How extremist Christian theology is driving the right-wing assault on democracy

[slightlv]

Full Title: How extremist Christian theology is driving the right-wing assault on democracy
Author: Paul Rosenberg
Citations include: Frederick Clarkson, among others
Commentary on [link:https://www.salon.com/2021/10/31/how-extremist-christian-theology-is-driving-the-right-wing-on-democracy/|

It's a (fairly long) article on the two types of Dominionism in American today, their history and how they are at work in today's Evangelical and Charismatic churches. Also, how they are taking charge of politics and hot button issues to press their agendas to positions themselves to be THE leaders and rulers of America in the near and far future. This is the Theocracy for which we're headed. You want to be scared? This is worse than any Tobe Hooper horror show!

I've only read thru half of it, and I've had to stop for the night. I'm re-reading the first half and the rest of it tomorrow. I recommend it just on the half I've read so far. It's important information for us to know to be prepared to fight against in order to retain our democracy. I've known for a long time we've been up against the Dominionists in the coming theocracy. Even I didn't know there were two branches. The "Reconstructionist" branch mingles religion and economy; the NAR is the one most of us who know of the Dominionists are most familiar with - the ones who tout Dominion over the "7 Hills" or "7 Mountains". They both advocate instituting old Testament Biblical law instead of laws such as we have today. IOW, the Sharia type law they've screamed about for years. This includes public execution of women who've had abortions.

This is where I stopped for the night. I can only read so much before the nightmares will take over...

[keithbvadu2]

1. "7 Mountains" - always something new to learn.

"7 Mountains" - always something new to learn.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=7+mountains

---------------------------------

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate

Followers believe that by fulfilling the Seven Mountain Mandate they can bring about the end times.[4]

They believe they can influence/control God.

[slightlv]

2. How arrogant are they, eh?

We've got so many groups thinking they can influence and control the god they believe in... and it's all the "Christian" god of their choice! I was raised Christian, but not like these guys. I don't think my grandmother, who was a preacher for much of her adult life, would have had a thing to do with these people. I would like to think she'd have been preaching against them. We also could have excellent spiritual and philosophical discussions, as long as we kept "labels" off things.

These Dominionists are something else, tho. They believe they are called to capture these 7 Mountains to rule over everyone... to have "dominion" over everyone in God's name. IOT bring heaven to earth. I keep thinking if they wouldn't be so damned determined to sully earth with their drilling, pollution, and strip mining, not to mention deforestation and killing of other earth's resources... and just treat everyone like you would want people to treat you (you know... like their good book supposedly tells them to do), then we'd already pretty much have heaven on earth now. I don't get it.

[bluecollar2]

4. From the Wikipedia link

Rafael Cruz, pastor and father of Ted Cruz[2] is listed as a follower

[slightlv]

9. There are a lot of our representatives

who are masquerading as extreme Catholics who are actually Dominionists. I don't have "proof" of this. Who was it who, in a debate, forgot the name of one of the cabinets he wanted to abolish... Rick Perry?... he's one of them. Texas is full of these guys. So is the Washington group, The Family. Ye Gods... watch that HBO special. It'll scare the pants off you. Beyond the war, one of the worst things that Bush the younger did was encourage and enable all the christianists access to government positions... even creating positions for them. But it goes back way farther than him. Nixon should be held up in even further disrepute for ever letting Billy Graham near the White House. It wasn't that Billy, himself, was bad as far as that type goes. Tho, personally, I never did like him. But what he stood for... and the perception he gave of a state approved religion... should have been nipped in the bud right then and there. But it wasn't, and it only grew in the background, away and out of sight from the citizenry until here we are today. We have publicly funded private religious schools. Our tax dollars support religious adoption agencies that are free to discriminate in various ways we disagree with and no way to express our disagreement. Religion sneaked in thru the front door, locked the back door, and is now taking over the living and dining room. How do we kick them out before they have us completely on our knees for our daily bread?

[jmowreader]

5. Something like 20 years ago...

…a batch of True Believers decided that the appearance of a completely red calf, with not one white or black hair anywhere on it, would bring about the End Times. Therefore, they spent several years trying to breed one before they decided it was impossible and gave up.

I really want to know: are these people’s lives so bad the only way out they see is to have their imaginary friend kill off the entire population of the earth?

[tanyev]

6. It's so aggravating when God won't do what you want him to do!

[slightlv]

10. I'm no longer a Christian. You couldn't pay me enough to be a Christian anymore.

You couldn't pay me enough to belong to any "organized" religion. When I left organized religion, I became a Seeker. What I saw made me an Agnostic. I still am, to a degree. But I like theater. I like ritual. So, I became Pagan. Do I believe in some great Sky God? No. Do I think there's some great organizing force in the Universe? Maybe. I think there's something to the Big Bang that we don't know, and I'd sure like to know what it is, even if it's just a big bang that happens constantly, opening up constantly to a cacophony of multi-verses. I'd like to think a bit of what animates all life is interconnected and survives. But I don't know; and won't know until I die; and that's okay. It's just one mystery to anticipate at the end of life. Period. If it's only neurons misfiring and gives me a great light show at the end, that's okay, too. Why does it have to be anything more than that for anybody? Why can't we just let people live their lives without being all up in their business? Why do we have to "bother" people all the time? Why can't we just appreciate the differences?

Frankly, I love to learn about cultural differences, regardless of what they are. I graduated 3 hours shy of minors in archeology and anthropology. I've always regretted that. I've loved both subjects, especially cultural anthropology. After my divorce, my daughter and I were taken in by a good friend who was Mexican-American. Her household was a three generation family living together. We loved it. Such a loud, active household. Something always cooking in the kitchen... someone always on the way out the door to do something. Always something new to learn - language, customs, old religion, you name it. My daughter and I both thrived in the environment.

The white culture has lost so much by separation from it's separation from not only it's mutigenerational past, but also it's immigrant past.

[lees1975]

11. There's a big difference between real Christianity, which is being subverted in exchange for

political power, and the phony political-religious philosophy that is not true Christianity.

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/06/christian-dominion-theology-intersects.html

[lees1975]

12. Here's more information. This is a whole movement, aimed at removing Democratic rule

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/06/christian-dominion-theology-intersects.html

[keithbvadu2]

13. Yes! Political Christians rather than Christians of faith.

[Lunabell]

3. "Lying for God."

Is actually a thing for these people. As long as THEIR christian beliefs obtain the power. It's really not considered a sin to lie in this way. Or to cheat and commit fraud. As long as it is in their best interest, it's not a sin.

WTF?!?

[lees1975]

7. Christian reconstructionism has been around for a while

and it has some apologists. If you're interested in reading about it, the "primer" of it is a book by Harold O. J. Brown, which came out originally in 1976, and picked up steam in the 80's, called The Reconstruction of the Republic." This is based on the false belief that the founding fathers intended for America to be a white, Christian nation and the constitution was intended to enforce rule under the ten commandments and Christian rule.

This is a very prevalent belief in conservative Christian churches, one of the reasons why they are still very segregated. They've become pragmatists in some regards, realizing that they need Catholics and Mormons to participate, two groups that they have previously declared heretics and hellbound.

It is a movement that uses Christian theology and doctrine to achieve political power, rather than a movement that is aimed at fulfilling the Christian mission and purpose apart from political power, which is what Christ and the apostles taught. It is anti-Christian in its philosophy, willing to set aside core principles of Christian faith to gain political power and influence. That's why a man like Trump, an immoral, God-cursing, demonically-driven demagogue, is so popular among Evangelicals.

[lark]

8. Christofascists are taking over.

The christo for cover and excuses and fascists are who are leading this.