We are pleased to once again welcome theologian William Lindsey as a guest front pager. This piece is crossposted from the new progressive Catholic group blog, The Open Tabernacle: Here Comes Everybody. -- FC

Following the recent revelations that Pope John Paul II engaged in penitential practices including self-flagellation and sleeping on the floor with his arms outstretched, I posted a reflection at the Open Tabernacle blog site about the implications of these revelations for Catholic spirituality today.  The report about these penitential practices appears in a recently published book prepared to support the canonization of John Paul.  The book notes that its information depends on eyewitness testimony by over 100 people who knew John Paul.

As a supplement to what I posted about Pope John Paul II's penitential practices, I subsequently posted a piece about connections between these practices and a powerful secretive right-wing Catholic organization called Opus Dei.  The following is an edited version of that Open Tabernacle article.

Since not all readers may be aware that there is at least one group in the contemporary Catholic church which encourages its members to whip themselves, to wear cilices, and to sleep on the floor or on boards, I'd like to draw attention to the important body of literature that has developed to study and critique Opus Dei's penitential practices in recent years.  It's also significant that John Paul II was closely connected to Opus Dei and actively promoted and protected this controversial religious group--about which more below.

The Feb. 6, 2010 Hal Lindsey Report had its usual hard right slant to current events.  It is quickly noted that Lindsey is not a friend of the current administration in the nation.  He has a long history of attacking President Obama and often complains that the President has a secret agenda to harm the Christian faith.

As Talk to Action regulars know, we believe that name calling and cheap sloganeering are no substitute for actual knowledge and the capacity to think about and discuss the Religious Right in thoughtful ways. Indeed, labeling and demonization tactics not only tend to distort civil discourse, but are often substituted for knowledge and sound analysis.  (I have encountered more otherwise sensible people over the years than I ever could have imagined who seem to think that you really don't need to know much more than what to call "THEM.")

While developing broadly held understandings of the Religious Right and the capacity to discuss it has always been difficult, some trends in recent years posed additional obstacles.  The pandering to conservative Catholics and evangelicals by the Democratic Party and related interest groups has had the perhaps unintended consequence of knowledge reduction, and of the marginalization of genuinely informed analysis about the Religious Right. For example, Jeff Sharlet's book The Family came out with little notice or interest from the media, the political community or the blogosphere.  When the "C Street" scandal hit, Jeff's book suddenly became required reading -- as it should have been all along. Another consequence was that conferences now tended not to feature speakers and panels about the right, but often highlighted discussion of dubious notions of "faith outreach" and "common ground."

So I am pleased to note a recent exception, and I hope it signals a trend.

Religion Dispatches: A number of religious leaders called on president Obama to condemn the proposed Ugandan kill the gays bill, which had been originally promoted by members of secretive power clique "The Family."

Daily Kos: While addressing the Family-sponsored National Prayer Breakfast, Obama called the bill "odious."

Americans United: But Barry Lynn says that in the same speech Obama gave the "wrong impression" that Bush era constitutional and civil rights problems caused by the "faith-based initiative" have been fixed. A national coalition of 25 religious and civil rights groups wonders when the administration will get around to it.

It was February 2006. President George Bush, King Abdullah of Jordan, and Bono all gathered at the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast. If they read the printed program accompanying the event they would have seen a falsified George Washington quote: fake history in essence. Did they know ? According to Jewish Standard reporter Jacob Berkman, literature printed to accompany the event featured 'George Washington's prayer for the United States of America from June 8, 1783, which ends "Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord." ' But George Washington did not write those words. The quote was fake.

Congressional Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) declaimed the falsified "prayer" at the 2005 National Prayer Breakfast, and it was on the National Prayer Breakfast program in 2007. According to an article in The Christian Century the falsified 'prayer' was in the printed program at the 2001 National Prayer Breakfast too. It was a pattern.

In recent weeks, there has been a pretty steady stream of articles reporting on the much improved religious climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy, many highlighting the addition to the campus of a permanent outdoor worship area for those who practice Wicca and other Earth-centered religions.

Her memoir, `Why I Stayed: The Choices I Made In My Darkest Hour,' takes readers on a three-year odyssey from the depths of despair, to the former mega-pastor's being `cured' of his homosexual `compulsions.'

The mega-takeaways from Gayle Haggard's new memoir about the trials and tribulations she went through after her husband Ted's involvement with a gay prostitute and his solicitation of drugs came to light in November 2006, are: 1) she forgives him, 2) he has put it all behind him; and, 3) he is now free of any and all homosexual "compulsions."

The man who dressed as a pimp and was responsible for a series of surreptitious videos `exposing' ACORN may wind up in the company of real pimps if he is convicted and serves time for being part of a plot to tamper with the phones in the office of Senator Mary Landrieu.

On his way into the offices of ACORN (the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now), dressed in a pimped-out outfit circa the 1970s -- fur jacket, cane, and fedora hat -- James O'Keefe looked confident and ready to deal. And deal he did.

"O'Keefe exploded onto the right-wing media scene in the fall of 2009 with a series of videos that prompted calls for congressional investigations into ACORN, including one video showing employees of the community organizing group advising O'Keefe and young woman, who were posing as a pimp and prostitute, on effective strategies in breaking the law," Politico's Andy Barr recently pointed out.

I recently wrote about the need for mainstream and liberal Catholics to offer remonstrance -- an earnest presentation of reasons for opposition or grievance against the reactionaries now fomenting schism within the Church.   I'd now like to further explain the need for such action.

 

Eric Ward is nervous. He's seen it before--the angry right-wing populist crowds, the strident calls to "Restore America" and "Take it Back." In the mid 1990s Ward was a community organizer for a human rights group in the Pacific Northwest. As a burly young Black man with a loud voice and strange hair, Ward stood out when he addressed the predominantly White audiences of folks concerned about rising prejudice and bigotry.

David Neiwert has pulled together a critique of the idea of "Liberal Fascism" over at the History News Network:

"It has now been just a little over two years since the release of Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning.  Despite its provocative title and thesis - and particularly its open challenge to the established historical assessment of the nature of fascism among academics - it was greeted largely with silence among those academic historians and political scientists."

[ed: we're re-posting this brilliant analysis by James Veverka because it roundly rebuts Glenn Beck's new documentary "The Revolutionary Holocaust" which paints Nazism as a left-wing phenomenon and claims societal groups Hitler and the Nazis actually targeted were perpetrators of the Holocaust - ignoring the fact that along with Jews, according to the US Holocaust Museum, the Nazi regime threw many communists into concentration camps too.]

PART I: Homosexuality under the governments of religious fundamentalism, fascism, and Stalinism

Uncomfortable as it makes people to compare religion with dictatorships, the most dangerous dictatorships of the 20th century were also radically socially conservative in regards to family values and sexuality. Whether it was the Motherland, the Fatherland or the Christian Nation, the same rigid moral message of intolerance runs through them.

Like religious conservatives throughout history and indeed, in the present, they used the state as a coercive tool to force their version of a conscience upon the rest of people. While only one-third of people generally tend to be socially conservative, this does not make a difference to those possessed with the compulsion to force their morality upon all others for their own good. This is not to say fundamentalists and other religious extremists are Nazis or Stalinists, but that they hold very similar views on these 'family values' and sexuality subjects and employ similar language in their positions and propaganda. They represent similar dangers to free societies as they always have throughout all of western history.

In Polk County Texas, Governor Rick Perry held a campaign rally in one of the Black churches.  He was joined by the head of the Texas GOP.  The Texas GOP head at the time was a lady who was a member of Second Baptist in Houston. Second Houston is the church that faced a government investigation regarding its secular political activity and some thought the church would lose its tax exemption. This local full blown campaign rally was publicized and area ministers and residents were invited.  I was told by a local pastor that the way to get around the 501c3 regulations was to also invite the Democrats.  However, the Democrats weren't invited until the last minute to assure they would not be in the house.  It was of little surprise a couple of months ago when the local paper announced on the front page that the pastor of the church, Rev.  Darden, had just been appointed by Governor Perry to an important housing commission in the state.  The story reminds followers of church/state issues to wonder what role the churches will play in the next governor's election.

Andrew Hogue of Baylor University has chronicled the story of Richard Land's connection to Presidential power.  Writing in Texas Baptist History's 2006 Journal, Hogue portrays Land as fundamentalist Baptist's link to the nation's power.

(I've updated this post to add some photos and other stuff to rebut the most common comments I'm seeing on other articles and blogs.)

In the wake of the revelation by ABC News that U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan were being supplied with rifle sights adorned with references to New Testament Bible verses, Trijicon, the Michigan based contractor that manufactures the sights, has agreed to stop putting the references on products supplied to the military.

Street by street, block by block, organized by city ward, PrayforNewark's squads of church members are walking their city, praying for residents and businesses. Launched on Martin Luther King Day in 2008, its leaders claim their effort now fields enough volunteers to pray for almost every street in the New Jersey city. Endorsed by Newark's liberal mayor, PrayforNewark would seem a blessing for any city. What could be wrong with prayer ? But the effort is directly tied to an international movement that, as detailed in my new video documentary Transforming Uganda, played a significant role in organizing and inspiring Ugandan politicians who have backed the internationally notorious "kill the gays" bill, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill currently before Uganda's parliament.

The Apostles and Prophets of the New Apostolic Reformation view their postdenominational movement as the future face of the Protestant church and the end of denominations as we know them. Their ideology and "relational networks" have taken root in the block of 400 million independent charismatics, sometimes referred to as neo-charismatics or neo-Pentecostals. This is an often overlooked mega-block of Christianity that is larger than all Protestant denominations combined, according to world missions statisticians. Following is a resource directory for the NAR movement including: the International Coalition of Apostles (ICA); "prayer warrior" networks; educational, training and accreditation entities; major campaigns such as the "Transformations" and "7-M" outreach, and more.

Tomorrow the U.S. Congress will hold a hearing  under the auspices of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to investigate the draconian anti-gay bill proposed in Uganda.  The NAR has been "transforming" Uganda for over a decade, along with other American evangelical groups.  The following directory, along with the documentary video Transforming Uganda by Bruce Wilson, provides a framework for understanding the movement and its impact on nations around the globe.

Yesterday I wrote on AU's blog about a controversy that has erupted over the revelation that a Michigan-based company has engraved references to biblical passages on rifle scopes that were ordered by the U.S. military.

A reporter with the Detroit News saw that post and called me near the end of the day to get some of my thoughts about the matter.  

President Barack Obama has issued a Proclamation declaring January 16th Religious Freedom Day. (PDF) In it he invokes the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom arguably the philosophical, historical and legal taproot of religious freedom, equality and separation of church and state -- and a powerful argument against Christian nationalism. And he adds "... it was the genius of America's forefathers to protect our freedom of religion, including the freedom to practice none at all."

When Thomas Jefferson first proposed the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom in 1777, he stated that this right of individual conscience must be extended to everyone, including: "the Jew, the Mohametan, and the Hindoo." Jefferson was not arguing the demographics of majority and minority religions, but first principles of equality. It took time to advance them, even then. James Madison as governor of Virginia managed to push Jefferson's bill through the legislature in 1786--the year before the drafting the federal Constitution, of which Madison is credited with being the principal author--as well as the principal author of the First Amendment. Virginia had already disestablished the Anglican Church, the day after it joined the revolution in 1776. So there is no mistaking the meaning of formally extending religious liberty to all in the wake of disestablishment and as a famous forerunner to the Constitution itself.

History is powerful, which is why the Religious Right is so vigorously fighting to revise it to suit their contemporary political and religious interests.

See the presidential Proclamation on the flip.

My new 20 minute documentary, Transforming Uganda, exposes the immense political influence in Uganda of the International Transformation Network and ideological influence of George Otis, Jr.'s Transformations videos. Featuring conference video footage, Transforming Uganda presents a radically new perspective; a little-known but global evangelical effort, which claims gays are possessed by demons and that faith healing can cure HIV and AIDS, is working to "transform" the nation of Uganda along theocratic lines. Individuals in that effort, shown in the video, are directly tied to Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill that would mandate execution for HIV positive Ugandan citizens. According to gay rights activist Jim Burroway, the bill appears to still be in play.

[below: links to low, medium, and high bandwidth versions of "Transforming Uganda"]
http://www.vimeo.com/8749833    [high resolution]
http://www.vimeo.com/8762603    [medium resolution]
http://www.vimeo.com/8763207    [low resolution]

[below: low resolution/low bandwidth version of Transforming Uganda (for slower Internet connections)]

TV preacher Pat Robertson's recent callous comments about Haiti have attracted quite a bit of attention.

Once again, Robertson has stuck his foot firmly into his mouth. Americans United and many other groups have issued statements denouncing him. Progressive commentators like Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann have blasted him. I expect the editorial cartoonists will have a field day.

Some tragedies are so horrific that is hard to process the reality of what you are seeing.  This is the case in Haiti where veteran news broadcasters are stunned at the carnage.  Among the many thousands of dead is the archbishop of Port-au-Prince, and the city's historic Notre Dame Cathedral is one of many buildings completely destroyed.

While survivors are still being rescued by frantic family and friends digging through concrete with their hands, Pat Robertson informs us that this tragedy may be a blessing since the nation of Haiti has a pact with the devil. Link to the video at Media Matters. Meanwhile, Robertson's Operation Blessing is being flashed on television screens everywhere as one of the charitable organizations to which viewers should send their donations!  Unfortunately this is not the only ministry which has demonized the people they claim to serve in Haiti.

Religiously tinged oaths are a pretty common feature of American life. Anyone who has watched a courtroom drama on television has probably seen witnesses being sworn in on a Bible, vowing to tell the truth "so help me, God."

Elected officials are often sworn in with similar oaths. Interestingly, nothing in the Constitution requires this. Article II, Sect. 1 of the Constitution states that the president with take office with the following oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Raising questions about music education doth not `soothe a [Religious Right] savage breast'

As the culture wars moves into the second decade of the 21st century, the religious right continues to use the "gay agenda" as its premier launching pad: The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins is upset over the possible passage of ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act) which, he maintains would release hordes of cross-dressers into America's workplaces. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality is apoplectic that President Barack Obama dared to name the first transgender person in a presidential administration, Amanda Simpson, as the Senior Technical Adviser to the U.S. Department of Commerce.  

In a recent article headlined "Sour notes -- 'homophobia' and music ed," published by the American Family Association's OneNewsNow news service, Professor Louis Bergonzi was raked over the coals for pursuing the "gay agenda" by daring to raise questions about the way traditional music education is conducted.

Larry Jones, the founder of Feed the Children, has been fired over charges that he spied on the organization's top executives, surreptitiously accepted money from a supplier, and kept a cache of pornographic magazines hidden in his office. That's only the tip of the iceberg!

Over the past three decades, you've probably seen its advertisements on television, in newspapers and magazines, encouraging you to donate money to provide food, medical supplies, and clothing to needy children across the globe. The Oklahoma City-based Feed the Children, founded 30 years ago by Larry Jones, is a Christian, international, non-profit relief organization, which, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, it is the seventh largest charity in the United States based on private support.

After years of getting away with a series of shady activities -- and enriching nearly everyone in his immediate family -- Jones has some serious explaining to do. The founder, president and public face of Feed the Children has been fired from the organization after being accused "of taking bribes ... hiding hard-core pornography" in his office, and planting "microphones in the offices of top executives who opposed him," Charisma News Service reported on January 5.

Joseph Farah, editor-in-chief at WorldNetDaily, writes a column entitled "Between the Lines." On at least one occasion he has filled the blank space between lines of dialogue with his own prejudice against this Mainstream Baptist. He does that in a diatribe today against me and the documentary about Baptists and Muslims entitled "Different Books, Common Word" that is currently airing on ABC-TV affiliate stations.

Told ya so!

Back in April, when Religious Right bigwig James Dobson announced his "retirement" from Focus on the Family, Americans United was skeptical. We pointed out that while Dobson was giving up some managerial duties, he still planned to broadcast over the radio, issue monthly letters to supporters and hand out political endorsements. It didn't look like much was changing.

We are pleased to welcome Barbara Hoetsu O'Brien as a guest front pager, and to provide a platform for her to respond to the Religious Right agency, the Family Research Council. She is the guide for the Buddhism section at About.com. Her writing can also be found at Mahablog. -- FC

When Brit Hume told Fox News Sunday viewers that Tiger Woods should convert to Christianity to know forgiveness, I published a response to Hume's snub of Buddhism on my Buddhist website -- "Let's Forgive Brit Hume."

But then the Family Research Council quoted me, out of context, to argue that even Buddhists agree Brit Hume was right. Um, no.

With a nod, a wink, apologies, and great appreciation to Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities:
 

It was the best of times (the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African American president in U .S. history), it was the worst of times (the killing in Iraq and Afghanistan rages on), it was the age of wisdom (a time to find solutions to difficult problems), it was the age of foolishness (birthers, deathers, gun-toting anti-Obama protesters), it was the epoch of belief (can we really come up with meaningful health care reform?), it was the epoch of incredulity (Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck), it was the season of Light (could real solutions to climate change be at hand?), it was the season of Darkness (tea partiers were on the move), and, it was the spring of hope ("Yes We Can"), it was the winter of despair (Is this the change we believed in?), we had everything before us (a brand new day), we had nothing before us (same as it ever was), we were all going direct to heaven ("It's a Beautiful Day"), we were all going direct the other way ("I still haven't found what I'm looking for) - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Links to 18 of the stories I covered in 2009:

Earlier I had chronicled the departure of the new  Fundamentalist Baptist convention in Texas from historic Baptist views.  Not only have they taken a diminishing view of religious liberty, the group continues to fall under the umbrella of the most extreme right in its view on American culture.