Totalitarianism of the Christian Right

[ck4829]

I tried to ignore this press release the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission put out earlier this week chronicling the "Top Ten Instances of Christian Bashing in America, 2008," but now that it is generating coverage from right-wing outlets like WorldNetDaily and OneNewsNow, I suppose I should weigh in."

Here's the most telling one from that list:

"INSTANCE #3: Barack Obama Defames Christianity

According to research into President Elect Obama's own statements about faith, and an examination of Obama's position on moral issues, CADC has determined that by any biblical and historic Christian standard, Barack Obama is not a Christian, although he claims he is a "devout Christian.""

http://rightwingwatch.org/content/what-constitutes-christian-bashing

Christian Right: "Obama is not the type of Christian we want him to be, therefore he is not a Christian at all!"

I wonder if the Christian Right is familiar with the concept of Takfir.

[Taverner]

1. Surprise surprise! Evangelical Christians are Angry Bigots

And in other news, the pope is Catholic :) (pardon the snark - i'm just trying to be cute)

[polichick]

2. The Christian Right has NOTHING to do with Jesus Christ.

[dmallind]

4. Ironically they would say the same of the Xian left

And sadly and without animosity, they would be on an equally valid footing - i.e. a completely invalid one.

No true scotsmanism is fallacious from either side. A Christian is simply one who accepts that a divine Christ is the path to salvation. Whether they choose to care more about the Sermon on the Mount or the wailing and gnashing of teeth is moot.

[polichick]

5. imo the Jesus who taught what he did would have little use for organized Christianity...

...right or left.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

14. Yes they would be following the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Jesus was NOT a nice guy.
Yes, he said good things in the Sermon on the Mount.

But he said lots of hateful and judgmental things as well.


Just a few examples from the Gospel of Mark:

# Jesus explains why he speaks in parables: to confuse people so they will go to hell. 4:11-12

# Jesus sends devils into 2000 pigs, causing them to jump off a cliff and be drowned in the sea. When the people hear about it, they beg Jesus to leave. 5:12-13

# Any city that doesn't "receive" the followers of Jesus will be destroyed in a manner even more savage than that of Sodom and Gomorrah. 6:11

# Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children as required by Old Testament law. (See Ex.21:15, Lev.20:9, Dt.21:18-21) 7:9-10

# If you're ashamed of Jesus, he'll be ashamed of you. (And you'll go straight to hell.) 8:38

# Jesus tells us to cut off our hands and feet, and pluck out our eyes to avoid going to hell. 9:43-49

# Jesus says that those that believe and are baptized will be saved, while those who don't will be damned. 16:16

======================
I found these in less than a minute.

So anybody who says they are a Christian, is a Christian. They are self identifying, whether they are nice people or not. And Jesus said lots of hateful stuff.

[anonymous171]

15. You do realize that the "cut of your hands" thing is metaphorical right?

[RiverStone]

3. Could somebody ask the native communities who prospered without intervention...

Long before the black robes showed up in what would become America....

They arrives boats to convert the heathens! Ask the original inhabitants what they think of Christian totalitarianism.

:puke:

[patrice]

6. You have to assume that you are God in order to make this kind of pronouncement. nt

[cosmik debris]

7. The don't get enough bashing in my opinion.

They are one of the worst influences in America today. We would all be better off if they would keep their religion to themselves.

[UnrepentantUnitarian]

8. The old "gatekeeper" thing...again and again...

Who gets to be the "gatekeeper" over who is a "real" or "devout" Christian, anyway? These people assume to have some proprietary claim to the term, and presuming that it's the "one true way" and the standard from which all "true belief" must be judged. Gatekeeper religion just makes me sick. I'm am heartened, however, that fewer and fewer people are actually buying into that stupidity...that gatekeeper mentality that somehow claims to know "Truth" better than the rest of us.

[Yavapai]

9. Only difference between christians and those who dress up and go to Startreck conventions is

the christians think the crap they disseminate is reality!

It should be against the law for christians to have I-pods, because when they hear
voices in their heads, they think it is god talking to them!

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. That's not the ONLY difference -

Trekkies are less weird, and more fun (in a geeky kind of way).

[Canuckistanian]

10. "Judge not lest ye be judged" seems to be a difficult concept for them

"Research" into Obama's faith and morality seems to be a serious violation of that rule.

Under Biblical law, can they be stoned to death?

[stopbush]

11. Religion is the source of totalitarianism.

Plain and simple if you think about it.

[Naturyl]

12. LOL - they actually defamed Christianity with that.

To ostracize one's fellow religionists based on a narrow view of doctrine defames said religion.

It's the same thing fundamentalist Muslims do, and they defame all of Islam when they do it.

[Stevenmarc]

16. Well if we all pray hard enough

for The Rapture to begin, then all the really annoying fundamentalists will be sucked up into the sky and the world will be a better place.

[anonymous171]

17. They are homegrown fascists.