Need some help here

[Coyote_Bandit]

I'm trying to document threats of violence and violence by Christians (fundamentalists) against those who speak and express views contrary to their own.

I am well aware of the violence against abortion clinics and doctors who perform abortions. That is violence against an action contrary to the beliefs of some Christians. As horrible as that is it is not what I am looking for.

I'm looking for threats of violence or actual violence against those who speak to criticize or express contrary ideas and values. I'm looking for threats whose sole purpose is to discourage public discussion.

Who is the Christian fundamentalist equivalent of Rushdie?

[Finder]

1. Christian Identity, Christian separatists...

http://www.tolerance.org/maps/hate/state.jsp?T=25&m=4

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. OK, so those are the Christian white supremacists

Thanks. I'd forgotten about them.

I'm still hoping to find something a little more mainstream fundie evangelical. Websites and editors sometimes seem to attract and bring out all sorts of veiled (and not so veiled) threats from some of the sheeple. I can't believe there are not some real life examples to be documented.

Of course, even though I know they're out there I too am having trouble coming up with specific examples. Hence the question.

[Finder]

3. Not sure what you are looking for if the Oklahoma bombing, abortion clinic

bombings and physical attacks on non-white, non-christian, non-hetero citizens are not what you are looking for.

Movements like the promise keepers, focus on the family, exodus group, etc are dangerous IMO since they promote bigotry.

[Coyote_Bandit]

5. There are different "flavors" of Christian fundamentalists

I'm trying to document threats of violence and violence by Christian fundamentalists against those who speak and express views contrary to their own.

I am looking for:
(1) violence or threats of violence
(2) by a mainstream fundamentalist evangelical Christian (group, leader or other adherent)
(2) resulting from the expression of a contrary idea
(3) and directed against the person who expressed that idea

Stated another way, I'm looking for:
(1) political liberals or progressive Christians (at least these are the groups I view as being the most likely victims but there well could be others)
(2) who have been the victims of violence or threats of violence
(3) perpetrated by a mainstream fundamentalist evangelical Christian (group, leader or other adherent)
(4) because the victim expressed conflicting ideas

I know there is a lot of hate and bigotry out there and a lot of dangerous groups. I'm not looking for incidents where violence or threats of violence resulted from either conduct that the fundamentalists found offensive or were directed at people based on socio-economic class, sexual orientation, gender, race, etc.

I'm looking for examples of violence or threats of violence which were provoked because someone dared to express values and opinions contrary to their fundamentalist views. Are there speakers, writers or commentators who have been victims? In the Islamic world I would be looking for the folks who threatened Rushdie.

When I say mainstream fundamentalist evangelical I am referring to a group that has an open recognized and substantial following. Think fundie mega-church - and groups they endorse which would include Focus on the Family and Promise Keepers. Even in Oklahoma those white Christian separatists are an extremist fringe group.

[Finder]

6. You could start with "Justice Sunday" and some of the rhetoric...

which could be interpreted as potentially inciting violence against judges.

The larger organizations are smart enough to stay off the radar. The cells they fund and set up rarely even know themselves who the benefactors are.

You seem to dismiss the anti-abortion and anti-gay terrorists as being outside the mainstream but you are mistaken. They are a product of mainstream conservative christianity.

[Coyote_Bandit]

7. I'm afraid

you have misunderstood what I am looking for. I don't dismiss the anti-abortion and anti-gay terrorists. But abortionists and homosexuals and judges are not the targets I am interested in documenting. I am looking for threats of violence or acts of violence against writers or commentators or filmmakers or other such folks who work almost exclusively with the expression of ideas. Thanks anyway.

[Finder]

8. Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan and others have been threatened...

and lists of those opposing the Iraq war have been made public.(Nick Berg/Michael Berg on free republic for example)

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. In the UK, some threats against BBC execs and their families

for showing "Jerry Springer: The Opera":

A few people took things further: publishing the private telephone numbers and addresses of some of my colleagues; and in a few cases making threats both to BBC people and their families.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1072-1515832,00.html

The Christian group that published the numbers claimed it had nothing to do with any threats:

Christian Voice, who posted the phone numbers on their website, said they had nothing to do with the alleged abuse.

"We totally abhor stuff like that, it does no credit to the cause of Christ," Mr Green said. "But I was a bit naive in thinking perhaps our website would only be visited by Christians."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4161109.stm

Christian Voice are very political - they campaign against the European Union (nothing to do with religion at all), against acceptance of gays in the police force, and hold other right wing opinions.