Christian Reconstructionists want to dismantle public education

[kazoo35]

http://www.americanvision.org/articlearchive/02-17-05.asp

Excuse me? Paying taxes may be a civic duty, but that doesn’t answer the question as to what things taxes should be collected to fund. My property is taxed to pay for the education of other people’s children. I don’t consider that a “civic duty.” I consider school taxes as a way to promote the government status quo. Public (government) schools promote government.

Let’s suppose that a majority of people decide that cars, food, clothing, and houses, like education, are necessities that should be funded through taxation. In fact, a case can certainly be made that food and clothing are more important than a formal education. And if you don’t have a car, it’s not easy to get a job. I should have added a phone to the list. Without a phone, how will you get a prospective employer to let you know that the job is yours? Would it be my “civic duty” to pay taxes to fund these newly established rights? If not, why not? Of course, there are quite a few people out there who believe people should be taxed to pay for these things.

I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, but there really is a group out there that wants to dismantle the public educational system. I'm stunned. These are the guys who want it gone, and they're Christian Reconstructionist/Dominionist.

[Erika]

1. No, they are not Christian

Don't let them fool you. Jesus would want all to be educated.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

30. where do you get that???

Jesus attacked the educated (priviledged) of his time...

theProdigal

[Occulus]

2. They'll succeed, too

It's impossible to discuss "Christian" Reconstructionism to anybody not already familiar with it. I've tried; they think I'm totally off the deep end.

[seabeyond]

5. lol lol me too, they look at me like i am daft

but then my kids were in this school for 6 years. i saw last year a huge shift in what they were doing and how they started teaching. last spring i started doing research on it. and this school is amongst the schools that are wanting public out and their school for the people, school of chanting, false teaching,.........

[seabeyond]

3. yes they do, been saying it a year

and they have the private christian schools all set up to take over

[Gabi Hayes]

8. same here....been linking stuff about CNP for over five years

there were huge, long threads about CNP and its tentacles at Salon TT.

never got farther than that

ifas.org has an old membership list

[bluestateguy]

4. I'll make them a deal

Stop making me pay taxes to fund the Iraq War, and I'll be happy to argue for them being excused from paying taxes to fund public education

[Kerrytravelers]

6. America's Biblican Foundation?

I don't recall "of the people, for the people, by the people" in the Bible anywhere.

[Sandpiper]

7. First of all, paying taxes is not a civic duty

It's the law.

Secondly, the federal government has broad discretion in its exercise of the Taxing and Spending powers.

The federal government can Tax just about anything so long as:

1) There is no explicit Constitutional prohibition against it
2) The goal of the tax is to minimally raise revenue

The federal government can Spend on just about anything so long as:

1) There is no explicit Constitutional prohibition against it
2) It "promotes the general welfare"

State governments have equally broad powers to lay and collect taxes and to spend collected revenues.



The ignoramous who wrote this needs to read the constitution, take civics course, or both.

[ultraist]

14. Each state is required by its state constitution to provide a schools

http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/education.html
One government function is education, which is administered through the public school system by the department of education. The states, therefore, have primary responsibility for the maintenance and operation of public schools. The Federal Government also has an interest in education. The National Institute of Education was created to improve education in the United States.

Each state is required by its state constitution to provide a school system whereby children may receive an education. State legislatures exercise power over schools in any manner consistent with the state's constitution. Many state legislatures delegate power over the school system to a state board of education.

There is a strong concern with equality in education. Within states this leads to efforts to assure that each child no matter where he or she is situated receives an adequate education. The Equal Education Opportunities Act of 1974 provides that no state shall deny equal educational opportunity to an individual on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin.

Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education of their children, including the right to choose a private school. However, states have the power to regulate private schools. That power is limited because the majority of private schools are religious institutions. The U.S. Constitution restricts public funding of private schools. Consequently, there have been numerous Supreme Court opinions delineating the bounds of what is and is not public funding.

For children with disabilities special education is available. To qualify for special education a child's disability must adversely affect the child's educational performance. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq) establishes a process for evaluating a child's special needs and for providing an individualized education program. The Federal Act is binding on all states. In addition, most states have their own laws which parallel the Act. Under the Act, parents and families of special education children have specific rights such as the right to inspect the child's school records.

Lastly, homeschooling is an option for some families. Homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, but it requires a large time commitment on the part of the family. In some states parents need to register their intent to homeschool with the department of education or the local district school board. In addition, many states require yearly proof of progress. States do not provide many services to homeschools, though some allow students to attend public school classes and to participate in public school activities.


http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/IHRIP/circle/modules/module16.htm
Failure to act will carry a high price. Universal primary education is an imperative for ad­dressing the single greatest challenge facing humanity at the end of the 20th century: namely, the eradication of poverty. It is also a fundamental requirement for social jus­tice. We are living through an age in which education is becoming an increas­ingly im­portant determinant of living standards. Countries and individuals without access to the skills and knowledge provided by education will fall further and further behind . . .

[BrklynLiberal]

9. Absolutely scares the hell out of me....

[kazoo35]

29. It's just incredible.

They oppose public schools. I never heard of such a thing. Why would anyone be opposed to schools? It's the most backwards thing I've ever heard of.

[ashmanonar]

10. strangely, this person seems to be on the money with some things...

but totally off on others.

taxes ARE a civic duty. do you like having the police come to your house when there's a home invader? then you should pay taxes. fire burning down your house? be glad for the fire department.

people who think that they're exempt from taxes because of their beliefs need to get a real look at the world.

at the same time, the "author" brings up some interesting points: does every student and teacher need a laptop computer AT A HIGH SCHOOL? does a school need to be renovated and improved for years on end, at a cost above and beyond what they get from taxes?

idk. the not wanting to pay taxes thing should be implemented, if you want it...but then you're not allowed to have police come to your house, the fire department to put out your fires, and all the myriad other things that communities provide to you. essentially, these people shouldn't be allowed to even drive on the streets, bc they are funded mostly by civic taxes.

[kazoo35]

12. I admit he's got some points

and even though I'm the OP and disagree HEARTILY with the idea of dismantling the public education system in the US, I would send my children to a Catholic school because I believe that my child would get a superior education that way.

Nevertheless.

Who in their right mind would want poor people to be an underclass forever because of a lack of opportunity for children? That's just wrong. You have to give the poor kids an opportunity. If they don't take it, well it's their problem, but you have to reach out to them.

Maybe they don't need a laptop, but they certainly need a library.

[kineneb]

19. they are not in their right mind

the uneducated poor make ideal cannon fodder for the crusades against the heathen...what a sick bunch...and let their houses burn

[ashmanonar]

28. oh, i agree.

i'm just saying that there are some things that schools do with tax money that we can't countenance (laptops, etc) but you're right, there are schools that don't have an effective library...and could desperately use one.

and i disagree with the idea of dismantling public education. it's a fool's play. oh--we know they're gonna do it...:/

public education has given some of the best chances for children in 20 centuries of history; the "underclasses" actually have a chance to get by on merit and skill, instead of just family ties. but i suppose merit and skill and intelligence are moot points in bush's amerikkka...if you have family or money, you're in like flynn.

[A HERETIC I AM]

11. This part from Americas Christian Heritage section is rather telling;;;;;;

{snip}Despite what you may hear from the media and public school textbooks, America was founded as a Christian nation. In 1620, long before the United States won its independence from England, the Pilgrims came to America's shores with this mission statement,

“e all came to these parts of America, with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – New England Confederation of 1643{snip}

What he fails to tell you is that the Pilgrims outpost at Plymouth was for the most part a failure and was absorbed by another group several years after it was founded. He like many of these types wont mention that the Mayflower compact IS NOT A FOUNDING DOCUMENT of our country

[Gabi Hayes]

13. some nice quotes from one of the leading exponents of Xtian Recon

RJ Rushdoony

The background of the Negro culture is voodoo and magic; and the purposes the magic are control and power over God, man, nature and society. Voodoo and magic was the religion and life of America's Negro.

R.J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law (Nutley, NJ: Craig Press, 1973), p. 60

**********

But integration and equality are myths; they disguise a new segregation and a new equality...Every social order institutes its own program of separation or segregation. A particular faith and morality is given privileged status and all else is separated for progressive elimination.

R.J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law (Nutley, NJ: Craig Press, 1973), p. 296

********
The restoration of that covenant relationship was the work of Christ, His grace to His elect people.

R.J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law (Nutley, NJ: Craig Press, 1973), p. 14


**********

All men are NOT created equal before God; the facts of heaven and hell, election and reprobation make clear that they are not equal. Moreover, an employer has aproperty rights to prefer whom he will in terms of "color" creed, race or national origin.

R.J. Rushdoony, The Institutes of Biblical Law (Nutley, NJ: Craig Press, 1973), p. 509/510

http://www.politicalamazon.com/cr-quotes.html

lots and lots more above

[ultraist]

16. Let them homeschool their kids

Take them out of the public school system, the tax dollars wont be spread so thinly. They HAVE to pay property taxes whether their kids go to public school or not. Just like we all pay for road taxes or other services we may or may not use.

[Gabi Hayes]

17. amen, bra....my old high school closed, and was bought by

a bunch of these mouthbreathers....it's now the Academy of Christian LIBERTY!

we had the WHO there in high school!!!

now, this

the end of times is indeed on the horizon

[RBHam]

15. The Christian Mafia

It's important to know your enemy. This fantastic piece of journalism explains just how the real vast right wing conspiracy works and whom profits from it.

Where Those Who Now Run the U.S. Government Came From and Where They Are Taking Us
By Wayne Madsen

Part I

After several months of in-depth research and, at first, seemingly unrelated conversations with former high-level intelligence officials, lawyers, politicians, religious figures, other investigative journalists, and researchers, I can now report on a criminal conspiracy so vast and monstrous it defies imagination. Using “Christian” groups as tax-exempt and cleverly camouflaged covers, wealthy right-wing businessmen and “clergy” have now assumed firm control over the biggest prize of all – the government of the United States of America. First, some housekeeping is in order. My use of the term “Christian” is merely to clearly identify the criminal conspirators who have chosen to misuse their self-avowed devotion to Jesus Christ to advance a very un-Christian agenda. The term “Christian Mafia” is what several Washington politicians have termed the major conspirators and it is not intended to debase Christians or infer that they are criminals . I will also use the term Nazi – not for shock value – but to properly tag the political affiliations of the early founders of the so-called “Christian” power cult called the Fellowship. The most important element of this story is that a destructive religious movement has now achieved almost total control over the machinery of government of the United States – its executive, its legislature, several state governments, and soon, the federal judiciary, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

The United States has experienced religious and cult hucksters throughout its history, from Cotton Mather and his Salem witch burners to Billy Sunday, Father Charles Coughlin, Charles Manson, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite, and others. But none have ever achieved the kind of power now possessed by a powerful and secretive group of conservative politicians and wealthy businessmen in the United States and abroad who are known among their adherents and friends as The Fellowship or The Family. The Fellowship and its predecessor organizations have used Jesus in the same way that McDonald’s uses golden arches and Coca Cola uses its stylized script lettering. Jesus is a logo and a slogan for the Fellowship. Jesus is used to justify the Fellowship’s access to the highest levels of government and business in the same way Santa Claus entices children into department stores and malls during the Christmas shopping season.

When the Founders of our nation constitutionally separated Church and State, the idea of the Fellowship taking over the government would have been their worst nightmare. The Fellowship has been around under various names since 1935. Its stealth existence has been perpetuated by its organization into small cells, a pyramid organization of “correspondents,” “associates,” “friends,” “members,” and “core members,” tax-exempt status for its foundations, and its protection by the highest echelons of the our own government and those abroad.

the whole truth, and nothin' but...

http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia.htm

[Gabi Hayes]

18. terribly rich, terribly terrible writer Tim LaHaye founded the CNP

A year later, LaHaye was co-founder and first president of the Council for National Policy (CNP), a secretive umbrella group of far right leaders who meet regularly to plot strategy designed to advance a theocratic agenda. CNP activists have included Falwell, Pat Robertson, long-time right-wing strategist Paul Weyrich, the American Family Association's Donald Wildmon, Focus on the Family's James C. Dobson and former attorney general Edwin Meese. (Even R.J. Rushdoony, the now-deceased dean of the radical Christian Reconstructionist movement, was a member.)

The CNP is also rife with wealthy far-right business executives and influential Washington ultra-conservatives. The group remains powerful in the Republican Party to this day. During the 2000 campaign, its members summoned George W. Bush to a closed-door meeting, where the future president had to assure the organization that he was a true conservative.

In1982, LaHaye joined the steering committee of the openly theocratic Council on Revival, a far-right group that boldly proclaimed its goal of imposing "biblical law" on America. Many COR members were leaders of the "Christian Reconstructionist" camp, whose advocates favor scrapping democracy and basing all U.S. law on their narrow interpretation of the Old Testament's legal code. Although LaHaye disagreed with the Reconstructionists on some matters of theology such as how the "End Times" would unfold he joined forces with the movement with the aim of bringing about an officially fundamentalist "Christian" America.

In 1983, LaHaye opened the American Coalition for Traditional Values (ACTV pronounced "active."). The group, which drew support from powerful religious broadcasters and other right-wing church leaders, pledged to mobilize "Christian" voters to elect ultra-conservative candidates to public office. LaHaye called President Ronald Reagan a friend and asserted in a 1985 interview with Church & State that Reagan's election in 1980 and reelection four years later had been engineered by God.

http://www.au.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=5601&abbr=cs_

[kineneb]

21. one needs to add to their description

wealthy _white_ far-right business droids

[Gabi Hayes]

23. you're being too kind, by a LOT

check my next link

[Gabi Hayes]

24. Bush at the CNP

Bush's Meeting with the Council on Naitonal Policy:

Deemed by ABC News as "the most powerful conservative group you've never heard of," the Council for National Policy, which was co-founded by former Moral Majority head LaHaye, has included John Ashcroft, Ed Meese, Ralph Reed, the editor of The National Review, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Grover Norquist and Oliver North among its members.

As ABC put it, "the council has deservedly attained the reputation for conceiving and promoting the ideas of many who in fact do want to control everything in the world. . . The CNP helped Christian conservatives take control of the Republican state party apparati in Southern and Midwestern states. It helped to spread word about the infamous 'Clinton Chronicles' videotapes that linked the president to a host of crimes in Arkansas." (According to Rolling Stone, "The impeachment effort was reportedly conceived at a June 1997 meeting of the CNP in Montreal.")

Secular-minded folks are likely to be most intrigued by the fact that President Bush made his rumored "king-making" speech before CNP in 1999, fueling speculation that the council was responsible for his presidential nomination. And though the Democratic National Committee and others urged Bush's presidential campaign to release the tape of his CNP speech, the Bush camp refused. What was on that tape? Depending on who you believe, "Bush promised to appoint only anti-abortion-rights judges to the Supreme Court, or he stuck to his campaign 'strict constructionist' phrase. Or he took a tough stance against gays and lesbians, or maybe he didn't."

As we now know, Bush is endorsing a Constitutional amendment which could change the country forever. As one Republican lawyer told Andrew Sullivan, " one amendment the religious right could wipe out access to birth control, abortion, and even non-procreative sex (as Senator Santorum so eagerly wants to do). This debate isn't only about federalism, it's about the reversal of two hundred years of liberal democracy that respects individuals." Or, as Sullivan put it, "Memo to straights: you're next."

http://www.buzzflash.com/farrell/04/03/far04007.html

great read, btw

[Gabi Hayes]

22. jesus....don't get me started

What's most significant here, and yet gets almost zero coverage in our media, is the fact that Bush is very closely tied to the Christian Reconstructionist movement. The links between this White House and that movement are many and tight. Marvin Olasky -- a former Maoist who is now a Reconstructionist -- coined the phrase "compassionate conservatism," and was hired by the Bush campaign in 2000 to serve as their top consultant on welfare.

Olasky's entire career has been financed by Howard Ahmanson, the California multimillionaire who has said publicly that his life's goal is "to integrate Biblical law into all our lives." Ahmanson funded the far-right seizure of the California legislature back in '94, and is also the main force behind the schism in the Episcopalian church. Also, he appears to be the most important advocate of the so-called "intelligent design" movement, which is creationism. Ahmanson backed Bush in 2000 -- with exactly how much money we don't know -- and is supporting him again.

http://www.theocracywatch.org/bush2.htm
that wasn't even what I was looking for

you heard about his speech for the CNP--the one they claimed was lost, and wouldn't release? he made it back in the late 90s, and contained very crazy stuff, the likes of which, if revealed, would have very badly damaged his first run at GTN (grand theft nation)

[Cleita]

20. Their organization is what needs dismantling.

Cheesh, I can't believe these people.

[SomeGhol]

25. Hmmm...

Well, considering that the establishment is trying to destroy true Christianity, and using the (unconstitutional) public school system to do it I can't say I'm surprised. I'm a Christian, and to be honest I don't think giving children over to the government to train into good little drones is a very hot idea.

Consider this from a real Christian perspective. We are commanded to worship no other god but Him. Now despite what many televangelists would have us believe the STATE IS NOT GOD! Yet this is what is taught in many public schools. Look at how hard it has worked to chase any mention of the Almighty from public schools, and indeed all public offices. Many Christians have difficulty sending their children off into the bowls of such a beast, yet are actively discouraged from home schooling children while many other options besides expensive privet schooling are cut off due to Federal regulations.

Would you like to have your child educated at in a church run program that is not certified by some state agency? No dice. The cops will bust your door down and take your kids from you. Don't think your kids need school, and would be better off learning a trade from mother or father? They have a nice cell waiting for you in prison.

And just how are "they" going to destroy public education as it now exists within the united States? Don't you think it should be their right to take their kids out of often dangerous, prison-like institutions where the basic value system of their family is actively suppressed in some cases?

After all they are going to be taxed to pay for public education no matter if their kids get the, uh, benefit of such a collectivist endeavor.

Personally I think the central government has no place in education. It is not given that role in the constitution, and the law of the land has not been amended to give it that role. Instead the Feds exercise coercive power over the states by pulling the purse strings to a wealth of money stolen from the tax payers of the various states.

If the State of Tennessee wants to give its children a world class education it should be the responsibility of that state to provide the funds, not the people of North Carolina, Alabama, Maine, or California.

Okay, this isn't the best response in the world, but I'm tired, and hungry, and... tired.

Later

[AZCat]

26. What do you mean by "true Christianity"?

In your post you say "Well, considering that the establishment is trying to destroy true Christianity...."

What do you mean by "true Christianity"? And how is the public school system trying to destroy it?

[LeftyMom]

27. That's funny

I keep my kid out of public schools partly to avoid the infusion of Christianity. :)

[NAO]

31. Christian Reconstructionist / Dominionist Links and Resources

The articles below are critical for understanding the Dominionist movement and for realizing how real and how detailed their plans are, and how far they have come toward achieving their goals.

The Swift Advance of a Planned Coup: Conquering by Stealth and Deception - How the Dominionists Are Succeeding in Their Quest for National Control and World Power
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheSwiftAdvanceOfaPlannedCoup.htm

The Despoiling of America: How George W. Bush became the head of the new American Dominionist Church/State
http://www.yuricareport.com/Dominionism/TheDespoilingOfAmerica.htm

Video on the Christian Reconstructionist Dominionist Theocratic Agenda
http://www.theocracywatch.org/av/video_dominion.ram

The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party
a public information project from TheocracyWatch.org
http://www.theocracywatch.org

The Yurica Report
http://www.yuricareport.com

[saltpoint]

32. True. Many of these Christian groups want public --

-- education done away with, because public schools are a major impediment to a theocracy.

And they are slobbering big time for that theocracy, yessirree.