Are mainstream churches finally standing up to the GOP’s hateful “Christia

[MelissaB]

Are mainstream churches finally standing up to the GOP’s hateful “Christian” blitzkrieg?

by Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman
April 9, 2006

Right-wing church movements have been a staple of American politics since well before the 1692 witch trials at Salem. But only in the past few decades has the extremist church served as the grassroots base for a new breed of corporate totalitarianism. That unholy union has been nowhere more powerful than here in Ohio, and it has finally provoked a response from the state’s mainstream churches.

With huge torrents of cash from Richard Mellon Scaife, the Ahmanson family and other super-rich ultra-rightists, the fundamentalist church has formed the popular network that has spawned the Bush catastrophe. The totalitarian alliance between pulpit, corporation and military is unique in U.S. history.

With contempt for the Constitution, and unholy opposition to separation of church and state, ultra-rich ultra-right preachers like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, self-proclaimed messiahs like Rev. Moon, and sanctimonious errand boys like Ralph Reed and Grover Norquist, have turned America into a “Christo-fascist” empire whose twice-unelected executive claims Divine right to rule. When it comes to their views on violence, empire, greed and intolerance, these are the most un-Christian men in America. It’s no accident that George W. Bush’s first words about the war to follow 9/11 had to do with a “Christian Crusade” against Islam. And, instead of consulting his father, a former President, W. chose to consult “a higher father.”

That this evil network of mega- churches, cults and electronic Elmer Gantrys would prove profoundly corrupt should also come as no surprise. These are the moneychangers that Christ kicked out of the temple. The ultra-orthodox cash flow from Jack Abramson to “godly” legislators like Tom DeLay and Ohio’s Bob Ney has suffered not the slightest diversion toward true spirituality. The movement even has its own sex symbol in Ann Coulter, the “Harlot of Hate” who reaps huge sums in places like Ohio’s World Harvest Church for talking nasty while dressed in mini-skirts that would get minors arrested off urban street corners.


More: http://www.freepress.org/departments/display/19/2006/1916

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. There is something to consider

One of the truly brain damaging ideas that pervades some of the most fundie and mental of religions is the idea that since their self-proclaimed son of the big guy suffered on earth.
Ergo, to be more like JC, you have to suffer here.
Ergo, the more benign, friendly and warm-hearted religions lose members to the brain-damaging cults - because people are somehow convinced that suffering here helps them in the afterlife.

To me, suffering here, simply means the you suffer here needlessly.

Mirriam Webster says:
mas·och·ism
Pronunciation: 'ma-s&-"ki-z&m, 'ma-z&- also 'mA-
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, died 1895, German novelist.
1 : a sexual perversion characterized by pleasure in being subjected to pain or humiliation especially by a love object -- compare SADISM
2 : pleasure in being abused or dominated : a taste for suffering

Misery likes company? hardly. Misery with suffering company simply means more people are miserable.

I must have it on an older computer - a much older computer. But there were several studies I found and gathered that checked the self-described degree of religiousity and strength of faith with the incidence of mental illness and psychiatric disorders. Not surprisingly, the more fundie people were, the higher the incidence of paranoia, schizophrenia, delusional problems, and other serious health problems was. There was a very well done study of Christian scientist faith healers in Australia where the mental disease rates were 1.5 standard deviations higher than the general aussie population. Another study, east coast, also found a huge connection between the two. The latest study I could find was from the early 80s, right about the time of Reagan. All funding for further studies on a national scope seems impossible in the current atmosphere of anti-science and deliberate, wilfull ignorance.

[mntleo2]

2. If There Is "Persecution" It Is Because Of Hypocrisy

I for one am disgusted at the avarice, the warmongering, the fascination with sexual conduct, the exploitation of the poor, the arrogance that THEY are the only ones with the truth, the parading like peacocks of one's faith. Yes, as a good American as well as a Christian, I DO condemn that! When Jesus told us not to judge, as a radical against those in power Himself, He was speaking of walking in someone else's shoes, not about criticising a powerful person's ungodly acts, IMO! This is why he said "to go into a closet to pray" when it came to the public flaunting of one's faith. There are over 1700 references in the Bible to take care of the poor, and all these "Christians" do is hate and blame the poor.

Yes I DO condemn churches such as the Harvest Church for this degradation of teachings they SAY they so admire. They are hypocrites, greedheads and war mongerers! Period!

Cat In Seattle <---proud church attendee and advocate for the poor who thinks a church does *not* need an airplane to fly around Tom Delay, for God's sake!

[nicknameless]

3. Many churches and christian organizations have opposed the misanthropy

of this cabal. Many, I'm sure, are on an enemies list, like the Quakers. They just don't get media coverage.

Coulter is the "Harlot of Hate"? VERY accurate!

Recommended

[windy252]

4. I can't say how many are

but I remember going to a church in a rural area with a reverend that was pretty much against *'s policies in Iraq.

[windy252]

5. self delete n/t