UGH. . .help me out here! Another revisionist weeping patriot story. . .

[kevinbgoode]

A friend posted this videoclip on my facebook page - it is of some "Pastor Rutherford" telling "The story behind the National Anthem." I watched it. . .and was astounded and shocked at the number of blatant fabrications put into this story - AND - how the "American Christian" was woven into it as some kind of mythical person. According to this man, the British had hundreds of warships ready to bombard "Fort Henry," which wasn't "predominantly a military facility" but harboring "women and children" and America was still made up of "colonies" instead of being a nation for over 30 years.

Some of the comments on this video are even more disturbing - the weeping, etc. . .and of course any comments are screened (apparently to protect any questioning of the historical inaccuracy of this outrageous fabrication). According to Pastor Rutherford, the flag at Fort McHenry was hit numerous times, the flagpole was broken innumerable times, and the flag remained flying because American soldiers physically held the pole up - and as each one of them perished during the British attack, they were replaced by more American "Christian" patriots who held the flag up. . .and so on. Well, I don't know if that part is true or not, but so many of the other things he said leading up to that point were such fabrications that I was just astounded at the story. Worse, I cannot believe that so many Americans would post comments weeping over that story (because they claim they never "heard" this "true" story before) and that their public school education failed them for not presenting this story (apparently) in this manner.

Now I learned about the War of 1812 when I was in school and I learned about the origin of the national anthem and knew who Francis Scott Key was. . .but please. . .someone tell me if I'm just overreacting to this "story behind the National Anthem" or if this is just another sign of revisionist nonsense:

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwa-lSVqA1M

My question is. . .what exactly is the purpose of fabricating reality? Are Americans unable to be patriotic unless we are deliberately and repeatedly lied to? Are we unable to love our country unless we manufacture some superhuman stories because the truth isn't glorious enough on its own? And how patriotic is it to care more about getting fed fabrications than reality?

[MineralMan]

1. The purpose of those fabrications is simple: Raising money.

That's the entire reason, and not a thing else. Just look for the Donate button on that person's website.

http://www.theshepherd.org/

I was mistaken. Look for the "Online Giving" link.

[dionysus]

5. on a completely unrelated note... TSP kicks ass. even though it it's the fake stuff....

thanks for hipping me to it.

:hi:

[MineralMan]

6. Cool beans! Good stuff, isn't it?

Oh, wait...you're talking about the cleaning stuff? Hmm...I was thinking about something else...:rofl:

[dionysus]

7. i won't even tell you about the time i accidentally made chlorine gas while cleaning a room

;)

let's just say... if a buddy come over to "help" you by adding ammonia to bleach... well....

[mindwalker_i]

11. Um, yeah, don't do that

Chlorine gas is, like, REALLY bad for you.

[dionysus]

13. i was cleaning ym walls with a solution containing bleach because ym parents were comign to visit.

my tenant decided to "help" by grabbing some windex with ammonio in it.

thank god i realized what he'd done before it was too late. however, i had the worst hacking cough for two days. i wanted to kill him.

[Warpy]

2. The purpose of fabricating this stuff is to inspire mawkish patriotism

intertwined with religious fervor and a feeling of innate superiority in stupid and/or lazy people who aren't motivated to research the real story. People like that pastor count on those people to keep them in the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Why do you think high school history is such a pack of lies and feel good jingoistic twaddle? It's meant to produce obedient workers who will cough up their hard earned cash to any organization that reinforces the rubbish.

That's why.

[Puregonzo1188]

3. Jesus Christ, I'm only a two minutes into this and he's already said colonies like 5 times.

If it was just once I thought it might be a slip up, but this man has confused the War for Independence with the War of 1812.

[OHdem10]

4. Christian Nationalism on the Rampage. Emotional Narratives

and revisionist history are part and parcel. Anything
to promote their version of patriotism. A few years
back the Fundies(esp. Southern Baptists) started calling
themselves Christian Nationalists.
There is a propensity to intertwine Christianity and
the founding to their likes. Our Country was founded
by Christians seeking Freedom to practice their religion.
They were escaping what some might call persecution in
their home countries. With this real history, there has
been more and more embellishment. One guy, I cannot recall
his name has written a whole book of revisionist history.

Just like other matters, there is no gatekeeper of the
the truth. An example. Political story is presented
by TV Host who calls on a Republican to give their "spin"
and a Democrat to give their "spin". NO ONE EVER SAYS
The republican say this and the Democrats says this,--
exactly where is the truth here??? Instead, you decide.
People are told to believe what you will. Nothing
is apparently important enough to seek the real truth.

[Fridays Child]

8. He refers to the U.S. as the colonies? Right out of the starting gate, this guy is an idiot.

By the War of 1812, the colonies were states. Duh. And at least four more territories had achieved statehood by then, as well.

[hootinholler]

9. Holy Fuck!

About the only true thing yet (3:19 I had to stop it) is that FSK was sent to negotiate a prisoner exchange, but even that is wrong he was one of two people sent.

-Hoot

[hootinholler]

15. Comment pending approval

"My wish is that there is a special place in hell for people who push this sort of tripe to ennoble their religion."

We'll see if it's approved, :rofl:

-Hoot

[Vickers]

10. "Let me tell you a story..."

:rofl:

Freudian slip? Truth in advertising? YOU DECIDE!!!!

[patrice]

12. I love your deep questions! In short, people have given themselves permission to believe whatever

they want to believe and many supporting social and financial reinforcements have become attached to that fact.

Is it really reaching to hypothesize Church/SaintCo youth and other groups who earn various kinds of recognition as "leaders" by posting stuff on the internet and driving others to read/view/comment? All very documentable and accessible to anyone selling certain kinds of resume consults and job-hunting networking opportunities.

In such a market, the higher the emotional quotient, the higher the response rate and when you're dealing with people, similar to a certain recent VP candidate, who are already conditioned from an early age for extreme forms of acting-out their fantasies, internet activities are not much of a challenge.

[patrice]

14. Someone needs to try to engage such Christians, Socratically, in a discussion of idolatry. nt

[struggle4progress]

16. Official Account of the Bombardment of Fort McHenry

... On the night of Saturday the 10th inst. the British fleet, consisting of ships of the line, heavy frigates, and bomb vessels, amounting in the whole to 30 sail, appeared at the mouth of the river Patapsco, with every indication of an attempt on the city of Baltimore ... On Monday morning very early, it was perceived that the enemy was landing troops on the east side of the Patapsco, distant about ten miles. During the day and the ensuing night, he had brought sixteen ships (including five bomb ships) within about two miles and a half of this Fort ... On Tuesday morning about sunrise, the enemy commenced the attack from his five bomb vessels, at the distance about two miles, when finding that his shells reached us, he anchored and kept an incessant and well directed bombardment ... The enemy continued throwing shells, with one or two slight intermissions, till one o'clock in the morning of Wednesday; when it was discovered that he had availed himself of the darkness of the night and had thrown a considerable force above to our right ... The bombardment continued on the part of the enemy until 7 o'clock on Wednesday morning, when it ceased; and about nine, their ships got under weigh and stood down the river. During the bombardment which lasted 25 hours (with two slight intermissions) from the best calculations I can make, from fifteen to eighteen hundred shells were thrown by the enemy. A few of these fell short. A large proportion burst over us, throwing their fragments among us, and threatening destruction. Many passed over, and about four hundred fell within the works. Two of the public buildings are materially injured - the others but slightly. I am happy to inform you (wonderful as it may appear) that our loss amounts to only four men killed, and 24 wounded. The latter will all recover ...
G. Armistead, Lt Col. U.S.A
Hon. James Monroe, Secretary of War

<pdf:> http://americanhistory.si.edu/starspangledbanner/pdf/TRANSCRIPT%20Official%20Account%20of%20the%20Bombardment%20of%20Fort%20McHenry.pdf

[struggle4progress]

17. ... “Historically, Fort McHenry has gone through a lot flagpoles” says Chief of Interpretation,

“Vincent Vaise, “the first known replacement was 1810, four years before the bombardment, it was struck by lightening and blown apart, nature had a better aim than the British.” ...
Star Fort Closed
http://www.nps.gov/fomc/parknews/star-fort-closed.htm

[Confusious]

18. With so many men holding up the flag pole

I wonder who was firing back at the British?

Jesus, Moses and Adam?