Practicing For Theocracy - US Theocrats let their repressive destructive flag fly in other countries

[Shallah Kali]

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/practicing-for-theocracy.html

One of the hallmarks of the arguments against using hyperbolic terms against our fellow American theocrats is that they aren't actually doing the crazy things that other pre-modern theocrats do, so it's unfair to compare them. Except --- they are. They just let their repressive, destructive flag fly in other countries:

snip

You'll recall that Rick Warren had to be dragged kicking and screaming into publicly denouncing "the first purpose driven country" Uganda's gay death penalty law last year. These African countries are serving as laboratories for Christian Reconstructionism:

snip

I understand that complacent Americans think these people aren't dangerous and don't have any real influence in America. They are often referred to as "a joke" among the cogoscenti. And it's true that in everyday American life their influence is still constrained by our constitution (which a large majority of Tea Partiers believe is a sacred Christian text written to affirm Biblical law) and long history of secular culture and rule of law. At the moment they are confined to burning African witches and influencing African nations to criminalize homosexuality and abortion and require adherence to Christian beliefs.

It's hard to know what will happen if these people begin to exert even stronger influence over the Republican party in a time of great stress and transition in this country. Obviously, it's unlikely they will be able to turn the US into a nation that believes its children are possessed by witches. But I think it's fair to say they are people who will exert their influence in ways that are pernicious and regressive. I also think it's fairly foolish to be sanguine about that.

http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/9/21/223455/252

Throughout Africa -- mainly in Christian countries -- vast numbers of children have been abandoned by their parents, or worse, often maimed or tortured, on suspicion of being "witches."

The witch hunts aren't just a resurgence of indigenous beliefs. They are part of a new and rapidly growing worldwide religious movement within the Pentecostal/charismatic branch of Christianity.

Aggressive crusades against alleged malevolent "witches" are encouraged by the "spiritual warfare" doctrines of some major leaders of one of the world's fastest-growing international religious movements, the "apostolic and prophetic" wing of Pentecostal/Charismatic Christianity.


One well-known adherent of this movement is Sarah Palin, about whom see Sarah Palin's 'Witchcraft Problem' Is Bigger Than Christine O'Donnell's 'Witchcraft Problem' by Bruce Wilson, September 21, 2010, on Talk To Action -- the blog which first broke the story of how, when Sarah Palin first went into politics, she was "anointed" by Thomas Muthee, an internationally recognized (within at least one sector of the Pentecostal/charismatic world) "apostle" who gave her a blessing to protect her against "witches." Other, even more explosive aspects of this story have not yet reached the mass media, though they are well-documented here on Talk To Action. Among other things, Thomas Muthee has acted as a witch hunter in Africa.

[47of74]

1. I saw how Talibanistic these groups got during the last admin

And it wasn't in other countries, but right here in our own nation. Terri Schiavo comes to mind here.

[Shallah Kali]

2. Yes but they hadn't graduated to egging on giving glbtq the death penalty

imagine what a voting majority if only at your local level of these sorts would do here in the US. Consider how Sam brownback is running for Kansas Gov. and he used to room with Lou Engle & how Engle thinks homosexuality and things like cancer are caused by demons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7iNftDaIjc

Lou Engle Only One of Many of Sen. Brownback's New Apostolic Reformation Apostle Problems - Native Americans are claimed to be under the control of Baal, Leviathan, and the Queen of Heaven. This last principality is claimed to also control Roman Catholics (non-Charismatic) and Muslims
http://www.talk2action.org/story/2010/10/17/11135/471/Front_Page/_Lou_Engle_Only_One_of_Many_of_Sen_Brownback_s_NAR_Apostle_Problems

GOP's New Prayer Guru Lou Engle Helping Incite Near-Genocidal Anti-Gay Hatred in Uganada
http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/04/24/gops-new-prayer-guru-helping-incite-near-genocidal-antigay-hatred-in-uganda/

mocking palin or o'donnell witchy shenanigans might ve fun it is important to rememver for some people this is deadly serious. they really think demons are out to get them and can leap out of people with opposing political views - or halloween candy: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/29/christian-broadcasting-ne_n_338738.html

Texas Republican Gohmert: Demons Have Invaded The Capital
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/16/texas-republican-goehmert_n_500805.html

[TheMadMonk]

3. You're missing the likelihood that these new "Christian" nations...

...will end up in head to head fights with the Muslim African nations.

I don't see this being anything but very very messy for all concerned, except the profit takers.

[Hannah Bell]

4. +100.

[laughingliberal]

5. K & R nt

[Hannah Bell]

6. There's a tie to education deform too. Oasis Trust is an evangelical NGO based in the UK but

operating globally.

They've spun off something called Oasis Learning Community to operate charter schools in the UK & elsewhere. Oasis personnel have ties to US religious:

Oasis is already in the US, partnered with America's Fuller Theological Seminary, "the largest multi-denominational Christian seminary in the world," and "arguably the most influential."

Influential graduates include RICK WARREN, SADDLEBACK CHURCH & BILL BRIGHT, CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST. BILLY GRAHAM is closely associated with Fuller as well. He was mentored by its founders & continued his association as a Board member.

http://www.oasisuk.org/world/countries/USA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuller_Theological_Seminary

http://www.fuller.edu/page.aspx?id=7693


Saddleback, Graham & Bright are networked to most of the key people in the right-wing religious sphere. For example, Bill Bright's Campus Crusade was funded by Nelson Bunker Hunt.

Bright "positioned CCC as a major behind-the-scenes player in the creation of a network of organisations with overlapping memberships and finances. These included the Christian Freedom Fund, Moral Majority, Religious Roundtable, Christian Coalition, Alliance Defence Fund, Christian Voice...and the National Religious Broadcaster...(and).. the Council for National Policy (NCP)...

According to the New York Times it’s "a little known club of a few hundred of the most powerful conservatives in the country. They meet at undisclosed locations for a confidential conference ... to strategise about how to turn the country to the Right".

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=3960


Founder Steve Chalke believes that ‘we have to look beyond what we now call politics to find leaders to address these underlying issues. The struggle to reshape the meaning of politics is one we must engage in. The church has a major role and responsibility in this process.' Chalke is developing the Charities Parliament, in order to establish a stronger voice for third sector organizations in public life. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Chalke.

Oasis's job Academy job listings note: "it is vital that our staff own our Christ-centered ethos"
http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=114.


The tentacles of the dominionist religious are in every institution.