LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

I just went and checked the 'stats' of this community, and was surprised to find that there are 230 LJ members reading it, and probably a whole bunch of 'anonymous' readers reading it also. Wow. What started as a small side community that I created to scratch a 25-year old 'itch' has become something quite a lot bigger than I expected. (The 'itch' I speak of came from reading Conway and Siegelman's "Holy Terror" in '82. It lit my curiosity, and because I was surrounded by evangelicals in the USAF, I felt I needed to learn about them just for self-defence.)

I want to welcome everyone here, encourage you to read the older posts, and follow the links on the front page. This community serves two purposes: to examine the Dominionist Christian movement and its effect on our government, laws, and leadership, and to serve as a place for 'walkaways' to decompress and tell us about what it was like 'inside'.

This isn't a hate or a bash board, nor is it anti-Christian. There are many good Christians around, and they outnumber the Dominionists by a substantial number. And there are people in the Dominionist movement who might not realize how toxic their leaders have become or what their real agenda is, besides emptying the wallets of the faithful and funneling that money to who knows where or what. If they come here, I want them to feel welcome, and to see this as a safe place to interact with the greater world. Many of our 'walkaways' have had all sorts of horrible things drummed into them about the 'secular' world and non-Dominionist Christians. I want to say here and now that we're all human beings first, and whatever faith we practice second. The Christ represented here is the Christ of the Beatudes, not the harsh judge of the Decalogue- that sword-toting monster portrayed in the "Left Behind" series.

That said, it is clear that this community is evolving as it grows. I am strongly considering getting a paid account for it so I can do stuff like polls and fancier design of the interface. And I am considering changing its name, too- to more closely reflect what we're doing- letting people know about the Dominionist movement so that they can make up their own mind about it. I am willing to bet that most of Our Felow Americans would like to keep the Constitution intact, our system of checks and balances secure, our judges unbiased, and our women able to control their own reproduction. All people in this country should be safe, and should not ever believe that they will be targeted for death just for not toeing the hetrosexual line.

Part of this community's attention is theological, and part of it is political. This is because the Dominionists have merged together with the neoconservative Republicans in a match made in... well, it's great for anyone who is rich and rapture-ready. The rest of us will- and are- suffering. So, there will be political discussions. But this isn't a bash board. Please remember that.

This board is a community project. I might moderate it, but all of you contribute to it. The posts I've seen are very interesting. Keep digging them up, keep posting them. If you have read some interesting books- pro or con, or have seen any good TV programs, or listened to any good radio shows, tell us about it! Same with magazines, blogs great quotes- anything! Knowledge is power, and sharing knowledge spreads that power. This is one small light in a growing sea of awareness.

I want to thank all of you for joining, and encourage you to participate in this community.