TruthOut - Town Meeting
T O  needs your help
Display:
------------------------------------------------------------
Theocracies are founded on a us (the moral) vs them (the immoral) mindset. Theocracies need this threat against "us" idea to hold onto power. As soon the ruling class defeats the "enemy" it has to turn on some of its own who they decide are not "good" enough. Israel was founded on the idea of a homeland for Jewish people, now there are all sorts of fights over "who is a Jew". The Soviet Union* was founded as a Communist state, soon there were fights between the leadership over who was a "real revolutionary". Eventually it became a simple dictatorship under Stalin who purged people at will.

The idea of a Christian theocracy should frighten everyone. First they will go after the "safe" minorities, Hindus, Bhuddests, Wiccan, Pagan, Atheists (such as myself). Soon they will turn on non Christians. Then they will turn on Catholics and other non baptists. Then non Evangelical Baptists. Even if you think that you're a good Christian, even if you are a loyal Pat Robertson decipel, even if you think you are in with the ruling class, eventually you will be found wanting.

I have had discussions with people from the Radical Right who did not know that I was an Atheist. (As an aside, acting classes are very useful. I've been able to talk with all sorts of wakkos and get them to open up because they think I'm of like mind. It can be very informative.)

I have been told that non Christians should not be allowed to work for the government at any level. That non Christians should lost their citizenship. That anyone who is gay or even supports gay rights should never be allowed near children, even if this means taking away their own children and/or imprisoning the adult. That only Evangelicals should have any rights. That America has a duty to convert the rest of the world to Christianity (even if it is at the point of a gun), regardless of the cost because this is the prelude to the Rapture. The list goes on and on. The important thing is that these are not the ravings of people screaming at passerby's on street corners. These are our neighbors, people at Republican caucuses, people at rallies. These are people in positions of power. These opinions are not spoken openly but they are a subtext that is circulating in the halls of power.

They are very dangerous. Absolute certainty combined with a belief in an afterlife and the supremacy of the gun is a recipe for disaster.

*Communism was a political ideology but in many ways it took on religious patterns of behavior.

by geoduck on Fri Mar 25th, 2005 at 12:08:45 PM EDT

------------------------------------------------------------
Agreed.  Remember it was the Christian Theocrats that brought the world the Spanish Inquisition.  They went after the Muslims, then the Jews, then the Protestants, then Catholic heretics etc.  The Inquisition machine could not stop.  It became like a living thing always seeking new prey.  

They wrecked Spain's economy and standing in the world in the process of carrying out their faith-based initiative.
chart
by chart (chart) on Mon Mar 28th, 2005 at 03:24:24 PM EDT
[ Parent ]

Display:

Menu

+ Home
+ Diaries
+ create account
+ Advanced search
+ t r u t h o u t news feed
+ t r u t h o u t town meeting
+ t r u t h o u t video podcasts
+ FAQ

Login

Username:
Password:

Or Make a New Account