Religion has had more than its say — perhaps too much to say — in our political discourse, so reports of an alliance of evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders who have embarked on a course of “civil disobedience” aren’t a big surprise. Nor is it a surprise that while they’re willing to be disobedient about stem cell research, abortion, same-sex couples, and other social wedge issues, they remain sullenly silent on their active and vibrant role developing the “angry conservative populist” movement. They call it the “Manhattan Declaration”. I call it the Manhattan Manifesto.
Theirs is a severe case of selective Christianity. They argue the truth of the Bible except when they don’t; that is, those times where it’s inconvenient. In their world, it’s perfectly acceptable to merchandise, market and pray Psalm 109:8 alongside the verses before and after, calling for the death of the President of the United States.
Let me see if I can sort this out.
This group of Christians is against death until they’re for it.
This group of Christians is against abortion but opposes health care for children unless their parents are rich enough to pay for it.
This group of Christians is against research that has the possibility to heal people suffering from terrible disease and injury while they proclaim the value of life.
But wait, there’s more! Frank Schaeffer put his preacher hat on and gave the audience a closer look at our American Taliban on Rachel Maddow’s show earlier this week.
Really, this is trawling for assassins. And this is serious business. It’s un-American, it’s unpatriotic, and it goes to show that the religious right, the Republican far-right, have coalesced into a group that truly wants American revolution, and if it turns out to be blood in the streets and death, so be it. This is not funny stuff any more. They cannot be dismissed as just crazies on the fringe. It only takes one.
Indeed. As President Reagan discovered, it only takes one lunatic with an agenda (not even a political agenda!) to leave blood in the street. Schaeffer goes on to characterize these groups as “the American version of the Taliban.” He’s quite right about that. They are. Watch the whole thing.
I wish I had the words to express the anger and HURT these people cause me, not only because they spit in the face of democracy but because they taint me with their ugly hate. Convenient Christians judge and condemn; they cherry-pick the Bible to force an agenda but ignore Jesus’ admonition to love one another; they foment fear and hate instead of peace and love. Every time I confess my own Christianity I have to apologize for theirs. And I do.
Their message is ugly, violent and exclusionary. Once again, they along with their less sanctimonious but no less authoritarian brethren on the far right are telling each and every one of us that OUR vote doesn’t count, that we really don’t live in a democracy, we live in a country where churlish evil can masquerade in priests’ robes to inhabit our homes, our health, and our relationships.
It’s sad to me that churches and demagogues are the terrorists in our country. Their similarity to the Taliban is not sarcasm — this is exactly how the Taliban operates in other countries. The only difference here is that they get a protected Constitutional right to do so and a tax exemption.
Arianna Huffington said that Glenn Beck shouts “Fire!” in a crowded theatre every time he takes to the airwaves. She’s right, of course, but he’s only one of many. The Manhattan Manifesto writers are just as dangerous.
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