The cult of persecution and fundamentalism in America
November 18th 2007 00:14
It's the goofy season, when we hear dispatches from the imaginary fronts in the "War on Christmas." The likes of Fox's John Gibson and Bill O'Reilly warn us of imminent attack on the cherished holiday of their Lord's birth. Never mind that it was an assigned day, no more the birth of Jesus than any other day. Never mind that it is a federal holiday in quite a few countries and more stores close on that day than any other. No, all they can imagine is that us crazy secular-progressives are out to destroy it.
Of course they are wrong. We don't want to destroy it. We just don't want the overt relgioiusity of the holiday (or any other for that matter) all over the place. We may or may not like the day, but we aren't waging a "war." Just like any other holiday, there are those who love it and those who would just as soon sit it out.
What is important to note is that the "war on Christmas" is just a symptom of a much larger concern, the percieved persecution of fundamentalist Christianity. Just like any fundamentalist or totalitarian movement, a feeling that you and those like you are "under siege" is critical to sustaining the movement. That is the essence of the problem. As long as that sentiment exists at the fringes it is relatively harmless outside of its immediate circle. I would argue that it does great damage to those within the circle, but the effects are mitigated by low numbers in most advanced societies.
Fundamentalism is fueled by despair and lack of hope. When people give up on the society and structure around them and seek to remake a real or imagined past. In the Middle East it is at least somewhat understandable. Colonialism and Imperialism centered around oil have given the "juice" to jihadism and terrorism. Mr. Bush and his ill-advised "war on terror" have made it much, much easier for the movements to find recruits.
America is different. the level of despair and discontent has to be manipulated. People are made to feel that they are under "attack" from secular forces guided by Satan, when in fact they are not. The greedy and manipulative leaders take advantage of the imagined persecutions to further their own agendas, and to line their pockets. And real events, like the 9/11 attacks, are twisted by propaganda pros to enhance the siege feeling. Rally cries emerge, and the movement grows. And in what can only be called a stroke of genius, the very rich have managed to piggyback their train to the social causes of the radical right. As long as a candidate is not pro-choice, anti-gay rights, and pushes the fear buttons right, they can get elected. And they can manipulate the country for the benefit of cronies with little fear of alienating their base.
Homosexuality is a favorite "evil." Gays are accused of pushing their "homosexual agenda" when they seek equal rights or the choice to marry. They are demonized as lecherous cretins out to recruit the innocent children into their web of immorality.
Islam is portrayed as a religion bent on converting the world to Sharia Law. It's funny, the fundamentalists in America are just as bent on making a "Christian country." The differences are only semantics. If the same conditions existed in America that exist in many other places, the radicalism here could well be just as barbaric. The enemy, as has been the case for a long time, is radical fundamentalism, whatever flag it flies under.
Creationism is mandatory. For to admit evolution is behind life on earth is impossible. It is quite possibly the veritable "straw that breaks the camel's back" that would draw question on the rest of their belief system. The building of a false reality, supported by those a person is surronded with, is a tool that has been used many times. It rarely turns out good.
Of course they are wrong. We don't want to destroy it. We just don't want the overt relgioiusity of the holiday (or any other for that matter) all over the place. We may or may not like the day, but we aren't waging a "war." Just like any other holiday, there are those who love it and those who would just as soon sit it out.
Fundamentalism is fueled by despair and lack of hope. When people give up on the society and structure around them and seek to remake a real or imagined past. In the Middle East it is at least somewhat understandable. Colonialism and Imperialism centered around oil have given the "juice" to jihadism and terrorism. Mr. Bush and his ill-advised "war on terror" have made it much, much easier for the movements to find recruits.
Homosexuality is a favorite "evil." Gays are accused of pushing their "homosexual agenda" when they seek equal rights or the choice to marry. They are demonized as lecherous cretins out to recruit the innocent children into their web of immorality.
Islam is portrayed as a religion bent on converting the world to Sharia Law. It's funny, the fundamentalists in America are just as bent on making a "Christian country." The differences are only semantics. If the same conditions existed in America that exist in many other places, the radicalism here could well be just as barbaric. The enemy, as has been the case for a long time, is radical fundamentalism, whatever flag it flies under.
Creationism is mandatory. For to admit evolution is behind life on earth is impossible. It is quite possibly the veritable "straw that breaks the camel's back" that would draw question on the rest of their belief system. The building of a false reality, supported by those a person is surronded with, is a tool that has been used many times. It rarely turns out good.
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Comment by Ahmed
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When you look into their claims you find they often don't hold true, a certain someone who shall remain nameless, claimed that they banned Santa Claus's from saying the word 'ho' in Australia because it might sound offensive, after looking into the matter I found out that they weren't bad but asked to lower the frequency of using the expression because it frightens children and instead use 'ha'.
Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics
A one sided view it's it, just because some one is opposed to your liberal views doesn't make them wrong.
No the Christian right doesn't believe in evolution, doesn't believe in same sex marriages, believes abortion is wrong.
I know that is different to what you believe, just as you criticize Christians for being close minded, so are you on what you believe.
You talk about evolution, I just can't bring myself to believe that nothing blew up and made something.
You seem to be a very intelligent person, what is a theory (guess or conjecture). You say the same thing about creation whats the difference.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
As for evolution vs. creationism, I don't just "believe" in faith, as you are required to do. There is more empircal scientific evidence for evolution than for gravity. Are you going to deny that one too? There is a reason the fundamentalist right fight so hard against evolution. It takes away their percieved divinity, the "in the image of God" idea. It makes them just another species among thousands and thousands.
Comment by Lester Caudill
Round Politics
Have you ever heard a case where there was nothing at all just empty space, and that empty space blew up, and made something.
But you probably have heard of a case where there was something and it was blown up and there was nothing left.
So is the case with evolution nothing blew up and made something, just can't happen. And as far as evolution why isn't the animals such as apes where man supposedly came from are still around in their ape form.
Why has evolution stop, I don't see animals developing into anything else other than what they always was.
Jeff you will not believe me, but there is a way to know that God does exist, all you have to do is accept him into your life, he will make himself know to you in a way you will not deny him any more.
I have seen cancer healed, I have seen people that the doctors gave up make a full recovery, I have seen signs carried out by believers. I don't expect you to believe me, but I have. God was the only one that can do that.
You say that I deny the evidence for evolution, I say you deny the evidence of creation, all you have do is look around you and know this is just not by accident it was designed by a greater power that ourselves.
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Damo
Several things come to my mind when looking at the US debate over left and right (liberal verses conservative) is that it seems so polarized. There is an all or nothing mentality that seems alien to most Australian debates.
That being said the issue I have is that even the term Religious Right has no specific meaning and can be used as a tar brush inthe same way the term Lib/Dem is used. Opposite sides of bad reasoning is still bad reasoning.
The common mistake I often read is that religion is nothing more than a political theory. However different religious people have a broad variance on opinion (even people within the same religion may also be diametrically opposed in politics)
The second most common mistake is that some people assume that theology is philosophy for the feeble minded. Spend even a few minutes talking to either a Jesuit, Hindu Priest, Buddhist Monk and you will see how well educated they are. Some theology courses require two years of solid non religious philosophy before they even let people touch theological issues. In some cases the logic conclusion they draw must be proven from two different philosophical directions as a sanity test.
I cannot speak for some of the newer exclusively Bible based religions as they have a variety of views based upon the variety of interpretations.Most are pretty harmless and a few noisy fanatics. You cannot tar the harmless with fanatical brush because it is convenient.
I guess the only thing I wanted to say is that each issue have listed is an idividual issued and can only be defended or rejected on its individual merits alone.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
If you would like to read a very good summary of the movement and the dangers it can present, I would suggest reading "American Fascists, The Christian Right and the War on America" by Chris Hedges.
Comment by Damo
Thanks for the suggestion.
I don't know who Chris Hedges is in any detail and I am not sure if his book are being sold in Australia.
I will investigate the man later.
Comment by DeAnne
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As for the other issues... believe it or not, I agree (somewhat) on them as well. I'm not going to say that I think abortion, or even homosexuality is good, or moral. But, I believe that those are personal issues, and that no one has the right to force their beliefs on anyone else. I am pro-choice, and for the most part agree with gay-rights. I personally prefer the term "domestic partnership" to "marriage" but it doesn't really matter that much to me. [My husband says that gays should be allowed to be as miserable as the rest of us, I hope he's just kidding about that miserable part
Even on the issue of creation vs. evolution.... I believe in intelligent design. Why can't someone as intelligent, and awesome as God create evolution? Basically, I believe the truth lies somewhere in between the two, and I am not smart enough (or don't care enough) to understand it all. I don't believe that every "story" in the Bible is supposed to be absolute fact. They are, in fact, stories -- meant to provide some concept of where we come from, and how we are to live our lives. I'm quite sure if anyone from my church read this, they'd ex-communicate me, but I don't have faith in my church, I have faith in my Lord.