A comment left at post Battle Cry for Theocracy

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Hey, I am a minister of a church in the U.S. and I work with youth. I cannot stand this organization and I have been reading a lot of great posts about it on various blogs. It is disgusting Fundamentalism.

Yet, what has alarmed me equally is the amount of stereotyping that people are willing to buy into regarding the Christian faith.

First, there is NO WAY that the vast, vast majority of Christians would stand for the sort of Levitical violence against women or others that you quote above. In fact, that is precisely why the Fundamentalists argument that they take the Bible literally is soooo foolish. If they did, they would probably be giving all their possessions away, and embracing AIDS victims, and fighting for peace and justice. They read the Bible selectively. We all read selectively. No one is going to stone virgins, that is such a foolish argument. The last things that Christians want to do is reinstate Old Testament Law....trust me. It makes for a convenient club, but c'mon.

Second, nearly every blog post I have read on this warns of "rising fascism", or a "growing theocracy", or some other bullshit. People need to pause and read some legitimate religious studies and stop watching the news and reading reactionary garbage. Look around, you are villifying a group of idiots for being fearful and reactionary, and you are using reactionary language and inaccurate characterizations that operate on fear.

The reality is that most "evangelicals" don't want a theocracy at all. In fact, they tend to be pretty staunch defenders of religious freedom. Second, most "evangelicals" don't even believe half of what is considered to be standard "evangelical" dogma. Studies show they don't know what they believe in most cases. Just because some idiot named Ron Luce can fill a stadium doesn't mean a whole lot. Those kids don't know what they think. They buy into the lights and the show and think (for a while) that its legitimate. Its a charade of power. And unfortunately, you are being taken in by it too. The reality is that evangelicals are not the unified, monolithic, and ignorant army we want them to be. Let's find other reasons to hate them. Reasons based in reality and not base stereotypes.

Also, why is it o.k. to say, "I have no idea why any woman would want to be a Christian or a Muslim"? For starters, that is a devaluing assessment of the cultural context out of which they come. Second, I suspect it involves some pretty base stereotypes about "those" women. Like, "they" don't think, or aren't as independently minded. Only arrogant Westerns could value individual independence so highly. Who am I to prescribe that value on another culture or sub-culture, even if that culture might be in my own backyard. Rachel, there are plenty of mujerista, feminist/liberationist, and LGBT Christian women and men out there and plenty of Christians that suppourt them. Let's all stop the stereotyping, or we will risk becoming similar to the thing we hate.

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Hey I am a mother and grandmother, and house mother to youths from all over the world. Referring to the organisation you cant stand, I am assuming that you are talking about Battle Cry and yes I agree that it is disgusting Fundamentalism.

Yet what has alarmed me equally is where are the voices, of the true Christian Faith in America today. As an outsider, who has followed your countries politics very very closely since the Supreme Court handed Bush the Presidency in 2000, because that decision has effected my own Country and the Free World so decisively, I have not heard their voices raised at all.

I heard their voices raised so loudly, not allow John Kerry to accept the sacrement, A man who defended his Country when called on, and more than likely lived a moral life. Where were they when your so called President declared war on a unarmed nation, with their lies, Hey I have waited and waited to hear their voices raised.

All the voices I have heard raised is the Fundamentalist Crazies, everywhere on Fox Cable the Media before the 2004 elections, Where were the voices of the true Christian Faith asking the Questions about this war, that should have been asked by the Church of God on this Earth, they where silent. A silence which is unforgivable, as far as I am concerned.

But we certainly heard plenty from the crazies, that is for sure they where everywhere, in your face including the drug taking, drunk, you call a President flouting his so called Christianity, Well if that is Christianity, I say it sucks and can do without it, my faith is with my God and no sleeze that can lead Nations to war, without questions from the Church. What can be expected from our youth if they are the only voices, they are hearing.

Where have the voices of the church been, to stop the war in Iraq that has decimated the lives of so many innocent families of that country , of so many innocent families in America, of so many innocent families of the coalition. where were the voices.

You say that no way the vast, vast majority of christians would stand for the sort of Levitical violence against women or others that I quote above, Well I say they have accepted it, I say the Church has allowed it to be accepted, because that and worse is happening in Iraq, and your White House is up the asses of the deviate Heads of States that are committing these crimes.
I dont read the Bible selectively I dont read the bible at all, all I know is that you try to live a Christian life, a good life look after your family to the best of your ability, and accept the next person as you would like to be accepted yourself, that is all I believe is asked of you.

I am just posting what is happening out there, If the church had stood up to the the deviates in the White House, I sure as hell would have posted that also, But all I hear about is Georgie being a Born again Christian who had something like 80% approval rating not so long ago, who goes and blows Afganistan and Iraq off the face of the earth, for no crimes that they had committed against our Countries that I know of, robs them blind of their heritage, their oil, and anything else he can lay his hands on, that puts money in his coffers.

And I dont want to hear that Afganistan committed the destruction of the Trade Centres and killed so many of your citizens, because 15 of the 19 culprits for that deed where Saudi Arabians, and Georgie certainly loves the Saudis.

Just wanted to put my thoughts to paper, on your post minister. Welcome to Rebelle Nation.

Hey Minister I beleive this message says it all, what kind of message is going out to the youth of America, sorry no disrespect meant, just my thoughts on the matter

Cheney Speaks to Students Behind Podium When He Should Be Behind Bars

Cheney, addressing our graduates as if he has earned the right to tell American youth what it takes to be successful in America today. The only reason Cheney is not talking from behind bars is because of a completely corrupted Bush GOP government, and most of America knows this. It does send a message to our youth when such criminals are asked to speak as symbols of this country's leaders.