LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Nope. No way. Na-ah.

Here's what the Founding Fathers had to say about the US being a "Christian Nation". There are some pretty pithy remarks by some pretty hallowed people.

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=DD427162-B871-4F38-A532-6ACBD4CA684D

An interesting look into a church that practices "spiritual warfare"...sadly, this is not terribly unusual in AoG and other pentecostal churches into "deliverance ministry"/"spiritual warfare", and it is actually a big part of what is fueling the present dominionist movement (many of them that aren't blatantly Christian Reconstructionist are seeing the fight to establish dominionism as a form of "spiritual warfare", and it is actually implicit in "dominion theology"/"deliverance ministry").

The really sick and scary thing is that the members and attendees don't seem to see any contradiction whatsoever with, say, Christ being a pacifist for the most part (as I recall, the one time Jesus got *really* pissed off was with people who were using the church for their own profit--the moneylenders and people selling sacrifices and such; something tells me he probably would not much like dominionists either, but that's my two pence).

Some general background info:

http://zena.secureforum.com/Znet/zmag/articles/feb95diamond.htm
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/cor/dominion.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Now_theology (which is actually the flavour of dominionism practiced in churches into the "spiritual warfare" stuff)
http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/exposes/peretti/general.htm
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com
http://www.mislinks.org/topics/spconflict.htm (includes both "pro" and "contra" links)
http://mmoutreach.org/aberrant/aberrant_main.htm
http://livingpresence.org/cms/terrorism.shtml (how "dominion theology" has inspired bona fide terrorism at times--many of the people who attacked abortion clinics, for instance, were/are under the sincere belief they were "driving out a demonic influence")
http://www.agetwoage.org/Articles.htm
http://www.isitso.org/guide/lexicon.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latter_Rain_Movement

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

From The Nation

Plan B for Plan B

by AYELISH MCGARVEY

[from the July 18, 2005 issue]

In April 2003 Barr Pharmaceuticals submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration requesting that Plan B--an emergency contraceptive often referred to as the morning-after pill--be made available without a prescription and sold straight from the drugstore shelves, like condoms.

Twenty-seven months later, American women are no closer to having easy access to Plan B, which prevents an unplanned pregnancy if taken within seventy-two hours after unprotected intercourse. Currently facing sharp criticism from both the left and right over its bungling of the matter, the FDA today simply refuses to issue a decision on emergency contraception, although one was due this past January. Veteran observers pronounce the FDA "stuck in the mud" on Plan B.

The present standoff is a testament to the extraordinary influence of the Christian right over Bush Administration policy on women's reproductive health.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY britzkrieg)

Here are some of the "headlines" from solarbird's cultural warfare update for July 6:

* Tennessee opens a new probe of the "ex-gay" camp (previously discussed here)
* Focus on the Family blasts the American Academy of Pediatricians for stating that abstinence-only education doesn't work very well (previously discussed here)
* Concerned Women for America "cranky" about gay rights protest historical marker in Pennsylvania
* Florida governor Jeb Bush pushes evangelistic Christian program in schools
* Family Research Council (FRC) condemns United Church of Christ for recognising same-sex marriages
* FRC action item: Demand Thomas/Scalia-like justice to replace O'Connor, condemns her for voting for Lawrence v. Texas as "striking at the heart of our Judeo-Christian heritage"

Check out the link to the Jeb Bush story in particular. Here's an excerpt:

Just before Father's Day, Gov. Jeb Bush announced that he wanted every public school in Florida to host a Christian-based program designed to increase fathers' participation in their children's lives... The program, All Pro Dad, combines a biblical foundation with the draw of popular professional athletes to promote the belief that "the father is the head of the household" and that men should rely on God to help them be better parents and keep their marriages intact. It also encourages Bible reading.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY gothic_oreo)

Government cracking down on Internet porn

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Here's a News story about a church in Rochester that is happily practicing "Spiritual Warfare"- with all the trappings...

Spiritual Warfare

Evan Dawson (Rochester, NY) 07/04/05 - You have probably never seen an army missile used in a church service or a pastor dressed in fatigues, but that is exactly what you'll find Sundays at New Born Fellowship Christian Center in Rochester, where church leaders have decided to conduct a new program called Spiritual Warfare.

Pastor Warren Meeks knows it's shocking to see a missile inside a church, or to see a house of worship set up like a jungle of war.

However, he says this concept of spiritual warfare has a purpose. Pastor Meeks said, "We take our liberty for granted. A price was paid. So we want to assist them spiritually in prayer."( Read more... )