Palin blessing echoed extreme strategy... Anchorage Daily News

[DogPoundPup]

ALAN BORAAS
COMMENT

Published: October 25th, 2008 12:19 AM


~snip

Christian Nationalism is a form of American exceptionalism -- the idea that Americans are unique because of our heritage. Christian exceptionalism dates back to Puritan leader John Winthrop. Normally exceptionalism is recognized as the unique founding of the United States built on immigrant pluralism and based on Enlightenment ideals. But Winthrop promoted a different type of exceptionalism. In his "shining city on the hill" sermon Winthrop rejected the equality of religious pluralism and affirmed instead that the United States is a Christian nation built on Christian, not Enlightenment, principles and was to be ruled by Christians.

Winthrop's Puritans also used witchcraft as a means of social control. Many of the Salem "witches" were women breaking from the established gender roles, starting farms of their own and otherwise acting independently. Those 17th century agents of modernity were burned at the stake for their actions, similar to what is happening in Kenya today.

It is therefore remarkably interesting that Gov. Palin used the term exceptionalism in her debate with Sen. Biden and quoted Winthrop's "shining city on the hill" metaphor as the model for America in the world. (She actually referenced the source as Ronald Reagan, who used the phrase in his last speech as president. Reagan correctly cited Winthrop.)

Nothing she did as governor suggests Sarah Palin would conduct witch hunts or give voice to seditious Christian Nationalists were she to reach the Oval Office. On the other hand, quoting the father of Christian Nationalism and directly participating in a religious rite protecting her from witchcraft that espoused the Seven Mountains Strategy is a reason to ask questions. The real problem is that no national candidate has been so shielded from the press and scripted (and, it turns out, clothed) as Sarah Palin so it's hard to know what she believes.

http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/567096.html

[Warren Stupidity]

1. "affirmed instead that the United States is a Christian nation " in 1630?

Winthrop did nothing of the sort. He announced that the newly formed Plymouth Bay Colony was an intolerant theocracy. 150 years later some very enlightened Deists had some other very secular ideas about government - codified in a constitution that never mentions god and that explicitly separates state and religion and forbids explicitly any religious qualifications for any public office.

[Recursion]

4. Also, there weren't burnings in Plymouth Bay Colony

People (men and women) convicted of witchcraft were hanged; some were killed by the "trial" (either in an ordeal drowning or, famously, by being crushed by stones in an attempt to get them to acknowledge the charge on the record). What really interests me about the various witch trials was that the aristocratic class turned a blind eye until, inevitably, accusations started pointing to one of their own, at which point that round of inquisition would be shut down.

It's not clear to me why burning at the stake is associated with witchcraft; that punishment was usually reserved for either Catholics or Protestants depending on who was in charge of the country doing it.

[muriel_volestrangler]

15. It was mainly the European continent where 'witches' were burned

see eg
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-agin/sarah-palin-and-her-belie_b_137802.html
http://dir.salon.com/story/books/review/2005/02/01/witch_craze/index.html

Germany seems to have been the centre of it. In England, fewer were executed, and those were normally hanged, so witch trials in America are more likely to have taken that approach.

[Poseidan]

2. winthrop...

I know the name all too well.

Can anyone explain why Christianity becomes fascism?

[Warren Stupidity]

3. The Puritans were intolerant theocrats.

The Catholic Church was an intolerant theocratic tyranny for centuries before the reformation sprouted dozens of smaller theocratic organizations to rule people. Christianity is not fascism though. Fascism requires a modern industrial society and uses religion and religious institutions as part of their mechanism of control. And most certainly not all Christians are authoritarian. As the enlightenment progressed there was a parallel progression of tolerant non-authoritarian religious groups. The Quakers for example.

[Recursion]

5. And the Baptists

Roger Williams deserves a lot more credit than he gets.

[lynnertic]

7. How are Baptists tolerant non-authoritarian religious groups?

That's not my experience at all.

[Recursion]

8. Read up on them in the 17th century

I was talking about back then.

[lynnertic]

11. thanks

[Warren Stupidity]

10. New England Baptists founded by Roger Willians

in Rhode Island were remarkably tolerant.

[lynnertic]

12. thanks again.

[kath]

16. And VERY much in favor of separation of church and state.

I highly recommend the book "The Godless Constitution".

[lynnertic]

6. Let's start with Patriarchy as established in the Old Testament by

the same folks who brought us the Jealous and Vengeful God. Patriarchy is authoritarianism, and authoritarianism, when turned up to 11, is fascism.*

One ideology lends itself to the other and together they are perpetuated: as fascists are forgiven for their sins, and as fascists are lifted into power by compliant congregations, they in turn support the Church.





-----------
*By the way, Matriarchy is no better. Democracy is the answer.

[fed_up_mother]

9. "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Matthew 5:14

All she had to do was open her bible. Frankly, I doubt that she knows much about any puritans.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. Wrong - this is a key passage for dominionists.

She is a dominionist fundamentalist and they are very fond of sending coded biblical messages in their speeches to their faithful. Bush does it all the time. Palin is never unscripted. Her minders give her every word she reads for every speech she makes. You can tell when she goes off script, as she did with Couric, she starts channeling Miss Teen South Carolina.

[machI]

14. I would like to look at Sarah's bible to see if any of the pages have been turned.

and I doubt that they have been