Creeping Dominionism

June 17th, 2012

Paul Froese writes:

"Today, economic conservatism is inextricably linked to theology. Americans who believe in an Authoritative God simply do not make the same distinction between economic and religious spheres that researchers routinely do. Therefore, it is not enough for a Republican candidate to define himself or herself as mainly a “fiscal conservative” or a “person of faith” to be embraced by believers in the new religious-economic idealism. If he or she is to appeal to the religious-economic idealists, both these things must be claimed in equal measure."

It is time to stop trying to convince this section of American society of anything. They are not to be reasoned with.

Santorum - The Gift That Jon Stewart Keeps Receiving

Feb 28th, 2012

Stewart has a field day regarding Santorum's latest Dominionist mischief and blatant anti-intellectualism.

Santorum's "Theology"

Feb 27th, 2012

Daniel Larison is gobsmacked by Santorum's recent theocratic declarations:

"Santorum made a very weird statement when he was trying to defend his “phony theology” remarks:

We’re not here to serve the Earth. The Earth is not the objective. Man is the objective.

Santorum has defended his statement in terms of affirming a Biblical understanding of man’s role as a steward of creation, but if we took this later remark at face value we would have to say that Santorum doesn’t understand the concept of stewardship very well. After all, the purpose of Christian stewardship isn’t simply to serve human needs (much less desires), but to preside over the natural world as God’s viceregents and to rule it in a manner pleasing to God, all of which is directed towards giving God glory and thanksgiving for the blessings He has bestowed upon us. We are to see creation as something entrusted to us by God, and as something that we are responsible for preserving and keeping as part of our obedience to Him. That necessarily involves limiting and restraining our desires so as not to exhaust or waste what has been entrusted to us. Viewed that way, we are here to care for the earth and for one another, and in so doing serve the Creator Who made both."

Of course, this is obvious to many. But to refer to Santorum as a Christian or a Catholic obscures his strict adherence to Dominionist ideology. In his view, "stewardship" and unrestrained exploitation are interchangeable. more frightening, he seem to regard the latter as a requirement of "faith."

The GOP War On The Separation Clause, cont...

Feb 26th, 2012

I wrote recently that the Republican party was engaged in nothing less than a full assault on the principle of separation itself. Some of the responses were heated and accused me of hyperbole. With all due respect, Rick Santorum exploded those arguments a short time ago. Appearing on This Week with George Stephanopulous this morning, he doubled down on remarks he made last year that his reaction to JFK's famous address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association in Septemer of 1960 made him want to vomit.

"I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute," he said. He then actually argued that the church not participating the "operation of the state" is "antithetical" to our founding.

Romney Watch - Et Tu, Mittens?

Feb 22nd, 2012

by F. Grey Parker

Barry Goldwater once said, 

"Religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy. They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives."

My. How things have changed.

There was a time when I had some regard for Mitt Romney. He once seemed contemplative and fair. There is plenty in his record to respect no matter how much he's running from it lately.

But that's just it... he's really running from it. What's more, what he is running to is un-American.

A few months ago, he was not just the GOP elite establishment's choice. He also seemed the smart choice. Not anymore.

I believe that yesterday, Romney not only sealed the fate of his campaign but also that of his party.

Dominionists On Parade

Feb 21st, 2012

Well, Franklin Graham certainly distinguished himself this morning. Appering on Joe Scarborough's show, he openly questioned the faith of the sitting President and smeared the Mormon faith. Graham said at one point that because Brack Obama's father was a Muslim, "Islam regards him as a son of Islam."  He also makes sure to remind the audience, several times, of Obama's attendance at services in Jeremiah Wright's church.

No dog whistles there.

Coversely, he declared that there is "no question about" whether Rick Santorum is a Christian. What's more, he makes no bones about his trust in Newt (the prevaricating philanderer) Gingrich's faith.

The panel was justifiably shocked. A visibly angry Willie Geist shot back at one point, "So, Newt Gingrich is a Christian, but you’re not sure that President Obama is?"

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Santorum Watch - Just Plain "Wow" Edition

Feb 20th, 2012
by F. Grey Parker

Last week, I had more than a little egg on my face after posting a bit of satire regarding Rick Santorum as if it were factual. When I realized my error, I updated it promptly and left it posted in the interest of disclosure. I do take responsibility for my mistakes.

Was the post I am discussing patently absurd? Yes. But nearly every actual pronouncement from the Santorum campaign has also been absurd. So, yeah, I got fooled. That said... can anyone blame me?

Yes, Santorum Is A Dominionist. Period.

Jan 4th, 2012

We've received some pushback for calling Rick Santorum "The Dominionist's Dream Candidate." With all due respect, there is no argument. Here's another reminder via Right Wing Watch.

"Our civil laws have to comport with the Higher Law." 

The Dominionist's Dream Candidate

Jan 3rd, 2011

Rick Santorum spoke with ABC's Jake Tapper today and declared that the states should be allowed to ban all birth control. I hate to say it, but this might make it even more likely that he wins tonight's Iowa caucus circus.



Igor Volsky writes:

"Santorum has long opposed the Supreme Court’s 1965 ruling “that invalidated a Connecticut law banning contraception” and has also pledged to completely defund federal funding for contraception if elected president. As he told CaffeinatedThoughts.com editor Shane Vander Hart in October, “One of the things I will talk about, that no president has talked about before, is I think the dangers of contraception in this country,” the former Pennsylvania senator explained. “It’s not okay. It’s a license to do things in a sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.” EMPHASIS OURS

But an overwhelming majority of Americans — virtually all women (more than 99 percent ) aged 15–44 have used at least one contraceptive method — rely on contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies and limit the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases. In fact, the Guttmacher Institute estimates that contraceptive services provided at publicly funded clinicshelped prevent almost two million unintended pregnancies. Without funding from Medicaid and Title X, “abortions occurring in the United States would be nearly two-thirds higher among women overall and among teens; the number of unintended pregnancies among poor women would nearly double.”

The sound you hear might more of those Bachmann voters running over to Santorum's camp.

Dominionist Watch - Bachmann's Rules For Girls

Dec 9th, 2011

Steve Pope / Getty Images via

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) worked hard earlier this year to spin remarks she had made about the bible and spousal submissiveness. Just last month, the Washington Post got her to go on the record again for clarification:


"Since Bachmann was elected to Congress five years ago, the primary caregiver for their oft-mentioned kids has been her husband, Marcus Bachmann, back home in Minnesota. "We’ve been a tag team," she says. Only, her husband has been "it" for the past five years, hasn’t he, despite her Bible-based belief that wives should be submissive to their husbands?

"My husband is the head of the household," she says, but "we’re equals. If it came down to it, I’d probably let him have the last word." But in 33 years, she adds, this has never happened. "Every decision has been a negotiated settlement."

There are many, relatively mainstream Christians who don't find these statements particularly objectionable. I am not among them. The argument I have made since this flap started in July was that her willingness to project these views in a political setting exposes deeper and more dangerous beliefs; Antiquated notions of traditional marriage are likely the least repressive of her philosophies regarding gender. Which brings us to her most recent interview on Hannity's radio show. Alex Seitz-Wald reports via ThinkProgress:

"While promoting her new book on Sean Hannity’s radio show this afternoon, Rep, Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said she doesn’t let her daughters ask boys out on dates. Apparently embracing antiquated notions of sexuality and gender relations, Bachmann suggested women should have to wait to be asked out. Otherwise, they’re out of luck if they never are. No word on Sadie Hawkins exceptions:

BACHMANN: People do find out [in my book] that I did not get asked to my senior prom.

HANNITY: Well, neither did I. And nobody would go with me.

BACHMANN: Well, in my time, girls didn’t ask boys to prom. If you didn’t get asked, you didn’t go.

HANNITY: Yeah, well let me tell you, I have a 13-year-old son. Those days have changed big time.

BACHMANN: And our girls are not allowed to do that in our house. They have to wait for the boys to call."

Should women also walk behind their husbands if they are told to do so? What does Bachmann think? It's a legitimate question.

Worth 1,000 Words - Rick Perry Edition

Sept. 6th, 2011

Well, goodness me. If that ain't the down-home, folksy, anti-ACORN firebrand himself, grinnin' like an idiot while surrounded by the good folks from... ACORN. Yup.
via

Worth 1,000 Words - Rick Perry Edition

Aug 31st, 2011

A major hat tip to our friend, Stephanie Baselice. Please support her voice and her site, May Day Resistance.

Bachmann Watch - White People Edition

Aug 29th, 2011

Well, here's an interesting recent appearance by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN). You might not really absorb or even make it to the absurdity which follows her let's-get-the-crowd-goin' opener because you will be too stunned:

"WHO LIKES WHITE PEOPLE?!" (video below)

There are unconfirmed reports that a music group called the "White People Soul Band" performed at this event. Who gives a shit? The woman has no judgment. Mrs. Bachmann's apologists are already going into overdrive on social networks to blame those of us who are offended for being offended by her offensiveness. Watch for yourself. And keep watching because there is something else going on here that is far more illuminating...

Michele Bachman may be more mind-numbingly ignorant of scripture than anyone I have heard in my life. She tells the fawning crowd that "God is not partial" right before, with her very next breath, she preaches a garbled version of the First Book of Samuel. If you are unfamiliar, this is partly the fable of Jonathan, son of King Saul, who lays waste to a garrison of Philistines nearly single handed with only the assistance of his armor-bearer. This is possible through the blessing of the vengeful, Old Testament God. Such rich poetry is perhaps too delicate a thing for one who cannot accurately define the word "partial."


It is also one more example of the Dominionist habit of throwing the word Jesus around pretty indiscriminately while simultaneously focusing most of their attention on the blood and the war and killing in the Torah.

I recommend Lewis Black's take on this phenomena.

Dominionist Watch - Perry Edition

Aug 29th, 2011

I have been trying to imagine what it would have sounded like to the average American had they been hearing 20 years ago what we have been hearing recently within a field of Republican Presidential hopefuls.

Frankly, I think I would have assumed someone was doing a very poor impersonation of Margaret Atwood. Nevertheless, here we are.

Having jumped into front runner status with the GOP base almost immediately upon his entry into the race mere weeks ago, Texas Governor Rick Perry is, as was predicted, doubling down on some very ugly, anti-intellectual and outright Dominionist statements. It's one thing for him to misrepresent his economic record. It's another thing for him to deny climate science. However, it is something altogether more dangerous for a potential Commander in Chief to allege that the current crippling recession is not the product of decades of unrealistic economic policy and is, rather, a test from God.

Yup, who needs a comprehensive plan to deal with perennially widening income disparity or the collapse of job creation? Apparently, all we really have to do is to submit in accordance with Mr. Perry's theological view.

Glory!
 

Perhaps we should pray for the Republic. As Paul Krugman noted today:

"Now, we don’t know who will win next year’s presidential election. But the odds are that one of these years the world’s greatest nation will find itself ruled by a party that is aggressively anti-science, indeed anti-knowledge. And, in a time of severe challenges — environmental, economic, and more — that’s a terrifying prospect."