What is it about fundamentalist Xtians of Palin's ilk?

[Stern21]

When they are so anti choice?

They want to "save the babies" and want to kill?

They want guns before bread?

They are pro death penalty.

They are pro war.

They are poorly educated.




Try as I might, I can't put this into JC's teachings.

[Lerkfish]

1. because they're "off the reservation" about JC's teachings.

they've been mislead, willingly or otherwise, into the exact opposite of his teachings.
They salivate at the death and suffering of others
They want complete control of the will of others
They have completely abandoned compassion for the less fortunate


ln every way they negate the spirit and intent of his teachings.
But they are constantly told they are following his teachings by their corrupt leaders.

Which is why you can't reach them, they're in a self-recursive delusional bubble.

[Stern21]

3. True enough.

But it's a symptom of the politicization of Christianity today. They're taking over the government.

[Lerkfish]

12. actually, its the POWER that is taking over the govt.

the POWER is USING religion to do it, like it has time and again throughout history.
In reality, the religious are being manipulated and abused and are usually clueless.

Many people mistake this dysfunctional situation as RELIGION trying to take POWER, when in reality is it POWER using religion to take over everything else.
The best example of this is Rove using the religious right but privately calling them nutjobs.
The religious are not getting any power out of this, in fact, they're being domesticated as vote producers and not being given anything they really want (which is actually good).

If it were truly religion that was taking over govt., roe v. wade would have disappeared 25 years ago.

[1Hippiechick]

13. Old-fashioned "traditional" teaching of hellfire, damnation, angry God in Old Testament -

Old-time religion-JC is a round peg in a square hole to them. They take JC's teaching OUT OF CONTEXT and force it to validate their "traditional" teachings, IMO.

[Warpy]

2. It's a folk religion, a cult built up around the Jesus myth

that has very little to do with the teachings of Jesus. In other words, if you believe the myth of the god-man who died on a cross, you're saved and your ticket is punched for heaven no matter what you do here on earth. Throw in a little idolatry--the direct worship of cross and book--and you've got the fundies in a nutshell.

It's why they're totally ignorant of the contents of the book they worship--they really don't need to know what's in it if it's the direct word of gawd, they just need to be in awe of the book, itself. It's why they use that book as a smorgasbord of catch phrases taken out of context to support their most deeply held bigotries--if the words are in the book, they're holy words and absolutely true, no matter what the context was.

These are not people who are capable of anything but surface thoughts. They don't pick things apart to find out how they work and they don't analyze anything they're told. They live in a light switch world of either this or that, either holy or profane, either saved or damned.

There is nothing we can do about it but do our level best to keep them out of public office and away from hurtful things.

[1Hippiechick]

14. Jesus is not a myth to ALL of us - I am a Democratic Christ Follower - different from "Christian"

brand.

Matthew 25:35- is what Obama's whole philosophy of life and campaign are about--LOVE & INCLUSION, IMO.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2025:35-40%20;&version=46;

Matthew 25:35-40 (Contemporary English Version)
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society


35When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, and when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me, 36and when I was naked, you gave me clothes to wear. When I was sick, you took care of me, and when I was in jail, you visited me."

37Then the ones who pleased the Lord will ask, "When did we give you something to eat or drink? 38When did we welcome you as a stranger or give you clothes to wear 39or visit you while you were sick or in jail?"

40The king will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me."

[Warpy]

21. However, that disginguishes you from who I was talking about

Their faith begins and ends with the virgin birth and crucifixion. It's all where and when, not how or why.

Get it?

[1Hippiechick]

22. Thanks. :) n/t

[angrycarpenter]

4. I haven't talked to one yet who didn't have a list

of people who need to be killed. These are the people who used to say a prayer before lynching a black man. Not for forgiveness but of thanks for the opportunity to protect themselves.

[Beregond2]

5. It is very easy to "cherry-pick" the Bible for

"proof-texts" that can be used to support - or condemn - any position you want. Fundamentalists specialize in this. Mainline churches require ministers to base their sermons on the assigned text for the day. This is called the "lectionary." This means that EVERY part of the scriptures get addressed, not just those that seem to support whatever agenda a particular church or preacher has. Sermons are relatively short, and only one part of a service.

In fundamentalist churches, the sermons can literally go on for hours, which is simply a form of brainwashing. They can be on any topic any time, and are the "main event." The rhetorical style is inflammatory. The appeal is to the emotions, not the intellect. Time for introspection and meditation is nonexistent.

You are right. What these churches teach has little if anything to do with what JC taught.

[OneGrassRoot]

6. Speaking of this extremist ilk...

does anyone know how they view Catholics?

I know many Southern Baptists (evangelical) around me think Catholics aren't Christian, they're heathens because they pray to saints.

Any specifics on a Dominionist/Assembly of God view of Catholicism?

I have a feeling she believes much as those around me, and believe Catholics are not Christian or that they are very inferior.

If so, this is one of the big things that need to be exposed. That is a huge voting bloc.

[texanshatingbush]

7. I've said it before and I'm saying it again......

....read John Dean's CONSERVATIVES WITHOUT CONSCIENCE for real psychological insight into what drives the conservative wingnuts of today.

I totally understand my brother now--the one who told me (among other things) that everything wrong with this country today is the fault of me and my hippy generation . The one who told his son he would tie him up if he thought he were voting for a Democrat.

[1Hippiechick]

16. And I, for one, am TIRED of having MY hippie generation BASHED for all of society's ills. n/t

[treestar]

8. What they want is more white babies

"Christian" is just a hide behind term. They don't believe in it, except as an ethnic construct. It is the religion that came out of Europe, so for them, it's their ethnic group. They don't pay much attention to Jesus himself, and so are barely aware that their views have nothing to do with those Jesus espoused.

[Stern21]

9. I'm afraid you're right

It does seem that way.

[leftofthedial]

10. It has NOTHING to do with JC

it's all about the individuals.

[kurth_]

11. JC would have disowned every damn one of them

They're not Christians in either practice or spirit.

[Fumesucker]

15. Saul of Tarsus is who they really listen to...

If they pay any attention to the New Testament at all.

They aren't Christians, they are Paulists.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. And not even Paulists

If you analyze the texts of the letters of Paul, such as Romans and Corinthians, you find that he has a distinct writing style. That is, lots of run-on sentences and complex structure. If you ever try to read Paul out loud, you'll soon get a feel for his style as you wonder where the end of the sentence is so that you can take a breath. (I'm a lector in church, so I know this from experience.)

Some of the letters that go under Paul's name do not have this style, and some of the more uptight rules come from those letters, which modern scholars believe were written by someone else.

[Fumesucker]

18. It's the complex structure they like...

Makes it much easier to (mis)read what you want into the scriptures.

The Christ's simple style though is much more difficult to misinterpret, which is why the Christianists avoid His words like ebola.

Good point, thanks.

[Karenina]

19. He disrupted poorly. RIP

[Disturbed]

20. The extreme RWing Fundies do not believe in a democratic

Republic. They believe in Monarchy. They want to be ruled by a King, according to the Old Testament. They believe that the bible was written by men who got their concepts from an Almighty God of War.