Constructive gadfly
Published on October 30, 2004 By stevendedalus In Philosophy

The greatest danger facing the nation today is not terrorism but the wave of followers of messianic leadership. True, as in Osama bin Laden, this leads to terrorism, or in the case of the likes of Saddam to brutal totalitarianism, but in more ostensibly sophisticated nations or groups of people, brutality is clothed in the subtlety of misshapen values.

In this country the early settlers were apostates of European religion and had suffered persecution; so naturally they founded their colonies on religious freedom and suspicion of secular government. The founding fathers were aware of the religious spirit of the people and therefore established that no law would prohibit freedom of worship. A wall was erected between the body politic and the right of religion.

But for minimal chipping away, the wall was secure for developing the management of law through which one pursued daily affairs in making a living , after which the Sabbath was set aside for religious matters. However, those with strong spiritual beliefs were unable to separate the two and increasingly interfered with secular law, claiming it was artificially separating sectarian beliefs from temporal behavior which omitted the essential guidance of divinity.

The shady inference that nature’s laws were always in truth God’s laws without stating such became intolerable to believers. No longer was faith a private thing or a unique matter for the Sabbath; inner conscience became public pronouncement. Taking an oath with a hand on the Bible and opening congressional sessions with prayer were ammunition for the self-styled spiritualists to make further demands for a more open religious entry into daily life. A woman no longer could make a private decision to abort a fetus in the cornfield. Since communism was deemed godless, the “under God” was inserted in the pledge when ‘under democratic principles” would have sufficed. In spite of all this, the nation managed to uphold to a reasonable degree the separation of church and state — that is, until the messianic prophets of the religious right grew in power.

Now, with the messianic epitome of George W. Bush who preaches and lectures his constituents that the law of the land is God given and therefore he has license to interpret from the mount what the Almighty judges: homosexuals, if not diseased, are hedonists; the poor weak and shiftless; the sick irresponsible; unions unpatriotic; single mothers sinners; a woman’s body subject to law; the military as cross-bearing crusaders; corporations as benevolent manna givers; and liberalism as effeminate atheism led by an apostatizing altar boy. Last but not least, Bush is an ordained wartime president because “God is on our side.”

     

Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: October 30, 2004.

http://stevendedalus.joeuser.com


Comments (Page 1)
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on Oct 30, 2004
Ugh, how true.
on Oct 30, 2004

if god's on our sides boys...hell stop the next war. --bob dylan

excellent analysis. 

whereas in the 18th, 19th and early 20th century, the waves of 'awakenings' and revivalism can be seen as analogs to or operators in parallel with political organizations, the cooption of the republican party by the religious right since 1980 (with the compliance of the party itself) has resulted in a force for theocracy unlike anything in our history.  anyone who disagrees is welcome to try and provide me a realistic scenario in which a republican presidential candidate receives the party's nomination without the approval of evangelical mullahs such as pat robertson and jerry falwell--or even better--in spite of their disapproval, and ill happily admit im wrong.  

on Oct 30, 2004
Excellent post. Bush has been leading us into the New Dark Ages. One thing you didn't mention, though. Narcissism will be his undoing, I think. His extreme narcissistic personality does not enable him to see fault in himself, thereby crippling his ability to make any changes. He's a disaster

GET THEE TO THE POLLING PLACES. VOTE HIM OUT!!
on Oct 30, 2004
As a Christian, Bush and his are breaking my heart. Wonderfulblog.
on Oct 30, 2004
Then whom shall we say has endowed us with inalienable rights? Nature? Your point is well spoke regarding religion not interfering with politics/governement. The flip side is politics/government not attempting to surgically remove religion as it's foundation. Most major civilizations were founded on the teachings of one holy man/god or another, or many. They are simply one form of a universal theme of Treat others decently and Do it because it's the right thing to do. It sounds vaguely Christian, but then again it's because most of us are familiar with it, and our founding fathers came from Christianized western European countrys. But you will find similar foundations in most religions and socieities.
To deny any relgious foundation in government is to deny it's very essence. You cast yourself adrift from your anchor, and court anarchy through lack of identity. Religion may be the opiate of the masses, but isn't it the masses that are being goverened?
on Oct 30, 2004
GET THEE TO THE POLLING PLACES. VOTE HIM OUT!!
I've done it--now for the hard part getting him OUT!
breaking my heart.
and mine.
on Oct 30, 2004
Ugh, how true.
No other expression for it.
His extreme narcissistic personality does not enable him to see fault in himself
Interesting observation; common among born-agains.
has resulted in a force for theocracy unlike anything in our history.
Bravo! I gave you an insightful.
on Oct 31, 2004
Really good stuff.
on Oct 31, 2004

"His extreme narcissistic personality does not enable him to see fault in himself. Interesting observation; common among born-agains."

Substitute blacks, Jews, Muslims for "born-agains" and what then would one, however reluctantly, be forced to conclude about you?

Your romantic analysis wildly leaps to unfounded conclusions. Press conferences are not the confessional box.

"Since communism was deemed godless, the “under God” was inserted in the pledge when ‘under democratic principles” would have sufficed. In spite of all this, the nation managed to uphold to a reasonable degree the separation of church and state — that is, until the messianic prophets of the religious right grew in power."

Thanks to the supposed "reasonable degree" of separation between church & state, slavery, Jim Crow & segregation persisted far too long under secular "democratic principles.

on Oct 31, 2004
I'm amazed at how further from the truth the last paragraph of this well disguised, seemingly intelligent post, actually was.
Take a look back at the last 20 presidents and how much each of them pimped their religious 'standings' to the american public come election time. It absolutely amazes me how far the sympathizing-left will actually go to smear 'the Bush'. What a waste of grammatical splendor.
on Oct 31, 2004
You know, I have to agree that we need a seperation between the two. Though doesn't law and religion go hand in hand? Take the big fiasco with the 10 commandments being removed from public govn't offices.

"Thow Shalt Not Steal"....... You steal, get caught, you goto jail.
"Thow Shalt Not Kill".... You got jail, you die also(where the death penalty stands).

Now there is a big differnece between that and Bush stating "God told me to do it". Now that may not be his exact phrase but it is close enough.


on Oct 31, 2004
common among born-agains."
true, narcissus in not exclusive, but once reborn, most think only they can be right. 
It absolutely amazes me how far the sympathizing-left will actually go to smear 'the Bush'. it's the burning bush that's the problem--he's an extremist.
"Thow Shalt Not Steal"....... You steal, get caught, you goto jail.
"Thow Shalt Not Kill".... You got jail, you die also(where the death penalty stands).
no problem with this; it's mostly the others that are irrelevant.
on Oct 31, 2004
no problem with this; it's mostly the others that are irrelevant.


You mean these...???

on Oct 31, 2004
Link

oops sorry
It's amazing what Google will find these days......
on Oct 31, 2004
... An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

... Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. ... What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!


--Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775 link

I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have you, and the State over which you preside, in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation.


George Washington, circular letter of farewell to the Army, June 8, 1783 Link

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