This Southern Baptist nation of ours.

[Philosoraptor]

Are the huckabee heads a threat to our very democracy?

I think so. I think that the huckabee heads are DETERMINED as hell to see this nation become a theocracy, of THEIR very own. A nation that is all but officially Southern Baptist, run by a 'former' Baptist preacher as president should scare the BeeJesus out of all of us, except those who see this scenario as far fetched.

Would you want our government and our military fronted by radical Christian conservatives hell bent on Armageddon? Would you believe that many of them are ALREADY there?

What I really fear is America's recent and scary trend of just tolerating everything that comes down the pike, and to tolerate the huckabee heads is to give up and die as a nation. We've tolerated idiots and monsters in our government for 8 years now, is there ANYTHING that we won't learn to tolerate?

We should all start to study the Christian conservatives a lot closer, they are organizing while we slumber, and there are no Paul Reveres to call the alarm.

[Perry Logan]

1. We need to start taxing the churches. If they want to play, they're going to have to pay.

[tritsofme]

10. What a dumb statement.

Who do you think gets hurt the most in such a situation?

Its not the well funded mega-churches, its the churches in the inner city, its the churches out in rurual America that are harmed.

Should we start taxing all other non-profit organizations as well, or just single out churches?

[DIKB]

13. Oh those POOR Rural Churches...

I cannot currently speak for inner-city churches, but living in a small town of ~20,000 which when visited, is regarded as "going into town" by close smaller towns. I have seen an outrageous abundance of churches, some with large extravagant buildings.

I was not always a Freethinker (atheist/agnostic to others).

For a time I was a member of a small church, roughly 50 members which rented halls, rooms, etc. to meet in. I also attended another with 30 members, that owned it's own small building to meet in.

How exactly are they "harmed" by paying property taxes, and not having a tax-exempt status when purchasing goods, decorations, vehicles for use by the church, etc.?

Seeing the ostentatious nature of many churches, I feel that keeping them tax-free encourages the most negative aspects of churches. Arrogance, oneupmanship, and the corruption of church leaders.

Given the outrageous spending seen first hand, I cannot help but think that a tax code based on the income of the church, and it's amount of spending would benefit everyone. Larger churches with substantially higher income would be taxed at higher rates, and small churches at lower rates, possibly with tax breaks for money/events/donations that benefit the community.

Needless to say, I am not one who subscribes to the "Taxes = BAD!!" frame of mind.

[EFerrari]

2. The wackjobs at the Air Force scare me as al Qaida never could.

And, they've targeted cadets -- powerless kids.



Mikey Weinstein Tackles the Evangelical Coup in America's Military
Submitted by BuzzFlash on Wed, 06/13/2007 - 5:00pm. Interviews

A BUZZFLASH INTERVIEW

Whenever a virulent form of any religion has engaged the machinery of the state -– and by that, I’m talking about the armed forces, where the sticks and stones are that break our bones -- we end up with oceans and oceans of blood. And it’s happening again now.

-- Michael "Mikey" L. Weinstein, President, Military Religious Freedom Foundation

* * *

Michael "Mikey" Weinstein represents an extended family of graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy. As his biography proudly notes: "Mikey comes from a family that has dedicated itself to the service of the United States. One indication of the family’s commitment is its multi-generational association with the nation’s military academies, in particular, the United States Air Force Academy. His father graduated from the United States Naval Academy. Mikey is a graduate of the Air Force Academy, as are his brother-in-law, eldest son and daughter-in-law. His youngest son is currently a cadet at the Air Force Academy.

"Weinstein served for ten years on active duty in the United States Air Force as a Judge Advocate, stationed at military installations in California, New Mexico, Illinois, and Washington, DC. He also served as the Air Force’s first Chief of Telecommunications and Information Systems Procurement Law."

His love of the Air Force and the military is equal to his passion for the Constitution. That is why he is now a man with a mission: to stop the growing evangelical takeover of our military, particularly at the academy level.

http://buzzflash.com/articles/interviews/065

[demnan]

3. Having lived in Virginia all my life

I have seen their domination of a state first-hand. It is most telling in the blue laws that had prohibited sales of alcohol on Sunday. If anything is theocracy that certainly is. That law changed a few years ago when the state controled alcohol stores actually started opening on Sunday.

Someone else can probably point to abortion laws and make the same analogy, but I'm not as informed there.

At this juncture, Virginia looks to be almost blue and getting away from its former supreme Southern Baptist rule, at least in its northern areas. But I wouldn't say we are completely home free yet.

Even in their most supremely ruled areas they cannot force you to go to church or sing the Gospel, but they can make you damned uncomfortable if you don't, just like these stupid "Always say Merry Christmas" idiots make me feel damned uncomfortable.

[YOY]

4. NoVa and SoVa are as different as night and day

I rather like living in Arlington (south Arlington to be specific). High level of educated professionals and quite blue most of the time...

Visiting Charlottesville is another thing. The University is nice but it seemed every time we went out to eat on our short vacation to the old Presidential estates we were glared at by fundie families for not speaking English amongst ourselves or praying before the meal or whatever they expect people to do to satisfy their idiocy...why are they so miserable and determined to share the misery?

[MountainLaurel]

11. You think Charlottesville is bad?

Try Lynchburg, Staunton, or Richmond. At least it has the prestigious college town thing going, so there's a fairly high proportion of people who believe that evolution is a fact, that public schools should not send kids for church training in the middle of the day, and that gay people should not be shipped off to a remote island in the Pacific.

[Orsino]

5. They seem to be the folks who care more about...

...lip service to the correct brand of god than they do about any actual governing. They'll be satisfied with catch phrases while their nation is stolen out from under their noses--as long as "their team" seems to be winning.

[Swamp Rat]

6. yes

:hi:

[Philosoraptor]

7. George the Stupid and Mike the Pious.

[BushOut06]

8. If you thought Ashcroft was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet

Imagine someone with the mindset of Ashcroft as our friggin' PRESIDENT. While * may have been paying lip-service to the fundies, Fuckabee is as diehard fundie as you can get. Get ready for an all-out assault on pornography, alcohol, TV and videogame "filth", and just about any other vice you can think of.

[Philosoraptor]

9. ...........

[avenger64]

12. They represent 23 percent of the nation ...

... and Huckleberry would be the most unelectable nominee in recent history. If you really want a Democrat to win the presidency, send Gomer some money.

[Olney Blue]

14. Does God really want someone like Huckabee representing him/her?

[Philosoraptor]

18. With Tammy Faye gone, huckleboy seems like God's best rep.

[Stevepol]

15. This concern about the S. Baptists is overblown. What's needed is a fair vote count.

When the vote is counted unfairly, the impression is left that the Southern Baptists must be the reason for the inexplicable numbers of voters voting far right.

Once the vote is counted fairly, it will be seen that the numbers are way skewed. But until that happens, the Southern Baptists will be a real threat to the country, that is, the Southern Baptists that get the limelight like Huckabee (and maybe the presidency).

[malaise]

16. Yes they are

Left to Fuckabee et al, slavery would be welcome again.

[Philosoraptor]

17. They are waiting for a messianic leader, but huckleberry hound will do.

They are easily tricked, just mention Jesus occasionally, and cleverly placed bible quotes are all it takes to herd them into the voting booths. Anyone can do it, and it works EVERY time.

[lonestarnot]

19. Nation of nondancers... ack! How boring.

[Philosoraptor]

20. I know of one church that has banned singing as evil.

Playing electric guitar in church is just swell with the creator, but singing opens the door for Satan to enter your heart. I swear I'm not making this up.