The New War of the Christian Crusaders – By David Rosen

[malaise]

http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2010/08/16/the-new-war-of-the-christian-crusaders/
<snip>
It is too early to know how the Muslim center issue will be resolved, but it is clear that the rantings of Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Abe Foxman (of the Anti-Defamation League) and others have played an important role pushing a local issue into the center-stage of national politics. Since the horrendous attacks of 9/11, Muslims in general and American Muslims in particular have been the targets of an undeclared religious war promoted by Christian fundamentalists and self-serving Republicans. For some among these religious zealots, Islam is a threat to their belief that the U.S. is a white Protestant nation. Over the last four centuries, Quakers, Mormons, Catholics, Jews and many others have been targets of religious persecution, often the victims of imprisonments, hangings, lynchings and other acts of violence.

Rightwing ranters might well not know the history of religious intolerance in America, but they are surely aware that they are fueling a deep-seated rage among a certain scary segment of the Christian populous. This round in the ongoing religious culture wars has yet to explode into the ugly violence that took place in the aftermath of 9/11, and one can only hope that the current controversy will not lead to attacks on Muslims.

Sadly, like the attacks the followed 9/11, rightwing ranters like Palin and Gingrich will act "shocked" by the violence if it occurs and will claim innocence as to their roles fomenting it. With a knowing sneer, they will wash their hands of the blood they have caused and seek out other innocent victims.

In an excellent article on Tomdispatch, Stephen Salisbury details the current Manhattan Muslim center controversy and the spreading anti-Muslim hysteria being whipped up around the country over the opening of new local mosques. As Salisbury opines, "The angry 'debate' over whether the building should exist has a kind of glitch-in-the-Matrix feel to it, leaving in its wake an aura of something-very-bad-about-to-happen."

[DailyGrind51]

1. And some are not even Christians!

[malaise]

5. The majority are sheeple

They are followers - they know nothing except doing what they are told.
They are dying for Armageddon but little do they know that their rich manipulators will let them kill one another without batting an eyelid.

[DailyGrind51]

6. And, when you send them authoritative material to challenge their misconceptions, they refuse to

read it!

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

2. aka: The New Dying Gasp

[DeSwiss]

3. K&R

What is worse, these so-called "Christians" have apparently never paid any attention to what their god said:

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." - Matthew 5:38-44

- Most of the Christians I know totally ignore this. They make me want to puke......

[bvar22]

4. There IS no debate possible.

There is NO Gray Area.
There IS only ONE RIGHT answer.


The only question is,
Does the Democratic Party still have the courage to do what is right?

[malaise]

7. Indeed

but Democrats will have to show some guts and grow the fuck up.

[Karenina]

8. And the "Professional Left" needs to box Howie's ears

until he comes to his senses. If that's possible. I wonder if he's cognizant of the damage his ill-informed, kneejerk pronouncements have done. :shrug: