"Christian Nation" mumbo jumbo cleared up once and for all.
Raymond
"Christian Nation" mumbo jumbo cleared up once and for all.
By: bluegal @ 12:59 PM - PDT
Well, one can hope. Garry Wills and I are both believing
Christians, though certain fundamentalists would argue that, since
Wills is Catholic and I'm Quaker, we don't count. His interview on
Fresh Air (NPR) Thursday was the strongest and most lucid argument FOR
the separation of Church and State I've ever heard: separation of
Church and State ENCOURAGES religious practice among individuals,
rather than stymies it.
In a new book about the constitutional separation of church and state,
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Garry Wills insists that that
separation was meant as "the great protector of religion, not its
enemy."
The entire interview is about twenty-five minutes long and well worth
the listen.
Fresh Air from WHYY, October 4, 2007 ·
In a new book about the constitutional separation of church and
state, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Garry Wills insists that that
separation was meant as "the great protector of religion, not its
enemy." That, as Wills tells guest host Dave Davies, hasn't stopped
fervent believers from challenging the concept.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14986005
liz_...@yahoo.com
Fundamentalism isn't about any particular religion - it's about the
impulse to dominate and control others.
In any religion, fundamentalism is an expression of the psychopathic
authoritarian impulse.
LizD
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
Sadly, you are wrong. The "christian nation mumbo-jumbo" IS NOT
cleared up once and for all.
Why not?
Because the true believers are just that -- true believers. They are
not interested in facts, logic, history, reasoning, or even good
sense. The "bible" tells them, their preachers tell them, and they
believe. Period. End of discussion.
Remember Monica Goodling? It's a shame that she faded from the public
eye so quickly -- this young woman came from an evangelical christian
family, was home-schooled (using textbooks purchased from evangelical
home-schooling suppliers), educated (if you can call it that) at
Patrick Henry College (a christian college), and completed Pat
Robertson's law school where they teach "a biblical approach to the
law." She knows that the US is a christian nation. She knows that
George Bush is a christian man. She is totally devoted to George Bush
because of his christian beliefs. So -- she would not hire, in fact,
she fired, anyone who was not completely supportive of George Bush.
And what's worse is that eight years of Bush has put hundreds of
people like this into the federal bureaucracy where they can cause
serious damage for years and years.
I wish it were the end of the "christian nation mumbo-jumbo" but I'm
afraid it's just the beginning.
Tom Delancy
Sadly, it may come to a civil war.
If you really want to be shocked, read-up on RJ Rushdoony and the
Christian Dominionist/Reconstructionist movement.
This anti-American "Christian" group wants to overthrow the republic
and establish a right-wing Christian theocracy.
Based out of The Chalcedon Foundation, this group of fanatics want to
tear up our Constitution and replace it with Rushdoony's "Institutes
of Christian Law", which stipulates death for disobedient children,
among other insanities.
And Rushdoony's evil has penetrated mainstream Republican thinking.
Tom
middle_class_warrior
state sponsored religion. The Dark Ages lasted 1000 years because the
Catholic church got in bed with the European kings. The wars that
continued into the 18th century were religious wars between Catholics
who wanted th perpetuate their way and Protestants who wanted to go down
a different road. Many people who settled in the US fled from the
religious oppression in Europe.
The Founding Fathers were very aware the anti-Catholic and anti-monarchy
basis of the French revolution which proceeded the American Revolution.
This is why we have the First Amendment.
The defeat of the Republicans in 2006 spelled the end of exceptional
political influence of the Fundies who want everyone to have the same
religious beliefs that they do. If they want to be deluded about the
nature of the world and the universe, it is OK with me. But don't try
to make me or my kids believe any of that baloney!