Bill Maher: Republicans = Scientologists

[meegbear]

One of the tenets of Scientology is that anyone who criticizes the religion is fair game for any and all kinds of retribution. You can file lawsuits against them, you can harass them, you can spread lies about them, and it's OK because the critic is fundamentally evil.

This is the same reason Republicans have no problem running push polls, or handing out leaflets with false accusations, or calling Dems and telling them that their polling place has been changed... all this dishonest, sleazy stuff is OK because it's in the service of a greater good.

'm not saying Dems don't indulge in vote shenanigans from time to time, but it's never on the same level. And when the Democrats do win, the impetus isn't to work with them, it's to destroy them - that was how Bill Clinton was received.

For a good chunk of the GOP base, the Democrats are literally in league with the Devil, so any means of keeping them out of power is legitimate.

In fact, this attitude is only a matter of degrees away from the belief radical Muslims have that any wrong perpetrated against the "infidels" is justified.

This also ties into the so-called father of neo-conservatism, the philosopher Leo Strauss, who argued that the only way to stop liberalism from ruining society was for the elites (a.k.a his neocon followers) to exploit myths (religion) or create new myths (the Islamic Menace) that will unite the hoi polloi in an orgy of nationalistic fervor. Sounds like fascism? Yup. But an interesting feature of Straussism is that the elites don't care if the myths they are exploiting are actually true; that's irrelevant as long as they're effective. Which is why we get Karl Rove talking about the Christian "nut-jobs," and the Kerry-hates-the-troops nonsense from last week. All those Republicans parroting the talking point re Kerry knew it was bullshit but they didn't care because it was an effective myth.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/republicans-scientologi_b_33764.html

[Barnaby]

1. Well, if those are the rules...

...then we should play by them, too.

[wtmusic]

2. Why do we want their rules?

They suck. They're rules to lose by.

(Welcome to DU, Barnaby)

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[The Count]

3. Nope, These are the rules for fanatics. FACTS are good enough for us.

There are so many, so stark, so convincing, we don't need to lie and bully - just properly govern and investigate.

[acmavm]

4. Seriously, I agree with you. It's only since Dr. Dean made us

get off the ground and quit crying that we've come this far. He made us find our collective backbones and fight back.

Now we keep fighting. Because quitting is what brought these bastards back into power.

Never forget, never let down our guard.

[Lerkfish]

7. ABSOLUTELY NOT. when you adopt the methods of your enemy, you

BECOME YOUR ENEMY.

get thee behind me

[indepat]

5. Bill's analysis is cogent, disturbing, but the gospel truth about the insidious enemy

of our Republic and most of its people who reside within.

Edited: context

[Dogmudgeon]

6. It's the core of fanaticism

Scientology may have actual Hubbardian scriptural support for it (the Fair Game Doctrine, Keep Scientology Working, and the Scientology Ethics system) but it's part of every fanatical group, religious or otherwise. In fact, nearly every group has its fanatics, and they all follow similar stereotyped patterns of thinking.

Fortunately, the days of divine fanaticism seem to be numbered. Alas, that number is still way too high for my liking, but the trend is again away from fanaticism. The fanatics have had their generation of fame, and have, as always, shown the world what they are. Even in the Muslim world, which has suffered under the heaviest yoke in this generation, the moderates and humanists are re-asserting themselves.

Not that it will be an easy path, but it will happen.

--p!