How close are we to becoming a mirror of Iraq? Religious violence ....

[Stinky The Clown]

No, this is NOT an anti religion thread, anti Christian thread, anti Islam thread, or anti anything else thread.

But I am wondering how close people think we might be, in this country, to see outright religious-based violence. Last week, The Phred Phelps Traveling Road Show of Religiously Insane Syncophants demonstrated less than 20 miles from me at the funeral of a young Marine killed in Iraq. The family was supported by the anti-Phelps motorcycle group who seem to be following the Phelpsians, shielding the families with their bodies and with banners held in a way to screen the mourners from the religiously insane.

As a direct result, our state legislature saw the introduction of a bill that would ban such demonstrations.

And that got me to thinking ...... if it were my son .... and if they were protesting at his funeral .... how would I feel and how would I react. My initial response frightened me. And I'm pretty much religiously neutral. I have my personal faith and I respect other's views on their faith. But it isn't something I discuss often or dwell on very much.

But if I can feel as I felt when considering this question - how I could react - how must others for whom religion is a bigger part of their lives feel? And I don't mean just the uber religious. I mean just as much the anti-religious among us.

Can we ever see outright religion-based violence in this country? A Northern Ireland Catholic/Protestant divide or an Iraq Shia/Sunni divide or a Bornagain/Notbornagain divide?

So much of mankind's misery over the centuries has been in support of or rejection of one religion or another.

Is it possible here?

Can you see yourself being involved in it?

[niyad]

1. since we are, apparently, only a short time away from "the handmaid's tale

yes, it is possible here--look at what is already happening. we have our own home-grown version of the jihadists, the taliban, they are called the extreme xian right, and quite frankly, they piss me off no end. they intend a theocratic, fascist state in this country, and we don't intend to allow it.
we are already involved.

[Bobbieo]

3. The Taliban is Alive and Well In America

They are called the Polygamist Mormons and live in two communities on the Arizona-Utah border.

[bee]

2. We already have religious-based violence here...

Its just a question of whether or not it will escalate. And Id bet yes.

adding for example: "One source reported in late 1996, that there has been "over $13 million in damage caused by violent anti-abortion groups since 1982 in over 150 arson attacks, bombings, and shootings."


Source: http://www.religioustolerance.org/abo_viol.htm