LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ccroft)

Following on from the article just posted on dark_christian about the serviceman's funeral, on the same site there is a fun column which provides some incisive observations against the GOP's so-called 'culture of life', which touches on many recent issues and brings them together: GOP's 'culture of life' is a joke, but no one else is laughing

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY ordos45)

So I was here on the couch, flipping through the channels, when I found the 700 Club talking about their massive prayer offensive referred to as Operation Supreme Court Freedom.

The basic idea? Pray for God to 'remove judges from the Supreme Court quickly". The CBN link, in it's Pledge Points to the right makes a point of using the word "Retirement" rather than death after that last time Robertson prayed for the removal of justices...

http://www.cbn.com/special/supremecourt/prayerpledge.asp (CBN homepage, the pledge to pray against the Court)

http://www.patrobertson.com/PressReleases/supremecourt.asp (Pat's homepage, press release)

http://mediamatters.org/items/200501040010 (Media Matters)

http://prayeralert.org/alertarchives/alert-030704.html (The Capitol Hill Prayer Alert Foundation)

Apparently both CNN and Good Morning America (on ABC) have done segments on the "De-gaying camp" controversy and with Love In Action in particular (Reviews of both shows at http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/07/the_good_mornin.html)

http://www.washblade.com/2005/7-29/news/national/ex-gay.cfm has an interesting expose that shows--as frightening as it may seem--that "Love In Action" is actually *moderate* as far as de-gaying camps go (some use techniques that are akin to torture:

For example, Exodus will not work with aversion therapists who use penis rings that deliver shocks when subjects respond to inappropriate imagery. Exodus also seeks to distance itself from “holding therapists” who try to heal people of homosexuality by touching them.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200508120008 notes, among other things, the continued use of Fox News as a dominionist mouthpiece (this time for "intelligent design", aka young-earth creationism cleverly disguised and not to be confused with "guided evolution" (as formerly accepted in the Catholic Church pre-Pope Palpatine, erm, Benedict XVI) or other forms of creationism that are at least compatible with evolution). (It should be of note that Rupert Murdoch, CEO of Fox, *is* known to have been a member of the dominionist think-tank Coalition for National Policy.)

Interestingly, one of the ex-founders of "Love In Action" (and one of a number of "ex-ex-gays", aka those who discovered "de-gaying therapy" doesn't *work*) speaks out himself on the longterm harm: http://www.waynebesen.com/columns/2005/07/love-in-action-co-founder-my-ministry.html (This should give you some info on what poor Zach is going through)

Here's the letter in question: http://www.waynebesen.com/columns/2005/08/john-evans-im-sickened-by-attempts-to.html

As it turns out, Santorum *was* being a pander-bear (surprise, surprise): http://www.waynebesen.com/2005/08/sen-rick-santorum-is-anti-liberty.html has a link to an unfiltered radio interview with Santorum (whole show is available at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/08042005 or Santorum's excerpts from the same page). One has to wonder what his aide (whom is gay) thinks of all this...

Interestingly (and unsurprisingly) it seems all the "ex-gay" promoters are on active payrolls of dominionist groups: http://www.waynebesen.com/2005/08/still-no-unpaid-ex-gays-in-america.html and http://www.baywindows.com/media/paper328/news/2005/08/11/News/ExGay.Movement.Plans.Boston.Confab-966568.shtml
have more info.

http://www.waynebesen.com/2005/08/ex-gay-leaders-in-sexual-no-mans-land.html mentions the specifics of the coercive mindset engendered in "de-gaying" centers; this from an expose the BBC did (http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article304446.ece) which is rather similar to the one that Salon Magazine did a month or so ago. Reportedly, BBC2 also did a report on this on 9 August (if anyone in the UK caught it, info, please?)

http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/06/afa_praises_par.html has info on how the AFA is now targeting gay/les/bi/trans acceptance clubs in school, with examples (http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/06/afa_praises_par.html) of how they're trying to form "de-gaying" clubs in schools.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/070605Seesholtz/070605seesholtz.html has a *very* interesting article on dominionism and how the mental health system is often warped by dominionists (usually under the "Christian Counseling" canard, but often with dominionist-friendly mental health professionals and even quasi-professional associations like NARTH). (I would like to note, as an aside, this has gone on for a good twenty or more years, even more so as the recognition of "Bible-based" coercive religious groups has increased; the old USSR and other totalitarian regimes (and, from what little gets out, especially in North Korea) also have tended to abuse the mental health profession in this manner.)

For that matter, http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/theocracy_alert.html is a pretty darned good resource (and one we could stand to partner with). Many many good articles.

Speaking of coercive religious groups in "therapeutic" drag, here's some articles noting how Zach's mannerisms in his last blog entry show signs of coercion: http://www.sovo.com/2005/8-5/news/national/nationalnews_zachupdate.cfm and especially http://a_musing.blogspot.com/2005/08/breaking-zach-code.html

Ex-Gay Watch is presently compiling a list of media contacts--specifically, people who have had experience in coercive "de-gaying" facilities like Love In Action (http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/08/xgw_seeks_to_co.html).

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/071605Mazza/071605mazza.html
This is a brief, but detailed, explanation of "Rapture" eschatology as practiced by "Kingdom Now"/"Third Wave" type dominionists, such as the majority of those in the AoG (as opposed to Rushdoony et al). Of interesting note (and rarely taught even in dominionist circles, for obvious reasons): the whole idea of the "Rapture" actually started with British Israelism in the 1880s (British Israelism is a heresy that dates back to the 1600s or so that claims that the British are the "chosen people" (and in its most extreme forms even claiming the British are the Lost Tribes of Israel); its *other* major theological descendants are "Christian Identity" groups like the Klan and lesser known groups that claim white people are the true "children of Israel" and actual *Jews* are mere pretenders and thus "mud people"). Yes, the article does give info on British Israelism and the push for "Christian Zionism", too.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/072705Seesholtz/072705seesholtz.html
MUST READ--this gives an idea on just what dominionists would consider "capital crimes" in society, if they were to take over (and I'm not talking just about the Rushdoonyist hard-line Christian Reconstructionists, either; I've heard the *same stuff* mentioned in the AoG church I walked away from), and in context with another country taken over by the local equivalent of dominionists (Iran, which we may ironically be going to war with very soon if the dominionists get their way about things).

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/062105Seesholtz/062105seesholtz.html
Good article on the demonisation of gay/les/bi/trans individuals by dominionists (it is not far to say that gay individuals are the "new Reds", if not In Bed With Satan Himself at that--this article includes links on how dominionists have literally proposed bringing back some of the old (Nazi era Germany) classics like concentration camps and pink triangles to "de-gay" the country). And yes, the article *does* point out how very similar demonisation occured in Nazi Germany (both against gay/les/bi/trans folks and against the Jewish population...and we all, very sadly, know how that panned out. Never again :()

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/061405Nall/061405nall.html
This article may be summed up thusly: "We must hang together, or we shall all assuredly hang separately."

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/051905Baker/051905baker.html
A focus on one particular aspect I *keep* homing in on (having been a walkaway from a dominionist group)--that dominionism *in and of itself* is coercive, most of the groups practicing it are coercive religious groups, and in many aspects dominionism (like other coercive groups) is as much a mental health issue as a social or political one.

(As an aside: This is an aspect I have rare, unfortunate experience with--being a walkaway who was raised in dominionism and in particular in a coercive religious group that has historically been at the heart of dominionism since its very beginnings in the US. It's also an aspect that is very rarely touched on even with stuff like Yurica Report; it's also one major reason why I (sadly) think reason or compromise is going to be *impossible* with the dominionists unless they can somehow realise they *themselves* are being buffaloed. Were it not for a fortunate series of chance encounters that let me know I was being actively *lied* to, I'd probably *still* be in the cult. :P Reason never worked when I was in the cult--we were taught to actively fear anything outside it, that exposing ourselves to outside ideas was to "open toeholds for Satan", would cause us to backslide, and risk our salvation (as they preached anyone who left the church was "rejecting the Holy Spirit" and thus committing the worst of blasphemies).)

(I have actually only seen three other situations mentioned regarding politico-religious cults where the *cultic* aspect was touched on as much as the *politico-religious*--with the Lord's Resistance Army (which is itself a dominionist group inspired by pentecostalism) in Uganda, among the Khmer Rouge, and among the people in Kim Il Sung/Kim Jong Il's North Korea (which is less a communist country, and more of a bad parody of "god-king" societies with a lot of communist trappings). It's something that *desperately* needs to be touched on more, as these groups are becoming increasingly coercive in an attempt to literally breed an army of dominionist soldiers and politicians (coercion now going all the way to the college and internship levels with groups like Patrick Henry College).)

http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia.htm
Good article on dominionism and dominionist influence in the US government.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/042505Seesholtz/042505seesholtz.html
Fun with seeing dominionists attack in their own words.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/042905Buckley/042905buckley.html
Article regarding Colorado Springs, dominionist influence in the USAF Academy, and links between dominionist groups (including info on "The Family", one of the lesser known dominionist "think tank" groups that includes several members of Congress)

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/051305Baker/051305baker.html
Another good article, this time in the vein of dominionism as a form of terrorism.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/060705Uticone/060705uticone.html
On when dominionist, coercive groups decide to put their coercion in power by law...

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/061105Turner/061105turner.html
On dominionism and fascism.

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/041805Seesholtz/041805seesholtz.html and also http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/061105Seesholtz/061105seesholtz.html
On demonisation of gay/les/bi/trans individuals (and how it's profitable business for dominionists)

http://www.onlinejournal.com/Theocracy_Alert/051305Pitz/051305pitz.html
Again, on coercive elements in general in dominionist groups (and why they push for coercion to be made into law).

There *is* a definite slant to the site in general, but all the same, useful info on the links.

Also, fron another link:

http://www.onlinejournal.com/blog/2005/07/hatch-likens-bush-to-jesus-christ.html
(BTW, this is also a very common line in dominionist coercive religious groups--groups that (rightfully) critisize the dogma preached in dominionist groups are usually condemned as either "lukewarm" or as "pharisees" or otherwise "hiding their light".

(As an aside, the whole "hiding the light" thing is why I to this day cannot listen to the song "This Little Light Of Mine" without twitching. Originally a Southern spiritual about liberation, AoG dominionist churches in particular have twisted it to a dominionist bent (in that "letting your light shine" equates to ramming God down people's throats, willing or no)--people who aren't dominionist to the point of being obnoxious are termed "hiding their light under a bushel"...and yes, this is taught to kids as young as four and five years old :()

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

When you post long entries, please use the LJ-cut feature after the third paragraph. It will help on friends lists. A link to the LJ-cut feature is on our front page. Thanks!