If you want to know how far to the right the Republican party has swung, look no further than this Beliefnet story about a far right religious activist that is under the employ of the Republican National Committee. He believes that America is a "Christian Nation" and that the church-state separtation is a "myth." He also sits on the board that supports Reconstructionism.
For those not in the know of what Reconstructionism is, here's little chilling definition:
"Generally, Reconstructionism seeks to replace democracy with a theocratic elite that would govern by imposing their interpretation of "Biblical Law." Reconstructionism would eliminate not only democracy but many of its manifestations, such as labor unions, civil rights laws, and public schools. Women would be generally relegated to hearth and home. Insufficiently Christian men would be denied citizenship, perhaps executed. So severe is this theocracy that it would extend capital punishment beyond such crimes as kidnapping, rape, and murder to include, among other things, blasphemy, heresy, adultery, and homosexuality."
How nice, we could have our own little version of the Taliban.
This is why moderates must fight to take back the party. We can't leave the party, one of two major parties in our land, in the hands of fundamentalists who seek to make us into Taliban Afghanistan writ large.
Thanks to Andrew Sullivan for the hat tip.
Posted by Dennis at October 23, 2004 01:38 AMThat doesn't mean they have any traction.
I hope not - because in Minnesota we've got an evangelical running for the Supreme Court. The problem with judicial races (at least in MN) is that many people don't pay attention to them.
Some don't vote because they don't know anything about the candidates and don't want to elect a bad judge.
Some vote based on whether the candidate is perceived to be male or female.
Some vote based on what ethnicity they think the cadidate is.
Some just guess.
Couple that with evangelicals mounting a concerted, under the radar effort to organize and get out the vote and you have a problem.
That's how they take over positions like school board, party delegate positions, and party machinery because the vast amount of the rank and file are not involved in the process and leave the job up to someone else.
The Reconstructionism piece definitely goes too far, something I wouldn't support.
However, you failed to note that beliefs that USA is a Christian nation and there's no separation between church and state are widely held by the Democrats's most loyal voters: black Americans. And by quite a few Hispanics as well. Thus, it crosses party lines. No wonder recent polls show Bush has been able to double his black support (as some blacks believe that secularists are undermining black culture) which surely has Democrats sweating and bringing Bill Clinton out of bypass recovery.
Posted by: molotov at October 23, 2004 10:18 AMAnd, as much as I support the war effort, those checks and balances are gone with a Bush victory at the ballot box. Pres, house, senate and supreme court - scary!
Posted by: mike at October 23, 2004 07:07 AMThese are all excellent points. I cringe when people talk about our consitution being based on the 10 commandments and using that for justifying something completely unconstitutional.
Ive often wondered how anyone with a brain would not find the 10 commandments, in a courthouse, intimidating. What if the crime was relatively minor but in the course of testimony it was revealed that I had committed adultery and had an abortion? I might have a real reason to wonder if my sentence would be fair.
Posted by: mike at October 23, 2004 07:06 AMSure it is scary. But so are the KKK and the various "revolutionary workers" parties that are around now. That doesn't mean they have any traction.
Posted by: David at October 23, 2004 05:35 AMWhat's the saying, something like "Power corrupts?" Your analogy about Iran and Saudi Arabia is a good one, but just think: If you had power, and wanted to hold onto your power and your fervent beliefs, just how far would you take your beliefs to stay in power?
That's why we have checks and balances. Without those, we are lost, no matter how good our hearts may or may not be.
Posted by: TAE at October 23, 2004 02:44 AMThis country was founded by people fleeing religious persecution - the persecution of Christians by Christians. They sold their possessions, risked their lives and the lives of their children to flee a state/church apparatus that imposed it's interpretation of the Bible and it's interpretation of God's Word on them and their families.
Some evangelicals and "Christian nation" advocates doubtless don't realize it; but when they make their faith THE justification for their judicial decisions or their public policy decisions, they infringe on the religious freedom of the people they serve.
Some do realize it. They know we are a spirtual nation and they use our sprituality and deference to God to intimidate and coerce.
But what they doubtless don't realize - is that they scare the shit out of people because they're attacking the very foundations of the social compact on which this nation was built.
And they've forgotten that this country was founded by a bunch of rebels.
So, this would be no different than Saudi Arabia or Iran?
Posted by: Kitt at October 23, 2004 02:02 AM