Fascism will return not wearing Swastikas but bearing Crosses and Bibles

[RamboLiberal]

If you haven't already - read the 2 part Harper's Magazine on the Dominionists - Evangelical Christians - their megachurches and Christian Hate Radio. Gave me chills cause I see it happening.

<snip>

I can't help but recall the words of my ethics professor at Harvard Divinity School, Dr. James Luther Adams, who told us that when we were his age, and he was then close to eighty, we would all be fighting the "Christian fascists."

He gave us that warning twenty-five years ago, when Pat Robertson and other prominent evangelists began speaking of a new political religion that would direct its efforts at taking control of all major American institutions, including mainstream denominations and the government, so as to transform the United States into a global Christian empire. At the time, it was hard to take such fantastic rhetoric seriously. But fascism, Adams warned, would not return wearing swastikas and brown shirts. Its ideological inheritors would cloak themselves in the language of the Bible; they would come carrying crosses and chanting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Adams had watched American intellectuals and industrialists flirt with fascism in the 1930s. Mussolini's Corporatism, which created an unchecked industrial and business aristocracy, had appealed to many at the time as an effective counterweight to the New Deal. In 1934, Fortune magazine lavished praise on the Italian dictator for his defanging of labor unions and his empowerment of industrialists at the expense of workers. Then as now, Adams said, too many liberals failed to understand the power and allure of evil, and when the radical Christians came, these people would undoubtedly play by the old, polite rules of democracy long after those in power had begun to dismantle the democratic state. Adams had watched German academics fall silent or conform. He knew how desperately people want to believe the comfortable lies told by totalitarian movements, how easily those lies lull moderates into passivity.

Adams told us to watch closely the Christian right's persecution of homosexuals and lesbians. Hitler, he reminded us, promised to restore moral values not long after he took power in 1933, then imposed a ban on all homosexual and lesbian organizations and publications. Then came raids on the places where homosexuals gathered, culminating on May 6, 1933, with the ransacking of the Institute for Sexual Science in Berlin. Twelve thousand volumes from the institute's library were tossed into a public bonfire. Homosexuals and lesbians, Adams said, would be the first deviants singled out by the Christian right. We would be the next.

http://www.harpers.org/FeelingTheHate.html

http://www.harpers.org/SoldiersOfChrist.html

[realFedUp]

1. first they came for them.....

and we said nothing.

[leftofthedial]

2. what do you mean "will return"?

it's already here.

[RamboLiberal]

4. I was quoting the Harvard ethics professor who predicted

it 25 years ago.

[leftofthedial]

6. I know

prescient

[liberal N proud]

5. Echo my thoughts exactly

[bigmonkey]

3. Just thought I would point out

that the swastika is a kind of cross. I expect both "Christian" Nazis and "non-Christian" Nazis could identify with the symbol at the time.

[jokerman93]

11. yes swastika = cross

The swastika is a spinning cross representing, among other things, the whirlwind.

[megatherium]

15. I thought the swastika comes from northern India.

Somehow associated with the Aryan race. You can see swastikas in Tibetan art, although of course they have absolutely nothing to do with racism or fascism. (Nothing to do with Christianity either, unless a twisted version of Christianity that substituted race and blood for the Gospel.)

[kineneb]

29. Ancient symbol, co-opted by Hitler

The swastika is found in architectural art from ancient Persia across to India. Usually the arms are going in the opposite direction from the design used by Hitler.

[TWiley]

7. This is one Great Article

You would not believe so-called Christian radio in this neck of the woods. It is horrible.

We really need to look into which churches the shrub is financing with taxpayer dollars through "faith based initiatives". I would not even be shocked to find we were buying assault weapons for the KKK. My confidence is that low in this administration and in the Christian church.

[RamboLiberal]

8. Also this Rolling Stone article - The Crusaders

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7235393?pageid=rs.Home&pageregion=single7

In the Harper article that Pastor Ted talks to * or someone in the WH every Monday. In the Rolling Stone article It helps that Dominionists have a direct line to the White House: The Rev. Richard Land, top lobbyist for the 16-million-member Southern Baptist Convention, enjoys a weekly conference call with top Bush advisers including Karl Rove.

How many of these "Crusaders" does * talk to every week and where the hell is the outrage? Dem politicians are too scared to touch this and forget the damn media!

[Neoma]

22. WHOA!

Snip:
"I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior for whose kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen and coming again, with life and liberty for all who believe."

>?!?!??!?!!?


Omg how arrogant...that just pisses me off.

[neweurope]

36. Ah - "life and liberty" only for BELIEVERS???!!

:scared:

------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[BrotherBuzz]

45. Katherine Yurica's piece merits a read, too

The Despoiling of America


How George W. Bush became the head of the new American Dominionist Church/State

By Katherine Yurica

The First Prince of the Theocratic States of America

It happened quietly, with barely a mention in the media. Only the Washington Post dutifully reported it.<1> And only Kevin Phillips saw its significance in his new book, American Dynasty.<2> On December 24, 2001, Pat Robertson resigned his position as President of the Christian Coalition.

Behind the scenes religious conservatives were abuzz with excitement. They believed Robertson had stepped down to allow the ascendance of the President of the United States of America to take his rightful place as the head of the true American Holy Christian Church.

Robertson’s act was symbolic, but it carried a secret and solemn revelation to the faithful. It was the signal that the Bush administration was a government under God that was led by an anointed President who would be the first regent in a dynasty of regents awaiting the return of Jesus to earth. The President would now be the minister through whom God would execute His will in the nation. George W. Bush accepted his scepter and his sword with humility, grace and a sense of exultation.

As Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court explained a few months later, the Bible teaches and Christians believe “… that government …derives its moral authority from God. Government is the ‘minister of God’ with powers to ‘revenge,’ to ‘execute wrath,’ including even wrath by the sword…”<3>

George W. Bush began to wield the sword of God’s revenge with relish from the beginning of his administration, but most of us missed the sword play. I have taken the liberty to paraphrase an illustration from Leo Strauss, the father of the neo-conservative movement, which gives us a clue of how the hiding is done:

“One ought not to say to those whom one wants to kill, ‘Give me your votes, because your votes will enable me to kill you and I want to kill you,’ but merely, ‘Give me your votes,’ for once you have the power of the votes in your hand, you can satisfy your desire.”

(more, lots more!!!)

http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheDespoilingOfAmerica.htm

[mimitabby]

9. swastikas ARE crosses.

but they forever spoiled that variety of cross for the rest of the world.

[tanyev]

10. I just re-read The Handmaid's Tale.

Chilling. I don't know how long ago I first read it, but I know I thought of it as nothing more than an interesting fantasy at the time. Now it seems prophetic.

[Helga Scow Stern]

12. New Lifers and elections -- even in the Ukraine--

I knew it!!!

“There was,” Pastor Ted said one afternoon in his office, “a significant influence exerted on the last election by Colorado Springs.” He was meeting with me and another reporter, an Australian from a financial paper.

“You mean,” the Australian asked, “almost like a force going out from Colorado Springs?”

A force—Pastor Ted liked that. He smiled and offered other examples. His favorite was the Ukraine, where, he claimed, a sister church to New Life had led the protests that helped sweep the pro-Western candidate into power. Kiev is, in fact, home to Europe’s largest evangelical church, and over the last dozen years the Ukrainian evangelical population has grown more than tenfold, from 250,000 to 3 million. According to Ted, it was this army of Christian capitalists that took to the streets. “They’re pro-free markets, they’re pro-private property,” he said. “That’s what evangelical stands for.”

[Toots]

13. Nostradamas said false anti-christ would be accompanied by crosses turned

topsey-turvey. Everyone assumed this to be a description of the Swastika and Hitler but it could be possible that topsey-turvey meant teachings of Christ turned upside down as is being done today by the Right-wing fanatics.

[RamboLiberal]

14. Toots - I think you have something there

eom

[lonestarnot]

27. Wow this is one I did not know...

[Nostradammit]

34. Or something like that...

;-)

[megatherium]

16. I read the Harper's article. A bit overwrought.

I think the fraction of the religious right that is represented by the true Dominionists (who want to replace the Constitution with the Bible) is very small. In fact, folks on the religious right have made note of the left's portrayal of them as Dominionists -- the right takes this as a paranoid fantasy or else a deliberate slander. To folks on the right, it's the left that wants to take our rights away; our right to keep and arm bears, our right to castigate homosexuals by quoting Bible verses in public, etc. (Supposedly in Sweden, some pastor got convicted of a hate crime by quoting the Bible against gay people; this is threatening to evangelicals who believe that this will happen in this country and it will destroy their right to evangelize.)

[Cats Against Frist]

17. I hope they get to keep their right to "evangelize," and I, mine

May my lips and fingers go numb preaching that right-wing evangelical consumer "Christianity" is the exercise of the Anti-Christ, and that only the tenets of Enlightenment philosophy, combined with the philosophical Jesus and his message of love, are the mother and father of freedom and liberty, and the intended legacy of our nation and our founders. Equality before the father, brotherhood (& sisterhood) in Christ and liberty in the spirit. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite & the prophets Buddha and Thomas Jefferson. Humanity on high.

I'm a postmodernist gnostic rationalist. :) Nice to meet you.

[TWiley]

18. They enjoy a lot more support than you would expect.

They do it through issues:

Prayer in schools.
Gawd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Anti-homosexual hatred.
Anti Abortion.
Pro Family rhetoric
Pro-war and patriotic rhetoric.
Anti "Activist Judges"
Anti evolution
Defending the "institution of marriage"
and so on.

Most people do not realize that they quote Klan philosophy as though it came from a box of Wheaties. They sell the public on a handful of issues, then they present a group that appears to represent them all to their satisfaction. What they do not tell you is that they are resurrecting the "manifest destiny" where white males have divine right to rape, pillage, and destroy other cultures under the guise of evangelizing for Christ. Of course, this is merely "greed with a halo" as we liberate the heathens from their mineral wealth.

I hear their philosophy almost non-stop on Christian radio and TV. I read it often in the news. Many pundits cite it, but nobody calls it what it is. Just listen to Rush Limbaugh or Hannity for an hour. They will cite it chapter and verse.

[megatherium]

24. I'll grant you: they want to amend the constitution to ban gay marriage.

But still I think this is more of a wedge issue than a real effort to make this an overtly Christian nation. The local (Louisville) megachurch put up billboards last fall saying "marriage one man one woman God's plan", and in October they had a three-sermon series on marriage. This church has 18000 worshipers on a typical weekend. They were just playing their part in Republican politics -- there was a ballot measure to ban gay marriage in Kentucky, and the goal was to get the evangelicals out to vote. It succeeded: the measure passed 75% to 25%, and Jim Bunning, the senile Republican senator, won re-election in a very narrow race.

Some years ago, it was the don't-burn-the-flag constitutional amendment. This amendment effort was never sincere by Republicans, it was just another effort to pander to prejudice. Came a time, however, when it looked like there were enough votes in the Senate to pass the damned thing; not the intended outcome because it would damage the constitution and it would deprive the Republicans of a fine wedge issue. So one single Republican senator took it upon himself to change his vote. This turned out to be Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who represents the coal and tobacco interests. He gave a remarkably pious speech about freedom of speech to explain his vote against the amendment. (Freedom of speech for McConnell usually has more to do with opposing campaign finance reforms.)

[TWiley]

44. The "Megachurch" phenomena is scary.

It would not take much to turn 18,000 emoting souls into a lynch mob. Especially when they tend to agree on conservative political issues, and their religion requires that they "accept things by faith alone". This generally means that it only needs to be said in church in order to be made true. No further evidence is required.

A wedge must be driven between the sane Christians, and the radicals. Criticizing a single Christian for their outrageous behavior is equated to criticizing Christianity as a whole today.

The dominionists use this argument to throw up a "human shield" around their festering movement. Unfortunately, most Christians lack the intellectual curiosity necessary to understand what exactly it is they are defending.

The most recent use of this propaganda tool (in my memory) was "justice Sunday" where the public claim was made that Democrats effectively hate Jesus and Christianity as a whole.

There must be a way to educate the public on this issue.

[megatherium]

46. The wedge might be gay people.

Even in red country, there are plenty of people who know of gay friends and relatives. Attitudes may be changing; people who say they think homosexuality is wrong are now also more likely to say we should be accepting of gay people. I see this in my own family. I have reason to believe that in some evangelical circles, a similar attitude prevails: they believe homosexuality is a sin but they are welcoming and compassionate to gay people. (There was recently a sermon to this effect in that 18,000 member church, in fact.)

I think it was about 1994 that a ballot measure was held to restrict the rights of gay people in Idaho. (I forget the exact purpose of the measure; it was something like what actually did pass in Colorado back then.) A canny campaign against the measure was run by its opponents. Apparently, the southern half of Idaho is more conservative than the northern half, where the measure had less support, but the southern half has lots of Mormons. The opponents took the trouble to remind the Mormons what the evangelical Christians behind the anti-gay measure thought about Mormons. The Mormons got the point, and the measure failed.

[TWiley]

47. Maybe it could be framed in terms of "rights" or "liberties".

Morality should be the providence of the individual whenever possible, and government should NOT be in the business of creating "good Christians". I think many people can accept that idea.

Christians actually want to legalize bigotry and discrimination in the name of "religious morality". I feel the discussion needs to be framed on these two points.

Government should not be responsible for creating "good Christians", and government should not be responsible for legitimizing hatred and discrimination against any group of people.

The Christians and the Conservative Republicans strive to incarnate these two vile principles. I do not believe that either group would like to live in the type of country they wish to create.

[ProudDad]

31. I think you need to be a little more afraid

This "small minority" has a mole in the White House -- shrub -- the Senate - Frist, the House - DeLay and the Supreme Court - Thomas.

They have a f*ck of a lot more influence than ANYONE on the left does.

This IS war...

[funflower]

32. I think what you call "true Dominionists" are a minority among RW

Christians right now. However, many RW Christians believe that the our government was "founded on" the Bible, so it's not a big step to say that the Constitution should always be interpreted by the "light" of the Bible. Step-by-step, many of these people could be led very easily down a road toward "true" dominionism.

[Cats Against Frist]

19. Scary Shit

Jeff Sharlet is my boyfriend (not really, but I wish he was). He did the "Jesus Plus Nothing," article, a while back, that put me on alert against Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. I got to meet him (Sharlet) at a reading last year. His writing is amazing.

Reading the article, particularly the paragraph that described the visual pyrotechnics and the smoke machine, made me shudder to my bones. It made me realize that these people are not dealing in the same kind of reality that most of the Western world is, and how far the departure is from the foundations of modernity and the philosophies of the last three to four hundred years. Fascism is an apt word to describe it, as it is rootless -- a brand new amalgam of neoliberal economics and a heftily revised (and narrowly focused) Christianity. It is people with clouds in their heads, creating a world out of those same clouds -- spread by charlatans and insane ideologues and manipulated by those who hold the reigns of governmental power, which are, in turn, those who hold the reigns of production and distribution.

And people wonder why I'm a libertarian. It's because power structure can be usurped at any time by, well, say, a bunch of power-hungry aristocrats and their water-carrying circus of insanity.

[RamboLiberal]

23. And think about this - the Air Force academy religious scandal

actually hit the MSM last couple of weeks - where some of the AF academy staff and cadets are evangelizing and discrminating against cadets who are not evangelicals. And this Pastor Ted's megachurch is in Colorado Springs where the AF Academy is located.

Scares the hell out of me that we could get some of this "cult" manning the trigger and the bombers of our nuclear arsenal.

Be wary of both the government and the military being under their influence.

I never understood how an smart, industrial nation like Germany or Italy could be taken over by facists. Sadly, now I do. It Could Happen Here.

[Nihil]

40. Hallelujah! Let's go do the Lord's work!

> Scares the hell out of me that we could get some of this "cult"
> manning the trigger and the bombers of our nuclear arsenal.

The odd one or two is not likely to be a problem. The danger comes
when an entire crew has the same level of indoctrination ... that's
when the Voice of God will speak to them when on patrol over a Middle
Eastern country and they go forth to become the first martyrs of the
last battle.

And the leaders of men will shelter under the mountains whilst the
wrath of Jehovah smites the ungodly ...

[tanyev]

42. What about the CIA moving to Denver?

CIA Plans to Shift Work to Denver
Domestic Division Would Be Moved

By Dana Priest
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 6, 2005; Page A21

The CIA has plans to relocate the headquarters of its domestic division, which is responsible for operations and recruitment in the United States, from the CIA's Langley headquarters to Denver, a move designed to promote innovation, according to U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials.

About $20 million has been tentatively budgeted to relocate employees of the CIA's National Resources Division, officials said. A U.S. intelligence official said the planned move, confirmed by three other government officials, was being undertaken "for operational reasons."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/05/AR2005050501860.html

:tinfoilhat:

[Neoma]

20. Wow.

Read it all, good article.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

21. Yep, they're definitly here, and they've been in control since Dec 2000.

[hootinholler]

25. Not just carrying crosses, but they have their own pledge and flag to wave

The flag they have subverted: I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One Savior, crucified, risen, and coming again with life and liberty to all who believe.

Now isn't that special!

I see it happening too, pretty obvious from the URL, eh?

Before I forget then, here is a page that describes the original pledge and the correct etiquette for the flag.

-Hoot

[CatholicEdHead]

26. Pretty scary

Granted at all Catholic Churches they have the Vatican flag somewhere. Of course, it is basically nothing more than decoration and most people do not notice it at all.

[thecai]

28. I Agree, It's True

Based on my life's experiences and my interpretation of The Bible, speaking as a Christian, I believe false Christs are "deceiving the very elect, if possible", and calling "evil good and good evil", and ignoring the cries of the poor, the needy, the fatherless, the widows, and the prisoners, just as prophesied.
You will know them by their fruits, and the fruit of The Holy Spirit is; Love, Peace, Joy, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Patience, and Self-Control.
These things does The Lord hate; a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to do evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. Jesus instructed us to test the spirits, to be sure they are of GOD, for the devil can appear as an angel of light.

Just because someone says they are a Christian or says they pray, does not mean a thing. Actions speak louder than words.

[fujiyama]

30. This will be a century

where the world will be caught in a battle between the secular and the theocratic. The 20th century had the foundations in place - whether with the Mujahadeen sponsored by the US, the rise of the Islamic clerics in Iran or the religious right (aka the "moral majority") here in the US during the Reagan administration.

The dominionists are nearing their control of every branch of government. All they need is a clear majority on the SC and they will shape US constitutional law in such ways the nation hasn't seen.

One needs only look to Janice Brown (or whatever that CA judge's name is), who claimed that she "looks to a higher law than the constitution". These people are interested in creating a Christian version of Sharia law - instead using the Bible as their guide.

[NMMNG]

33. Adams got that one on the nose

From the first article:You could walk by sin—a murder, a homosexual act—and a demon will leap onto your bones.

Yeah....she's so right! I was walking by a church the other day and WHAM...I was stricken with FUNDAMENTALISM! I had to run home and flagellate myself to in order to exorcise the hideous demon! :evilgrin:

[funflower]

35. These people are nothing. The real fundy dominionists don't bother

with marketing, light shows and all that girlie-man stuff. They are the ones who produce the religious terrorists such as former Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Pastor Paul Hill, who murdered an abortion doctor in Florida. They are the real brown shirts.

[neweurope]

38. I think you are wrong. The thugs who murder a person or two are

never as dangerous as those with the marching bands, rallying speeches and light shows that influence the masses to become thugs...

----------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[funflower]

50. Just watched "Hotel Rwanda." I think you are right!

[Swamp Rat]

37. The Lizards cometh

[SarahB]

39. I saw it in my northeastern Methodist church.

Most people seem to be blind (or at least content in the thought of no longer having to think for themselves). Frankly, I can no longer stomach the group thought that mainstream Christianity has become.

It'll be like The Handmaid's Tale. Praise the Lord.

[mopaul]

41. they are confrontational, and we WILL have to deal with them

[Ichiro]

43. Deal with them how?

These are the guys who collect guns for "Hunting". These are the guys who actually believe it when they are told that they are better than the non-tithe payers. These are the guys who think that it is god speaking when they hear voices in their heads. I don't mean the dominionists, I mean their minions, the dominionists have been biding their time, hiding and waiting for the right environment, waiting until they could seize control and show their faces and no one could do anything about it.

[undergroundpanther]

48. Thier KKK cross flag..

I have seen these flag flying over churches and flying in the beds of pickups alongside the usual American flag,.(is it legal to fly a big flag from the bed of a pickup with a pole and all is t safe?))..This flag has red cross is in a blue corner, with a white background it is the flag of fascist christian and it's origins are disgusting..

Why not buy a buch to burn ...wipe your arse with it..Use it to line your cats litterbox or your birds cage.. Fuck the dominionists.


www.p4a.com/ itemsummary/1159.htm
www.sassyinteriors.com/ PatrioticJewelry.html
www.flagsinternational.com/ Outdoor-Religious-...
http://fotw.fivestarflags.com/rel-chr.html#pledge

And this one really made me pissed...

www.praisebanners.com/ fxnfusclassroomflags.htm

[hootinholler]

51. It's origin is not disgusting...

This flag is being subverted. That makes it harder to identify real Christians. See link above.

-Hoot

[undergroundpanther]

49. Check THIS...

http://www.p4a.com/itemsummary/1159.htm

Compare...Today's flag



With the old flag from the KKK dominionists




Scary.