oh lew isn't that bad ! On Dec 31, 8:58 am, Travis <[email protected]> wrote: > Just Pure Crap from another itenerate godseller. > > On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 7:10 AM, mike [never forget] 532 < > > > > [email protected]> wrote: > > > poor lew ! don't worry one day the scales will fall off your eyes and > > you to will see the light of truth shine in > > > On Dec 31, 7:56 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Mikey: > > > > This is about the most nonsensical article I have seen from the most > > > nonsensical person I have ever come across. > > > > ??????????????????????????????? > > > > On Dec 31, 7:42 am, "mike [never forget] 532" > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > George Bush and the Rise of Christian Fascismhttp:// > >www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5648.htm > > > > Rev. Rich Lang > > > > Trinity United Methodist Church Seattle. <[email protected]> > > > > > 02/14/04: (ICH) The men who wrote the Constitution of the United > > > > States knew that we human beings have a tendency to 'not get along > > > > with each other'. They knew that if power accrued into the hands of an > > > > elite the experiment of democracy (power spread out into the realm of > > > > the people) would be over. So they created a system of checks and > > > > balances which blocked access to any one person, or any one special > > > > interest or elite gaining too much power over others. Thus our > > > > executive, legislative and judicial branches of government "checked" > > > > each other. The media was yet another "check" on the accrual of too > > > > much power as was the Bill of Rights which was written into the > > > > Constitution. The system wasn't perfect but it kept alive the > > > > possibility of true democracy. It kept alive the dream that one day > > > > "we the people" could live in a peaceful commonwealth where every > > > > person has what they need to survive and thrive. > > > > > That dream died in December 2000 when the checks and balances of our > > > > Constitution collapsed and George Bush was inserted into the > > > > Presidency of the nited States. September 11, 2001 furthered the > > > > atrophying of democracy handing the country into the hands of an > > > > emerging Corporate (and I say Christian) Fascism. > > > > > Since that time we have witnessed and have been unable to prevent the > > > > emergence of an Imperial Presidency that has the unrestricted power to > > > > declare war against any country he chooses. The Imperial Presidency > > > > has brought to an end the Constitutional mandate that 'ONLY CONGRESS' > > > > has the authority to declare war. It has furthered weakened > > > > international law and has undermined the potential of the United > > > > Nations to spread democracy throughout the earth. > > > > > The President has also gained unrestricted power to round up unlimited > > > > numbers of American citizens and incarcerate them in military brigs or > > > > concentration camps for the rest of their lives. He can keep them from > > > > ever again communicating with friends, families, and attorneys, simply > > > > on the president's certification that > > > > > the incarcerated are "terrorists," as he has done with Jose > > > > > Padilla and Yaser Esam Hamdi. The President may also now kill American > > > > citizens abroad solely on the basis of his certification that the one > > > > killed is a "terrorist". Just ask the family and friends of Ahmed > > > > Hijazi, anAmerican killed with a U.S.-fired missile in Yemen. > > > > Therefore suspending the Constitutional right: "no person shall be > > > > denied life, liberty or property without due process of law." > > > > > Ominous signs are all around us concerning the accrual of power into > > > > the hands of the Presidency. If Mr. Bush stays in office I think our > > > > future will continue to witness shrinking political rights, financial > > > > collapse and endless war. Part of the power and seduction of this > > > > administration emerges from its diabolical manipulation of Christian > > > > rhetoric. I want to flesh out the ideology of the Christian Fascism > > > > that Mr. Bush articulates. It is a form of Christianity that is the > > > > mirror opposite of what Jesus embodied. It is, indeed, the > > > > materialization of the spirit of antichrist: a perversion of Christian > > > > faith and practice. > > > > > This country, like it or not, is overwhelmingly dominated by the > > > > ideology of the Christian story. It is not so much that our founders > > > > were all Christians. Rather, they lived in an atmosphere scented > > > > throughout by Christian thought and rhetoric. Just as most of us can't > > > > imagine how to keep things cold without refrigeration; so too our > > > > founders couldn't help but think through the lens of the Christian > > > > story. And what they saw was that America had become the New Israel > > > > (the new Promised Land) of God. America has understood itself as a > > > > benevolent nation seeking only the good of all. We have understand our > > > > wealth as a blessing given to us as a sign that we are a "chosen, > > > > special people" whose larger meaning is to help the world into an era > > > > of peace, prosperity and justice. Every politician draws on this > > > > "civil religion story" which gives authority to the politicians > > > > ambition and agenda. Another way of saying this is: every nation needs > > > > sacred legitimation. It needs the authority of transcendence: of a > > > > story larger than itself . a story that connects past with present and > > > > future. An Empire needs an even broader story: one that connects with > > > > cosmic and/or historical redemption and new creation. > > > > > Martin Luther King understood this sacred American civil religion and > > > > was able to wed it brilliantly with the prophetic religious teachings > > > > of the Bible. He drew upon Biblical narratives which limited the power > > > > and authority of the elite while calling for economic redistribution > > > > of wealth. He drew upon teachings rooted in the personal morality of > > > > nonviolence and compassion. George Bush, on the other hand, also > > > > understands this sacred American 'civic gospel' and has brilliantly > > > > merged it with Biblical Holiness and Holy War traditions. These > > > > traditions call for the emergence of the Righteous Warrior who will > > > > cleanse the land of its impurity. These traditions are rooted in the > > > > personal morality of righteous zeal and obedience. > > > > > For example: > > > > > 1.. Mr. Bush consistently sends signals to his right wing religious > > > > base. In last year's State of the Union he exhorted: "there's power, > > > > wonder working power, in the goodness and idealism and faith of the > > > > American people". It's a phrase from a well known Communion hymn > > > > "there's power, wonder working power in the blood of the lamb". Bush > > > > brings together the holiness zeal of Christian evangelicalism with > > > > patriotic fundamentalism. The core belief system of this 'civic > > > > gospel' goes something like this: The United States was founded as a > > > > Christian nation with free enterprise as the only economic system > > > > truly compatible with Christian beliefs. These religious values are > > > > today under attack in America. The danger is that without faith in God > > > > America will lose its blessing. Therefore, the government needs to act > > > > to protect the nation's religious heritage. > > > > > 2.. Mr. Bush's teachings on terrorism: "you are with us or against us" > > > > cements for the hearer the apocalyptic world of good versus evil. > > > > There can be no neutral ground. You have to make a decision. > > > > Patriotism is now all or nothing: it is either total agreement or a > > > > slippery slope towards treason. In the Church you come to Jesus alone > > > > for salvation. In the state you obey the God-annointed leader and are > > > > thereby secured. > > > > Renana Brooks writes (The Nation June 24, 2003: Bush Dominates A > > > > Nation of Victims): > > > > > "Bush is a master at inducing learned helplessness in the electorate. > > > > He uses pessimistic language that creates fear and disables people > > > > from feeling they can solve their problems. In his September 20, 2001 > > > > speech to Congress on the 9/11 attacks, he chose to increase people's > > > > sense of vulnerability: 'Americans should not expect one battle, but a > > > > lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. . I ask you to > > > > live your lives, and hug your children. I know many citizens have > > > > fears tonight . Be calm and resolute, even in the face of a continuing > > > > threat.' (Subsequent terror alerts .. have maintained and expanded > > > > this fear of unknown, sinister enemies.)" > > > > > The terror threat itself can only be combated with increases in > > > > military force, domestic security and curtailment of civil rights > > > > through Patriot Acts. There are no other options nor any dialogue or > > > > debate that would create an alternative way to deal with terrorism. > > > > > 3.) Mr. Bush certainly sees himself as a Messiah figure. Listen to his > > > > language after 9-11: " I will not forget this wound to our country or > > > > those who inflicted it. I will not yield; I will not rest; I will not > > > > relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the > > > > American people." Or, in his 2003 State of the Union speech: "I will > > > > defend the freedom and security of the American people". He has become > > > > the nation. He is its embodiment. According to Palestinian Prime > > > > Minister Mahmoud Abbas, - Bush told him: "God told me to strike at al > > > > Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at > > > > Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in > > > > the Middle East. If you help me I will act, and if not, the elections > > > > will come and I will have to focus on them." This is Biblical > > > > language . it isn't political script. This is > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
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