LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY hummingwolf)

Those of you who enjoy Slacktivist's excellent series of Left Behind critiques might also be interested in the Cynic Sage's posts on Every Man's Battle. For those unfamiliar with EMB, it's a series of books (and seminars and lunchboxes(?)) marketed to Christian men who are concerned about their masculinity and sexual purity. If you tune into your local Christian radio station, there's a good chance these books or books like them will be part of the conversation after a while. Interesting look at the intersection of marketing and cultural warfare.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY lupie_stardust)

So, you're a Fundamentalist Christian, and nothing gives you a boner faster than spanking girls' bottoms. BUT! BDSM is a clearly Un-Christian practice! So what do you do?

You rebrand it "Christian Domestic Discipline" and get spanking, of course!

From the site:

What is Christian Domestic Discipline?

A domestic discipline marriage is one in which one partner in the marriage is given authority over the other and has the means to back the authority, usually by spanking.

A Christian Domestic Discipline marriage is one that is set up according to Biblical standards; that is, the husband is the authority in the household. The wife is submissive to her husband as is fit in the Lord and her husband loves her as himself. He has the ultimate authority in his household, but it is tempered with the knowledge that he must answer to God for his actions and decisions. He has the authority to spank his wife for punishment, but in real CDD marriages this is taken very seriously and usually happens only rarely. CDD is so much more than just spanking. It is the husband loving the wife enough to guide and teach her, and the wife loving the husband enough to follow his leadership. A Christian marriage embodies true romance and a Christian man a true hero. (Boldening my own)

"...A Christian man a true hero."

And...

"Eroticism:

Though we recognize by its very nature this subject can be erotic, we will keep this website as clean and wholesome as possible. However, we will not seek to deny the erotic nature of some CDD marriages as we believe it is a natural consequence of following God's plan. After all, He created eroticism to be enjoyed inside a Christian marriage."

Now, I have nothing against BDSM, as a seasoned practitioner myself - but this worries me a little. "Wives have no right to beat their husbands" - doesn't seem very fair to me.
What's there to stop someone using this "CDD" as an excuse to beat their "submissive" wives in the name of the Lord?

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY nebris)

..crossed posted from thequestionclub..

~Does anybody know where this video of a Muslim girl getting stoned to death was shot? Warning: it is graphic and disturbing.

Edit: Thanx to thedreamking for providing an article on the killing. Her name was Du’a Khalil Aswad and she was seventeen year old Iraqi national.

The OP

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY iniswitryn)

Tennessee pastor's wife confesses to his murder.

I'm posting this rather lurid story here because this family has "dominionist" written all over it, from a family history of evangelical ministers, to husband and wife both having attended an evangelical university, to the husband's ministry in a back-to-the-Bible-as-infallible-source church (Church of Christ).

I wouldn't be surprised to see forms of familial abuse and coercion crop up in the defense's presentation.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY velvetpage)

I wrote a follow-up to my critique of Dr. Dobson's view of the sexual revolution. It's about what I've termed the counter-sexual revolution. Check it out if you're interested: http://velvetpage.livejournal.com/428044.html

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY vanar_en_daeor)

Men's activists launch 'Roe v. Wade for Men'
Group says men shouldn't have to pay support for unwanted children
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11731580/


After recovering from my initial reaction of "WTF?", I don't even know where my thoughts are on this one other than the fact that I don't think the name of 'Roe v. Wade for Men' is appropriate. I'm gonna have to think on this for a little but before I draw my thoughts together.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY bluemoontide)

I stole this article from nonfluffypagans because I thought it might create an interesting discussion on this list about how the rise in Dominionism (which of course is patriarchal in nature) will influence population and global power issues in the United States. Enjoy! (or freak out, whatever)

( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY britzkrieg)

Focus on the Family advocates returning women to their "traditional" niche:

[Dorothy Kelley] Patterson said the account of creation illustrates clearly defined roles for men and women. The first responsibility for man in the account, she said, was to tend the garden God had created... But the greatest responsibility given to man was that of spiritual leadership. In the same way, she said, "my husband is to be the leader of my home..."

Women are given a different role than men in society, Patterson said. That role has "nothing to do with gifts or intelligence." She is to be a "helper" to her husband, she said, even though she is created equal to him...

Those who try to change God's plan follow the familiar path of deception displayed by the serpent in Genesis, she said. They assume that their plan is better and they contradict God. Still, the plan for the home remains the same as it was in the Bible, she added.

Dobson said he chose Patterson’s address for the broadcast because she well articulated the same principles he has been advocating his entire career. He said his goal in life has been to combat the "radical feminist distortions" about marriage, the family, and the role of women in society. While the radical feminist movement no longer exists, he said, the ideas it promoted so permeated American society that they have influenced modern Christian culture.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY wyldraven)

Andrea Yates moved to mental hospital

How is this relevant? If you don't know about "quiver-full", you should.
http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/quiverfullconvicted

( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY britzkrieg)

Selections from the article:

The Rev. R. Albert Mohler Jr., ever-controversial president of Kentucky's Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has stirred debate by asserting that it's "an absolute revolt against God's design" if husbands and wives purposely avoid bearing children.

The Rev. B.E. Anderson, pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Jackson[, TN]... said the bigger issue is the number of "unwanted and undesired pregnancies that are aborted. Those are the real crimes and sins," said the pastor, whose African-American congregation is affiliated with the National Baptist Convention.

Wendell C. Lang, senior pastor at West Jackson Baptist Church, agrees that married couples are called to be fruitful. "I believe that we have a mandate to reproduce godly seed in the world," Lang said.

A bitter response was written for ethicsdaily.com by Miguel De La Torre, a fellow Southern Baptist minister. He protested that whether Mohler realizes it or not, his... theology is "white-supremacy code language advocating for the increase of white babies."

De La Torre also thought Mohler's viewpoint would forbid birth control, since if children are a blessing, then "the best that humans can do is have as many children as possible." However, Mohler didn't oppose contraception, nor did he define the number of children a Bible-based couple should have.

Full Article

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY lizzypaul)

I don’t know how many of you are familiar with Bill Gothard and his Institute in Basic Life Principles. While he’s not as popular as he was during the 70’s and 80’s, he’s still a very big deal in some Christian circles. The church I grew up in was dominated by Gothard’s followers, which eventually lead to a church split.

Personally, I have an intense fear and loathing of the whole organization. A good friend of mine attempted suicide at 13 because of Gothard. One of his main teachings is that any feelings for a member of the opposite sex (who hasn't been approved by your parents as a someone you can marry), beyond “benevolent Christian brotherhood/sisterhood” is sinful. As my friend was a normal, healthy teen girl, she couldn’t get over her attraction to one of the boys in our church. She had already been cut off from any support (her parents felt that her friends were too “worldly”, and she was home-schooled). So, already vulnerable and feeling dirty and incurably sinful, she tried to kill herself.

( Links, cut for length. )
( The Point: Dominionism and Gothard )

Edit: Tried to clarify second paragraph, see comments for details.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY thornewilder)

Sorry, I made a post earlier. Who knows where it ended up! It was in response to dogemperors question about the types of psych/behavioral problems my husband (Dev. Ped) is seeing in kids from dominionist families. I'll try to recreate it here.

First: He, suspects but does not know for sure, they are DF (dominion families)His suspicions are related to extreme resistance on the part of the parent or care giver to accept any treatment plan that may involve an alteration of the families behavior towards the child. (types of things like "you may consider not making your teenager go to this event..." advice.

He feels this has something to do with the family outlook. The children are frequently objects, their identities are related only to the problem that needs "fixing", and this lends itself to naming the child the problem. For instance Johnny isn't experiencing a sexual identity problem, he is a "homo who could change if he wanted."

He would like to ask advice, if anyone has specific questions he could ask in a subtle way that could help him determine if this is a DF without his scaring away the families.

Second: (This surprised me) Drug addition, particularly meth. (Self-medicating for severe problems is suspected here) Nearly every type of depression. But I caution here - he only suspects at this point and needs KEY questions to ask that would help him gain an understanding of the family dynamic.

Nearly to a letter the families he suspects are entirely resistant to treating depression as anything other than the child/teens choice. (pretty scientology-like)

The DF are not a particularily large component of his practice, but they are striking in that they are characterized by a complete abdication of parental or family life responsibility for the behavioral or psychological damage their children suffer from. They are almost entirely resistant to any solution other than the child changing to fit their needs. (which are probably the needs of the church? that is my suspicion after reading you folks)

I got interested in this (dominionist) subject about six months ago after a year or so looking at the religious right in America. It just seemed to me the term RR really doesn't describe what I was seeing. It makes a group sound like it is a religious movement. Then when I stumbled into dominionism...it made what I was seeing make sense: we are looking at a political movement. Of course with my big mouth, my husband got interested ...light bulb...

Funny thing about this (dominionist)political movement, it explains what you are seeing in your community, in your examining room, in the grocery store, in the SUV that blows by you at 10x lightspeed over the posted limit with the 1man+1woman=marriage bumpersticker and a "quiverfull" of kids.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This NYT article talks about the evangelical version of 'sexual purity' and how it's being seeded in the military along with some very nasty misogyny:

Sex and the Faithful Soldier
By JOHN LELAND

ADD another item to the well-equipped soldier's duffel. An evangelical radio ministry has developed a book kit meant to help soldiers protect their sexual purity, and is raising money to send 6,000 kits to chaplains who have requested them.

The kits, from New Life Ministries, which broadcasts on 150 stations nationally, is intended to promote Bible-based abstinence from pornography, adultery, nonmarital sex and masturbation. "Your goal is sexual purity," the authors write. "You are sexually pure when no sexual gratification comes from anyone or anything but your wife."( Read more... )

The Revealer has some additional thoughts on this program:

NYT Chuckles at Fundies, and Does Their Work For Them
30 October 2005

Jeff Sharlet: Are U.S. military chaplains promoting homophobia and discrimination against non-Christian women on taxpayer time? The New York Times reports that New Life Ministries plans to send 6,000 sexual abstinence kits, titled "Every Soldier's Battle," to U.S. military chaplains who've requested them as counseling tools for soldiers. The Times notes that the kits are a spin-off of the bestselling "Every Man's Battle" series, but reporter John Leland doesn't bother to investigate the source of kits, books created to help conservative evangelical men erase lust, masturbation, wet dreams, and women who don't conform to the books' vision of "male headship" from their lives. Women, meanwhile, must help men by wearing chaste clothing and not bending over in their presence. Married women must provide for their husband's satisfaction at regular intervals, regardless of their own desires.

Last spring, I wrote about the series for Rolling Stone: "The authors of the books hold up the books of Joshua and Ezekiel as armor against non-Christian women. 'Mixture,' they write, 'can destroy a people.'" The authors refer to sexually active, unmarried women with the name "Betty Jo 'B.J.' Blowers," and consider homosexuality a satanic deception to be cured through vigorous Bible study. According to the Times, "Sgt. First Class Daniel L. Roberts, a chaplain's assistant at Fort Jackson in South Carolina, requested 200 kits for troops in basic combat training." Another chaplain's assistant, Michael Music, led 100 men through the program while stationed in Iraq.

The Times seems to find it all amusing, if perhaps helpful to soldiers struggling to keep their marriages together. The peddlers of the "Every Man's Battle" series, meanwhile, must appreciate this infographic from the paper of record, tongue so firmly in cheek that it functions as advertising you couldn't buy.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY helenangel)

State bill would limit procreation assistance: Process would rule out homosexuals, singles

( Full story, as taken from site, behind the cut )

You have GOT to be kidding me. If this isn't a glaring violation of personal rights, I don't know what is.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY larathia)

Is anyone else worried about this site?

They don't seem to be affiliated with groups mentioned here, but the stated philosophy and goals are a tad worrying. Independent offshoot?

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY deridetenebras)

A truly pathetic site maintained by dominionists.

It covers a variety of issues, including:

1. The False Green Gospel: Environmentalists are all pagans.

2. The Feminist Movement: Feminists are all pagans, lesbians, or "unstable women who are quilt ridden because of their sins, torn by lust".

3. The Impact of Feminism on the Family: Feminists are to blame for "Rampant illegitimacy and sexual disease, widespread divorce, and a generation of unloved, undisciplined, and uncared-for kids."

4. The Clinton Legacy: Bill Clinton is to blame for "The demise of morality, the loss of our freedom, the crime in our streets, the poverty in the inner-cities, the war zones in our homes and the violence of our children"

5. War on Christianity: Compares the brutal persecution of Christians in countries like Egypt, Pakistan, and China to the "persecution" of Christians in America

6. Christians in Politics: "Led by the ACLU, new agers, one-worlders, feminists, homosexuals, liberal churches, and godless politicians, an all out War on Christianity has been declared."

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY mysticknyght)

Via Sadly No!, here's some words of wisdom from extremist cleric James Dobson:

Is My Child Becoming Homosexual?

Evidences of gender confusion or doubt in boys ages 5 to 11 may include:

1. A strong feeling that they are “different” from other boys.

2. A tendency to cry easily, be less athletic, and dislike the roughhousing that other boys enjoy.

3. A persistent preference to play female roles in make-believe play.

4. A strong preference to spend time in the company of girls and participate in their games and other pastimes.

5. A susceptibility to be bullied by other boys, who may tease them unmercifully and call them “queer,” “fag” and “gay.”

6. A tendency to walk, talk, dress and even “think” effeminately.

7. A repeatedly stated desire to be — or insistence that he is — a girl.

What's interesting is that this series is entitled " Helping Boys Become Men, and Girls Become Women ," but I see no warning signs of lesbianism.  This is male homophobia, pure and simple.

I think my favorite is #2, A tendency to cry easily, be less athletic, and dislike the roughhousing that other boys enjoy..  As a four-year letterman on the Brother Martin High School Debate Team, I find this to be highly objectionable.  Telling fathers that emotions and non-athleticism in a boy is bad is an invitation for many of them to engage in behavior towards their sons that is both physically and emotionally abusive.

Then there's #5, A susceptibility to be bullied by other boys, who may tease them unmercifully and call them “queer,” “fag” and “gay.” The kids who get bullied are often the overweight/underweight ones, or the "smart" kids, or the loners.  Bullying doesn't make them "become gay," but it can lead to them wanting to shoot up their high schools.

Now, I'll buy #7 as a problem.  If a boy consistently insisted that he/she was a girl, I'd look into counseling, not because I was worried that he was gay, but that he has some serious issues in general.

This is the sort of stuff about Extermist Cleric Dobson that everyone needs to know.  There are all too many people who listen to his radio spots and think that FotF does good work.  The radio spots are a bait-and-switch, to get you on their mailing list and to get you to go to their website, where you read crap like this.


[YatPundit]
YatPundit entry)

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

This article talks about the fate of the 'excess' boys in the polygamous Mormon cult that is under investigation:

Polygamy's 'Lost Boys' expelled from only life they knew
Sect's outcasts are casualties of marriage practice

By David Kelly, Los Angeles Times | June 19, 2005

ST. GEORGE, Utah -- Abandoned by his family, faith, and community, Gideon Barlow arrived here an orphan from another world.

The freckle-faced 17-year-old said he was left to fend for himself last year after being forced out of Colorado City, Ariz., just over the state line.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Americablog leads off with this thought:

The theocrats are all about taking away privacy rights: a woman's right to choose, contraception, sodomy, porn. It's all about sex. Their sex obsession is just out of control...and it affects all of our privacy on so many levels.

Just three days after President Bush enlisted porn star Mary Carey and pornographer Mark Kulkis to help him raise $23 million, I was surprised to receive this message from Family Research Council President Tony Perkins:

I just met with Attorney General Gonzales and right now he is launching a major effort to prosecute the porn industry. He intends to smash these criminal enterprises on the Internet and elsewhere with a special new obscenity strike force.( Read more... )

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Thanks to kyburg for this article. From Sojourners (registration required):

Debunking traditional gender roles

by Sandra Dufield

SojoMail 6-08-2005

The attempt by House Republicans to keep women from serving in military combat support and service units is a tangible example of a broader conservative agenda concerning the place and function of women.

Seeing their "family values" motto becoming a staple in the American vernacular, many right-wing religious conservatives are attempting to make another plank of the Republican Party platform a part of the American psyche by promoting traditional roles for men and women.

Armed with claims of "tradition" and a narrow interpretation of the Bible, many religious conservatives believe the best way for men and women to have a successful marriage is when the husband is "the leader" and has final decision-making authority and the wife submits to his leadership and decision-making.( Read more... )