The Desperation and Dangers of the Far-Right Extreme Evangelical Sub-Culture

Originally posted by Avenginggecko
It's now beholden to the quickly shrinking evangelical demographic, while progressives and the Democratic party are seeing large gains in nearly all places with nearly all demographics from the East to the West coast.

Unfortunately, as the power of the GOP continues to wane, its tactics will become more and more desperate. Expect the next few elections to be very, very ugly.

Sorry man, but I don't know where you're getting your facts (my guess is MSNBC). The facts are that people are moving away from the Democratic party and becoming more conservative.

www.politicswest.com...

I think a good majority of republicans don't like that the fundamentalists have such a loud voice in their party. The problem is that the republican leadership has a small chunk of these people in it and they can't ostracize a small group without kicking themselves out.

And I don't think that the majority of fundamentalists are REALLY republicans, but they've adopted the republican banner for themselves because it's a known large group with common goals to theirs. They ways that they've done things though have always been different though. Republicans weren't always considered to the be crazy religious right. There was a time that being republican meant that you were on an even keel and open to change or dialogue.

I'm a republican btw.

Originally posted by HotDogNoBun
Oh and I guess being some left wing, tree hugging Liberal is not just as much of a cult. There are loonies on both sides. I would say there are way more crazy out of touch liberals in this country than there are crazy evangelical conservatives.

Liberals don't view intellectualism as a vice. Liberals are not afraid to find that they have been wrong about an issue and change their views accordingly.
Liberals don't think that cavemen rode dinosaurs to church. They don't believe that witches have real magical powers the way christians do, and they certainly aren't afraid of them. (Just ask Sarah "prayer protection against witchcraft" Palin.) They worry about climate change because the silly notion that Jesus is going to come back and fix everything isn't much of an insurance policy to thinking men and women.

Sure there are whack jobs on both sides of the fence, but claiming there are more on the left... that's rich.

Everyone on this board needs to get their priorities right. There are always wack jobs in any issue or debate. The ultra right evangelical movement aren't the ones you need to worry about. The ones you need to worry about are the present government, who is going to socialism or fascism at light speed, and is taking away your personal rights every day, with policies that you WILL comply with whether you want to or not.

The last time I checked, the ultra right evangelical movement had no control over my life. I can ignore them, protest against them, write about them, do whatever I want. Why should I be concerned what they do.

However, I am concerned about a governemt who now is exercising total control over me, telling me what I should be doing, how I should raise my children, how I should do everything. That's who I am concerned about. So get real, and worry about someone who does have the power to effect your life, that's where your concern should lie.

All I have to say is that some people are stupid.

And if you're willing to argue on for 10 more pages, then you're stupider.


Everything Christians don't like is the Anti-Christ lol

reply to post by Stormdancer777


I agree, so much hate is no funny, but what do you expect coming from politics, While I agree with the OP on the extreme evangelican right subculture, my reasons are personal, because a few years back I did an OP exposing the Radical fundamentalist agenda when everybody were basing Muslims.

Funny but the Truth should be known, Obama is American born, he is not an Antichrist and he is the president no matter if I disagree with his policies after I voted for him.

So all those that still keep banging the Obama agenda knows the truth but rather like to keep spreading the propaganda and the lies.

Still those that rather support the voice of the vocal minority against Obama instead of taking the time to think independently are missing the most important thing in life that has to do with learning to think for themselves and not from others.

Humans have free will something that no even religion can take away from humanity.

Sad, because is easier to spread lies and deception than looking for the truth.

I'm glad someone posted this here, I read it first on Pharyngula and thought it hit the nail right on the head.

I rag on American Republicans but in reality there are two divisions of them. The lunatic Evangelical Conservatives and what are now essentially libertarians which probably make up 10-15% of the total Republican population. You could probably make a case for a third division; those who buy the lunatic Evangelical propaganda, but aren't themselves part of the religious movement.

The best way to deal with the crazies, be it the birthers, people who think Obama is the anti-christ or believe the world is 6000 years old for that matter, isn't debate because they reject logic, it's poison to them, but rather with laughter and marginalization. They need to know how ridiculous they sound, not get the false impression they have a case worth discussion.

reply to post by ZombieOctopus


Well after the bush administration giving them the finger after he won the elections in 2004 they got so angry with the Republican party failed promises or getting the nation rid of the sinful outhere worhiping gays rights and abortion rights, that now they find themselves without party affiliations.

Still most evangelicans and fundamentalist are very much Republicans regardless of how their political party has treated them before.

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by Stormdancer777

 

Humans have free will something that no even religion can take away from humanity.

Sad, because is easier to spread lies and deception than looking for the truth.

Nothing saps free will quicker than fundamentalist religion. Would you rather do not do something because it's affects people around you negatively or because you're going to burn in eternal fire? If I was an emotional person, I'd pick fire...

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Errr... I don't like Obama...

And I'm not a Christian..

I didn't vote Republican..

I am not racist..

I don't consider my personal beliefs to be "ultra right wing"..

And I don't follow the so called "birther" movement.. though answering their request would have made sense.. but whaever..

So why do I get classified into all these groups just for not liking the Government?

Besides, take the loony Christians from the Republican Party, how will they be any different then the Democrats?

Haha, they won't.. they are both socio/fascist parties hell bent on interfering in our lives while flushing our country down the toilet..

reply to post by Rockpuck


You are not, my friend, this about agendas, and for what I have seen in ATS in all the time that I have been reading your posts, agendas is the farthest thing in your mind.

So Rockpuck you been silly.

Originally posted by grahag
I think a good majority of republicans don't like that the fundamentalists have such a loud voice in their party.

I don't doubt this at all. If they're smart, they don't like it. But they don't want to call them out because the party is in enough trouble right now as it is.

As regards your post, let me be clear that I see "conservatives" and "Republicans" as two different things. I regret that I wasn't more clear in my OP about this point, but I actually have no issue with true conservatives. In fact, I agree with most of the conservative philosophy. But the point you bring up about fundamentalists not being "real Republicans" (or real conservatives) is a very valid one that I agree with. They've adopted the Republican banner, as you say, as surely as terrorists have adopted the banner of Islam.

I think that in general, the Republicans of today have abandoned true conservatism for religion. The group that would rightly be called conservatives doesn't even fit into the Republican Party anymore. They are more like Libertarians. (I would love to see that party grow, by the way and become a challenge to the other 2.)

Republicans weren't always considered to the be crazy religious right. There was a time that being republican meant that you were on an even keel and open to change or dialogue.

Exactly. There was a time when I would have been considered a Republican. Those days are behind us for now, though.

MY MAIN POINT in posting this thread is that this group of people (fanatically religious birthers), however large they are and whatever we wish to call them rejects facts as a matter of faith. I'm just realizing this. Perhaps others have known it for some time, but when I heard this, it hit me like a wrecking ball! And it's still sinking in today.

I have been thinking for some time that if I just presented enough facts about birth certificates, laws, statutes and the Constitution, these people would see them and realize the folly in thinking that Obama is a usurper or was born in Kenya or whatever. I realize now that the facts mean nothing to them. They just get in the way of their dogma.

Originally posted by ZombieOctopus
The best way to deal with the crazies, be it the birthers, people who think Obama is the anti-christ or believe the world is 6000 years old for that matter, isn't debate because they reject logic, it's poison to them, but rather with laughter and marginalization. They need to know how ridiculous they sound, not get the false impression they have a case worth discussion.

Exactly what Schaeffer was saying. Walk on by...

Originally posted by Rockpuck
So why do I get classified into all these groups just for not liking the Government?

Hey Rock. You get classified because people love to classify! You get classified as these groups for the same reason I get classified into the various groups that I do. It's not about you. Or me. It's about people's need to classify other individuals into groups with like minds, so they can feel like they know what they're dealing with. If everyone is neatly stowed in their little boxes, people feel like they have some control. But if we're out there with beliefs that are all over the map and refusing to stay in one box, then they get scared and feel out of control. It's my theory.

I am not a Christian. I am pro-legalization. I ride the fence on abortion. Yet, I agree with many of the 'wackos'. Moreover there are serious questions about just exactly WHO is Barack Hussein Obama!

All I see is, when people ask questions about BHO they are instantly relegated to the 'tinfoil' hat club! By the way, this thread is a perfect example of ATS's hypocrisy when it comes to 'tolerance' and 'bigotry'. I suppose that the new term for racism is "any offense committed against anyone that isn't white." So this is the 'change'?

Originally posted by die_another_day
All I have to say is that some people are stupid.

And if you're willing to argue on for 10 more pages, then you're stupider.


Everything Christians don't like is the Anti-Christ lol

Amen

Eh, Radical Islam is even more dangerous. I'm not too worried about Radical Christians. I'm more ticked off by the Radical Christians because they give all Christians a bad name.

I'm Catholic. I believe in many gods. I believe in evolution. aliens. abortion should be taxed not illegal. no one should get married at all, gay or straight. there is no such thing as THE anti-christ, it just means someone who is against Christianity. Most of my friends are "anti-christ". . .

but then there are the Extreme Liberals, global-warming--believers, animal-rights extremists, etc. . .

I say moderates get two votes, because they're more intelligent.

reply to post by marg6043

Sad, because is easier to spread lies and deception than looking for the truth.

Truth has become illusive,

From the T&C , I belive every one got a U2U with a link in it today.
1g.) Political Baiting: You will not engage in politically-charged rhetoric, politically-inspired name-calling, and related right-versus-left political bickering while posting in any topical forum or discussion thread on AboveTopSecret.com. You will not alter political candidate names or party affiliations in order to insult or deride the opposition.

Stop falling for the right vs. left trap!

[edit on 17-9-2009 by calstorm]

reply to post by jtma508


I will share this with you. My daughter in law is a far right wing conservative. She hates President Obama and refused to allow her kids to watch his speech to school children. Ok. I asked her why. She said she would not allow her kids to listen to his "lies", "jibberish" and "trash" political agenda. I on the other hand, am an Obama supporter. On Facebook, she posted her point of view, and I posted mine, on my page. She was toasted by several Facebook friends of hers. However, I am the one she is deleting from her Facebook. Because, as she told my oldest grandson, "of her posts about Obama." I am not allowed to mention his name in her presence. I would not be surpised if in the very near future, she bans me from seeing my grandchildren.

reply to post by romanmel


Exactly. And to me, this is what taking God's name in vain really means. I've been around many years and have never witnessed anything like the hateful speech and actiions of the exteme right.