Christian Right labeled as Hate Group

[ck4829]

The civil rights movement in the United States took a big step this past few months with the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) listing the Christian Right as an extremist group. The SPLC is known for their work in keeping people informed and educated on the activities of the Ku Klux Clan and white supremacist groups.

"Our bailiwick is extremism. We've avoided the Christian Right in the past, and we don't feel we've expanded to include the Christian Right, we feel very strongly they have entered our world . They have gone absolutely wild. The level of personal demonization was really quite remarkable. We felt we had to say, 'Thus far, no further,'" ~ Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center speaking to the New York Blade.com

http://www.pej.org/html/print.php?sid=2812

[MadHound]

1. Good for them!

Nice to see somebody calling the RW fundies out for what they are, a hate group.

[gmoney]

2. Wow...

Sounds about right

[SteppingRazor]

3. What's this? Sanity?

Why, we can't have that entering the national debate can we?

I await the right's labeling the SPLC as some sort of terrorist-sympathizing group.

[bloom]

33. "In response..."

"the spokesman for one pro-family group said it's the SPLC that is guilty of "engaging in hate speech."

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200506%5CCUL20050630a.html

[FreedomAngel82]

38. Of course

Even though they do speak the truth.

[Straight Shooter]

72. So true. Because the Christian Right hates to hear the truth spoken. n/t

[JohnnyBoots]

4. But,...it is going to feed their persecution complex

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. They were gonna have that complex no matter what.

[grannylib]

28. Yes, that complex is part of their whole MO...it's a necessary component

that allows members of radical Christian groups to push the agenda with the ears/actions of sympathetic/vote-hungry officials. And the Bible SAYS one will be persecuted for one's faith, so if one can convince oneself that one IS being persecuted, maybe it's easy to ignore the shallow, hollow, meaningless, all-talk-no-action quality of the 'faith.'

[pelagius]

29. I grew up with Christian righties...

...and "persecution" to most of them means someone disagreed with them and made them feel uncomfortable. It's laughable.

[grannylib]

32. *lol* that's pretty much it. I run into it all the time; dad was a pastor

and there were a few of those types who would hang around every once in a while. Never for long, though...Dad had a way of (very gently, put pointedly) exposing shallow theology and juvenile self-righteousness pretty quickly, and either they hung around to learn and grow or they split the scene. Usually the latter.

[FreedomAngel82]

39. So true

If they want REAL persecution read the scriptures about the apostoles and other people who were helping Christ with his message. They had their heads cut off, hands, were put in jail, etc. Now THAT is persecution.

[SemperEadem]

63. real persecution

Early Christians were tortured and killed for their faith. I don't see any rw fundamentals xtians being dipped in wax and burned for city lighting... I don't see them being crucified on an oak cross for their faith... I don't see them being set in an arena with 5 tigers who haven't eaten in a week, providing amusement and entertainment for the government and the citizenry... I don't see any of them being burned at the stake for what they believe. And once Constantine came on the scene, they had no more problems... in fact, they began persecuting and torturing those who followed the earth religions.

Having one's feelings hurt, being made to feel awkward or being called out on the truth isn't persecution.

[NAO]

49. So many Christians, so few Lions (sigh)

(bumper-sticker available at evolvefish.com)

[dalaigh lllama]

62. Thanks for my laugh of the day!

:rofl:

Poor, persecuted Xians!

But where in Murka would it be safe to have that on your car?

[info being]

55. Let's GIVE them a complex. They are loons...treat them as such

[GeekMonkey]

57. absolutely

[DanCa]

5. Hmmm

Interesting.

[quinnox]

7. goes too far

We have freedom of religion in this country, this will just turn off christian voters even more from Democrats

[JohnnyBoots]

8. I think there could be a definite backlash

[burythehatchet]

48. I pray for the "backlash"

for the ones who feel as though there must be backlash, are the ones who are at issue. Bring. It. On.

[SemperEadem]

64. Good! As your president says: "Bring it on"

[atreides1]

13. A freedom the the Xtian Taliban does not believe applies to all.

Yes we have freedom of religion in this country, a freedom that the Christian Right does not believe in. As for turning off Christian voters, the only ones that will be turned off are those that believe in hatred, intolerance, and bigotry, in other words those that already follow Fallwell, Robertson and the other Xtian Taliban.

Not exactly a great loss, by the way I'm a Christian, and I'm not turned off by this declaration, I think it's about time that the truth came out.

[doublethink]

19. Good answer ...

the flock in the above mentioned groups need to re-examin what it really means to be a 'Christian' and not be led so easily astray by wolves in sheep's clothing. Peace. :toast:

[FreedomAngel82]

41. Same here

I don't like how these people are doing things. They don't get that the Bible is for your personal life. Yes, you should go out and preach and spread the word because in this country you do have the right but you also have the right to say someone is wrong and you don't agree and to leave you a lone. These people are wanting to make their views law and not care about anyone else. :mad: It's disgusting and immature. I'm also a Christian and don't like these people at all.

[HockeyMom]

14. What Religious Right?

If they are talking about Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, Concerned Women, etc., those are not CHURCHES, but "christian" right wing POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS.

[GeekMonkey]

17. the christian right goes too far

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. No it won't. Open-minded Xians were already voting progressive

[FreedomAngel82]

40. I think so too

Probably people like my mother and other moderate republicans who aren't too big on religion.

[Tux]

60. It's called backlash

Once the New Trinity (Falwell, Dobson, Robertson) push things too far, America will push back at them and their cultists. It's normal during rapid sociocultural change and in the current political climate.

[Toots]

65. We have the freedom to hate as well but others have the freedom to call

us on our hatred as well. Just because they call themselves Christians doesn't mean they truly are and it also doesn't mean they are exempt from criticism. If they preach hatred they should be called on it.

[More Than A Feeling]

73. Christian here, my response is to applaud

This might be good for them. A few may realize they aren't the center of the universe, that other people live in the USA who don't buy what they are selling. Then they might stop being such Pharisees by trying to use the law to enforce their beliefs about God on others. As Reinhold Niebuhr wrote of the Sermon on the Mount, "Law becomes a matter between the individual and God."

[me b zola]

74. But yet we have "declared war"...

...on extremist radical Muslim fundamentalists.
Are you afraid that their religios beliefs are being violated?

Any group that spews hate & violence belongs on the SPLC list. Period.


Why should this turn any voter from the Democratic ticket? The SPLC is non partisan.

Democrats fighting for civil rights put off quite a few voters. Should we have run from exposing racism & demanding equal rights?

[mmonk]

9. About time

I believe in "truth in labeling".

[LibertyorDeath]

10. About time.

Rec

[walkon]

11. Growing up in rural Alabama

I knew it was a "hate group" by the time I was 10 years old. And that was decades ago.

[Jo March]

36. walkon, I grew up in Alabama as well and understand

I was raised Southern Baptist. They aren't the most tolerant folks in the world.

I grew up and found another church home and have come to realize that what they taught wasn't Christian at all.

[bloom]

12. From the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC) :

"...Exhibit number one in demonizing homosexuals is the Christian Right's Paul Cameron, a leading "scientist" on the evils of homosexuality who heads the hate group, Family Research Institute. Cameron's work, which has been cited both by the Christian Right and prominent Republicans, falsely claims that gay people are disproportionately responsible for child molestation, for the majority of serial killings, and for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

"Of all the vices," Cameron concluded in one pamphlet, "only homosexuality constitutes a conspiracy against society." Cameron's "science" echoes Nazi Germany in that these disparaging descriptions of homosexuals are reminiscent of themes found in the ugly history of anti-Semitism, where Jews were historically associated with disease, filth, and child stealing. Cameron has been thrown out of legitimate professional organizations for his crackpot and inhuman science.

The anti-gay movement really hit its stride in the 1990s with passage of Colorado's Amendment 2, intended to ban "special" rights for homosexuals. The U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the amendment. Starting in 1994, more than 30 state and national anti-gay leaders frequently convened in secret meetings at the headquarters of Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs to strategize on how to fight the "evil" gay agenda.

Particularly worrisome is that the Christian Right's demonization of homosexuals has the potential to increase violence against gays and lesbians. Hate crimes against homosexuals are already more common than any other type of hate-motivated violence, as gays, as noted above, are twice as likely to suffer violent hate crimes as blacks, the next most victimized group."

http://www.splcenter.org/center/splcreport/article.jsp?aid=152

[Catfight]

15. Hate radio should be on there too. nt

[mmonk]

20. Exactly

Time to tell the truth and wipe clean this concerted effort at hate incitement in America.

[sakabatou]

16. Wow...

[cynatnite]

18. Is there a link to the SPLC stating this?

I can't see the SPLC doing this. I need more.

[ck4829]

21. Here you go

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=522

[cynatnite]

25. This article didn't answer my question

It gives a good history of the anti-gay movement.

But nowhere does it say the SPLC has labeled the SPLC as an extremist group as the OP stated in the title.

[ck4829]

26. Here's more

http://politicsinbc.blogspot.com/2005/06/christian-right-hate-group-coming-to.html

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=%5CCulture%5Carchive%5C200506%5CCUL20050630a.html
(RW)

http://www.newyorkblade.com/2005/6-10/news/localnews/antigay.cfm

[pelagius]

30. While I agree in essence with the point the SPLC is making...

...I don't "Christian Right" is a specific enough label. I think you need to separate out the well-meaning fundagelical who voted Bush because he's a "man of God" and others of that insipid ilk to the real purveyors of the hate smut. Being more specific in naming names would be a useful clarification.

However, whatever way you go with this, I see these radical clerics dropping juicy pull quotes from the SPLC into their direct mail pieces right now and asking for a love offering to ensure the survival of their ministry against the forces of Satan.

[bloom]

31. They don't seem to be on the map

of hate groups as far as I can tell....

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp

[ck4829]

34. Yes they are

They are under 'other'

The page lists:

Chalcedon Foundation

Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints

Westboro Baptist Church

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp?T=22&m=3

[bloom]

35. It seems that there are lot

of Christian right groups that protest and harass gays that are not on the map.


And these groups concerned about it in CNS news - are not on the map-> "Under the heading, "A Mighty Army," the SPLC's Intelligence Report lists "a dozen of today's most influential anti-gay groups" that it claims "help drive the religious right's anti-gay crusade." The list includes the American Family Association, Concerned Women for America, theFamily Research Council and Focus on the Family."

[ClayZ]

47. What are they drinking in Florida and South Carolina?

They ought to import water from New Mexico, or the Dakotas!

:scared:


:kick:

[AX10]

22. kick

[realFedUp]

23. this would be good to archive in the Theology forum too

if it hasn't been posted there yet.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. Good for the SPLC. Puts the fundies in with their more obvious allies.

[tk2kewl]

37. How do we get the Rove-publican party added to that list?

:shrug:

[byronius]

42. My grandmother was a Southern Baptist. But --

She never once spoke disparagingly of others, or discussed her religion in any way. She viewed it as a private matter, and expressed it only by feeding tramps sandwiches from the back porch. For her, it was all about unconditional love. She's the only reason I would even consider Christianity as a positive thing. Most of my contact with it has been very, very weird. Primarily mental illness expressed as religious zeal. I like the ideas of Christ very much, and I've studied religious history extensively -- but the current crop of Nazis wrapping themselves in the flag and ignoring the most basic principles of their professed creed to undermine a great democracy is pathetic and sick.

[ClayZ]

43. Mark Twain warned us in the "War Prayer"

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/warPrayer.html


"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved fire sides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

[ThomWV]

44. I am pleased

Very pleased

[Neoma]

45. Cheers!

:toast:

[rocktivity]

46. YEEEEEE-HAH!!!!

I'm delighted that the religious left has decided to strike back and draw a line of demarcation between them and those fundie monsters! Get thee behind me, your charlatains--you don't represent me or anyone I worship!

:bounce:
rocknation

[Bluebear]

75. Indeed!

May your faith be reclaimed by sane people!

[TrogL]

50. They need to define their terms, tighten up their target

I know a number of people who would identify themselves as "Christian Right" that are not the problem.

[NAO]

51. side-by-side compare of Nazi Jewish rhetoric and Xtian Right Gay rhetoric

Nazi Anti-Jewish Speech VS. Religious Right Anti-Gay Speech
http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/hitler/hitler.html

excerpt below. (It looks even more ominious on the source page because the quotes are put side by side to show the parallels.)


Jews Control Everything... Gays Control Everything


Jews 1% of population: control politics, world opinion, NYC, & have lots of money
"At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Jews sit at the junction of the world financial markets. They are an international power. Although only one per cent of the world's population, with the help of their capital, they terrorize the world stock exchanges, world opinion, and world politics. New York is today the center of Jewish power." - Nazi propaganda film, "The Eternal Jew," http://www.holocaust-history.org/der-ewige-jude/stills.shtml

Gays 1% of population: control politics, have lots of money
"Homosexuals display political control far beyond their numbers. A tiny fraction of the population (about 1 percent), homosexuals have one of the largest and fastest growing Political Action Committees in the country (The Human Rights Campaign) and give millions of dollars to candidates". - Robert Knight, Family Research Council, testifying before the US Senate Labor Committee hearings on S.2238, July 29, 1994.

The gays control television & radio, Hollywood
"You know, the gays are in control in Hollywood; they are in control of television; they are in key positions at the Washington Post now; and they watch everything that is coming into the newspaper or television and radio, and they are editing it out." - Anthony Falzarano, Parents & Friends of 'Ex-Gays', http://www.frc.org/net/st95l1.html

Gays more politically powerful than other Americans
"On average, they are far wealthier, more educated, and more politically powerful than other Americans." - WHY SCHOOLS ARE TEACHING YOUR KIDS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY, Steve Schwalm, Family Research Council, May 14, 1998, http://www.frc.org/podium/pd98i1hs.html

[Neoma]

53. Last 2 links don't work.

[NAO]

58. The link to the source material works...did'nt know about the others

Use this link

Nazi Anti-Jewish Speech VS. Religious Right Anti-Gay Speech
http://www.hatecrime.org/subpages/hitler/hitler.html

[NAO]

52. Xtian Right's Theocratic Designs - Dominionism, Xtian Reconstructionism

Dominionism's Theocratic Designs and Radical Clerics

Fundamentalist Radical Clerics such as Falwell, Dobson, and Robertson are not merely medieval throwbacks or misguided religious hacks. They are part of a well organized subversionary movement known as "Dominionism". Dominionism constitutes a serious threat to American Democracy. These Radical Clerics have developed and are executing a detailed plan to gradually replace the free, secular democratic society of the United States with a Theocracy.

It is critical that people become aware of the extreme agenda these people have for the United States and ultimately for the world. The results of the 2004 Presidential Election were not a fluke or something that was drummed up over a period of months. It has been in planning for over 20 years, and what we are seeing take place now is, in the words of Katherine Yurica, "the swift advance of a planned coup".

Critical Resources for Understanding Dominionism

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 Religious Right - An Anti-American Terrorist Movement
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8816.htm

[Booster]

54. Damn, what took them so long? Extremists of ANY kind are a

danger - that just seems so obvious to me with what's happening all over the world. To me, extremists are sick people who will do anything to further their own selfish agenda.

[spuddonna]

56. I'm so proud of them!

The SPLC receives so much hate mail, and their buildings and workers/volunteers are always being threatened because they've filed lawsuits against the KKK and other extremist groups. If you are looking for a really great charity to give to, take a look at their website splcenter.org. (And I am in no way affiliated with them! :) I just used to be a member, back when I had $$$!)

God Bless SPLC! :)

[roguevalley]

59. donate to them. they are some of the bravest people in the world:

http://www.splcenter.org/

[Synnical]

61. . .

[earth mom]

66. Something I've been thinking for a long time now.

Kudos to the SPLC! :applause:

[leesa]

67. Good. Let's call them what they are...a hate group.

[Ms. K]

68. Fundamentalism at home is just as bad

as fundamentalism abroad.

The Christian Right is the reason why I am no longer a Christian, and instead am a Deist. I can't and won't align myself with such hateful, nasty people who are intent on taking over EVERY aspect of Christianity, not to mention the government.

Good for the SPLC! That's exactly what the fundie whackjobs are, hate groups. In fact, when I was looking at a Cult Watch website (can't remember the web address, it's been a while, I'll have to Google for it), I was surprised for a moment, and then not so surprised, to see that the organization considers Calvary Chapel a cult. They certainly practice mind control.

And really, the radical clerics of the Christian Right practice the same mind control techniques that any Jim Jones wannabe practices to control the flock. After all, can't have any congregants who can and will THINK for themselves. That completely screws the whole plan.

[KittyWampus]

69. Excellent. Those Of Us Embracing The Spirit & Philosophy Of Christ

are sick of these extremist, divisive hate mongers.

[IndianaDemocrat]

77. And This Should Help Us Win In the Midwest- NOT!!!!!

I just have to hang my head and say, "Here we go again..."

Thanks for ANOTHER beating I am going to take over THIS one...

When will we actually start to think about WINNING ELECTIONS in stead of posturing? We will never change ANYTHING if we can't WIN!!!

[AnnInLa]

70. It's nice to send donations to political nominees, to DU, to

other progressive causes that we support, but the 2 non-profits that we ABSOLUTELY must financially support are the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center. These 2 are the main things standing between us and total fascism of the far-right. I contribute to these 2 organizations, DO YOU?

[YOY]

71. Now if only mainstream society would ...

view them as such all would be as it should in the matter.

I just looooove taking walks in the DC mall as of late and seeing these hateful monsters preaching their litteral interpretations of the bible as solid fact.

[Solly Mack]

76. Finally