Who does this sound like to you?
They are vehemently against abortion, they resist progressive woman's rights. They view homosexuality as a crime against nature and God, some advocate the death penalty as an option for it. Separation of Church and State is despised by these folks; they insist the nation is founded on the principles of their religion, and they work hard to bring that de facto theocracy about. They deplore strong language, gay characters, and sexual content on TV and in the media. And they ignore the Geneva Convention when it suits their ideological purposes, including provisions against torture or due process. They're anti-stem cell research, pro-creationism, and generally distrustful of science. These folks are easily whipped into a state of frenzy with ideological manipulation to the point where they will commit violence, or at least tacitly endorse that violence is acceptable, if it advances their Divine agenda. They then take great pains to justify that violence, including unprovoked attack of civilian areas, under certain conditions, with convoluted theological gymnastics. They are almost to the man pro-death penalty ... Am I railing against the religious right again?Read the rest of this commentary on the Daily Kos blog. It's choice, in addition to being right on the money.
Could be, but my target here is actually Al Qaeda and related fundamentalist Wahhabism; the source of terrorism, the scourge of our planet, the Axis of Evil.
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"They've managed to convince a large segment of Christians in the US that cutting benefits and protection for the working class and poor, extending benefits to the wealthy at their expense, engaging in warfare based on lies and deception, and torture, are more central values to Christianity than mercy, civil rights, help for the poor and sick, and the shunning of wealth and power." by DarkSyde
I dare everybody to put that as their email's inspirational phrase...
Relevant excerpts for your enjoyment:
"The framers of our constitution deliberately omitted 'God' from its language, assigning supreme power to 'We The People.' They wanted to insulate us from holy wars, crusades, and oxymorons like 'creation science.'
...Sooner or later, of course, a Bush will need cell-replacement therapy, and he or she may have to fly to California, New jersey, or maybe even Seoul. Much worse, the necessary treatment may not be ready yet anywhere. But here's another thing I have faith in: once the cures are available, those who opposed therapeutic cloning in 2004 will damn well find a way to get themselves and their families treated. It's not even hard to imagine them elbowing their way to the front of the line at the clinic.
...In the meantime, here's how a wartime Republican balanced civic and spiritual responsibilities back in 1862, while thinking about the Emancipation Proclamation: 'I am approached with the most opposite opinions and advice, and that by religious men who are equally certain that they represent the divine will...I hope it will not be irreverent for me to say that if it is probable that God would reveal his will to others, on a point so connected with my duty, it might be supposed that he would reveal it directly to me...These are not, however, the days of miracles, and I suppose it will be granted that I am not to expect a direct relevation. I must study the plain physical facts of the case, ascertain what is possible, and learn what appears to be wise and right.' And he did."
- James McManus, 'Please Stand By While the Age of Miracles is Briefly Suspended.'
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