Is Wisconsin Union-Busting Religiously Sanctioned? - Christian Reconstructionists training at work

[Shallah Kali]

http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/julieingersoll/4279/is_wisconsin_union-busting_religiously_sanctioned


That got me to thinking… and re-reading Gary North and David Chilton on “Biblical economics.” I have argued that Reconstructionists have spent the last fifty years articulating a critique of American culture and developing resources and institutions (especially Christian schools and Christian homeschools) to “reconstruct” society in terms of what they understand as biblical law. In this world, every aspect of life is governed by biblical law; there is no area of life outside of it.

There are now families in which multiple generations—grandparents, parents and children—have all been shaped in these contexts; contexts that include “Christian American history,” dominionism, creationism, and biblical economics. For Reconstructionist Doug Phillips’ organization Vision Forum, cultivating this kind of “multi-generational faithfulness” is an explicit goal. And when you look at tea party rallies and see all those white middle class fifty-somethings you are looking at many of them. Sarah has also made the case for this at RD. We’re not arguing that this in the only influence… just that it is an important one.

Economics is seen as so central to a “biblical worldview” that it is the focus of much of the work of leading Reconstructionist Gary North. North’s earliest work (1973), widely used as a Christian school textbook, is entitled Introduction to Christian Economics and he was founder/owner of the publishing outfit Institute for Christian Economics (ICE). North has written on the Federal Reserve, inflation as intentional theft of the value of money, and in favor of privatization labeling other arrangements “socialism.”

He also published David Chilton’s Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators (first in 1981) which is a critique of Ron Sider’s “socialism.” Here, socialism refers to something broader than an economic system; it refers to a civil government that regulates activities other than those the Bible charges it with regulating, a society in which people look to the government to solve problems over which the Bible doesn’t give it authority.

an intersting read for anyone wondering why the quasi-religious fervor of those out to break unions...

[bluestateguy]

1. Wasn't Gary North the clown who said that Y2K would destroy civilization?

And then just moved on to his next alarmist prophesy once that didn't pan out.

[Denninmi]

2. One Taliban is pretty much like another when you're on the receiving end.

It really doesn't matter very much which holy book and symbols they choose to profess belief in. They're all just fascists at heart. "In the name of Love" indeed.

[Shallah Kali]

3. people like that tend to create a god in their own image

Unfortunately there are too many people who don't notice the difference between middle of the road Christianity and radical theocratic movements with Christian window dressing.