Evangelicalism or Dominionism?
The preferred approach of problem solving for the evangelicals is to consider small facets of a problem without any thought given to viewing the problem as a whole. Under capitalistic dominion, I suppose it's not allowed to consider any problem on the whole. Could that be because if those approaches to thought were applied to our overly-religious and over-capitalized democracy, the whole thing would fall apart? So they have become adept at focusing on small bites of the problem at a time while ignoring the mass of the problem, and as such the problem continues to expand and grow.
One get's the feeling lately that the Evangelical Christians who helped in Bush's re-election have declared war on the liberal thinkers, or anyone else for that matter in the country who doesn't adhere to their religious beliefs and their "Culture of Life". As they wave their banners blazened with the words, "RECLAIMING AMERICA FOR CHRIST', one just can't help but notice their quest for reclamation bears a close resemblance to what is known as "dominionism"! And just how does George Bush figure into all of this?
The goal of the Great Commission is not just that a few individuals here and there are to be discipled but rather that eventually whole nations are to be brought under the subjection of Jesus Christ. The Church’s task is not completed until institutions, cultures and civil governments submit to the King of kings. In accordance with this, the The American Family Association (AFA) as well as the Christian Coalition of America have been involved with blacklisting and boycotting many businesses which don't meet their decency requirements. The art of blacklisting was a big hit back during the time of the Hollywood Ten when McCarthyism was at it's peak. Could religious dominion and the exhibited blacklisting possibly be the prelude to a theocratic oligopoly in North America?
This need for such an increase in Christian Supremacy is disconcerting to say the least. As this has been seen before in our history, and the result was the forced cultural assimilation and extermination of the native cultures of North America. These human beings suffered the loss of their lands, confinement on reservations, outlawing of their native languages, and even forced sterilizations.Without paying close attention to the interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"), we could see ourselves in the middle of another religiously motivated cultural genocide.
The separation of church and state is inherent in our constitution and the Supreme Court has stated that no government — federal, state or local — can perform any action or make any policy which blatantly favors one faith or church over the others, or which favors belief in a God or Supreme being over non-belief. There is a reason for this and the people who drafted the constitution and the bill of rights knew from past experience that religious persecution shouldn't be tolerated in a "free democratic socieity".
Now I'm not a staunch advocate of the removal of our ceremonial deisms by no means. But I am concerned, due to what I have seen as of late, that there seems to be a need of caution and a level of vigilance should be maintained. But perhaps I am leaning too heavily towards the left or maybe I've been consumed by some sort of conspiracy theory born from reading multiple fonts across an endless flow of texts. Maybe I should step back and take a breath. Perhaps all this Dominion Theology is nothing more than business as usual in our capitalist world!
Well in any case, I've grown too old for assimilation anyway, but I suppose extermination is still possible! :)
The absolutism and "blackness" and "whiteness" of religion and the desperation of greed-driven capitalism make for an inherent dishonesty that has no place in ethical discourse, medical or otherwise.
Presidential Ethics in the Bush White House
One get's the feeling lately that the Evangelical Christians who helped in Bush's re-election have declared war on the liberal thinkers, or anyone else for that matter in the country who doesn't adhere to their religious beliefs and their "Culture of Life". As they wave their banners blazened with the words, "RECLAIMING AMERICA FOR CHRIST', one just can't help but notice their quest for reclamation bears a close resemblance to what is known as "dominionism"! And just how does George Bush figure into all of this?
The goal of the Great Commission is not just that a few individuals here and there are to be discipled but rather that eventually whole nations are to be brought under the subjection of Jesus Christ. The Church’s task is not completed until institutions, cultures and civil governments submit to the King of kings. In accordance with this, the The American Family Association (AFA) as well as the Christian Coalition of America have been involved with blacklisting and boycotting many businesses which don't meet their decency requirements. The art of blacklisting was a big hit back during the time of the Hollywood Ten when McCarthyism was at it's peak. Could religious dominion and the exhibited blacklisting possibly be the prelude to a theocratic oligopoly in North America?
This need for such an increase in Christian Supremacy is disconcerting to say the least. As this has been seen before in our history, and the result was the forced cultural assimilation and extermination of the native cultures of North America. These human beings suffered the loss of their lands, confinement on reservations, outlawing of their native languages, and even forced sterilizations.Without paying close attention to the interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"), we could see ourselves in the middle of another religiously motivated cultural genocide.
The separation of church and state is inherent in our constitution and the Supreme Court has stated that no government — federal, state or local — can perform any action or make any policy which blatantly favors one faith or church over the others, or which favors belief in a God or Supreme being over non-belief. There is a reason for this and the people who drafted the constitution and the bill of rights knew from past experience that religious persecution shouldn't be tolerated in a "free democratic socieity".
Now I'm not a staunch advocate of the removal of our ceremonial deisms by no means. But I am concerned, due to what I have seen as of late, that there seems to be a need of caution and a level of vigilance should be maintained. But perhaps I am leaning too heavily towards the left or maybe I've been consumed by some sort of conspiracy theory born from reading multiple fonts across an endless flow of texts. Maybe I should step back and take a breath. Perhaps all this Dominion Theology is nothing more than business as usual in our capitalist world!
A better explanation is that the Christian Right, like other mass movements, is a bundle of internal contradictions which work themselves out in the course of real political activism. Ideas have consequences, but ideas also have causes, rooted in interests and desires. The Christian Right is in a state of tension and flux over its own mission. Part movement to resist and roll back even moderate change, part reactionary wing of prevailing Republicanism. The Christian Right wants to take dominion and collaborate with the existing political-economic system, at the same time. Liberal critics, who also endorse the ruling system, can recognize only the Christian Right's takeover dimension. Radicals can see that the dominion project is dangerous because it is, in part, business as usual.
Well in any case, I've grown too old for assimilation anyway, but I suppose extermination is still possible! :)
posted by atuuschaaw at 4:09 AM
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