The Christian Right Has Overplayed It's Hand
Frederick Clarkson printable version print page     Bookmark and Share
Fri Dec 16, 2005 at 02:57:33 PM EST
And American Jews are angry. They are not the only ones, of course. The rising tide of Christian nationalism, religious supremacism, and theocratic trends, rightfully worries people of minority religious faiths -- and growing numbers of Christians as well.  

But long after the bogus war on Christmas story is over, what we used to call the "culture war"  -- a one-sided war of aggressions being waged against democratic pluralism and the civil and constitutional rights of other Americans, will be going strong.

The mainstream media is giving increasing coverage to the substance of the concern.

A Reuters news service story on Thursday was headlined, "US Jews feel threatened by religious right."

Here is an excerpt:

U.S. Jewish leaders say they are increasingly worried that Christian conservatives want to turn America politically and culturally into a country that tolerates only their brand of Christianity.

"There is a feeling on all sides that something is changing," said Abraham Foxman, director of the New York-based Anti-Defamation League.

"The polls indicate a very serious thing -- that over 60 percent of the American people feel that religion and Christianity are under attack," he said on Thursday in an interview.

"Some are saying we are attacking (Christianity). This whole movement is not anti-Semitic or motivated by anti-Semitism. But sometimes unintended consequences are much more serious than intended" he added...

"Every room (from bedroom to classroom) in the American mansion is under assault to impose either de facto or de jure a Christian theocracy -- I call them Christocrats," said Rabbi James Rudin, former head of interreligious activities for the American Jewish Committee.

"They are people who believe there should be a legally mandated Christian nation, where the concept of separation of church and state is
weakened or abandoned," he added.

Rudin said he has met pastors "who say that Jesus Christ is the ultimate leader of America and that God's law trumps the Constitution ... I'm very concerned."

Of course, the things that Foxman and Rudin are pointing to have been a strong and serious trend for more than two decades.  Now that the dominionist movement has acheived substantial power, they are being far less reserved about their true intentions.

The religious supremacism of Christian theocrats, is, as Rudin and Foxman observe in the article, not necessarily anti-Semitic. The lesson in this is getting our minds around the idea that religious supremacism is opposed to democratic pluralism and religious equality -- for all of us.  They believe that their version of Christianity is not only correct, but must be imposed via varying degrees of government coercion.

The target of this power grab, is not now, nor has it ever been, just Jews.  

People are increasingly recognizing this.  And they are starting to fight back.




Display:

WWW Talk To Action


Some Things Don't Change
This is a reprise of a piece I originally posted on May 16, 2007,titled: When Common Ground Means Capitulation -- to Falwell. It was......
By Frederick Clarkson (10 comments)
Adopting Bias: New Va. Rules Seek To Safeguard 'Faith-Based' Bigotry
Legislators and media pundits in Washington, D.C., continue to obsess over the birth control mandate in the new health care law and whether church-related......
By Rob Boston (4 comments)
GOP Candidates Embrace a Major Religious Right Narrative
Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney's demagogic claims that President Obama is engaged in a "war against religion" are as unsurprising as they are disturbing.......
By Frederick Clarkson (5 comments)
NAR Apostle Harold Caballeros Heads Guatemala Foreign Ministry
In January 2012, with the inauguration of former military general Otto Pérez Molina as Guatemala's president, NAR apostle Harold Caballeros took charge of Guatemala's......
By Bruce Wilson (2 comments)
As Eddie Long Controversy Grows, Video Emerges of 'Rabbi' Messer Wrapping Paula White in Torah
A Christian Post article dated February 5 is one of many reports of denials by televangelist Paula White and her attorney of any ties......
By Rachel Tabachnick (10 comments)
Garlow Introduced Gingrich, Called for Pastors Revolt Against IRS Rules at NAR Church in Nevada
On Friday night Newt Gingrich spoke at the "Prayer for America" event at the International Church of Las Vegas (ICLV) led by Apostle Paul......
By Rachel Tabachnick (3 comments)
A Must Read Book: "The Good News Club"
For anyone who wants to read a book that really goes inside the movement to indoctrinate children through our public schools, I highly recommend......
By Chris Rodda (3 comments)
More On Yale's Templeton-Funded "Spiritual Capital Initiative"
Should Chick-Fil-A be known for its extensive ties to, and funding of, some of the most aggressively anti-gay groups in America, as well as......
By Bruce Wilson (4 comments)
Gettting Well Versed
Michelle Boorstein at The Washington Post's "Under God" blog reports that Faithful America's petition calling for Kansas House Speaker Michael O'Neal to resign now......
By Frederick Clarkson (3 comments)
Alabama State Senator: Pay Increases for Teachers are Against 'Biblical Principle'
This is a new twist on "biblical economics" that I've not heard before.  According to Alabama State Sen. Shadrack McGill, a 62% pay increase......
By Rachel Tabachnick (5 comments)
Wagner Recognized by Delaware House for Commissioning Apostles (Copy of Tribute Included)
This morning I contacted the offices of Rep. Daniel B. Short and Chief Clerk of the House Richard Puffer and confirmed that C. Peter......
By Rachel Tabachnick (7 comments)
Trial Date Set for Bishop Finn
The trial date for Bishop Robert W. Finn,of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri will be September 24, 2012.  Finn and the diocese......
By Frank Cocozzelli (3 comments)
The Culture of Demonization and Imprecatory Prayer
We have written a great deal here at Talk to Action about the Religious Right culture of conspiracy theory, labeling and demonization as animating......
By Frederick Clarkson (3 comments)
To Bigotry No Sanction, to Persecution No Assistance
As the finale of our extended celebration of Religious Freedom Day, we are honored to welcome George Washington as a guest front pager.  ......
By George Washington (0 comments)
George Barna and the New Apostolic Reformation
Given the secretive nature of the movement, documenting the involvement of public figures in C. Peter Wagner's New Apostolic Reformation can be a time-consuming......
By Bruce Wilson (2 comments)

Harold Caballeros, October 5, 2006, #1
On October 5, 2006, Harold Cabballeros, founder and senior pastor of El Shaddai Church in Guatemala City, spoke at the "Spirit in the World: The Dynamics of Pentecostal Growth and Experience" symposium sponsored by......
Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Truth Wins Out Reports on Exodus International's Attempt at Rebranding
An extensive report has been posted at Truth Wins Out (TWO) on the rebranding of Exodus International, the discredited and financially strapped pray-away-the-gay organization. The report is titled "The Exodus SmokeScreen" and subtitled, "Exodus......
Rachel Tabachnick (0 comments)
Breast cancer awareness T-shirt prompts dispute at skating rink
crossposted from The Clarion Ledger) http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012202040 349 ""I am offended as a mother; as the daughter of a cancer patient; as a Christian woman; as a fundraiser and donor of time and money to......
COinMS (0 comments)
Delaware state house Dems distance themselves from Wagner tribute
The Democrats in the Delaware state House of Representatives are in full damage control mode over a tribute given back in January to C. Peter Wagner, a prominent leader of the New Apostolic......
Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
Is Peter Wagner lying about commendation from state of Delaware?
Those of us who have watched the New Apostolic Reformation have come to expect bizarre claims.  Well, today  C. Peter Wagner made one of the most bizarre claims yet.  He sent out an......
Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
New dominionist effort to target Hollywood with prayer
In yet more proof that the New Apostolic Reformation is trying to make itself heard in a big way this year, late yesterday several leaders of that movement got together to announce a......
Christian Dem in NC (0 comments)
Santorum Accuses Colleges of Anti-Religious "Indoctrination" But Gingrich Said it First
CBS and other media outlets have pounced on a Rick Santorum claim, that America's colleges and universities are hotbeds of anti-religious "indoctrination", but Newt Gingrich has been saying that for years. As Santorum declared......
Bruce Wilson (2 comments)
Leader of NC gay marriage ban effort, in his own words
cross-posted at dKos One of the leaders of the effort to write a gay marriage ban into North Carolina's constitution is Patrick Wooden, the pastor of Upper Room Church of God in Christ in......
Christian Dem in NC (2 comments)
AFA endorses AIDS denialism
If Public Policy Polling's early numbers are accurate (and there's little reason to doubt they are) Newt Gingrich will likely take the lead in national polling this week.  In light of this, there's......
Christian Dem in NC (1 comment)
Family Research Council chaplain openly calls for non-Christians to be banned from public office
Anyone who's studied the religious right can't help but notice a pattern to how they've operated over the last three decades.  They get a little bit of power, only to overreach and get smacked......
Christian Dem in NC (4 comments)
Cindy Jacobs prophecies divine intervention unless we elect Repubs
Late last week, New Apostolic Reformation "prophetess" Cindy Jacobs announced the yearly "Word of the Lord" from the Apostolic Council of Prophetic Elders.  (h/t to PFAW's Right Wing Watch). This "Word" makes for......
Christian Dem in NC (3 comments)
Robert Jeffress: First Amendment protections invite wrath of God
We already knew that the religious right would like nothing better than to sweep away the First Amendment.  Well, one of its more prominent leaders just came out and said it in terms as......
Christian Dem in NC (3 comments)
Cindy Jacobs announces 2012 prayer initiative--and declares war on separation of church and state
Late last night, Cindy Jacobs announced the formation of a major prayer drive with the goal of influencing the election.  The campaign, called "FastForward," is sponsored by her newly formed United States Reformation Prayer......
Christian Dem in NC (2 comments)
Personhood returns
Having soundly been defeated at the ballot box, the Personhood initiative in Mississippi has been resurrected via the new governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant and his allies in the state government. For the first......
COinMS (0 comments)
Exposing The Dark Side Of Tupelo MS
It’s really ironic that the so-called Christian Religious Right (ie., AFA) are seemingly dedicated to the unnecessary bashing of Paganism when Pagans made such a well-documented historical contribution toward the rise of Christianity. For......
AlBratt (0 comments)

More Diaries...




All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments, posts, stories, and all other content are owned by the authors. Everything else © 2005 Talk to Action, LLC. Powered by Scoop