"Fringe Festival: Why We Must Take ‘Dominionists’ Seriously"

[Adsos Letter]

"Let’s clarify a couple of things here. No one is seriously arguing that all evangelicals are dominionists who yearn to take over the world. That is a classic straw-man argument, and it’s easy to blow down. Nor are we arguing that dominionists are going to seize power next week and send your uncle to the gulag because he’s a Unitarian."

"What we’re saying is that there is a significant strain of thought in the conservative Christian community that is actively hostile to church-state separation, pluralism, secular government, modern science, women’s rights, etc. This movement has been influenced by dominionist theology. It is politically active and influential, and people need to know about it."

"Consider the attacks on legal abortion and the spate of bills targeting that procedure in the states. Consider the ongoing effort to undermine the teaching of evolution in public schools. Consider the harsh attacks on gay people and the efforts to roll back the civil rights gains they have made. Consider the constant attempts to divert tax money from public schools and public services to private religious schools and “faith-based” social service agencies."

"Also, remember that there was a time – not so long ago, really – when a candidate did not have to kowtow to right-wing fundamentalists to be considered a serious contender in the Republican Party."

http://blog.au.org/2011/08/23/fringe-festival-why-we-must-take-%E2%80%98dominionists%E2%80%99-seriously/
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I realize that posting this short article is (pretty much) preaching to the choir in here. This paragraph represents the outlook of the Christians I personally know. It also represents my own feelings pretty succinctly:

"Many other Americans hold to a different worldview – one based on tolerance, religious pluralism, individual rights and the idea that our laws should not be based on religion. These two ways of looking at the world are definitely in conflict, a conflict that, in America, is increasingly reflected in the political arena."

On the off chance that any in here are unfamiliar with the organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State, give them a look. This group is headed by a Baptist minister who has his head on straight over the issue of Church/State separation. http://www.au.org/

[patrice]

1. Consider three words "at will employment" nt

[struggle4progress]

2. The Baptists had, at one time, a long strong tradition of church-state separation

The rightwingers somehow managed to make many people forget that

[onager]

4. Falwell's crew did that.

On a visit to the kinfolks in Confederistan a few years ago, one of my old high school buddies dropped in to see me. He's a Southern Baptist preacher and seminary graduate. He knows I am not religious and never tries to convert me. Or re-convert me, I guess. I don't try to un-convert him, either.

When I got him onto the subject of the Southern Baptist Convention being hijacked by right-wing Fundies, he went ballistic and gave me a very entertaining lecture about it.

He said it started around 1980, when Jerry Falwell (nominally Baptist) became so influential with his Moral Majority bushwah. Under the influence of the Falwellians, the Southern Baptist Convention hierarchy took a strong turn to the right. Before long they had packed all the SBC operating committees with like-minded far-right members.

By 1981, the President of the SBC, "Dr." Bailey Smith, was publicly declaring that "Jesus Christ does not hear the prayer of a Jew."

My friend, like many SoBs, was proud of the traditional Baptist stand on church-state separation. And completely horrified by what the organization has become. He didn't have any solutions to the problem.

[struggle4progress]

5. That sounds about right

There were probably several other key players in addition to Falwell

But 1980 is about when I started noticing the barrage of rightwing messages from that crowd

[Taverner]

6. I'd like to see your evidence

Shurden aside, John Smythe always argued for a separate, Baptist kingdom.

[struggle4progress]

7. Here are some quotes:

http://www.brucegourley.com/baptists/quotesscs.htm

[Taverner]

8. By the Executive Director of the Baptist History & Heritage Society

No thanks...

[dogmoma56]

3. because they will burn us at the stake if they get power..they already control the GOP. >>link>>

this is the best investigative journalism of the.. CENTURY !!!
http://www.amazon.com/Family-Secret-Fundamentalism-Heart-American/dp/0060560053/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1314148910&sr=8-3

HE HAS A NEW BOOK OUT TOO

http://doggo.tripod.com/doggchrisdomin.html

http://blog.buzzflash.com/hartmann/10016

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