25 things everyone needs to know about the RRR

[hyphenate]

25 things everyone needs to know about radical religious rightwingers

1) Not all, but most, members of the RRR (radical religious right) are creationists,
fundamentalists and/or evangelicals.

2) Most RRRs believe that the United States was founded on Christian principles and is,
therefore, a "Christian" nation.

3) Most RRRs believe that theirs is the only "right" faith, and that everyone else will go
to hell when the Rapture occurs.

4) Many RRRs believe that the Islamic god is the anti-Christ.

5) Most RRRs believe in the "Rapture" even though the concept of the "Rapture" is an idea
created in the 19th century by an Anglican minister.

6) Most RRRs believe the Bible is to be completely followed literally, and does not
constitute an allegorical rendition of the world. As a result, their interpretation
precludes any theories proven or supported by science, including evolution. Instead, they
believe that fossils, carbon dating and all signs of scientific progression are tests put on
earth by the devil to test them. Because of this, this convoluted piece of crap is believed
more than proof of scientific theories.

7) Most RRRs seem to be blind to the many contradictory elements in the Bible.

8) Most RRRs believe that heathens, heretics and such need to be either converted or killed
since they don't support the Christian belief system.

9) Most RRRs hate or intensely dislike the Roman Catholic church and Catholics.

10) Most RRRs discount the many "biblical" documents left out of their bible, including the
many texts removed by Martin Luther upon founding of his branch of Protestantism. They also
fail to take the "Gnostic Bible" chapters into account, and will continually deny that the
bible is shaped by powerful men who wanted to keep a servant (read: "slave") class.

11) Most RRRs will support war and the death penalty, but will continually and emphatically
deny women the right to control their own bodies.

12) In some smaller groups of the RRRs subculture, incest is accepted to teach the daughters
about sex and "prepare" them for marriage. Indeed, all groups who believe in this almost
always are the kind where the men are considered dominant and have control over the women in
the groups.

13) Most RRRs believe that Israel is the key to the Apocalypse--that it is only when Israel
and the Jews have control over the "holy city"--that the end of civilization will occur,
that the apocalypse will come and Armageddon is at hand.

14) In the beginning of the building of the Christian religion, those who had control over
the basic tenets of this new "religion" used pagan holidays and other existing celebratory
events to foist their religions onto the rest of their world. By using these accepted
dates, they were able to cloud the pagan meanings of those days, and eventually gain more
acceptance for their own "Christian" events.

15) Many, if not most, of Christian symbolism is borrowed or stolen from previous pagan
symbology. Images of the Madonna and Child, for example, are based on Egyptian mythology of
Isis and Horus, her son. Indeed, many ancient pagan religions found their symbols freely
lifted by the Christians as the latter gained popularity. Easter, for example, is also based
on two specific pagan/Islamic traditions, and not on the Christian belief system.

16) Most RRRs are hypocritical. One area of this is presented in their life/death beliefs:
feti are human beings even before they are viable and "born" and must be protected as such,
but human beings who are not Christian are nothing but slime and if they can't be eliminated
(mass murdered or massacred), they must be converted.

17) Eschatology (study of the "end times") is more important to them than the study of
bringing the population of planet earth up from extreme poverty. And great deals of money
are spent to prove the "end times" is a truth and not just wishful thinking. In fact, many
RRRs will go to extremes to bring the end times to the world, whether it is logically true
or not.

18) Because of the influence of RRRs and other highly conservative groups, the United States
is far more concerned with the eradication of all topics on sexuality they consider
aberrations, and the near glorification of violence. This is especially evident when pop
culture produces electrifying special effects in films with violence as themes, but films
which feature a more sexual tone are either ignored, panned or rejected.

19) Most money in the US did not have "in god we trust" until 1952. In addition, the Pledge
of Allegiance, which was written in the early 20th century by Francis Bellamy, did not
originally contain the phrase "under god" in it, which was added in 1954. The original
author of the Pledge would not have approved of the change.

20) Many RRRs believe that secret societies rule the US, including at different times, the
Freemasons, Skull and Bones and other such groups, Rosicrucians and other such "secretive"
organizations. Their proof is the Masonic symbology printed on currency for the US.

21) Many RRRs homeschool their children because they believe that some of the materials
taught in public schools is detrimental or dangerous to their children. One such RRR said
in a posting on a board, she didn't want her child to "learn how to put a condom on a
banana." In addition, most scientific courses are frowned upon because they are
contradictory to the bible teachings, and promote science such as evolution instead of
creationism.

22) Many RRRs voted for GWB because they believe he will help lead the world to the "end
days" and the apocalypse.

23) Many RRRs believe very strongly in the 2nd amendment in the Bill of Rights--the right to
bear arms, but conveniently forget the other amendments in that very same document,
especially the first Amendment, the right to free speech and freedom of religion.

24) RRRs are very intolerant, rejecting everything from homosexuality, to science, to anyone
who is not part of their narrow-minded, wholly slanted theology. They are far more
concerned with silencing anyone who bucks their thinly disguised hatred, rather than tending
to their own core of hatred and becoming better people.

25) Not all Christians are RRRs. RRRs just happen to be louder, more persistent, more
fanatical than all other Christians who might prefer to keep their beliefs to themselves.
Because they finally have a "leader" who follows their extreme views, they have become
emboldened and are pushing their views on everyone else in the country. They have also
gotten power hungry enough to push for such things as killing all non-Christians if they
can't convert them (Coulter) to the assassination of a country's leader (Robertson).



In conclusion, it is our duty to suppress the RRR and to try to make moderate or non-RRR
Christians to speak up and not let this radical group speak for all those who are Christian.
If nothing else, the people who follow such beliefs need to understand that it is fine for
them to believe whatever it is they wish to believe, but foisting it on the rest of the
population is evil and manipulative. We ALL have the right to believe in whatever it is we
want to believe in, and NO ONE'S belief system is inferior. Those who believe theirs is
morally superior need to be shown the door and kicked on their asses on the way out.


edited to correct a date

[liberal N proud]

1. Non-RRR Christians will never speak up

True Christians do not act as the RRR's, They are pacifist as Christ was and do not seek confrontation. This is why the RRR's have been able to take over the Christian religion for the most part. They are aggressive and ruthless in their quest to consume the pacifist and use them in their journey toward what they think is "The Rapture"

Great piece though, that defines the way things are.

[hyphenate]

13. You are right

in that those moderates--those who really are the silent majority won't speak up, but since the RRRs are destroying the world's opinions of Christendom, they need to do something to take back their religion from the right. Otherwise, it will be too late.

[misternormal]

2. Here, here, and blessed be... n/t

[hyphenate]

14. Thank you!

And a bright hearty blessed be in return! :hi:

[The Deacon]

3. One Small Correction

On an otherwise great piece - the concept of Rapture was developed in the late 19th Century, not the 20th, though widespread acceptance of it in the United States did occur in the first two decades of the 20th Century. Interesting side note: though the concept of the Rapture was developed in England by a British clergyman it has never really taken hold outside the United States - the whole movement is almost exclusively American or churches with their roots in America.

[hyphenate]

7. Thanks for the correction

I made the change in the post as well. :)

[InvisibleTouch]

4. Oh, the End Times are a-comin', alright...

...but not because of any supernatural influence. The irony is that human activity itself will bring about the end of civilization due to extreme climate change and poisoning of the ecosystem (provided we're not nuked to cinders first) - making it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Of course the science that would warn us of this, and might perhaps offer solutions, is "evil" according to the fundie wackos who are trying to suppress it. I guarantee they won't like the result when it gets here, and somehow that's poetic justice. The sad part is, they'll take the rest of us with them when they destroy the world.

Nice list.

[hyphenate]

15. Exactly what I was getting

at in one of the points. Too many of the RRRs are rich whackos, and will do what they think is necessary to make that apocalypse happen, regardless of whether it's through "god's plan" or otherwise. Nuclear war isn't a pretty sight, regardless of the reasons it's launched.

[Danascot]

5. The majority of patients I've met in psychiatric hospitals

have a firmer grip on reality than these folks. It's truly an illness. I'd feel sorry for them if they weren't running amuck all over my country.

[hyphenate]

16. Hear, hear!

Even in those who suffer from delusions, the need to keep reality is a definite desire. With this bunch of loons now, their sense of truth is so distorted and so completely warped by their desire to believe in something is fueled by something so nebulous that their grip is gone.

[cosmik debris]

6. nonsense

"it is our duty to suppress the RRR"

Suppression is a fascist tool and I will never suppress anyone's religious views.

I will mock, insult, humiliate, and denigrate, but I will not suppress.

[hyphenate]

8. That's fine

As long as we can guarantee that they will not win--ever. The RRR fights with emotional fear and tries to control through such fear. Only by bringing everything out into the open can the truth be seen and their whole megalomaniacal desire be rendered useless.

[cosmik debris]

9. You are still talking like a fascist

"As long as we can guarantee that they will not win--ever."

Have you no respect for democracy? religious freedom? and you call them megalomania cal! I don't get it.

[hyphenate]

10. I do have respect for democracy

and yes for religious freedom.

And I am not a Fascist.

What I was referring to is that the RRR is part of the entire neocon belief system, and that if they win, the rest of the world will lose. If we allow the RRR and neocons to win and keep up their current philosophy (which has lead us to this current point in history) we are, in fact, creating an atmosphere for them to win further of their goals and bring about that "apocalypse" they so fervently hope for.

And no, I don't want that to happen, so therefore, I hope they continue to lose, both in influence and in popularity, and that once this evil regime is over, we can hopefully bring back the world to the edge of the abyss and not into it.

Fascism has nothing to do with it--it is our mission to show them that they are wrong, that their desire to bring about the end times is simply evil and horrific, and that they are dangerous to our survival as a species on planet earth. And the only way to do this is to win and for them to lose. Right must prevail over evil if humanity is to continue as a lifeform on earth.

[mogster]

12. It is not a democracy, the USA.

Where have you been? :shrug:

[elocs]

11. As an exPentecostal I came thru the RRR to the other side.

Or rather, back to the other side. The church I was in had a big emphasis on prophecy and end times teaching and the Rapture. I studied the Rapture a lot, reviewing the scriptures and delving into the meanings of the original languages and found the doctrine weak. Here is a good overview of the doctrine by a religious skeptic of the Rapture. I had always read that the doctrine of the Rapture began in the early 1800s in England.

http://askelm.com/doctrine/d760201.htm

"In the middle 1820's a religious environment began to be established among a few Christians in London, England which proved to be the catalyst around which the doctrine of the Rapture emerged."

[Cleita]

17. I never liked the word suppress. It's too totalitarian for me.

However, they should be brought to justice when they break the law, like harrassing or even worse doctors and women at family planning clinics. That whole crowd outside of Terri Schiavo's hospice, trailer hitch Jesus and all should have been arrested and fined for disturbing the peace, protest without a permit, or whatever municipal code they were violating.

That aside though, I think educating the more literate among them might be a start by making them read their own Bible. No I don't mean telling them that the Bible is all fairy tales, but educating them as to what is actually in the Bible. The end times in the Bible comes from the very core of Christianity, which is the concept of resurrection.

Remember that Jesus of the gospels was claimed to be the Son of God, making him a God who had taken human form. In order to prove his godhood, he performed miracles, changed water to wine, walked on water, cured lepers, made the blind see and most importantly RAISED THE DEAD, or RESURRECTION.

The whole doctrine of Christianity is based on Jesus's resurrection after being crucified to make up for the sins of the world. Now in the End Times all the dead will be resurrected after the Second Coming of Christ.

So although there will be false Christs, like perhaps Rev. Moon and others, who are called anti-Christs you will know the real Christ by his ability to perform miracles, most importantly resurrecting the dead. The point here is that you have to die before you can be resurrected. Now these aren't any ordinary resurrections like Lazarus, who had been dead for only three days, but resurrections of those who have been moldering in the grave for quite a few millenium. Only the true Jesus Christ can do this.

Now when everyone is gone, dead, then Jesus will resurrect everyone, not just the fundies, and their bodies will join their souls. They will be judged for their lives and go to either Heaven or Hell for eternity. This is as close to the concept of Rapture that is in the Bible. No body is going to have a UFO stop to pick them up as a living person to take them to Heaven.

[hyphenate]

18. In one of the above links

There is a lot of information on where the current concept of the Rapture began. I found it an interesting read.

http://askelm.com/doctrine/d760201.htm

[hyphenate]

19. a Postscript

Several people have objected to the use of the word suppress in the original posting. While I stand by my selection of the word, perhaps I should explain why.

The RRR has stepped up its plan for making the United States their "chosen land" and have carefully manipulated many events in the past 25 or so years in order to gain a foothold in the government of the country. They have used many illegal means to get to this point, as many of us are fully aware of such things as lying, propaganda, the stealing of votes through the diebold machines, and yes--their intentions have continually been in step with the neocons who have gotten us involved in the affairs of others for which we should never have been involved.

Right now, the crisis with Israel and Hezbollah is probably sending the RRR into orgasm, as it is one of the events that they believe is a precursor to the Apocalypse. It is therefore reasonable to assume that many factions of the RRR are behind and in support of the current evil regime in the white house (as they have found GWB to be "one of them") and will do anything they can to help end civilization on this planet through self-fulfilled wishes and wholesale destruction.

We, as a nation have tried vainly for many years to keep religion out of Government. Our founding fathers made certain that religion was kept out of secular law and that people were allowed to worship as they chose. It kept the United States from having a "state" religion, and it kept the idea of persecution for religious reasons out of the Constitution.

In fact, you could say in the days before the U.S. became an independent nation, in the colonies from the early 17th century to the middle to late 18th century, there was more religious prosecution in the United States than there had ever likely been in the memories and history of many who left Europe for religious freedom. Certainly, the women in Salem can make the connection and suffered the consequences of such barbarism and bigotry.

Suppression is not always a bad thing. In fact, its meanings are many, and a forceful act is only one of those meanings. The Merriam-Webster defines it as follows:

Main Entry: sup·press
Pronunciation: s&-'pres
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin suppressus, past participle of supprimere, from sub- + premere to press -- more at PRESS
1 : to put down by authority or force : SUBDUE <suppress a riot>
2 : to keep from public knowledge: as a : to keep secret b : to stop or prohibit the publication or revelation of <suppress the test results>
3 a : to exclude from consciousness b : to keep from giving vent to : CHECK <suppressed her anger>
4 obsolete : to press down
5 a : to restrain from a usual course or action <suppress a cough> b : to inhibit the growth or development of
6 : to inhibit the genetic expression of <suppress a mutation>
- sup·press·ibil·i·ty /-"pre-s&-'bi-l&-tE/ noun
- sup·press·ible /-'pre-s&-b&l/ adjective
- sup·pres·sive /-'pre-siv/ adjective
- sup·pres·sive·ness /-n&s/ noun

If you notice the bolded meaning, this is the meaning for suppression that I used in my initial posting. It is not fascist, it is not totalitarianism, it is an attempt to keep these people from stomping on the civil rights of all Americans, and to drown out their loud, obnoxious propaganda.

During WWII, German prisoners sang a poignant song which helped many of them make it through their incarceration and the death that was all around them. The song was "Die Gedanke Sind Frei" which means, "The mind is free" and was an attempt on the oppressed to show the Germans that regardless of what horrors were perpetrated by the Nazis on the prisoners, they still had some freedom of their thoughts, and would always be free in that respect.

We need to show the RRR that we, too, have free minds and that we will never adopt their horrific view of the "end times" and that it is only by crowding out their determinations, their beliefs by clarifying our own that we are not going to take their oppressionary tactics lightly or without a fight. We have more than physical weapons to fight in this war, but it is the mental war we most need to win if we are to keep our sanity AND our humanity.