We managed to eventually distestablish our official state church, the Congregational Church, in the 1820s -- we were the last of the original 13 states to do it.   So it happens that we know a thing or two about what a nasty business theocracy can be -- having persecuted religious minorities like Quakers, and executed a bunch of people we suspected of witchcraft:  we even used "spectral evidence" to make some of our cases.

Been there. Done that.

We are so over theocracy here that the successor denomination to the Congregationalists -- the United Church of Christ, the largest Protestant denomination in Massachusetts, is deeply commited to separation of church and state. It was also the first Christian denomination to vote to support marriage equality at their national meeting -- and recommend that their member churches do so as well. Here in Massachusetts, we view all this as great progress. And because it's Massachusetts -- the former Puritans now have the religious freedom to marry same sex couples if they want to -- but no one is forcing anyone either. Unitarians and Reform Jews perform a lot of same sex religious marriage ceremonies as well.  

But I digress.

The simple fact is that there is an active theocratic political movement in the U.S. I have been writing about it for 25 years, and I think it is one of the most successful and powerful political movements in American history. True, the religious right has had some set backs of late; and the movement's founding generation of leaders is fading from the scene; but the movement has new leadership coming up and big institutions it didn't have just a few years ago -- and I believe it will continue to play a major role in American politics for the rest of the lives of everyone reading this.

The Blog Against Theocracy blogswarm is an opportunity for us to flex our antitheocratic muscles a bit. At least the ones between our ears and in our fingers. Unlike some people, who think that blogging isn't really "taking action,"  I am of the view that the excercise of those muscles can be pretty damn important.

Last week Mainstream Baptist was the first among us to announce his intention to blog against theocracy -- on Easter Sunday. I followed up with a further discussion of the campaign, then in its early stages.  Now Blog Against Theocracy weekend is upon us.      

Here are a few words from the co-conspirators:

Mock, Paper, Scissors

...a blogswarm is when bloggers descend on a single topic and "catapult the propaganda" (as the Decider once said), with the hope and intention that it might influence the larger society. In other words, if we lowly citizens make a big enough squawk, we might be able to give the media a goose, who in turn might give the dark overlords in Washington DC pause to reconsider the error of their ways.

As Blue Gal says,  there are no rules to this.

So please join us in the fun:

If you have a blog, sometime during Easter weekend, post an entry against theocracy and in favor of the separation of Church and State. You can check this post here at MPS for ideas,  or go to our good friends and allies at
First Freedom First for more background material.  

I designed the logo above, feel free to download it and use it on your blog.

If you do not have a blog, join me here and comment, Comment, COMMENT.  

If you do not have a blog, this might be a great time to start. You have a voice, use it.  
Just to warm up to the idea, here are some issues that the First Amendment currently addresses:  

No religious discrimination

PRO End-of-Life Care (Terri Schiavo Travesties)  

Reproductive health decisions made by individuals (think about your pharmacist, would he (and it is almost always a he) deny you the ability to choose birth control)

Democracy not Theocracy

Academic Integrity (Bible study as a required component of public school curriculum)

Sound Science (Intelligent Design (creationism with labcoats), geology vs. Biblical interpretations, archeology -- Adam rode a dinosaur to work didn'tcha know... )

Respect for ALL families (The Gay Marriage Amendment)  

The right to worship, OR NOT

 
I want to stress that this is not an anti-religion activity -- I personally do not care if you worship a rock, a picture of Elvis or some other dead guy, or nothing at all in a church, mosque, temple or at the local bar -- this is about keeping the Government and all Religions separate, and never shall the twain meet.

If you've been out of the loop, the idea is simple. Just write in support of church-state separation each day April 6-8. Blog Against Theocracy promises to be absolutely HUGE!  

You'll want to read Blue Gal's full post but here are some topics that you might want to blog about during the blogswarm taken from First Freedom First's website. Really, the establishment clause touches on so many issues of importance to everyone in our country, not just liberals or atheists

I really hope this blogswarm does more than just let the world know how we feel about the separation of Church and State. I hope it improves and awakens how we feel about each other. I may be a "believer" whatever the hell that means, but I can't have too many smart, funny, and fascinating, atheists, scientists, agnostics, GLBT bloggers, etc. etc. around here. Who the fuck did JESUS hang out with, anyway? I don't think if he were here today, Jesus would have a beer with some hypocritical preacherman, even if the preacherman was buying. MY God is Love, and Mind, and Truth. And this blogswarm is all about those. Thanks for participating.

I think no one has ever done anything remotely like this, and that the blogosphere is long overdue to flex its muscles more knowledgeably, articulately and collectively in response to the theocratic politics of our time.

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