the fundies have been growing for years, we are just beginning

[pstokely]

look at the success of the Passion and F9/11, people are moving into either category, the fundies have been growing for nearly 30 years

[knowbody0]

1. we NEED to de-program them somehow

[DireStrike]

3. Personal interaction goes a long way.

Talk to someone every day. Keep piling on the facts.

[featherman]

2. Periods of religious revival (or renewal)

are common in American (& world) history. We are living in a far different cultural climate than that of the 1950's and 1960's when our secular roots, culture, and history were in ascendancy.

The question is: how short a cycle is this and will this religious fervor again wain over the next decade or two?

[aquart]

4. Religious fervor, my ass.

I doubt there's one real Christian in a thousand of that crew.

[prodigal_green]

5. Millenial disappointment will set in

like it always does and they'll turn on their betrayer, the chimp.

This country and the world has had its share of apocalyptic prophesies in the past. In 1844, it was pretty widespread. It usually takes 8 to 12 years to get over it. I hope that with the cultural acceleration of modern communications technology, it will take less time than that.

[SemperEadem]

8. only if we can find a way to penetrate their thick veneer of

their misguided beliefs. They will cling to what they're force fed with every fibre of their being... in fact, they'd prefer to be martyrs to their beliefs than to change--remember the old cigarette commercial ad: "I'd rather fight than switch". That's them.

It's not enough for them that they believe it. They feel that God isn't god enough to do the job himself, so they want to step in and out-do God on his own turf... even though, according to their own faith all mankind is given the freedom to choose, they don't even want to allow those who do not lockstep with them that lattitude. They are not going to be happy until they've abolished all of the guaranteed freedoms of the constitution and instead establish a sort of religious monarchy in this country--where heresy will be brought back. If they could burn non-believers at the stake right now, they would.

[Claire Beth]

6. you are right....

and the radical right religious wing has hijacked the republican party. It took them 35 years but they did it!

[Lindsay]

7. And we have the internets

which cuts down on the time we need to grow our movement.

For now, anyway.

[bryant69]

9. Not sure I agree

They are a problem certainly, but i believe they aer burning out--that is why they are so energized and angry, the older fundies realize, on some level, they aren't going to have the power they have had for much longer.

That's not to say religion will go away, but the power of the fundamentalists will, I think. Faster if we work successfully on mainstream religionists.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[Zuni]

10. That is what I have been saying. 30 yrs ago they were nothing

they were far behind where we are now. They worked tirelessly to organize and then they were able to become a decisive factor in elections like they were on Tuesday.

[one_true_leroy]

11. think about it...

fundies have ALWAYS had their churches and whatever loose coalition that entails. until the internet, libs had had no real meeting ground, no one place to have voices heard, plans made, and events analyzed. now we do. and we use it! we're just hitting our stide, IMO