jesus drew on the prophetic traditions that called
upon the people to
>change their way of life even as it critiqued and
called upon the elites
>to decentralize their power. Jesus role modeled a
lifestyle of redemptive
>suffering on behalf of others. Mr. Bush, however,
draws on traditions that
>call for purity and cleansing. It is a language of
hostility towards
>enemies and a strident call for obedience. It calls
forth a lifestyle of
>the RIGHTEOUS ONE who will purge evil from the world
through sacred
>violence. This religious rhetoric, which merges
Holiness Christianity with
>Imperial Americanism, is "in sync" with a growing new
movement in theology
>called Christian Reconstructionism (or Dominion
Theology).
>
>Reconstructed Fascism
>
>First and most basic is that Dominion Theology wants
to replace democracy
>with a theocratic elite that would govern according
to a very literal and
>peculiar interpretation of Biblical law. The
disciples of Jesus are to
>have "dominion" over all of creation. It is the role
of the Church to rule
>over the wicked and bring them into the obedience of
faith.
>
>In a "reconstructed society" democracy would be
heresy. The division
>between sacred and secular would be abolished. A new
insistence on
>conformity to moral rules would replace the pluralism
we now know. The
>purpose of the Federal government would be to enforce
morality through
>military and police functions. Society would be
regulated by a theocratic
>elite: in the words of Pat Robertson: "just as the
Supreme Court justices
>place a hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the
Constitution, so they
>should also put a hand on the Constitution and swear
to uphold the Bible."
>
>We see this at play in the leanings of Supreme Court
Justices Scalia and
>Thomas. Against the common assumption that we are a
secular state Mr.
>Scalia has said (in a FIRST THINGS: May 2002 )
"government … derives its
>moral authority from God. Government is the minister
of God with powers
>to revenge, to execute wrath, including wrath by the
sword."
>
>Scalia is drawing from Romans 13. If taken literally
the implication of
>those verses would prohibit any resistance against
the policies of a
>government. No more peaceful demonstrations (the
government would be
>justified to do what it did to those recently in
Miami and earlier here in
>Seattle). Even writings of dissent and opposition
could be labeled
>treasonous (this is part of Ashcroft's passion for
Patriot Acts and other
>warnings not to say too much).
>
>Scalia (and many of the conservative judges placed in
Federal Courts since
>Reagan) believe in interpreting the Constitution in
its original intent.
>As Scalia has said (same article as above) "the
constitution that I
>interpret and apply is not living but dead. It means
today not what
>current society ..thinks it ought to mean, but what
it meant when it was
>adopted." So, as Katherine Yurica points out in her
article THE DESPOILING
>OF AMERICA:
>.. since the death penalty was clearly permitted when
the 8th Amendment
>(which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments) was
adopted and at that
>time the death penalty was applied for all felonies
--- including, for
>example, the felony of horse-thieving, "so it is
clearly permitted today".
>
>All a willing Dominionist Republican controlled
congress need do to extend
>the death penalty to those people who practice
witchcraft, adultery,
>homosexuality, heresy, etc. is to find those
particular death penalty laws
>existing as of November 3, 1791 and re-instate them.
>
>Scalia further believes that democracy fosters civil
disobedience and is
>therefore a hindrance to the greater good of law and
order. Our Federal
>Court system is being packed with these types of
Judges … Bush himself
>Will try to fill Court vacancies with these type of
judges.
>
>Secondly: The good society according to Dominion
Theology has men on top.
>Society would be reconstructed into a strong
patriarchy that would provide
>the social pressure ensuring conformity. Women would
find their true
>function as supportive wives, mothers and homemakers.
Those outside this
>"patriarchal modality" would be exterminated. (Today
the Gay marriage
>movement is a true threat to establishing a
patriarchal society. This
>administration has no choice but to make this a MAJOR
issue in the coming
>election.).
>
>Thirdly: Purity becomes very important. There is only
one right way to see
>the world. It is therefore of fundamental importance
to control education
>in all spheres of culture. We see this in the Bush
administration's
>approach to testing in schools; in his massive
discounting of Global
>warming and in his repeated refusals to engage in
open, diversified
>conversation about matters of importance: whether it
be Cheney's Energy
>Task Force, the investigation of 9/11; or the
creation of an "in house"
>intelligence team which created evidence for the
Iraqi war after the other
>governmental agencies couldn't provide it. The Bush
team KNEW the answers
>before the evidence was even accumulated.
>
>Fourth: Dominion Theology denies history and spurns
the modern. It is not
>a conservative (conserving) movement. Although it
might appeal to a
>nostalgic and mythical past it is primarily focused
on a radically,
>revolutionized future of utopia. It assumes that the
end will justify the
>means and it is moral to work as "stealth agents"
fooling the pagans. It
>sees the world as engaged in spiritual warfare
pitting "good Christians"
>against everybody else. This HOLY WAR and HOLINESS
rhetoric is
>foundational in Mr. Bush's worldview.
>
>Now if you think that this talk is bit "hyper" on my
part … that I'm
>Chicken Little squawking in the wind … €¦ what then
do you make of these
>Texas Republican platform positions of 2002 ???
>
>"The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United
States of America is a
>Christian nation.
>
>GOVERNMENT: We reclaim freedom of religious
expression in public on
>government property, and freedom from government
interference. Support
>government display of Ten Commandments. Dispel the
"myth" of separation of
>church and state.
>
>ECONOMY: Abolish the dollar in favor of the gold
standard. Abolish the
>IRS. Eliminate income tax, inheritance tax, gift tax,
capital gains,
>corporate income tax, payroll tax and property tax.
Repeal minimum wage
>law …Gradually phase out Social security tax for a
system of private pensions.
>
>UNITED NATIONS: We immediately rescind our membership
in , as well as
>financial and military contributions to the United
Nations … we should
>evict the United Nations…
>
>FAMILY: We believe that traditional marriage is a
legal and moral
>commitment between a man and a woman. We recognize
that the family is the
>foundational unit of a healthy society and consists
of those related by
>blood, marriage or adoption. The family is
responsible for its own
>welfare, education, moral training, conduct and
property.
>
>EDUCATION: Since Secular Humanism is recognized by
the United States
>Supreme Court as a religion … Secular Humanism should
be subjected to the
>same state and federal laws as any other recognized
religion.
>
>ENVIRONMENT: Oppose the myth of global warming.
Reaffirm the belief in the
>fundamental right of an individual to use property
without governmental
>interference.
>
>
>This coming election will not be decided because of
political policy. It
>will not be decided in a debate over free markets
versus fair markets; tax
>cuts or no tax cuts, Patriot Act or no Patriot Act;
military draft or no
>draft. None of these issues will determine the
election because the
>candidates are all for free markets, tax cuts,
domestic security and a
>strong global military presence. The election will be
determined by the
>candidate who can embody the deeply felt, often
unarticulated religious
>yearnings of the populace. Yearnings such as "who
will save us, secure us,
>lead us??? who will connect us with a power greater
than the terrors of
>the night?" Bush speaks this language. Democrats are
stuck in political
>nuance. Or, in other words, Democrats cannot speak
the language of Martin
>Luther King who understood that social transformation
requires a
>transcendent authority. And it is a vision of
transformation, not nuance,
>that gives people courage to risk alternative paths
to violence.
>
>The problem comes down to this: Democrats, liberals,
and social
>progressives have simply not grasped how afraid,
insecure and how deeply
>in despair the populace is. They keep speaking as if
tinkering with the
>system is a vision that can win the day. What Bush
and Rove, Rumsfeld,
>Cheney, Wolfowitz and Pearls, Abrams and Bolton,
DeLay and Rice etc, have
>clearly understood is that truth is perception. Image
is EVERYTHING!
>
>Unfortunately, the inner person of America today is a
hollowed out
>consumer who lacks the will power, stamina and
imagination to do anything
>more than be overwhelmed by appearances. Therefore, a
politics of crisis,
>a politics of fear will keep us locked into a state
of conformity.
>
>Apocalyptic Fascism
>
>Fueling this politics of fear is yet another
theological worldview of
>crisis and insecurity. Apocalyptic theology is
booming !!! Drawing from
>the Holiness/Holy War traditions of the Bible it
currently dominates the
>mass media expression of Christian faith from which
Bush draws his
>strength. It is a theology of despair that has given
up on the
>possibilities of redemption.
>
>One of the most popular fiction series making the
rounds these days is the
>LEFT BEHIND series written by Tim LaHaye & Jerry
Jenkins. Multiple
>millions of people are reading these books which
fictionalize the end of
>life as we know it. It used to be that the Church
could control people
>through the fear of eternal damnation. Today it is
through fear of the
>future. The theology is basically this: The Bible is
a code book that when
>rightly interpreted reveals that we are living at the
end of history.
>History is scripted and is about to come to a
catastrophic conclusion. The
>only hope is to accept Jesus as your personal Lord
and Savior so that you
>can be "saved" from the future apocalypse. God will
"snatch you up"
>(Rapture) right before a seven year series of
horrible events that will
>see the rise of Antichrist and the rebuilding of the
Jewish temple. There
>will be world war with most of humanity dying. At
that point Jesus will
>return to restore law and order. This theology of
despair "fits" our
>current culture of powerlessness and fear. From SARS
to weapons of mass
>destruction to the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli
conflict, to ecological
>collapse, the whole world seems to be on a "no exit"
slide into an end
>times abyss. The theology of despair is very
seductive and it is shaping
>the spirituality of millions of Christians today.
>
>It has, at least, five political implications that
affect each one of us
>here today. FIRST: Israel is to be exalted and
defended no matter what
>they do to the Palestinian people. They are God's
chosen people and must
>reside in their Biblically anointed Land for the "end
time clock" to tick
>to its final minute. Israel has a Biblical mandate to
conquer and control
>all of the land from the Nile River to the Euphrates.
Behind the politics
>of oil lie the religious passion to fulfill God's
will: Syria must fall.
>
>Secondly: institutions like the United Nations are
not to be trusted
>because they are tools of the Antichrist. The
Antichrist is thought of
>(not as a spirituality or ideology) but as a personal
embodiment of evil.
>The Antichrist will be a living person who will come
to power at the end
>of history and proclaim himself to be god on earth.
The theory has it that
>his power will be generated from within a coalition
of nations. Thus …
>America, as God's chosen nation, will need to go it
alone so as not to be
>duped by Antichrist. Our destiny is to take the
gospel to all the nations:
>a benevolent gospel of security and salvation for
all.
>
>Thirdly: since the world is passing away the
environment is not of great
>importance. There is no need to worry about issues of
sustainability
>because the world is in its final countdown. Part of
the unconcern towards
>global warming and other ecological crisis is the
religious belief that we
>aren't going to be around in 100 years. We're in the
end times now … every
>moment is merely preparation for eternity. Whether
Bushhimself believes
>this or not is irrelevant. This is the religious
worldview of those who
>exalt him and the voter-bloc to which he plays. For
Bush to act for
>sustainability would require a major shift in his
religious narrative. …
>As an aside this past summer the National Park
Service was instructed to
>approve the display of religious symbols and Bible
verses, as well as the
>sale of creationist books at the Grand Canyon
National Park. In December
>2003 the Park Service was ordered to develop a "more
balanced" version of
>an 8 minute video shown at the Lincoln Memorial
Visitor Center.
>Conservative Christians wanted the removal of footage
of gay rights, pro
>choice and anti-war demonstrations replacing it with
footage of Christian
>rallies and pro-war demonstrations.
>
>Fourth: Apocalyptic theology believes that Jesus
dying for my sins is far
>more important than the teachings of Jesus. We see
this in the recent
>movie PASSION OF THE CHRIST. What this creates is a
spirituality that can
>overlook the teachings of Jesus. The Sermon on the
Mount is re-framed as
>an impossible this-worldly ethic. Teachings about
nonviolence, economic
>redistribution, compassion toward those who are
thought of as sinners and
>resistance to injustice are all discounted. Recently,
the Governor of
>Alabama in a fit of religious zeal wanted to take the
economic teachings
>of Jesus seriously: he tried to reform his state to
benefit the poor. The
>Christian Coalition led the charge against such
thinking and foiled his
>efforts.
>
>Fifth: a leader who loves Jesus is to be followed as
God's man for the
>hour. The Christian leader is God's shepherd over the
American flock. When
>Bush, who sees himself as a messianic figure anointed
by God, decided on
>running for the Presidency he called a group of
evangelical Pastors
>together announcing to them "I have heard the call"
and then received from
>them the "laying on of hands" which corresponds to
divine ordination for
>the task ahead. On September 14, 2001 he stated: "our
responsibility
>before history is already clear: to answer these
attacks and rid the world
>of evil". He then launched the crusade Operation
Infinite Freedom against
>Afghanistan. Yet other messianic statements from
Bush:
>
>"History has called America to action. … The great
hope of our time, and
>the great hope of every time, now depends on us."
>"We must also remember our calling as a blessed
nation to make the world
>better … and confound the designs of evil men."
>"Our natioon has been chosen by God and commissioned
by history, to be a
>model of justice before the world."
>*** According to Vice-President Cheney: America "has
the duty to act with
>force to construct a world in the image of the United
States."
>
>In return for this messianic leadership evangelical
Christians have poured
>out an anointing of prayer. During the Afghanistan
crusade thousands of
>"Presidential Circles of Prayer" and "Wheels of
Prayer" were organized on
>the Internet, running 24 hours a day.
>
>WHEEL OF PRAYER FOR OUR SOLDIERS
>Lord hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect
them as they protect us.
>Bless them and their families for the altruistic
actions they are performing
>for us in our time of need. This I ask in the name of
Jesus, our Lord and
>Savior. Amen
>
>This prayer was so popular and was hit so often that
the website crashed
>within days.
>
>Pastor Charles Stanley distributed among Marines as
they entered into
>combat thousands of pamphlets entitled "Duty of a
Christian in Time of
>War". With the pamphlet went a card instructing them
to sign and send
>directly to Mr. Bush. The card says: "I have
committed to pray for you,
>your family and your Administration." Specific
prayers for the President
>were included for each day.
>
>CONCLUSION:
>The point I'm trying to make is that we are not
dealing simply with
>politics when it comes to the Bush administration.
The progressive left,
>which often pays little attention to Christianity,
and the moderate
>middle, which thinks "these things will balance out";
will be making a
>huge mistake if they overlook the religious ideology
at the core of Mr.
>Bush personally and the movement he represents. And
we are talking about a
>"movement" (a movement of 'the people' not just the
elites). We are seeing
>today the emergence of a "fascist movement". It is
bankrolled and
>organized by Corporations, and articulated through
the ideology of
>neo-conservatism. But the troops come out of the
right wing church. And
>that church, drawing upon the Holiness/Holy War
Biblical narratives of
>Apocalyptic-Dominionism theology, is growing in this
country. This is not
>a battle between intellectual and institutional
elites. It is far more
>intimate than that. It's a battle in our homes, our
families, friendships,
>neighborhoods and within our faith communities. Let
me make a rather
>audacious prophecy: WHOEVER CONTROLS THE
INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE WILL
>CONTROL THE FUTURE OF THIS NATION. In other words
it's the vision of Pat
>Robertson or Martin Luther King.
>
>When Dave Korten (author of When Corporations Rule
the World) says that we
>need a "new story"; he is talking about needing a
transcendent authority
>in which we root our political culture. Human beings
cannot live in
>societal form without a sacred narrative. Neither
anarchy nor atheism can
>construct a house that will hold our future. The
Republicans know this
>well. But the Democrats seem clueless.
>
>What we need is a movement of spiritual justice. We
need the language of
>those who can wed America's civil religion with
Biblical prophetic
>narrative. We need to expand that language so that it
can include the
>language and stories that are emerging from the
antiwar, fair trade and
>human rights movements. Together this language can
form a unique new
>narrative that has the power to inspire imagination
and courage. A
>language that can call forth a new coalition powerful
enough to envision a
>new and better world. It will be a language that
articulates "we are the
>ones we are looking for". A language that proclaims
"God with us in our
>diversity" not God above us threatening wrath and
ruin.
>
>
>FASCISM
>
>rigid one party dictatorship
>forcible suppression of the opposition (unions,
minority groups, leftist
>parties etc.)
>retention of private ownership of the means of
production under
>centralized governmental control
>belligerent nationalism
>racism
>glorification of war (militarism)
>forced mass political mobilizations
>cult of the personality around the leader
>
>CHRISTIAN FASCISM:
>We are a chosen people to rule the nations with a rod
of iron for the
>purpose of peace
>We are ordained by God to fight evil which is defined
through the
>protection and expansion of our national interests.
>Private property IS economic justice.
>Individualized morality is institutionalized into
law.
>The Church is mobilized to hang a "sacred canopy"
over the actions of the
>State enforcing the above.
>The above characteristics of fascism are incorporated
under the umbrella
>of Christian symbols fueled by Christian
apocalypticism.
>
>
>SOME RESOURCES
>
>On internet look up Christian Reconstructionism
Dominion Theology
>
>Books:
>Eyes Right edited Chip Berlot South End Press (1995)
>Spiritual Warfare Sara Diamond South End Press (1989)
>*** great resource ***
>Right Wing Populism in America Chip Berlot & Matthew
Lyons
>(Guilford Press, 2000)
>American Dynasty Kevin Phillips (Viking Press, 2004)
>Sorrows of Empire Chalmers Johnson (2004)
>*** Last two are MUST READ books
>
>Articles on Internet:
>America As A One Party State Robert Kuttner
>www.prospect.org/authors/kuttner-r.html
>
>Christian Reconstructionism Fredrick Clarkson
>www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5722.htm
>The Despoiling of America Katherine Yurica
>www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5646.htm
>(this is THE BEST and most frightening article I have
read)
>
>
>Linda L. Starr
>Bush lied, Americans died!
>Free Pinocchio Dumbya downloads
>at<http://starrbuzz.com/Graphics.html>www.starrbuzz.com
>Copyright©1998-2004 Linda L. Starr All Rights
Reserved
>You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright
or other notice from
>copies of the content
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
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<DIV>
<DIV>This is a stunning stroll through the history of power in America, of cynicism at the highest reaches of government and the vengeful capture of the churches to be used subversively as a Trojan horses for neocon control of the populace. </DIV>
<DIV>Other than this, have a nice weekend,</DIV>
<DIV>Frances</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 10:23 AM<BR>>Subject: The theocratic menace & Imperial Presidency<BR>><BR>>Thanks to Mark Crispin Miller, author of The Bush <BR>Dyslexicon, for this <BR>>goodie...I think this more fully illustrates why we <BR>need to elect judges <BR>>and representative officials who are not right wing <BR>extremists. Judges <BR>>who care about our laws and the Constitution are <BR>especially important to <BR>>our Democratic way of life in America.<BR>><BR>>George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascism<BR>>The Imperial Presidency<BR>><BR>>Subj: Fwd: Speech on Pirate TV Monday, Ides of March <BR>2004<BR>>Date: 3/16/04 8:12:09 PM Central Standard Time<BR>>From:<BR>><BR>>Please try to distribute this transcript of a speech <BR>given by The Rev Rich <BR>>Lang presented to his congregation, but I cannot <BR>tell you which day it <BR>>was. He is the Methodist minister of the Seattle <BR>Trinity
Lutheran Church <BR>>in Ballard. It was a transforming moment (hour) as I <BR>watched the video <BR>>last night on Community Access Channel. I suggest <BR>that you print it out <BR>>and study it and make copies to give to folks who are <BR>not on the Internet. <BR>>You will need to cut and paste, but I wanted you to <BR>see my letter to him <BR>>(at the bottom) and his response to me at the top. <BR>Enjoy - or at least if <BR>>you can't "enjoy" it , enjoy thinking! Isn't this <BR>experience that we are <BR>>having right now actually rather fun just because we <BR>are having "to think" <BR>>so much? :)<BR>><BR>>Cheryl<BR>><BR>>-----------------<BR>>Forwarded Message:<BR>>Subj: Re: Speech on Pirate TV Monday, Ides of March <BR>2004<BR>>Date: 3/16/04 12:25:15 AM Central Standard Time<BR>>From: <A
href="http://us.f406.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=oddrev@yahoo.com&YY=81572&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b">oddrev@yahoo.com</A> (Rich Lang)<BR>>To:<BR>><BR>>Do with this as you see fit,<BR>>Rich<BR>>George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascism<BR>>The Imperial Presidency<BR>>The men who wrote the Constitution of the United <BR>States knew that if power <BR>>accrued into the hands of an elite the experiment of <BR>democracy (power <BR>>spread out into the realm of the people) would be <BR>over. So they created a <BR>>system of checks and balances which blocked access to <BR>any one person, or <BR>>any one special interest or elite gaining too much <BR>power over others. Thus <BR>>our executive, legislative and judicial branches of <BR>government "balanced" <BR>>each other. The media was yet another "check" on the <BR>accrual of too much <BR>>power, as was the Bill of Rights, and to some extent <BR>the
Church (or <BR>>churches). The system wasn't perfect but it kept <BR>alive the possibility of <BR>>true democracy. It kept alive the dream that one day <BR>"we the people" could <BR>>live in a peaceful commonwealth where every person <BR>has what they need to <BR>>survive and thrive.<BR>><BR>>That dream died in December 2000 when the checks and <BR>balances of our <BR>>Constitution collapsed and George Bush was inserted <BR>into the Presidency of <BR>>the United States. September 11, 2001 furthered the <BR>atrophying of <BR>>democracy handing the country into the hands of an <BR>emerging Corporate (and <BR>>I say Christian) Fascism. Fascism meaning the <BR>collapse of diverse spheres <BR>>of power into one. Since that time we have witnessed, <BR>and have been unable <BR>>to prevent, the emergence of an Imperial Presidency <BR>that has the <BR>>unrestricted power to declare war against any country <BR>it chooses. The <BR>>Imperial Presidency
has brought to end the <BR>Constitutional mandate that <BR>>ONLY CONGRESS has the authority to declare war. It <BR>has furthered weakened <BR>>international law and undermined the potential of the <BR>United Nations to <BR>>spread democracy throughout the earth.<BR>><BR>>The Imperial Presidency has also gained unrestricted <BR>potential to round up <BR>>American citizens incarcerating them in military <BR>brigs or concentration <BR>>camps for unlimited amounts of time. The presidency <BR>can keep the accused <BR>>from ever again communicating with friends, families, <BR>and attorneys, <BR>>simply on the certification that the incarcerated are <BR>"terrorists," as he <BR>>has done with Jose Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi. The <BR>Presidency may also <BR>>now kill American citizens abroad solely on the basis <BR>of naming the one <BR>>killed "a terrorist". Just ask the family and friends <BR>of Ahmed Hijazi, an <BR>>American killed with a
U.S.-fired missile in Yemen. <BR>This nullifies the <BR>>Constitutional right: "no person shall be denied <BR>life, liberty or property <BR>>without due process of law."<BR>><BR>>Ominous signs are all around us concerning the <BR>accrual of power into the <BR>>hands of the Presidency. If Mr. Bush stays in office <BR>I think our future <BR>>will continue to witness shrinking political rights, <BR>financial collapse <BR>>and endless war. Part of the power and seduction of <BR>this administration <BR>>emerges from its diabolical manipulation of Christian <BR>rhetoric. I want to <BR>>flesh out the ideology of the Christian Fascism that <BR>Mr. Bush articulates. <BR>>It is a form of Christianity that is the mirror <BR>opposite of what Jesus <BR>>embodied. It is, indeed, the materialization of the <BR>spirit of antichrist: <BR>>a perversion of Christian faith and practice.<BR>><BR>>Christian Fascism<BR>><BR>>This country, like it or not, is
overwhelmingly <BR>dominated by the ideology <BR>>of the Christian story. It is not so much that our <BR>founders were all <BR>>Christians. Rather, they lived in an atmosphere which <BR>was visioned through <BR>>the lens of Christian thought and rhetoric. What they <BR>saw was that America <BR>>had become the New Israel (the new Promised Land) of <BR>God. America was a <BR>>benevolent nation seeking only the good of all. Our <BR>wealth is a blessing <BR>>given to us as a sign that we are a "chosen, special <BR>people" whose larger <BR>>meaning is to help the world into an era of peace, <BR>prosperity and justice. <BR>>Every politician draws on this "civil religion story" <BR>of benevolence which <BR>>gives authority to the politicians ambition and <BR>agenda. Another way of <BR>>saying this is: every nation needs sacred <BR>legitimation. It needs the <BR>>authority of transcendence: of a story larger than <BR>itself … a story that <BR>>connects
past with present and future. An Empire <BR>needs an even broader <BR>>story: one that connects with cosmic and/or <BR>historical redemption and new <BR>>creation.<BR>><BR>>Martin Luther King understood this sacred American <BR>civil religion and was <BR>>able to wed it brilliantly with the prophetic <BR>religious teachings of the <BR>>Bible. He drew upon Biblical narratives which limited <BR>the power and <BR>>authority of the elite while calling for economic <BR>redistribution of <BR>>wealth. He drew upon teachings rooted in the personal <BR>morality of <BR>>nonviolence and compassion. George Bush, on the other <BR>hand, also <BR>>understands this sacred American 'civic gospel' and <BR>has brilliantly <BR>>merged it with Biblical Holiness and Holy War <BR>traditions. These traditions <BR>>call for the emergence of the Righteous Warrior who <BR>will cleanse the land <BR>>of its impurity. These traditions are rooted in the <BR>personal
morality of <BR>>righteous zeal and obedience.<BR>><BR>>For example:<BR>><BR>>Mr. Bush consistently sends signals to his right wing <BR>religious base. In <BR>>the 2003 State of the Union he exhorted: "there's <BR>power, wonder working <BR>>power, in the goodness and idealism and faith of the <BR>American people". <BR>>It's a phrase from a well known Communion hymn <BR>"there's power, wonder <BR>>working power in the blood of the lamb". Bush brings <BR>together the holiness <BR>>zeal of Christian evangelicalism with patriotic <BR>fundamentalism. The core <BR>>belief system of this 'civic gospel' goes something <BR>like this: The United <BR>>States was founded as a Christian nation with free <BR>enterprise as the only <BR>>economic system truly compatible with Christian <BR>beliefs. These religious <BR>>values are today under attack in America. The danger <BR>is that without faith <BR>>in God America will lose its blessing. Therefore, the
<BR>government needs to <BR>>act to protect the nation's religious heritage.<BR>><BR>>Mr. Bush's teachings on terrorism: "you are with us <BR>or against us" cements <BR>>for the hearer the apocalyptic world of good versus <BR>evil. There can be no <BR>>neutral ground. You have to make a decision. <BR>Patriotism is now all or <BR>>nothing: it is either total agreement or a slippery <BR>slope towards treason. <BR>>In the Church you come to Jesus alone for salvation. <BR>In the state you obey <BR>>the God-anointed leader and are thereby secured.<BR>><BR>>Renana Brooks writes (The Nation June 24, 2003: Bush <BR>Dominates A Nation of <BR>>Victims):<BR>>"Bush is a master at inducing learned helplessness in <BR>the electorate. He <BR>>uses pessimistic language that creates fear and <BR>disables people from <BR>>feeling they can solve their problems. In his <BR>September 20, 2001 speech to <BR>>Congress on the 9/11 attacks, he chose to increase
<BR>people's sense of <BR>>vulnerability: 'Americans should not expect one <BR>battle, but a lengthy <BR>>campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. … I ask <BR>you to live your <BR>>lives, and hug your children. I know many citizens <BR>have fears tonight … <BR>>Be calm and resolute, even in the face of a <BR>continuing threat.' <BR>>(Subsequent terror alerts .. have maintained and <BR>expanded this fear of <BR>>unknown, sinister enemies.)"<BR>><BR>>The terror threat itself can only be combated with <BR>increases in military <BR>>force, domestic security and curtailment of civil <BR>rights through Patriot <BR>>Acts. There are no other options nor any dialog or <BR>debate that would <BR>>create an alternative way to deal with terrorism.<BR>><BR>>3.) Mr. Bush certainly sees himself as a Messiah <BR>figure. Listen to his <BR>>language after 9-11: " I will not forget this wound <BR>to our country or <BR>>those who inflicted it. I will not
yield; I will not <BR>rest; I will not <BR>>relent in waging this struggle for freedom and <BR>security for the American <BR>>people." Or, in his 2003 State of the Union speech: <BR>"I will defend the <BR>>freedom and security of the American people". He has <BR>become the nation. He <BR>>is its embodiment. According to Palestinian Prime <BR>Minister Mahmoud Abbas, <BR>>- Bush told him: "God told me to strike at al Qaida <BR>and I struck them, and <BR>>then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I <BR>did, and now I am <BR>>determined to solve the problem in the Middle East. <BR>If you help me I will <BR>>act, and if not, the elections will come and I will <BR>have to focus on <BR>>them." This is Biblical language … it isn't <BR>political script. This is <BR>>Bush's soul language. He understands himself as a man <BR>with a Divine <BR>>mission. It also means that for him leadership is not <BR>"representing the <BR>>people" rather leadership
means transcending the will <BR>of the people. <BR>>George Bush already knows the truth before the <BR>evidence is presented. He <BR>>is guided by God and must blaze the trial even if the <BR>people are reluctant.<BR>><BR>>Iraq, for example, was a necessary war whether or not <BR>Saddam had nukes. <BR>>Saddam, for Bush, was a bad guy who tried to kill "my <BR>dad". The war, for <BR>>Bush, was holy and justified and necessary. Purging <BR>evil is necessary in <BR>>the Holiness/Holy War tradition of the Bible. The <BR>righteous will purge <BR>>evil but the unrighteous will be consumed by it.<BR>><BR>>Like all religions the Bible has various narratives <BR>within its pages: <BR>>Jesus drew on the prophetic traditions that called <BR>upon the people to <BR>>change their way of life even as it critiqued and <BR>called upon the elites <BR>>to decentralize their power. Jesus role modeled a <BR>lifestyle of redemptive <BR>>suffering on behalf of
others. Mr. Bush, however, <BR>draws on traditions that <BR>>call for purity and cleansing. It is a language of <BR>hostility towards <BR>>enemies and a strident call for obedience. It calls <BR>forth a lifestyle of <BR>>the RIGHTEOUS ONE who will purge evil from the world <BR>through sacred <BR>>violence. This religious rhetoric, which merges <BR>Holiness Christianity with <BR>>Imperial Americanism, is "in sync" with a growing new <BR>movement in theology <BR>>called Christian Reconstructionism (or Dominion <BR>Theology).<BR>><BR>>Reconstructed Fascism<BR>><BR>>First and most basic is that Dominion Theology wants <BR>to replace democracy <BR>>with a theocratic elite that would govern according <BR>to a very literal and <BR>>peculiar interpretation of Biblical law. The <BR>disciples of Jesus are to <BR>>have "dominion" over all of creation. It is the role <BR>of the Church to rule <BR>>over the wicked and bring them into the obedience of
<BR>faith.<BR>><BR>>In a "reconstructed society" democracy would be <BR>heresy. The division <BR>>between sacred and secular would be abolished. A new <BR>insistence on <BR>>conformity to moral rules would replace the pluralism <BR>we now know. The <BR>>purpose of the Federal government would be to enforce <BR>morality through <BR>>military and police functions. Society would be <BR>regulated by a theocratic <BR>>elite: in the words of Pat Robertson: "just as the <BR>Supreme Court justices <BR>>place a hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the <BR>Constitution, so they <BR>>should also put a hand on the Constitution and swear <BR>to uphold the Bible."<BR>><BR>>We see this at play in the leanings of Supreme Court <BR>Justices Scalia and <BR>>Thomas. Against the common assumption that we are a <BR>secular state Mr. <BR>>Scalia has said (in a FIRST THINGS: May 2002 ) <BR>"government … derives its <BR>>moral authority from God. Government is the
minister <BR>of God with powers <BR>>to revenge, to execute wrath, including wrath by the <BR>sword."<BR>><BR>>Scalia is drawing from Romans 13. If taken literally <BR>the implication of <BR>>those verses would prohibit any resistance against <BR>the policies of a <BR>>government. No more peaceful demonstrations (the <BR>government would be <BR>>justified to do what it did to those recently in <BR>Miami and earlier here in <BR>>Seattle). Even writings of dissent and opposition <BR>could be labeled <BR>>treasonous (this is part of Ashcroft's passion for <BR>Patriot Acts and other <BR>>warnings not to say too much).<BR>><BR>>Scalia (and many of the conservative judges placed in <BR>Federal Courts since <BR>>Reagan) believe in interpreting the Constitution in <BR>its original intent. <BR>>As Scalia has said (same article as above) "the <BR>constitution that I <BR>>interpret and apply is not living but dead. It means <BR>today not what
<BR>>current society ..thinks it ought to mean, but what <BR>it meant when it was <BR>>adopted." So, as Katherine Yurica points out in her <BR>article THE DESPOILING <BR>>OF AMERICA:<BR>>.. since the death penalty was clearly permitted when <BR>the 8th Amendment <BR>>(which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments) was <BR>adopted and at that <BR>>time the death penalty was applied for all felonies <BR>--- including, for <BR>>example, the felony of horse-thieving, "so it is <BR>clearly permitted today".<BR>><BR>>All a willing Dominionist Republican controlled <BR>congress need do to extend <BR>>the death penalty to those people who practice <BR>witchcraft, adultery, <BR>>homosexuality, heresy, etc. is to find those <BR>particular death penalty laws <BR>>existing as of November 3, 1791 and re-instate them.<BR>><BR>>Scalia further believes that democracy fosters civil <BR>disobedience and is <BR>>therefore a hindrance to the greater good of
law and <BR>order. Our Federal <BR>>Court system is being packed with these types of <BR>Judges … Bush himself <BR>>Will try to fill Court vacancies with these type of <BR>judges.<BR>><BR>>Secondly: The good society according to Dominion <BR>Theology has men on top. <BR>>Society would be reconstructed into a strong <BR>patriarchy that would provide <BR>>the social pressure ensuring conformity. Women would <BR>find their true <BR>>function as supportive wives, mothers and homemakers. <BR>Those outside this <BR>>"patriarchal modality" would be exterminated. (Today <BR>the Gay marriage <BR>>movement is a true threat to establishing a <BR>patriarchal society. This <BR>>administration has no choice but to make this a MAJOR <BR>issue in the coming <BR>>election.).<BR>><BR>>Thirdly: Purity becomes very important. There is only <BR>one right way to see <BR>>the world. It is therefore of fundamental importance <BR>to control education <BR>>in all
spheres of culture. We see this in the Bush <BR>administration's <BR>>approach to testing in schools; in his massive <BR>discounting of Global <BR>>warming and in his repeated refusals to engage in <BR>open, diversified <BR>>conversation about matters of importance: whether it <BR>be Cheney's Energy <BR>>Task Force, the investigation of 9/11; or the <BR>creation of an "in house" <BR>>intelligence team which created evidence for the <BR>Iraqi war after the other <BR>>governmental agencies couldn't provide it. The Bush <BR>team KNEW the answers <BR>>before the evidence was even accumulated.<BR>><BR>>Fourth: Dominion Theology denies history and spurns <BR>the modern. It is not <BR>>a conservative (conserving) movement. Although it <BR>might appeal to a <BR>>nostalgic and mythical past it is primarily focused <BR>on a radically, <BR>>revolutionized future of utopia. It assumes that the <BR>end will justify the <BR>>means and it is moral to work as
"stealth agents" <BR>fooling the pagans. It <BR>>sees the world as engaged in spiritual warfare <BR>pitting "good Christians" <BR>>against everybody else. This HOLY WAR and HOLINESS <BR>rhetoric is <BR>>foundational in Mr. Bush's worldview.<BR>><BR>>Now if you think that this talk is bit "hyper" on my <BR>part … that I'm <BR>>Chicken Little squawking in the wind … €¦ what then <BR>do you make of these <BR>>Texas Republican platform positions of 2002 ???<BR>><BR>>"The Republican Party of Texas reaffirms the United <BR>States of America is a <BR>>Christian nation.<BR>><BR>>GOVERNMENT: We reclaim freedom of religious <BR>expression in public on <BR>>government property, and freedom from government <BR>interference. Support <BR>>government display of Ten Commandments. Dispel the <BR>"myth" of separation of <BR>>church and state.<BR>><BR>>ECONOMY: Abolish the dollar in favor of the gold <BR>standard. Abolish the <BR>>IRS. Eliminate
income tax, inheritance tax, gift tax, <BR>capital gains, <BR>>corporate income tax, payroll tax and property tax. <BR>Repeal minimum wage <BR>>law …Gradually phase out Social security tax for a <BR>system of private pensions.<BR>><BR>>UNITED NATIONS: We immediately rescind our membership <BR>in , as well as <BR>>financial and military contributions to the United <BR>Nations … we should <BR>>evict the United Nations…<BR>><BR>>FAMILY: We believe that traditional marriage is a <BR>legal and moral <BR>>commitment between a man and a woman. We recognize <BR>that the family is the <BR>>foundational unit of a healthy society and consists <BR>of those related by <BR>>blood, marriage or adoption. The family is <BR>responsible for its own <BR>>welfare, education, moral training, conduct and <BR>property.<BR>><BR>>EDUCATION: Since Secular Humanism is recognized by <BR>the United States <BR>>Supreme Court as a religion … Secular Humanism should
<BR>be subjected to the <BR>>same state and federal laws as any other recognized <BR>religion.<BR>><BR>>ENVIRONMENT: Oppose the myth of global warming. <BR>Reaffirm the belief in the <BR>>fundamental right of an individual to use property <BR>without governmental <BR>>interference.<BR>><BR>><BR>>This coming election will not be decided because of <BR>political policy. It <BR>>will not be decided in a debate over free markets <BR>versus fair markets; tax <BR>>cuts or no tax cuts, Patriot Act or no Patriot Act; <BR>military draft or no <BR>>draft. None of these issues will determine the <BR>election because the <BR>>candidates are all for free markets, tax cuts, <BR>domestic security and a <BR>>strong global military presence. The election will be <BR>determined by the <BR>>candidate who can embody the deeply felt, often <BR>unarticulated religious <BR>>yearnings of the populace. Yearnings such as "who <BR>will save us, secure us,
<BR>>lead us??? who will connect us with a power greater <BR>than the terrors of <BR>>the night?" Bush speaks this language. Democrats are <BR>stuck in political <BR>>nuance. Or, in other words, Democrats cannot speak <BR>the language of Martin <BR>>Luther King who understood that social transformation <BR>requires a <BR>>transcendent authority. And it is a vision of <BR>transformation, not nuance, <BR>>that gives people courage to risk alternative paths <BR>to violence.<BR>><BR>>The problem comes down to this: Democrats, liberals, <BR>and social <BR>>progressives have simply not grasped how afraid, <BR>insecure and how deeply <BR>>in despair the populace is. They keep speaking as if <BR>tinkering with the <BR>>system is a vision that can win the day. What Bush <BR>and Rove, Rumsfeld, <BR>>Cheney, Wolfowitz and Pearls, Abrams and Bolton, <BR>DeLay and Rice etc, have <BR>>clearly understood is that truth is perception. Image <BR>is
EVERYTHING!<BR>><BR>>Unfortunately, the inner person of America today is a <BR>hollowed out <BR>>consumer who lacks the will power, stamina and <BR>imagination to do anything <BR>>more than be overwhelmed by appearances. Therefore, a <BR>politics of crisis, <BR>>a politics of fear will keep us locked into a state <BR>of conformity.<BR>><BR>>Apocalyptic Fascism<BR>><BR>>Fueling this politics of fear is yet another <BR>theological worldview of <BR>>crisis and insecurity. Apocalyptic theology is <BR>booming !!! Drawing from <BR>>the Holiness/Holy War traditions of the Bible it <BR>currently dominates the <BR>>mass media expression of Christian faith from which <BR>Bush draws his <BR>>strength. It is a theology of despair that has given <BR>up on the <BR>>possibilities of redemption.<BR>><BR>>One of the most popular fiction series making the <BR>rounds these days is the <BR>>LEFT BEHIND series written by Tim LaHaye & Jerry
<BR>Jenkins. Multiple <BR>>millions of people are reading these books which <BR>fictionalize the end of <BR>>life as we know it. It used to be that the Church <BR>could control people <BR>>through the fear of eternal damnation. Today it is <BR>through fear of the <BR>>future. The theology is basically this: The Bible is <BR>a code book that when <BR>>rightly interpreted reveals that we are living at the <BR>end of history. <BR>>History is scripted and is about to come to a <BR>catastrophic conclusion. The <BR>>only hope is to accept Jesus as your personal Lord <BR>and Savior so that you <BR>>can be "saved" from the future apocalypse. God will <BR>"snatch you up" <BR>>(Rapture) right before a seven year series of <BR>horrible events that will <BR>>see the rise of Antichrist and the rebuilding of the <BR>Jewish temple. There <BR>>will be world war with most of humanity dying. At <BR>that point Jesus will <BR>>return to restore law and order. This
theology of <BR>despair "fits" our <BR>>current culture of powerlessness and fear. From SARS <BR>to weapons of mass <BR>>destruction to the ongoing Palestinian-Israeli <BR>conflict, to ecological <BR>>collapse, the whole world seems to be on a "no exit" <BR>slide into an end <BR>>times abyss. The theology of despair is very <BR>seductive and it is shaping <BR>>the spirituality of millions of Christians today.<BR>><BR>>It has, at least, five political implications that <BR>affect each one of us <BR>>here today. FIRST: Israel is to be exalted and <BR>defended no matter what <BR>>they do to the Palestinian people. They are God's <BR>chosen people and must <BR>>reside in their Biblically anointed Land for the "end <BR>time clock" to tick <BR>>to its final minute. Israel has a Biblical mandate to <BR>conquer and control <BR>>all of the land from the Nile River to the Euphrates. <BR>Behind the politics <BR>>of oil lie the religious passion to fulfill
God's <BR>will: Syria must fall.<BR>><BR>>Secondly: institutions like the United Nations are <BR>not to be trusted <BR>>because they are tools of the Antichrist. The <BR>Antichrist is thought of <BR>>(not as a spirituality or ideology) but as a personal <BR>embodiment of evil. <BR>>The Antichrist will be a living person who will come <BR>to power at the end <BR>>of history and proclaim himself to be god on earth. <BR>The theory has it that <BR>>his power will be generated from within a coalition <BR>of nations. Thus … <BR>>America, as God's chosen nation, will need to go it <BR>alone so as not to be <BR>>duped by Antichrist. Our destiny is to take the <BR>gospel to all the nations: <BR>>a benevolent gospel of security and salvation for <BR>all.<BR>><BR>>Thirdly: since the world is passing away the <BR>environment is not of great <BR>>importance. There is no need to worry about issues of <BR>sustainability <BR>>because the world is in its
final countdown. Part of <BR>the unconcern towards <BR>>global warming and other ecological crisis is the <BR>religious belief that we <BR>>aren't going to be around in 100 years. We're in the <BR>end times now … every <BR>>moment is merely preparation for eternity. Whether <BR>Bushhimself believes <BR>>this or not is irrelevant. This is the religious <BR>worldview of those who <BR>>exalt him and the voter-bloc to which he plays. For <BR>Bush to act for <BR>>sustainability would require a major shift in his <BR>religious narrative. … <BR>>As an aside this past summer the National Park <BR>Service was instructed to <BR>>approve the display of religious symbols and Bible <BR>verses, as well as the <BR>>sale of creationist books at the Grand Canyon <BR>National Park. In December <BR>>2003 the Park Service was ordered to develop a "more <BR>balanced" version of <BR>>an 8 minute video shown at the Lincoln Memorial <BR>Visitor Center. <BR>>Conservative
Christians wanted the removal of footage <BR>of gay rights, pro <BR>>choice and anti-war demonstrations replacing it with <BR>footage of Christian <BR>>rallies and pro-war demonstrations.<BR>><BR>>Fourth: Apocalyptic theology believes that Jesus <BR>dying for my sins is far <BR>>more important than the teachings of Jesus. We see <BR>this in the recent <BR>>movie PASSION OF THE CHRIST. What this creates is a <BR>spirituality that can <BR>>overlook the teachings of Jesus. The Sermon on the <BR>Mount is re-framed as <BR>>an impossible this-worldly ethic. Teachings about <BR>nonviolence, economic <BR>>redistribution, compassion toward those who are <BR>thought of as sinners and <BR>>resistance to injustice are all discounted. Recently, <BR>the Governor of <BR>>Alabama in a fit of religious zeal wanted to take the <BR>economic teachings <BR>>of Jesus seriously: he tried to reform his state to <BR>benefit the poor. The <BR>>Christian Coalition led
the charge against such <BR>thinking and foiled his <BR>>efforts.<BR>><BR>>Fifth: a leader who loves Jesus is to be followed as <BR>God's man for the <BR>>hour. The Christian leader is God's shepherd over the <BR>American flock. When <BR>>Bush, who sees himself as a messianic figure anointed <BR>by God, decided on <BR>>running for the Presidency he called a group of <BR>evangelical Pastors <BR>>together announcing to them "I have heard the call" <BR>and then received from <BR>>them the "laying on of hands" which corresponds to <BR>divine ordination for <BR>>the task ahead. On September 14, 2001 he stated: "our <BR>responsibility <BR>>before history is already clear: to answer these <BR>attacks and rid the world <BR>>of evil". He then launched the crusade Operation <BR>Infinite Freedom against <BR>>Afghanistan. Yet other messianic statements from <BR>Bush:<BR>><BR>>"History has called America to action. … The great <BR>hope of our time, and
<BR>>the great hope of every time, now depends on us."<BR>>"We must also remember our calling as a blessed <BR>nation to make the world <BR>>better … and confound the designs of evil men."<BR>>"Our natioon has been chosen by God and commissioned <BR>by history, to be a <BR>>model of justice before the world."<BR>>*** According to Vice-President Cheney: America "has <BR>the duty to act with <BR>>force to construct a world in the image of the United <BR>States."<BR>><BR>>In return for this messianic leadership evangelical <BR>Christians have poured <BR>>out an anointing of prayer. During the Afghanistan <BR>crusade thousands of <BR>>"Presidential Circles of Prayer" and "Wheels of <BR>Prayer" were organized on <BR>>the Internet, running 24 hours a day.<BR>><BR>>WHEEL OF PRAYER FOR OUR SOLDIERS<BR>>Lord hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect <BR>them as they protect us.<BR>>Bless them and their families for the altruistic
<BR>actions they are performing<BR>>for us in our time of need. This I ask in the name of <BR>Jesus, our Lord and <BR>>Savior. Amen<BR>><BR>>This prayer was so popular and was hit so often that <BR>the website crashed <BR>>within days.<BR>><BR>>Pastor Charles Stanley distributed among Marines as <BR>they entered into <BR>>combat thousands of pamphlets entitled "Duty of a <BR>Christian in Time of <BR>>War". With the pamphlet went a card instructing them <BR>to sign and send <BR>>directly to Mr. Bush. The card says: "I have <BR>committed to pray for you, <BR>>your family and your Administration." Specific <BR>prayers for the President <BR>>were included for each day.<BR>><BR>>CONCLUSION:<BR>>The point I'm trying to make is that we are not <BR>dealing simply with <BR>>politics when it comes to the Bush administration. <BR>The progressive left, <BR>>which often pays little attention to Christianity, <BR>and the moderate <BR>>middle,
which thinks "these things will balance out"; <BR>will be making a <BR>>huge mistake if they overlook the religious ideology <BR>at the core of Mr. <BR>>Bush personally and the movement he represents. And <BR>we are talking about a <BR>>"movement" (a movement of 'the people' not just the <BR>elites). We are seeing <BR>>today the emergence of a "fascist movement". It is <BR>bankrolled and <BR>>organized by Corporations, and articulated through <BR>the ideology of <BR>>neo-conservatism. But the troops come out of the <BR>right wing church. And <BR>>that church, drawing upon the Holiness/Holy War <BR>Biblical narratives of <BR>>Apocalyptic-Dominionism theology, is growing in this <BR>country. This is not <BR>>a battle between intellectual and institutional <BR>elites. It is far more <BR>>intimate than that. It's a battle in our homes, our <BR>families, friendships, <BR>>neighborhoods and within our faith communities. Let <BR>me make a rather
<BR>>audacious prophecy: WHOEVER CONTROLS THE <BR>INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE WILL <BR>>CONTROL THE FUTURE OF THIS NATION. In other words <BR>it's the vision of Pat <BR>>Robertson or Martin Luther King.<BR>><BR>>When Dave Korten (author of When Corporations Rule <BR>the World) says that we <BR>>need a "new story"; he is talking about needing a <BR>transcendent authority <BR>>in which we root our political culture. Human beings <BR>cannot live in <BR>>societal form without a sacred narrative. Neither <BR>anarchy nor atheism can <BR>>construct a house that will hold our future. The <BR>Republicans know this <BR>>well. But the Democrats seem clueless.<BR>><BR>>What we need is a movement of spiritual justice. We <BR>need the language of <BR>>those who can wed America's civil religion with <BR>Biblical prophetic <BR>>narrative. We need to expand that language so that it <BR>can include the <BR>>language and stories that are emerging from the
<BR>antiwar, fair trade and <BR>>human rights movements. Together this language can <BR>form a unique new <BR>>narrative that has the power to inspire imagination <BR>and courage. A <BR>>language that can call forth a new coalition powerful <BR>enough to envision a <BR>>new and better world. It will be a language that <BR>articulates "we are the <BR>>ones we are looking for". A language that proclaims <BR>"God with us in our <BR>>diversity" not God above us threatening wrath and <BR>ruin.<BR>><BR>><BR>>FASCISM<BR>><BR>>rigid one party dictatorship<BR>>forcible suppression of the opposition (unions, <BR>minority groups, leftist <BR>>parties etc.)<BR>>retention of private ownership of the means of <BR>production under <BR>>centralized governmental control<BR>>belligerent nationalism<BR>>racism<BR>>glorification of war (militarism)<BR>>forced mass political mobilizations<BR>>cult of the personality around the
leader<BR>><BR>>CHRISTIAN FASCISM:<BR>>We are a chosen people to rule the nations with a rod <BR>of iron for the <BR>>purpose of peace<BR>>We are ordained by God to fight evil which is defined <BR>through the <BR>>protection and expansion of our national interests.<BR>>Private property IS economic justice.<BR>>Individualized morality is institutionalized into <BR>law.<BR>>The Church is mobilized to hang a "sacred canopy" <BR>over the actions of the <BR>>State enforcing the above.<BR>>The above characteristics of fascism are incorporated <BR>under the umbrella <BR>>of Christian symbols fueled by Christian <BR>apocalypticism.<BR>><BR>><BR>>SOME RESOURCES<BR>><BR>>On internet look up Christian Reconstructionism <BR>Dominion Theology<BR>><BR>>Books:<BR>>Eyes Right edited Chip Berlot South End Press (1995)<BR>>Spiritual Warfare Sara Diamond South End Press (1989)<BR>>*** great resource ***<BR>>Right Wing Populism in
America Chip Berlot & Matthew <BR>Lyons<BR>>(Guilford Press, 2000)<BR>>American Dynasty Kevin Phillips (Viking Press, 2004)<BR>>Sorrows of Empire Chalmers Johnson (2004)<BR>>*** Last two are MUST READ books<BR>><BR>>Articles on Internet:<BR>>America As A One Party State Robert Kuttner <BR>>www.prospect.org/authors/kuttner-r.html<BR>><BR>>Christian Reconstructionism Fredrick Clarkson<BR>>www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5722.htm<BR>>The Despoiling of America Katherine Yurica<BR>>www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5646.htm<BR>>(this is THE BEST and most frightening article I have <BR>read)<BR>><BR>><BR>>Linda L. Starr<BR>>Bush lied, Americans died!<BR>>Free Pinocchio Dumbya downloads <BR>>at<<A href="http://starrbuzz.com/Graphics.html" target=_blank><FONT color=#0000ff>http://starrbuzz.com/Graphics.html</FONT></A>>www.starrbuzz.com<BR>>Copyright©1998-2004 Linda L. Starr All Rights
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