It would be the least of our worries.
America’s Holy Warriors – Chris Hedges
The drive by the Christian right to take control of military chaplaincies, which now sees radical Christians holding roughly 50 percent of chaplaincy appointments in the armed services and service academies, is part of a much larger effort to politicize the military and law enforcement. This effort signals the final and perhaps most deadly stage in the long campaign by the radical Christian right to dismantle America’s open society and build a theocratic state. A successful politicization of the military would signal the end of our democracy.
During the past two years I traveled across the country to research and write the book “American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.†I repeatedly listened to radical preachers attack as corrupt and godless most American institutions, from federal agencies that provide housing and social welfare to public schools and the media. But there were two institutions that never came under attack—the military and law enforcement. While these preachers had no interest in communicating with local leaders of other faiths, or those in the community who did not subscribe to their call for a radical Christian state, they assiduously courted and flattered the military and police. They held special services and appreciation days for all four branches of the armed services and for various law enforcement agencies. They encouraged their young men and women to enlist or to join the police or state troopers. They sought out sympathetic military and police officials to attend church events where these officials were lauded and feted for their Christian probity and patriotism. They painted the war in Iraq not as an occupation but as an apocalyptic battle by Christians against Islam, a religion they regularly branded as “satanic.†All this befits a movement whose final aesthetic is violence. It also befits a movement that, in the end, would need the military and police forces to seize power in American society.
What we have here is not a failure to communicate; it is more like Mr. Hedges has hit his own personal trifecta.
He hates Christians, Cops and the Military. Now that he sees the three of them congratulating or supporting one another, he is screaming that it is proof of the end of America.
I hope there wasn’t too much of a residual aftertaste in whatever he was drinking. Bile like that probably tastes bad enough.
Like I said in an earlier post, some people aren’t just atheists, they’re anti-religion for you and me and anyone who believes in God, be it YHWH, Jesus, Allah, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, Krishna, Buddha, Quan-Yin, or P-Dog. They believe only in the portion of the 1st ammendment which says Congress shall make no laws respecting religion, but miss the “nor prohibiting free exercise of religion” part that comes after it.
And for some reason, they expend more of their bile on Christianity. I assume that’s because the greatest portion of the American population is Christian, and were people like Hedges in Iran, they’d be complaining about Islam intertwined in politics (right before the mullahs cut their heads off). And because Christianity is their enemey, they’re automatically suspicious of anything a Christian does. Doesn’t matter if it’s a just and valid cause (like freeing Iraq from a murdering, dictatorial shitstain upon humanity), if a Christian is for it these anti-theists are against it. Ditto with the war on terror, though if they learned about the philosophy of al-Quaeda and the Muslim fundamentalists, they’d realize the Muzzies are just as much against anti-theists trying to create a completely secular society in which liberalism can survive as they are against Christians or Jews or Buddhists, or Hindus or any of those weird Pastafarian people.
“This effort signals the final and perhaps most deadly stage in the long campaign by the radical Christian right to dismantle America’s open society and build a theocratic state.”
Sniff, Sniff, hey- what’s that smell? Oh it’s straw! Is that you, Straw man? You could easily replace “military” and “law enforcement” with “education” and “government” and change “radical Christian right” to “radical secular marxist”.
My question is why wouldn’t Americans of all beliefs be supportive of those whose job is to “protect the Constitution” or “enforce the law”? (Of course, if the laws or enforcement methods are unjust it’s worthwhile to question them)
In other news, the Bible is a blueprint for leading life (with belief in an endgame of “eternal life”) in a secular state anyway (“Render unto Caesar…”).
But this is a great illustration of the type of “research” the left does, where the outcome is preconceived (“Christian Right” wants theocracy/ Man is creating climate change), then backed with whatever research backs it.
Meanwhile, there are real people who are at work daily to turn the world into a true fascist mono-state where religion, government, and culture are all defined by the religious book, or interpretations of it. But why worry about that? Because that’s just right now, and there is some percentage of the American population who thinks government is “godless” and might want to take over in the future.
There is nothing there but meaningless platitueds, groundless accusations, and tired rhetoric.
But man oh man if you read through the comments…they don’t leave ANY conspiracy theory untouched! I almost burst out laughing a couple times, but it is so sad that liberals actually believe thier own rubbish.
I’ve been in the Army going on 9 years, haven’t found any plan for all of us “right wing Christians” to take over yet. If I get a memo I will let you know. I’m sure someone in law enforcement will let Geekwitha45 know to lie low (he’s an *shudder* atheist after all!)
Uh oh, I hear BushHitlerRothchildGrandmasonIlluminati calling….