The Bible college that leads to the White House

[T_i_B]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=513495

It is worth making clear from the outset that Patrick Henry College in rural Virginia is not your average American university. At Patrick Henry, the students - about 75 per cent of whom have been taught at home rather than in schools - are required to sign a statement of faith before they arrive, confirming (among other things) that they have a literal belief in the teachings of the Bible. At Patrick Henry, students must obey a curfew. They must wear their hair neatly and dress "modestly".

Students must also obey a rule stating that if they wish to hold hands with a member of the opposite sex, they must do so while walking: standing while holding hands is not permitted. And at Patrick Henry, students must sign an honour pledge that bans them from drinking alcohol unless under parental supervision.

What makes Patrick Henry unique is the increasingly close - critics say alarmingly close - links this recently established, right-wing Christian college has with the Bush administration and the Republican establishment as a whole. This spring, of the almost 100 interns working in the White House, seven are from Patrick Henry. Another intern works for the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, while another works for President George Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove. Yet another works for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad. Over the past four years, 22 conservative members of Congress have employed one or more Patrick Henry interns. Janet Ashcroft, the wife of Bush's Bible-thumping Attorney General, is one of the college's trustees.

And this is no coincidence. Rather, it is the very point. Students at Patrick Henry are on a mission to change the world: indeed, to lead the world. When, after four years or so of study, they leave their neatly-kept campus with its close-mown lawns, they do so with a drive and commitment to reshape their new environments according to the fundamentalist, right-wing vision of their college.

[maddezmom]

1. sounds like "Stepford Children"

:puke:

[Qanisqineq]

2. Yikes!

:scared:

[Racenut20]

3. Is this school sponsored by?

Assembly of God
Church of God

I get the various sects a bit confused sometimes and don't mean to offend any of our members.

I used to see it called both ways and never knew enough to know if I was seeing two different Churches or not in Missouri.

Ashcroft is a member, used to come to the one in the town next to where I lived and sing. His father is a minister in Springfield, Mo. where he went to high school.

Also I understand the high council of all the various branches is located in Springfield, of which Foreman in Fort Worth is one, Falwell in Virginia is one, Jimmy Swaggert (wherever he is) Jimmy Baker...I think there are eleven of them. One less than Jesus had. I guess they left out Judas.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Assembly of God

is Ashcroft's church.

Don't know much about it, or Church of God.

I did visit a Church of God when I first moved to a little town in Southern Illinois-my landlady was a member. I was shocked to find out that this particular church at least considered Jesus God, and apparently didn't subscribe to the concept of the Trinity as I had been taught in the Methodist Church. Anyway, I didn't go back.

[Racenut20]

9. Do you believe Bush is a Methodist?

Went to this Church some in my youth and considered pretty layed back, not the fundamentalist crap we are hearing now. "God talked to me and told me to free the World". Scheeze

[rooboy]

10. Bought my first "Clinton Chronicles" video in an AOG church...

which led me on a journey of several years which led me to sites like this. Poisonous ideas in those places...

[Qanisqineq]

11. my sister went from a liberal to an Assembly of God

parishioner (sp?) within a few months. The whole family is still reeling.

[No Mandate Here.]

5. The juxtaposition of the school's direction

and the name Patrick Henry (with the real Patriot connotations) reminds me of * double speak.

Healthy (cut down) Forests?

No Child (lobbyist) Left Behind?

Medicare (Privatize it) Reform?

[anarchy1999]

6. I'm assuming you are safe with you and yours in Britain, right?

n/t
Are you not the sane and lucky one?

Jeez, you read this, you recognize that this is how we are known around the world..........I'm feeling suicidal. Just please shoot me.

[T_i_B]

8. I'm thinking about a thread on this matter

The US has clearly seperate Church & state and is quite religious, the UK has not got seperation of Church & state and is not all that religious. Funny really.

[smada]

7. Not being sarcastic

I'm really surprised that there's a provision allowing students to drink alcohol under any circumstances. This is far more liberal than most fundamentalist colleges.