It’s hard to believe how or why, but there really exists a subculture in America that is militaristic, hateful, vengeful, irrational and ambitious. These extremists are cancerous to progressive society and similar groups have had similar effect throughout the history of civilization. America’s version of the Taliban consists of fundamentalist Christians and their cult-like behavior.
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It comes as no surprise that these people are oblivious to the irrationality of their thoughts and actions, but it is scary as hell. Undoubtedly, these people are very dangerous. Aside from spreading hatred towards homosexuals, women, and minorities, as of late they’ve successfully gained some political power. George Bush is their savior, a modern day Jesus, and if you wonder who the 25% of people that think Bush is doing a good job are, well folks, now you know.
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It might seem all too innocent, but don’t make the same mistake we’ve made with other extremist organizations in the past. We let the Taliban and others flourish, organize, and it was only a matter of time before they became violent. It’s not that far away here. They already preach hate and destruction for those who don’t support them, encourage their members to not associate with societies in which they live, and various other sociopath behaviors. They’ve blown up abortion clinics, killing innocent civilians, doctors, and others. They are responsible for the 1996 Olympic bombing. They believe that the end times, of which they believe we are in, will be characterized by an army from God slaughtering all who don’t faithfully believe. It actually says the ground will run red with blood.You can’t reason with them, much like the people who bombed the world trade center. You just have to realize that they are a huge threat and seek to minimize their impact on civilization. Modern day barbarians, they will seek to destroy all that is modern about America.
The extent that some of the christian groups go to to “shield themselves” from non-christians is amazing. I’ve been told that my child could not attend events (homeschooling) unless I sign a ‘statement of faith’ which basically asks what we believe, why, and if it doesn’t dovetail EXACTLY to the groups, then…nope, kids can’t play together. Meanwhile, these same groups really PUSH that their members not shop at merchants who are not also christain. (You can tell, they put a sign in the window..which announces it.) I’ve had women turn their backs on me, and refuse to speak to me..because I was not of their church, and they had been so warned from their pastors.
Ummm….so tell me again, how is it that this is different than cults? How is it that because they call themselves “christian” they are not some crazy loons…
I agree with #28… wolves dressed as sheep, leading the clueless morons and thinking for them (wait, the last part was mine…or did I paraphrase..)
All fundamentalists are the same….. they are fearful, ignorant people often bullied and always unable to form an original thought.
Give our homegrown Christian fundi’s time…they’ll become suicide bombers if they are told to.
#30 By the fact that you are alive and posting I can see you haven’t gone to Iran to do the test.
When are you leaving?
#30 The difference between being alive and being dead is SIMPLE.
Test it out.
#2 how many in oklahoma city?
# 33 Paddy-O
” The difference between being alive and being dead is SIMPLE.”
Once again your simplistic view is limited and narrow. You continue to filter thought through a pin hole in your head. Perhaps you have forgotten about who the “being dead” affects! It affects more than just the person that is dead therefore the differences are numerous and varied.
Dumbass!
#35 You haven’t left for Iran yet?
The biggest difference between the American Christian brand of fundamentalist and the Islamic Fundamentalists, currently, is that the Middle Eastern ones have nothing to loose. The don’t have steady jobs, they can’t support a family financially, and they don’t have anything that they can truly call their own. They have nothing but their faith. There is nothing to prevent them from making really bad decisions because life couldn’t get any worse.
In American history were times where a large amount of Americans were in a similar situation. And during those times of extreme poverty and disempowerment there were very large extremist movements in the US. Specifically, after the Civil War and the Crash of 1929. Our recent spate of extremism can be mapped to the slow bleeding of the wealth of the lower income population. And there will always be demagogues seeking to exploit them for their own ends.
Hmm, people scream and holler and say there’s a huge difference between fundamentalist Christians and Muslims, but they don’t show that there actually is a difference.
How many homosexuals have been killed by Christians? Witches? Native Americans? Abortion clinic doctors and patients?
Quite frankly, the only reason I see that fundamentalist Christians aren’t into suicide-bombing is because most of them view suicide as a mortal sin.
#39 “Hmm, people scream and holler and say there’s a huge difference between fundamentalist Christians and Muslims, but they don’t show that there actually is a difference.”
I think most people are referring to present time. Not hundreds of years ago.
I came up with a test to show the difference. Take it.
How about all the killing in Ireland? Abortion clinics? Bosnia?
Don’t sit there and pretend there is no basis for a comparison. You DOLT!
I was introduced to Industrial Strength Christianity when I was in college in Atlanta. One fundamentalist didn’t seem to grasp the concept about why some people were offended by his ways. I said, “I really think some people out there want to turn this country into a Christian version of Iran.” He didn’t disagree, he thought that was a great idea.
Sigh…
To all those here who warn how dangerous Christian extremists can be, you’ll apparently have a hard time convincing a lot of people.
I guess you’ll just have to wait until after they start Armageddon. Then you can say “I told you so!” 😉
I know several of these extreme right-wing nutjobs. Most of them are actually honest and will admit to all the items raised in this piece. Unlike people like Paddy-o who are completely unable to be honest. W would be proud!
The difference between Iran and here is that the fundamentalists are in charge in Iran.
Here they WOULD kill you for becoming a buddhist and dishonoring the family, except that it has severe ramifications.
I can only imagine the way our country would be if the fundamentalists got in charge of things the way they are in Iran.
Terrorist definition:(excerpted from wikipedia)
“Most common definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants”
Because a man feigns a sense of normalcy does not normal it make him. I see a lot of comments about “Try to do what you can here over there” and find it an insult to culture in general.
You ignorantly think that you know anything about your culture let alone someone else’s. Allow me to teach you:
America was stolen from Native Americans,
America fought a war to stop paying the taxes that we are paying today,
Americans killed their own brothers for the right to or not to hold slaves,
America allowed a ruler slaughter by some accounts millions of Jews because he was not so bad,
America is selling your job to another country as we speak while expecting you to pay for blood oil that we shouldn’t be dependent on,
America is a terrorist raised of terror and greed since its very conception and the only thing America is truly good at is destroying Nations, Countries, Cultures, Societies, Families, and People.
It seems to me that you can say what you want here, but then the whispers start. The folks start avoiding you. Before long your ostracized for saying what you think. Opinions are soon formed and the local PTA doesn’t want you at the meetings because they have enough help. American’s hide their nature here with the public face giving a false sense of normal and free. They lurk in the dark and wait outside movie theaters waiting to put a bullet in their cause.
They go to a sovereign land and declare war on a people that had nothing to do with the aggression of the handful. And take pride in the fact they are right because they are doing it. The war is not with the terrorists at all my friends it is with Islam. The only real terrorists I see are in office and you elected them. We are not that different than the Muslim community we just have blinders on so we don’t have to see it.
I tell you before you speak about how “you can do this over here but try that there” think about what it cost. Think about what it means. Think about what you are. THINK…
There are degrees of radicalism within every religion. As a Christian, I am offended by hatred regardless of where it originates. I would never seek to impose my views on anyone verbally or physically, but choose to represent my God by example. Perhaps the author of this piece would be better served if he (she) chose their sample set more scientifically. 95% of Christians never evangelize their beliefs, but rather, seek to make a better world through helping others quietly with their gifts and good works.
#23
I have been to Saudi Arabia.
So what is your point?
The two groups are pretty much the same from what I’ve seen AND experienced, it’s just a matter of DEGREE.
Anyone seen An American Carol? They cover this topic with Rosie ODonnell.
#40 First, your test is ridiculous. Get over it. Unless you’re claiming that the government of the US is as owned by the radical religious element as the government of Iran and I haven’t even heard the most nut-job of the left-wing extremists claiming that.
There really is very little difference between extremist Christians and extremist Muslims. Talk to people in the mainstream of either church about the extremists and you’ll get a similar response. There has been more action around extremist Islam lately so they have been more fired up and so the death toll has been higher lately, but that has not always been the case.
Although I must say I am really sick of people calling other people stupid and simplistic. If you look at the last ten years and take all the terrorist action, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see that there is a preponderance of Muslim extremist action. This kind of thing tends to feed itself, so one group that feels wronged that resorts to terrorism will then be given more reasons to feel they are wronged. This means that someone could easily come to the conclusion that the current difference in death toll indicates some fundamental difference in the religions rather than a difference in circumstances.
Yes, the extremist muslims are different people than the extremist christians. Currently there is a radically different culture in the two groups as well. The level of hate and intolerance is the same. Currently, there aren’t any radical christian governments nor is there international funding of christian terrorist groups mainly because the christian extremists are much more fragmented.
J, don’t let Paddy-O get to you, he is a troll. Pay no attention.
The Christian fundamentalists can end up being just as bad as the Taliban if given enough power, which is exactly what they are going after when they are pushing their support behind a specific candidate.
If they can get one of their own in office, even better.
I know a few people who are ardent Bush supporters, think Palin is just what the country needs in VP, and think the Constitution was based on Christian beliefs.
I feel bad for them because they are also clueless about a lot of progressive ideas and movements, not to mention being clueless about many things not even in the same realm such as technology. They’re kinda stuck in their ways.
They love their guns though.
#46
Uhh, you do know that since Christianity and Islam have the same roots — have you done much reading?
As for the outrageous things done to Native Americans …how was that any worse than the Inquisition or, heck, what the missionaries did to countless numbers. (And do not tell me that the “missionaries” were all peace loving souls..)
All the evil done in this world is done in the name of religion…. you have what I want…”my god told me to take it”. “my god is better than your god”
It’s this kind of “EXTREMIST” posting that makes me shake my head. For starters… so called extremist Christians aren’t Christ followers… they are just using the moniker. Don’t forget, it was real “extremist” Christians that did things like bring an end to slavery, get the vote for women, insist on the separation of church and state, make major advances in science and math… and provide a ridiculous percentage of the worldwide charity work to people of all faiths or lack thereof.
Tell John to send you bigoted and judgmental posters back to the staff meeting and look for real stories.. not flame baiters to get hits for the horoscope ads.
Sorry to piss on everyone’s parade, but an extremist is an extremists: doesn’t matter if they are Christian, Muslim, Marxist, Anarchists, Facists or anything else. They are bloody scary and not only out to kill anyone who isn’t like them, but also out to kill who is like them but they still don’t like. Best to avoid them where possible and do your best to make sure they get as little power as possible.
And it wasn’t extremists Christians that brought an end to slavery, those where just Christians working alongside Humanists, willing to sacrifice their own lives for what they believed in. And that is probably the biggest difference between an extremists and someone who is committed to their beliefs. Someone who is committed to their beliefs is generally willing to risk their lives for what they believe it, an extremists is willing to risk their lives and everyone elses…..
There is an amazing amount of ignorance not just of religion, but of history, mixed with a seething hatred of faith among many here.
Islam is a violent, rigid theocratic system in complete opposition to the concept of freedom and democracy. Christ stands at the door and knocks, Islam demands subjugation and submission at the alternative of death or slavery.
My fellow Christians and I are buying a bunch of titty bars and turning them into Gentlemen’s Clubs.
#52 “The Christian fundamentalists can end up being just as bad as the Taliban if given enough power,”
I know! Look at Poland. The Poles are blowing themselves up in crowded malls right & left!
ROFL
#57 – Paddy-O
The track record of the fundamentalist Christian regime in the White House speaks for itself.
Who has
” blown up abortion clinics, killing innocent civilians, doctors, and others. They are responsible for the 1996 Olympic bombing.”?
Out of a billion Christians, name ten.
Christians may have wackos like Eric Rudolph in their number, but so do liberals (Ted Kaczynski.)
There will be very little difference when the government starts to turn a blind eye to the Christians like the Islam governments do to the fundamentalists over there. For what it’s worth education is a huge factor, not nearly as many people are indoctrinated here as they are in many Middle Eastern countries and Britain, yet.
Paddy-O, I really hope you aren’t actually Irish, what an embarrassment you are to an entire group of people.
Actually, I think the best solution to rid the world of the Taliban and it’s ilk would be to send a battalion of lawyers over there. If nothing else they could tie up the court systems for years while we come up with a better solution.