Just in case there is any doubt about Christian Fascism in America

[Skip_In_Boulder]

These are the people who support Republicans.



The Statue of Liberation Through Christ Located at World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church in Memphis TN.

"When Fascism come to America it will be wrapped in an American flag and carrying a cross" Sinclair Lewis

[fascisthunter]

1. the religio-fascists are a threat to democracy

we have been warned, and too many idiots have ignored those warnings. Well, welcome to today.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Alas they shot their wad too early

Methinks Wisconsin is just the beginning of THAT pushback...

Oh and let's call this what it is... A CULT

[AC_Mem]

3. Memphis here

It's even worse that that picture - cringe - . This church is buying up land all around it. There is a large mall that basically went out of business several years ago. This church bought the whole mall and they are now working to fill it.

This horrendous statue is like a wart on the face of Memphis. It's also in an area of town that I try to stay away from, lots of crime unfortunately.

Annette

[Mojeoux]

4. I fear the "Rapture-ists" who think they are "chosen."

If they are in positions of power, I don't trust their judgment.

[Skip_In_Boulder]

6. Sorry you are having to live with this in your community

But thanks for the additional info.

[Denninmi]

5. I see Christian fundamentalist theo-fascism as one of the biggest threats to the US.

The irony of it, IMO, is that THEY are all worked up about Islam -- I've read many posts on various forums by these people all getting into a lather about the "threat" Islam is to America -- remember the fuss last summer over the proposed Islamic center a few blocks from Ground Zero in Manhattan? -- Yet, these people are EXACTLY the same as the Taliban in the way they want to control the population through fear, intimidation, and strict adherence to their own particular vision of society.

And, they are being carefully (and, unfortunately, skillfully) manipulated by corporate interests to subvert the values we've worked so hard to build during the last 100 years.

[WVRICK13]

7. Take Away Their Tax Breaks

If there is true separation of church and state then we should not subsidize their existence.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

8. Good grief. Lets not over react. This IS in the Bible Belt.

This stuff happens all the time. Unimaginative art, and bad taste are nothing new.

Nothing presented yet has shown anything fascist.
Bad taste, yes. Fascist? NO. Threatening? No.

This is just a church doing what churches do. An outreach is doing something in public to spread the word. Silly events like this are normal, and are done all the time.

Its freedom. If a Muslim can hand out the Qumran to people at a state fair, then Christians can erect bad art on their own land.

So Relax, have a beer, and try not to be threatened by religious freedom.

[speltwon]

10. Assuming this statue is on private property, I don't have a problem with it

If they are forcing the govt to put such a statue on public lands, THAT would be a problem

[Oak2004]

23. Handing out Qumran??

The https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Qumran">Antiquities bureau would be quite concerned about something like that, I think ;)

The tacky art may well be free speech, but so too is Nazi propaganda. And yes, many of these people are http://www.religioustolerance.org/reconstr.htm">very much fascist.

[Countdown_3_2_1]

34. These "Fascists" voted for Obama! Its a Black Church!

http://www.worldovercomers.org/site/
I just googled the site. There is NOTHING political on this site. Zip. Nada. Nothing.

Come on people, lets look before we cast unfounded accusations

[LibertyLover]

35. Not to be too obnoxious,

but the holy book of Islam is the Koran. Qumran is a site in Israel near the Dead Sea where allegedly a group known as the Essenes had a settlement and produced what are now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls.

[Shallah Kali]

9. Is Wisconsin Union-Busting Religiously Sanctioned? events seem to follow the Reconstrucionist ideals

Is Wisconsin Union-Busting Religiously Sanctioned? events seem to follow the Reconstrucionist ideals
(posted here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x496362 )

Religion Dispatches http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/julieingersoll/4279/is_wisconsin_union-busting_religiously_sanctioned/print

That got me to thinking… and re-reading Gary North and David Chilton on “Biblical economics.” I have argued that Reconstructionists have spent the last fifty years articulating a critique of American culture and developing resources and institutions (especially Christian schools and Christian homeschools) to “reconstruct” society in terms of what they understand as biblical law. In this world, every aspect of life is governed by biblical law; there is no area of life outside of it.

There are now families in which multiple generations—grandparents, parents and children—have all been shaped in these contexts; contexts that include “Christian American history,” dominionism, creationism, and biblical economics. For Reconstructionist Doug Phillips’ organization Vision Forum, cultivating this kind of “multi-generational faithfulness” is an explicit goal. And when you look at tea party rallies and see all those white middle class fifty-somethings you are looking at many of them. Sarah has also made the case for this at RD. We’re not arguing that this in the only influence… just that it is an important one.

Economics is seen as so central to a “biblical worldview” that it is the focus of much of the work of leading Reconstructionist Gary North. North’s earliest work (1973), widely used as a Christian school textbook, is entitled Introduction to Christian Economics and he was founder/owner of the publishing outfit Institute for Christian Economics (ICE). North has written on the Federal Reserve, inflation as intentional theft of the value of money, and in favor of privatization labeling other arrangements “socialism.”

He also published David Chilton’s Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators (first in 1981) which is a critique of Ron Sider’s “socialism.” Here, socialism refers to something broader than an economic system; it refers to a civil government that regulates activities other than those the Bible charges it with regulating, a society in which people look to the government to solve problems over which the Bible doesn’t give it authority.

More info on reconstructionism & right wing religious thought

Talk2action http://www.talk2action.org /

Theocracy Watch http://www.theocracywatch.org /

Americans United for Separation of Church & State http://au.org

Right Wing Watch http://www.rightwingwatch.org/

Dogemperor's blog http://dogemperor.dailykos.com/

Religion Dispatches http://www.religiondispatches.org/

Military Religious Freedom Foundation http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org

[Skip_In_Boulder]

11. Yep, this is the Dominist philosophy that underlies the ideology

that these people are being motivated with. It is a philosophy that has been being articulated since the end of the Civil War but sadly most people are completely unaware of it but it is what is at the core of Right Wing Christian thinking.

[Initech]

12. At lunch today, these guys sitting at the table next to me confirm this.

They literally had two topics of conversation:

1. Church business

2. Parrot whatever's on Fux Noise

[AsahinaKimi]

13. First The Republicans took the American flag ...

Then the Tea baggers took the "Don't Step on Me" flag. Now the Christian Right have co opted
the Statue of Liberty... LIBERTY BELL ANYONE?


IT comes with a CRACK.

[The Straight Story]

14. If you found some jews who believed this was and posted the same, it would be locked

So why is it ok to point out the crazies who are christians....

[Skip_In_Boulder]

17. So why is it ok to point out the crazies who are christians.

It became O.K. to point this out when they became fully engaged in destroying our country. Or maybe you think that is not an important enough reason to say anything.

[The Straight Story]

20. Oh I think it is important enough, and I am all for it - and here is something to consider:

but if some other group were to want the same things, through different means, and they were muslim/jewish/etc, and someone brought it up - how would it be handled here??

One could never create an OP that said 'Just in case there is any doubt about Jewish Fascism in America' and link to some fundie/orthodox jews - it would be locked and called anti-Semitic.

There are fundie jews out there, fundie muslims - call them out and you are called a hater who wants to broad brush, etc.

Here is something to consider: The Koch Brothers. The are Jewish, not Christian.

"if you want to see David Koch, you first must talk to him. Not his assistant or his public-relations factotum, but him. No secretary manages his agenda or keeps his calendar. When I wanted to talk to financier Edmond Safra, I recall going through at least three levels of retainers, not counting an indirect approach through the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, before being allowed an audience. Penetrating Fortress Soros at the height of his bank-busting notoriety was akin to breaching the Alamo. But with Koch, one just calls his office. “This is David Koch,” a voice said later on my answering machine. “You called earlier to schedule an interview.”

Read more: http://www.portfolio.com/executives/features/2008/10/15/Profile-of-Billionaire-David-Koch/#ixzz1F1jMGs6s

Bring up someone's religion, when they are anything but Christian, and you get called a hater, anti-whatever. Why is it that we only tolerate here on DU calling out some Christians based on their faith but when you do the same for other groups you are seen as biased?

[Skip_In_Boulder]

22. O.K. Whatever. n/t

[Joe the Revelator]

24. Because Chrstians are the majority religion and as such have more ability to fuck the country up....

Nt

[Oak2004]

30. Fundamentalism per se is not the issue

If people were merely fundamentalist, I would have no more issue with them than I would with any other religious sect. And I do know fundamentalists who are simply fundamentalist. In fact I know a few who are fundamentalist and whose personal politics lean leftward.

Dominionism is not merely fundamentalism. Dominionism is as much or more a political philosophy as it is theology. It is a dangerous political philosophy because it is militant and it is highly antidemocratic. It's adherents are known for their practice of "steeplejacking" (intentionally infiltrating politically innocuous churches and taking them over) and are hated and feared as much or more by mainstream religious conservatives as they are by progressives. They actively conspire to take over the government of the United States by trickery if possible, force if necessary. They pose the single greatest threat to our democracy, and the threat they pose is considerable.

I don't care what form fascism wraps itself in-- whether they call themselves "religious", "scientific researchers" or a "tiddlywinks league". They are still fascists, and I will always call fascists by their true identity.

[fascisthunter]

37. you are right.... for me all Fundies are despicable

[ellenfl]

15. hm-m-m, my image of christo-fascism is whiter and balder. when

did african-americans become rw nutjobs?

ellen fl

[Skip_In_Boulder]

18. Having been involved with an African American church for awhile

recently. CME of the south. I can attest that this is a vile ideology than can cut across demographics.

[ellenfl]

19. oh, ok. how widespread is it? eom

[Skip_In_Boulder]

21. Well about 30% of the country and a large percentage of the

elected Republican party. Look up the C street house in D.C., which is where all the Republican Dominist hang out. Also, check out Post #9 as they have put up some good links to get started with.

[Chris_Texas]

16. That statue sickens me

[social_critic]

28. It could be worse, it could be holding a rifle

I guess I'm so negative about the US right now, I'm happy to see the statue isn't holding a rifle or one of those pliers they use to pull people's nails out.

[KG]

31. oh, there's a glock under that robe, lady liberty has a concealed carry permit.

[RZM]

25. Huh?

Here you have a pic of a crowd that seems to be almost entirely African American, yet you wrote 'these are the people who support Republicans.'

Forgive me for chuckling :)

[Union Scribe]

26. Allow me to join you

Good point :D

[Skip_In_Boulder]

32. Oh my fault I seem to have forgotten that meme

Everyone knows blacks only vote for Democrats. Just ask Rush.

[RZM]

39. It's common knowledge

Here are exit polls from 2004:

http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/how_groups_voted/voted_04.html

and 2008:

http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/elections/how_groups_voted/voted_08.html

[fascisthunter]

38. you can't be that narrow-minded

[RZM]

40. Not sure what you mean there

Why would you think I'm narrow minded? African-Americans overwhelmingly support Democrats at the polls. That's a fact.

[Golden Raisin]

27. Gimme that old time religion,

Gimme that old time religion. Gimme that old time religion. It's good enough for me.

[Bonobo]

29. Frank Zappa called it back in 1986.

Watch him on Crossfire here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ISil7IHzxc

Zappa: "The biggest threat to America today is not communism. It's moving America toward a fascist theocracy, and everything that's happened during the Reagan administration is steering us right down that pipe ... When you have a government that prefers a certain moral code derived from a certain religion and that moral code turns into legislation to suit one certain religious point of view, and if that code happens to be very, very right wing, almost toward Attila the Hun..."

[Countdown_3_2_1]

33. This is a BLACK CHURCH! Why are we calling it Fascist?

http://www.worldovercomers.org/site/
I just googled the site. There is NOTHING political on this site. Zip. Nada. Nothing.

These are the people who supported Obama, not republicans!

I wish people would do a little google search before that make wild accusations.
I have never heard of any gathering of African Americans as being a threat to democracy.

[Ezlivin]

36. It's not Fascist

But the idea of Liberty is that ALL are accepted, not just those hewing to a particular faith.

It's offensive to see Lady Liberty lifting not a torch, but a cross. That is not welcoming to a vast majority of people.

[RZM]

41. I've seen worse . . .

For example, this:

http://www.life.com/image/1546234

[fascisthunter]

42. 14 Defining Characteristics of Fascism

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread
domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.

5. Rampant Sexism - The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National Security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are Intertwined - Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is Suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

[Raksha]

43. Isn't that a little bit...you know, OBVIOUS?

[eppur_se_muova]

44. Why is there a brown wrap around her robes?

Panty liner failure?