President Bush and Religion

[pax]

The problem is that, in some cases (certainly not all or even a majority, but some), I'm not sure the label is inappropriate. I read in the Intelligence Report (a publication of the well-reputed Southern Poverty Law Center) that some of the very extreme right-wingers are not only extraordinarily intractable and intolerant in their beliefs, but do not shy away from violence and extreme grabs for power. And they do believe that they alone are correct--not only in their belief in Jesus Christ as Savior, but in many other beliefs as well--and will stop at nothing to prove that they are right.

So how are such people not militants, Christian or not? Particularly when the "militant" label is even more casually tossed around on the other side of the fence, to libel feminists, gay rights activists, African-American leaders, and the like.

[nbcrusader]

I am sure you can find "militants" for every group or cause. I would say Perlstein has casually tossed the term in this article when speaking of Bush.

Do you think this was a thoughtful and supported use of the term when refering to Bush?

[pax]

To describe Bush himself? Possibly not.

To describe some fabulously wealthy people who have given him lots of money? Absolutely, and it's the financial connections that worry me.

[nbcrusader]

Originally posted by paxetaurora
To describe some fabulously wealthy people who have given him lots of money? Absolutely, and it's the financial connections that worry me.

Bush's financial support is from Christian militants???

[pub crawler]

Originally posted by Judah

Some Christians, Lincoln observes, "would maintain that Christianity is not a religion. The others"�Islam, Shinto, whatever�"are religions." Christianity, simply, is reality: the truth. Bush can praise Islam to the skies, but it needn't take away from the Christian right's sense that Bush knows it's really Christ who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

Actually that makes a lot of sense. For evangelicals, there is that belief that Christianity is not a religion, but a faith -- and that makes all the difference in the world.

The really important point to be made about all of this is that American Conservatism as it is currently dictated by the right wing gives very black and white answers to all of the country's ills. Everything can be figured out if one listens to those who speak with Moral Clarity. George W. Bush claims that his leadership provides us with Moral Clarity.

Unfortunately, Americans are generally in a deep slumber and have no idea what this administration is up to -- and don't give a fuck in general. The electorate simply listens to the president and trusts that he is doing the right thing.

[pax]

Um, yes--the Reconstructionist movement was very generous to Bush's campaign.

[pax]

Let me note that while the Reconstructionist movement, from my quick readings, is largely theonomic and theocratic, not all Reconstructionists promote violence.

That said, here are some links to info about Christian Reconstruction and George W. Bush, and connections between them:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm

All religious organizations, congregations etc. other than Christian would be suppressed. Nonconforming Evangelical, main line and liberal Christian religious institutions would no longer be allowed to hold services, organize, proselytize, etc. Society would revert to the laws and punishments of the Hebrew Scriptures. Any person who advocated or practiced other religious beliefs outside of their home would be tried for idolatry and executed. Blasphemy, adultery and homosexual behavior would be criminalized; those found guilty would also be executed. At that time that this essay was originally written, this was the only religious movement in North America of which we were aware which advocates genocide for followers of minority religions and non-conforming members of their own religion. Since then, we have learned of two conservative Christian pastors in Texas who have advocated the execution of all Wiccans. Ralph Reed, the executive director of the conservative public policy group the Christian Coalition has criticized Reconstructionism as "an authoritarian ideology that threatens the most basic civil liberties of a free and democratic society."

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0307/S00147.htm

...the origins of America's largest electronic voting machine companies may be just as distressing [as connections between Sen. Chuck Hagel and a similar company; see full story], especially for those who venerate the separation of church and state. The convoluted system of renaming and buyouts of America's voting system companies is a complicated story. However, once the various corporate trails have been followed, a disturbing picture comes into focus.

Brothers Bob and Todd Urosevich founded American Information Systems. Bob is currently president of Diebold and Todd Urosevich is Vice President, Aftermarket Sales of ES&S. (In 1999, American Information Systems, purchased Business Records Corp to become ES&S.)

American Information Systems (AIS) was primarily funded with money from Ahmanson brothers, William and Robert, of the Howard F. Ahmanson Co. The majority stake in ES&S is still owned by Howard F. Ahmanson and the Ahmanson Foundation

Howard Ahmanson belongs to Council for National Policy, a hard right wing organization and also helps finance The Chalcedon Institute. As the institute's own site reports, Chalcedon is a "Christian educational organization devoted to research, publishing, and promoting Christian reconstruction in all areas of life... Our emphasis on the Cultural or Dominion Mandate (Genesis 1:28) and the necessity of a return to Biblical Law has been a crucial factor in the challenge to Humanism by Christians in this country and elsewhere..." Chalcedon promotes Christian Reconstructionism, which mandates Christ's dominion over the entire world. The organization's purpose is to establish Old Testament Biblical law as the standard for society.

http://religiousmovements.lib.virgin...s/ChRecon.html

(A very scholarly look at Christian Reconstructionism.)

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intel...le.jsp?aid=376

(The original story I read about Christian Reconstruction in the Southern Poverty Law Center's Inteligence Report.)

[pax]

And one more--this one deals more explicitly with Christian Reconstruction's ties to major Republican figures, including, very closely, George W. Bush himself. Watch the stupid little commercial if you have to and read the whole article.

http://archive.salon.com/news/featur...son/index.html

The Episcopal Church split is only a small part of Ahmanson's concerted efforts to radically transform not only American religion, but the nation's moral culture and, thereby, the country itself. His money has made possible some of the most pivotal conservative movements in America's recent history, including the 1994 GOP takeover of the California Assembly, a ban on gay marriage and affirmative action in California, and the mounting nationwide campaign to prove Darwin wrong about evolution. His financial influence also helped propel the recent campaign to recall California Gov. Gray Davis. And besides contributing cash to George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign, Ahmanson has played an important role in driving Bush's domestic agenda by financing the career of Marvin Olasky, a conservative intellectual whose ideas inspired the creation of the new White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

Even when not explicitly violent, do I believe that these ideas are bad, bad news? Yes. Do I think that the President having ties to them is a bad, bad thing? Definitely.

[nbcrusader]

Originally posted by paxetaurora
Um, yes--the Reconstructionist movement was very generous to Bush's campaign.

Pax, that is some very interesting reading. I should note that the Reconstructionist movement conflicts with teachings of "evangelicals" or "fundamentalists" in many regards.

Who are the generous donors to the Bush campaign? I did not recognize the names of those associated with Reconstructionist teaching.

[Klaus]

Originally posted by Kieran McConville
"Moral clarity means never having to say sorry."

Someone stick that on a tshirt - I'd wear it!

of course that's wrong - there are situations in life where everything you can do is to choose between two wrongs.
Shakespeare got famous with that stuff

[melon]

Originally posted by paxetaurora
All religious organizations, congregations etc. other than Christian would be suppressed. Nonconforming Evangelical, main line and liberal Christian religious institutions would no longer be allowed to hold services, organize, proselytize, etc. Society would revert to the laws and punishments of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Looks like these "Christians" have forgotten that the New Testament voided the "laws and punishments" of the Hebrew Scriptures.

And the fact that that wacko Ahmanson is the bastard behind funding so many conservative movements--along with making the electronic voting machines--makes me even more irate. And funny...Ralph Reed starts sounding like a liberal compared to these nuts; but see...when the "Reconstructionists" threaten to ban them, it's funny how altrustic they start sounding. Of course, the Christian Coalition has just as much a lust for power.

Melon

[pax]

Ahmanson is the main figure that articles refer to, and apparently he was among major Bush donors.