Christian facists on the march?

[Little Raven]

So claims Republican County Chairman Steve Salem.

A day after the Democratic sweep of the midterm elections, Woodbury County Republican Chairman Steve Salem had harsh words for his own party, lambasting the influence of the conservative Christian right wing.

Salem said he coined a new phase: "You've heard of IslamaFascists -- I think we now have Christian fascists. What is the definition of a fascist? Not only do they want to beat you, but they want to destroy you in the process."

Salem said "if things keep going the way things are going locally and statewide, it is going to be more and more difficult for Republicans to recruit candidates. We have elements of the party who are moral absolutists, who take the approach that if you don't take my position every step of the way, not only will I not support you, but I will destroy you."

We haven't had a good intramural bloodletting this century yet. Democrats just don't have the heart. I'm looking forward to this one.

 

[JohnRM]

So claims Republican County Chairman Steve Salem.We haven't had a good intramural bloodletting this century yet. Democrats just don't have the heart. I'm looking forward to this one.

This guy is never going to win another election as a Republican, ever again.

 

[puglover]

The Christian Right is facist? Does that mean I can say "Heil Bush?"

What an embarrasment to the Republicans. Talk about fearmongering.

 

[Swedishguy]

I DO NOT think there will be christian fascists. There will be fascists, but not many christian fascists.

 

[warpus]

What is the definition of a fascist? Not only do they want to beat you, but they want to destroy you in the process.

Riiiight.

Whoever this guy is is an idiot and lacks reading comprehension skills.

 

[ComradeDavo]

If you take facism too essentially mean enforcing your morals onto others, then the Christian right fit that defintion.

I mean one defintion about on the web is

''A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms''

Change that to

''
A social, religious and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state/nation and religion is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms''

And the Christian right fit the bill!

I got that defintion from http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=e...:Fascism&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

 

[JollyRoger]

The Christian Right has its own opinion:

Conservative Christian leader James Dobson accused the Republican Party of abandoning values voters in the midterm elections - and paying the price by losing control of Congress. "What did they do with their power?" Dobson said in a statement. "Very little that values voters care about."

Finger-pointing abounded in the days after Democrats seized control of Congress after 12 years in the minority. Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family, issued a statement railing against the Republicans for letting their majorities slip away.

"They consistently ignored the constituency that put them in power until it was late in the game, and then frantically tried to catch up at the last minute," said Dobson, who argued that religious conservatives ensured GOP wins in 2004.

Dobson also criticized other conservatives, including former Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas - an architect of the 1994 GOP House takeover - for complaining recently that the religious right was "too involved" with the party.

"Without the support of that specific constituency, John Kerry would be president and the Republicans would have fallen into a black hole in '04," Dobson said. "In fact, that is where they are headed if they continue to abandon their pro-moral, pro-family and pro-life base. The big tent will turn into a three-ring circus."

Dobson said he had predicted in 2004 that Republicans might squander their opportunity and pay the price in future elections.

"Sadly for conservatives, that in large measure explains what happened on Tuesday night," he said. "Many of the values voters of '04 simply stayed at home this year."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1735698/posts
The thread on FreeRepublic associated with this link warms my heart. The circular firing squad couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people.

 

[Xanikk999]

Hmm, good thing this doesnt happen in northern virginia or DC or wed all be in trouble.

(Christian fascism that is.)

 

[The Tollan]

If you take facism too essentially mean enforcing your morals onto others, then the Christian right fit that defintion.

I do not have a lot of time so this will be relatively brief. That is obviously not how fascism has been defined by most political scientists and historians. Almost every if not every government is fascist by that definition. Almost every government has enforced some type of moral code on the population it ruled.

''A social and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state or nation is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms''

Not how religion is not mentioned. If one claims that well there is a religious fascism then one must accept that communism is a type of fascism as well (which is not a widely accepted idea). Placing a set of ideals above all else is not fascism.

''
A social, religious and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state/nation and religion is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms''

Then fascism abounds throughout the world and there are good ideas that are fascist. If you keep adding things to fascism why stop when its political expediency ceases? Why not add things such as class, economic systems, environmental ideas, food, the pursuit of entertainment, etc. The above quote is not valid.

 

[ComradeDavo]

@The Tollan - Basically, the resemblance to facism comes becuase they put their state and religion above individual rights. Get technical if you want, but it's that simple.

 

[Katheryn]

It is just amazing how people don't see what is going on.

David Kuo, an Evangelical in the Bush Administration quit his job and then came out with a tell all book which gives all the sordid details about how Bush conned the Christian Evangelical Right. How they mocked them, promised to help them with charities, then stabbed them in the back.

I have posted all this stuff in this forum, but you guys just WANT to think that there is some "right Wing Christian conspiracy".

There has never been any power in the Christian Right other than as a voting block. This election, some of the Christian voting block stayed home, or voted third party, or Democrat, because they were deceived and they know it.

That is the facts. There are many, many Christians in America. After what happened in this administration, I doubt they will ever be political activists again. It got them nothing they wanted. They can better spend their time helping the poor, the sick, the incarcerated, and the elderly.

 

[Mark1031]

I doubt they will ever be political activists again. It got them nothing they wanted. They can better spend their time helping the poor, the sick, the incarcerated, and the elderly.

Or they could vote for Dems. Just what Christian political activists want these things? Do they have a web site? The only activists I hear want to bash gays, stop abortion, stop stem cell research, keep life support on corpses, teach the bible in school, stop sex. Maybe I'm wrong but this is the agenda I hear.

 

[CaptainF]

The guy quoted in the OP is an example of a Republican that I would vote for.

 

[Katheryn]

To say that Christians believe this is ridiculous:




Quote:
''
A social, religious and political ideology with the primary guiding principle that the state/nation and religion is the highest priority, rather than personal or individual freedoms''



First of all, America was founded upon the principle of separation of church and state. Some of the first and surely the most numerous of the settlers were PERSECUTED believers.

It is oxymoronic to say that Christian do not believe in "free will". The whole point of "fallen man" is based upon the fact that Adam was free to choose. Mankind is free to either choose God or not. The entire system is freewill.

What people seem to get confused is the secular stands Christians take against playing with cloning, transgendering, genetic manipulation. All these issues spring out of abortion. If human life is considered sacred, then the concept of stealing from one human life to benefit another human life is not possible.

That doesn't have so much to do with God as it does with placing limits upon technology.

Because what this research ends up being used for is weapons in the hands of a self-aggrandizing elite. Every time, without exception.

 

[emzie]

Katheryn, if you had the power, what would you do with the Muslims in America?

 

[Katheryn]

Or they could vote for Dems. Just what Christian political activists want these things? Do they have a web site? The only activists I hear want to bash gays, stop abortion, stop stem cell research, keep life support on corpses, teach the bible in school, stop sex. Maybe I'm wrong but this is the agenda I hear.

1) Bash gays. It is not bashing gays. It is a desire to want society to
keep traditional marriage as a priority. Traditional marriage is the
foundation to every society. In most fallen societies, you see the
disintegration of the family unit.

2) Abortion and Euthanasia. It is the watershed issue of many others.

3) Stem cell. This is a deceptive term. You mean embryonic stem cell
research. Placenta/Umbilical cord stem cells do the same thing as
the embryonic ones. They have grown into livers recently.

4) Teach the Bible in school. I have never heard this. They do want
kids to be able to have a Christian Club (which has been banned in
many places) or to be able to pray alone (Muslims can, but the
Christians cannot) The more relevant topic is VOUCERS. I per-
sonly pay $1,000 per month in property taxes. I will not send my
kids to failing schools that teach sex education at 5 (kindergarten)
that are full of violence and where the kids watch VIDEOS all day.
I think we should be able to get a credit so our kids can go to a
Christian school if we want. THAT is the issue, not teaching the
Bible at school. You live in San Diego, you know there is no
question of teaching the Bible at school - you are not being truthful.

5) Stop sex. You are joking, right? How do Christians stop sex? Why
on earth do you think I care about what you do in your bedroom?
Please! No one else cares either. How would the Christian comm-
unity 'stop sex' anyway? Do you mean stop casual sex? Do you
think our kids don't sneak behind our back and have sex? My daughter
last year was the maid of honor for the granddaughter of one of the
most famous pastors in America. She was pregnant before the wedding.
Christians say this, "oops, sorry!" Forgive and forget. That is their
motto. You must know that Christians are not perfect, right? What is
that old bumpersticker... Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.

Honestly, you live in San Diego! You should know better!

 

[El_Machinae]

What people seem to get confused is the secular stands Christians take against playing with cloning, transgendering, genetic manipulation. All these issues spring out of abortion.

You lost me.
Transgendering is related how to abortion? How's it the sole domain of the elite?

 

[Little Raven]

But don't think the fun is limited to the Religious Right. Oh no.

Have no fear, there's daggers enough for all.

What does the 2006 election signify? What should conservatives do? On email lists, I have been hearing the same story: “It’s the fault of the neocons.” “These neocons have completely screwed us over.” And you know what, they are right.

Conservatives should whole-heartedly rebuke the neocons and their reptilian allies. Neocons should be removed from places of power. They should be fired from editorial positions. And, in some cases, they should be deported.

What would be done in a just world? All neocons should be removed from the Republican Party. First of all, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld should be ousted. Neocon publications like Weekly Standard, American Spectator, Wall Street Journal, First Things, and Commentary should be condemned. Thugs like Wolfowitz, Perle, Kristol and Podhoretz should be expatriated.

David Frum, Feith, and Ledeen should be removed from US soil. Propagandists like Medved, Krauthammer, Jaffa, Jonah Goldberg, and Neuhaus should be ostracized. The neocon henchmen like Specter, McCain, Condoleezza Rice, Fred Barnes, David Brooks and Andrew “Bareback” Sullivan (all radical left-wing activists in disguise) should be shut out from all discussion. And traitors like Alberto Gonzales, Linda Chavez, and Gutierrez should all be deported to Mexico.

Real conservatives (such as those you would find at the American Conservative or Chronicles Magazine) have been vindicated. They have always been right about these traitorous Trotskyites.

 

[The Tollan]

@The Tollan - Basically, the resemblance to facism comes becuase they put their state and religion above individual rights. Get technical if you want, but it's that simple.

The semblance is the result of the authoritarian-libertarian divide in the Republican party. Authoritarians are more like the totalitarianism of fascism.

I find the new terms Islamo-fascism and other religious fascisms conceal the original true fascism.

 

[Mark1031]

@ Kathryn

Well I was using a condesending liberal shorthand for the religious right agenda, sorry. But that was not my point. My point was you said this:

I doubt they will ever be political activists again. It got them nothing they wanted. They can better spend their time helping the poor, the sick, the incarcerated, and the elderly.

Now I understand that christians do this and that it is in fact a very christian thing to do. However I am taken aback by the argument that this is part of the political activists christian agenda. Where was this agenda presented by political activists? I checked Robertson and Dobson web pages. 2 leading political activists. The closest I could find was a Robertson campaign for Darfur. And if this was the real agenda you would line up politically with Dems.