Even Cable news is aghast these days about the ghoulishness of American Christian extremists -- most specifically about their recent "2012 letter." You know, the one that says if Barack Obama gets elected the world is going to end? My opinion? Far, far scarier than Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, or any other radical Muslim group are our sweet lil' ol' American Christian extremists.
This home-grown daddy-god group is
a) Bulging large (7%-12% of our population),
b) Enormously well organized (the fear of Hell is used shamelessly to scare believers into doing anything needed),
c) Blisteringly powerful (they have entree to the White House, have run their own candidate for the Presidency, and are now running Sarah Palin),
d) Slimy-sneaky (they work hard to hide themselves and what they're doing),
e) and Ruthlessly radical (they literally want to replace democracy in this country with "theocracy" -- rule by the Bible).
Unlike Muslim extremists, American Christian extremists are world-class sneaks. They slither around underground, hiding what they're doing and concealing their aims (literal takeover of the U.S. government*). Also unlike Muslims, they all live legally inside our boundaries. There's no pitching them out on their ear to get rid of them. We're stuck with these icky, vile vermin.
So kiddies, if you want to ditch democracy and start living in a country where sassy kids, gays, blasphemers and "heretics" are, by law, stoned to death (I'm not being funny here; this is REALLY what they want to do)* -- just go ahead and vote for Sarah Boogey-Person Palin. 'Cause Sarah's church'd sooner stone ya to death as look atcha.
_________
*Under Christian extremists, "Those who would face execution include not only gays but a very long list of others: blasphemers, heretics, apostate Christians, people who cursed or struck their parents, females guilty of "unchastity before marriage," "incorrigible" juvenile delinquents, adulterers, and (probably) telephone psychics. And that's to say nothing of murderers and those guilty of raping married women or "betrothed virgins." Adulterers, among others, might meet their doom by being publicly stoned...." (from "Invitation to a Stoning" Walter Olson, Reason, Nov. 1998, Vol. 30, Issue 6).
________________________________
Bib.
Moser, Bob. The Crusaders. Rolling Stone, 4/21/2005, Issue 972.
Olson, Walter. Invitation to a Stoning. Reason, Nov. 1998, Vol. 30, Issue 6.
Sharlet, Jeff. Through a Glass, Darkly. Harper's, Dec., 2006, Vol. 313, Issue 1879.
Sugg, John. Christian Rconstructionists Believe Democracy Is Heresy, Public Schools are Satanic, and Stoning Isn't Just for the Taliban Anymore -- And They've Got More Influence Than You Think. Church and State 59 (2006)
_____________
I couldn't agree with you more on this one. But here's something interesting. My fundie sister will not vote for McCain because she says Sarah Palin ought to be at home caring for her disabled infant and troubled teenager! I can't figure out whether this is Goddess at work or just old-school "wife stays at home" philosophy, but it gets a Democratic lever pulled ... where it would have not been otherwise.
ReplyDeleteanne, my mother, heavily Christian but a lifelong Democrat, says the same thing: "Sarah Palin just had a baby. How can she think she'll have time to help run the country?!?"
ReplyDeleteMy sister, however, is something else. I thought our sisters were more or less on the same floor in the Fundie Funhouse, but I guess mine has risen a few floors above yours.
Mine is having trouble sleeping nights for fear Obama's election will usher in the End Times. This according to my brother, who is now sorry he moved from his great life in AZ back home to -- Fundie Funhouse Land.
Greetings Athana and thank you so much for this post. This is the most blunt post I've seen on the Sarah Palin/Christian Right stand. Thank the Goddess the election is almost over.
ReplyDeleteBy the way ladies, I live in a small "Christian" town and can top any of you. Today one of the local church choirs showed up at my son's high school at lunch time to perform and help influence the kids to "save the world before it's too late." I'm hoping this election will help fight this immoral behavior by the so-called "Christian Right."
beverly, do you mean the church choir was actively promoting McCain in your son's high school?
ReplyDeleteIsn't this grounds for the church to lose its tax-exempt status? I could be wrong, but I think it is.
Hmmm. I wonder how you could help relieve this church of its TE status. And of course have that loss splashed on the front page of your local paper. Hmmm.
At any rate, thank for your thank you. I wish more writers would get more blunt about this stuff. We need to wake up to what's going on.