LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

The British Channel 4 is going to take a look at students from the extremely religious Patrick Henry College. The show is called "God's Next Army":

God's Next Army investigates Patrick Henry College (PHC), set up five years ago in Virginia, near Washington DC. Its mission is to train young fundamentalist Christians to become the next generation of America's cultural and political leaders. Though the separation of church and state is enshrined in the US Constitution, with financial backing from the evangelical community the college aims to 'rechristianise' America; to 'preserve the world from the sinfulness of man'.

PHC students are an isolated group who come from close-knit communities where everyone prays together and shares moral certainties. Most have been educated at home and have had no contact with either the social diversity or the political and intellectual cut and thrust of mainstream schools. Derek Archer, a prospective PHC student believes home-schooling has protected him from the 'moral decay of the world'.

Once at the college, the students ceremonially sign a covenant which commits them to a strict behaviour code: no alcohol, drugs or obscene literature; sex will be reserved for marriage; personal conflicts will be resolved biblically; the students will be above reproach, will uphold the tenets of evangelical Christianity and lead the nation for Christ.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY rosinarowantree) This programme, scheduled to go out at 8.00 pm tonight, should be of interest.

For more information, see:
http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/C/can_you_believe_it/debates/godsarmy.html 

Rosina

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY krasiviye_slova) (first-time poster, so please, correct me if I violate any etiquette rules)

I this piece from the Washington Post to be an interesting and saddening first hand report on the trouble politics inspired by conservative religion can cause for ordinary people.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/02/AR2006060201405.html

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY multiclassgeek)

Just finished watching the aforementioned show: A documentary about Patrick Henry College in the US (for background,click here for the discussion we had here a few hours ago - It's a good primer on the PHC agenda.

Whilst I'm in no position to reiterate the entire documentary, here's some thoughts

( Warning: May Contain Sarcasm )

Overall, I was slightly disappointed by the show. Whilst it did a good job of showing how these young people wanted to become politically active in order to advance their faith in a suitably Dominionist way, there was no time taken to look at the roots of why they believe this (i.e the core of Dominionist/Christian Reconstructionist thought). It came across as more of a "Look at this college in the USA which trains kids to enter politics and exert influence" rather than a "Look at the sort of shit that's being pulled, here" (which I think would have been a better doc all round). However, the announcer at the end did point to Channel 4's own Religion Resourse, http://www.channel4.com/believe as a link for those who "wanted to find out more about US Evangelicals" (I can't vouch for the content, but I thought the link might warrant another mention).

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY hephaestos)

Check out the rhetoric at the Texas GOP convention.

Hey, at least they're honest.