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Following the Dominionist Thread Through the GOP’s 2012 Candidates
Following the Dominionist Thread Through the GOP’s 2012 Candidates was written by Leah L Burton for PoliticusUSA.
© PoliticusUSA, Jun. 19th, 2011. All Rights Reserved
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93 Responses to Following the Dominionist Thread Through the GOP’s 2012 Candidates
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Thank you for keeping this before our eyes. The strange alliance of this group of fanatics with corporatocratists is hard for normal Americans to understand, and it is mortally dangerous not only to our country, but (given this nation’s might and reach) to life on this planet. Again, we owe you a debt of gratitude!
laingirl
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
Leah, thanks for this great article. I have read your blog a number of times, and know that many people are not aware of the Dominionists. A lot of questions are going through my mind, but I will hold off asking them as you will probably be answering them in your coming posts. Keep up the good work!
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Please, ask away! I learn right along with all of you in this quest to expose this dangerous, but powerful minority! Your questions may lead me into understanding more as I research the answers.
And to everyone, thank you for your words of encouragement and gratitude, and right back at you for taking this seriously!
KatieAnnieOakley
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 8:39 am
Leah, you’ve nailed it with this post.
Having spent time as a teen in a Full Gospel environment (another group of the Foursquare / AOG etc. sects) it was unsettling for me to hear these self-professed “Christians” attacking other Christians as not being “Christian-enough.”
I remember thinking to myself at one of the many, many services and “workshops” we attended during the week: This is insane! Many of the members of the group my aunt & uncle were friends with were also Birchers (imagine that!).
Thankfully, my own commonsense always over-ruled my aunt & uncles religious dogma. Those with free-will or common-sense need not apply to this groups.
english saddle
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
These people’s scare the beehebus out of me!
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
Ditto! It is what keeps me fighting back…they cannot win!
gsb
Jun. 23rd, 2011 at 10:44 am
Leah, I am a christian, I was converted by my heart, not by being hounded into a conversion. I don’t understand these people. The people who convert by being hounded seem to be people who need to be told, how to think, feel, and do. They have no real soul, only that which makes them a group with a man, or woman at the head, telling them all they need to know.It makes them feel superior,better,and special.
How sad.
i read you all the time, thanks for your thoughts.
gsb
Jun. 23rd, 2011 at 10:55 am
Addition to the above: I know this by example, have experienced it.
AFM
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
They damn well should. Just think Perry, Bachmann or Palin as president or VP. They are zealots of the extreme. All religious people of good faith who truly believe in separation of church and state need to watch out for this group. Just like those Duggar Family. They believe in having many, many children. These people are really and truly wolves in sheeps clothing. Beware, they do not have good intentions.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Perry the Prophet. Scares me to death
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
You are correct. The Duggar’s belong to one of those franchises within the Dominionist cult called, Quiverfull and a very good friend of mine will be featured here in an interview article about just that very topic. Her name is Vyckie Garrison and she is a walkaway from the Quiverfull Movement and you can read more about that Dominionist soup du jour on her site at www.nolongerquivering.com
They actually believe that they are raising their own little jihadists. They are warriors for Jesus.
Bachmann had 5 biological children and then did her part to indoctrinate little warriors by foster parenting 18 unsuspecting little minds. And then there is the Santorum approach to building God’s army from a ultramontane Catholic position.
As you can see we have much to discuss.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
I will most certainly give her a read.
Kay
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 7:54 am
I agree and what really concerns me is how rapidly this is accepted as Christian norm by the biggots. In their rapture for “the rapture” they are combining church and state and opening the doors for a complete fascist government – and they are too prejudice to see “the forest for the trees”…easily manipulated and bring us to our knees as a nation.
Nasty Liberal
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 8:40 am
I’d like to take these folk into the forest and watch them establish their dominion over a nice actual grizzly bear.
Nasty Liberal
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 8:42 am
It can be done, with a pure heart, by the way.
Denny Smith
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Interesting. I’ve heard rumblings about “Dominionists” before, but always brushed off what I heard as just another group of fundies wanting to establish a theocracy in the U.S. Now, I hope in future articles that you can shed some light on this: is the term “Dominionist” just some label that we progressives put on the whole mess of fundies, or, is it a recognized term in the academic community of scholars?
What is the origin of this word? (I ask because I want to use it, but not if its provenance is poor). Looking forward to the next installment.
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
It is a recognized term both within political science circles and particularly apologetics circles. It may be useful to note that most research on New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) groups is done by non-Dominionist evangelical Christians.
That is not to say that those in purist academic circles, for example, will agree and their insistence to debate the terminology misses the point of the discussion. I have had those discussion/arguments over the past several years since I began using the umbrella term “Christian Dominionists”.
As I pointed out in this first article, we have to start somewhere and if we don’t use terminology that we can wrap our minds around we will continue to preach to the choir and talk over the patience of the masses.
Dominion is a word. It is also in the Bible. And it is the underpinning of this cult’s source of power. Hence, it is becoming commonly accepted to refer to this Movement as exactly what it is – a Christian Dominionist Movement.
Go forth and spread with confidence!
english saddle
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 12:54 pm
PS thanks politicususa for taking the bull by the horn. You guys are fearless- the only people who haven’t sold out. Thank you!
cathy
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:01 pm
Thank you Politicus for inviting Leah to post on this site. Excellent article, and I am looking forward to the future Sunday posts. These religious extremists have given Christians a bad name for long enough–they are not Christians! This should be required reading for people of all faiths and beliefs–it affects us all!
Sarah Jones
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:06 pm
I’d welcome you, Leah, but it looks like our readers have already done that:-) Looking forward to the series, and to your ability to make that all important distinction between “Christians” and this sect. This is the dialogue we need to be having, working together with people of all faiths to stand up together for tolerance, love, social justice, peace, human rights…. the list is pretty long by now.
And of course, separation of church and state.
Enjay in E MT
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Excellent Leah –
I’m looking forward to more of your articles.
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Thank you Leah for helping to raise the alarm on these heretical faux-’Christian’ fascists!
I stumbled upon the existence of this menace a couple of months ago while putting together a sheet of links to help combat the anti-LGBT BS I see on the ‘Net. Here’s everything I’ve found on the New Apostolic Reformation so far:
HOW GAYS ARE BEING USED TO CREATE A THEOCRACY
howgaysarebeingusedtocrea...
This movement is the scariest thing I’ve encountered in my adult life.
I look forward to reading your future articles.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:10 pm
There does seem to be a large disconnect. For instance between what Michelle Bachmann says and Sarah Palin says about their religion. Sarah Palin is a huge supporter of Israel, and, to my memory I don’t hear Michelle Bachmann saying anything about Israel. I certainly could be wrong here because I try not to listen to her.
I also think there is a vast disconnect between the so-called Christian tea party people who follow Bachmann and yet do not understand what her religion is all about. I think they’re in for a shock.
there is yet again a disconnect between the regular Christians in the dominionists. I think that regular Christians take they are all one group and would vote with them any day.
Given at least the three disconnects I have mentioned I think the Dominionists are happy as heck about it. What could be better for them?
I am very familiar with southern Baptist and can hardly veil my contempt for them. they demand that the Bible be taught in school. When I asked why we should pay for having religion taught in schools. The ones I worked with replied that it is necessary that children grow up religious. So I kind of mentioned that that should be something that’s done in the home and they agreed, except that they have to have their foot in the door so that all children no matter who they are are brought up religious.
I am glad that you are writing on this subject because it is one that I fear more than even the GOP
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
| If Almost 1/4 of US States Can Now Fund Creationism…: bit.ly/ijqdhR via @addthishttp://www.talk2action.org/story/2011/5/25/124843/619
“Religious schools across the nation are receiving public funds through voucher and corporate tax credit programs. Many hundreds, if not thousands, of these schools use Protestant fundamentalist textbooks that teach not only Creationism, but also a religious supremacist worldview, with a shocking spin on politics, history, and human rights.”
“The Bible itself is intolerant, and true followers of God’s word should be as well.” ~ Bob Jones III, president of Bob Jones University
Summary: These kids will be voting in a decade or so = a likely U.S. theocracy.
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
The one breathable moment is that THE largest religious movement is “walk aways” from these constricting, NAR churches and ideology. You cannot hold people for long when you tell children over and over that they are ‘sinners’ for just being kids. If they have problems and cannot turn to their church or even parents, they are left with nothing. The ‘walk aways’ are occurring to the point that some megachurches are folding – there is an insufficient second generation to sustain them. Child abuse is rampant – children are merely property – and intolerance of their needs has led hundreds of thousands to find solitude better than life within this rigid, nasty, and unsupportive environment. People do not willingly become slaves, and even if it is de facto and not de jure, they WILL escape when they can.
crystalwolfakacaligrl
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Shiva,
The Southern Baptists got taken over by the dominionists in the ’70′s! Leah can tell you the exact year. I keep thinking it was ’73.
The Southern Baptist’s have a book about how the Dominionists took over their convention. Steeplejacked I think Leah calls it.
Not sure what they call themselves now…SBC people that are leftover from the “steeplejacking”. Maybe Leah will talk about it more.
I stay away from most churches.
There is one in SF I will go to and it is really not a church but a gathering of awesome people all colors, creeds and sexual preferences…
And the Ananada church which I’ve never been to but want to attend.
Otherwise shun anything christian…
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:28 pm
Hun, I think the last thing you can picture me as, is someone going to church lol
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
The real threat to our democracy is not godless commies nor muslim terrorists, but churchgoing Christians. Years after the infamous McCarthy witchhunts, there are almost as many Christians in the GOP as there are communists in the Democrat Party, and their numbers are growing. Beholden not to The People nor their respective union representatives but rather to fundamentalist extremist dominionist religious supremacist groups like the Boy Scouts of America, Christian politicians have formed a covert shadow government bent on only one goal: a return to the pre-1960′s dark ages of moral absolutes.
We must restore America to the godless utopia our Founding Fathers envisioned.
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
With respect Margaret, there’s a BIG difference between genuine Christians (Christ’s inclusive love) and these heretical Dominionist fascists-with-a-cross.
I’ve met plenty of fine Christian folks. Here’s some:
Christians Tired of Being Misrepresented
www.facebook.com/christia...
AcidQueen
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
I suggest you have your dosage upped. Either that or lrn2troll, because you’re doing it wrong.
english saddle
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Poor Margaret thinks he’s bothering people but he’s accidentially ointing out how important it us that we don’t let people like him take over.
Nice to see you again acid queen!
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
Communists in the Democratic party? That would be NONE. If you mean REAL Christians in the GOP there certainly would be few. I think the BSA is a target, not a leader, in this movement, but it probably has indeed been “steeplejacked” like many churches and entire denominational segments.
Pre-1960s moral absolutes is not necessarily BAD – if you go back far enough in history! What we have to stop is the headlong dash back to the late 19th Century when those absolutes were first formed. Remember that the ‘moral absolutes’ of abolition, anti-segregation, anti-war etc. are even older and are things worth pursuing in a diverse and open society. The relgious right has a slogan: “Intolerance is a Wonderful Thing”. Oh? Does it not depend on WHAT? Being intolerant of human bondage, of imperialism, of poverty – those are worthy. But these folks WELCOME those inequalities and subordination. Keeping the faith with democratic principles is well worth the fight. Those for both people of faith and non-believers are unified “absolutes” we can all support and for which we must all work to guarantee.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
At this point, I am certain that whatever nefarious thing these people accuse “liberals” and “secularists” of plotting, is what they intend to do themselves. Having been to your blog, I know that you, like Ms. Valle, have been curb-stomped, and Shitler’s Brown Shits have been all over your blog as well as ours threatening some day of reckoning when they take over. Some person styling himself “Peter” even threatened detention camps, though his orthography revealed himself to be a probable Canadian. Michelini doubtless has her Black Shits, also (though I am sure the foregoing shits are white). You are extremely brave, and if ever I match half your courage one day, well, then I will call myself a man.
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
There are many very unstable minions in this Movement and it can be disconcerting…but I don’t know that it is bravery…for me it just emboldens my determination. I have been known to be a bit stubborn :) My mother (if still alive) was a Dominionist and would be warning them not to tell me that I can’t win this because it just fuels me to push on.
And the future for all of us is reflected back at me in the hopeful innocence of my 8 month old granddaughter. It leaves me with only one choice…they cannot win!
We are seriously threatened with regularity and yes, my cheekbone reminds me daily of the physical side of this fight. That should end the argument when I say that these are NOT mainline Christians. Thank you, R
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
What do you know: one of the Brown Shits has shown up. It was only a matter of time.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
The foregoing was supposed to post to the B. S. that styles itself Margaret Sanger. I am using the pronoun “it”, because the style looks like a previous B.S. poster that styles itself Henry. I don’t know what it has between its legs: optimally, nothing.
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:45 pm
An article which poses potentially rift-revealing questions that many Dominionists have so far glossed over in their quest for political power. BTW. The comments section is as informative as the main article:
| Come the Theocracy, Whose Bible Will Rule?: bit.ly/io5VlB via @addthis
www.talk2action.org/story...
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
The number of us who have informally banded together and lean on each other from time to time include Bruce Wilson and Rachel Tabchnik from Talk2Action.org and are very reliable sources to turn to often.
Another is my good friend and David Barton expert, Chris Rodda, who has written a book titled, “Liars for Jesus”.
My right arm, though, is a woman that writes under the name “dogemporer” at talk2action, Daily Kos, Dark Christianity and the Daily Beast. Her alias is Alex, and she is the walkaway resource that is valued here and overseas on this cult. She is the fact-checker of my work.
Many people have been writing and sounding the alarm, I am merely the messenger, determined to awaken enough Americans to shut this down! It takes ALL of us.
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Your piece read like you’re tapped into good info. A BIG +1 for the contributors to Talk2Action etc. Bloggers > the corporate-controlled media for news that makes a REAL difference.
Given the sequence of legislative changes which now allow POTUS to suspend the Constitution with the scribble of the pen, if these theocratic corporate fascists take the White House they’ll kill us all–before wielding America’s intercontinental nuclear strike capability to coerce other countries to their will.., or worse…
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
For the folks viewing at home here’s a couple of videos which will give you a further idea of what Leah is warning us about:
HOW AMERICA IS BEING TAKEN OVER BY THEOCRATS
For decades the New Apostolic Reformation/Dominionism has been quietly striving to transform the U.S. into a theocracy via its ‘Reclaim The Seven Mountains Of Culture’ strategy.
Said strategy involves infiltrating and achieving dominance over seven spheres (or ‘mountains’) of societal influence: business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, the family and religion.
This is the NAR’s promotional video. Note that their worldview is couched in absolute terms: ie ‘good’ (themselves) or ‘evil’ (everyone else):
YouTube – Reclaim 7 Mountains of Culture: bit.ly/j7LZln via @addthis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=w...
–
This is a video which ties the New Apostolic Reformation with one of the co-authors of Uganda’s ‘Kill The Gays’ Bill, and in which the NAR further outlines their strategy for taking over countries:
YouTube – Harvard, Hillman, & The Anti Homosexuality Bill: bit.ly/jnHYAG via @addthis
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q...
At 13:08 this video bears the caption: “According to Wallnau, the lefthand 30% segment represents the American political left.”
Since the current U.S.A. Population is 310,300,000 (as of late 2010), this seems to indicate that, should it gain control of the U.S., the New Apostolic Reformation’s ’7 Mountains’ strategy for the conquest of America would involve the segregation/removal of some 100,000,000 Americans from society.
USA Population – The Current Population of the USA: bit.ly/ktfFTL via @addthis
geography.about.com/od/ob...
–
I Was a Right-Wing Evangelical Pastor — Until I Saw the Light | | AlterNet: bit.ly/jnGW1c via @addthis
www.alternet.org/story/15...
“…I want you to know that the fundamentalist political movement is the beginning of a cultural revolution that will take our nation to a very dark place. You have to understand that this has been methodically planned and is being carried out with the utmost vigilance. In accordance with their worldview, my old friends do not in the least care about what you think. They are against democracy, and they are seeking to end the rule of the majority in our great country.
They truly believe that if you have not been “saved,” you are living under a curse and are incapable of knowing what is best and that because of this you should be ruled over. You should also know they do not believe that even centuries-old Christian communities (Catholics, Anglicans, Greek Orthodox, etc.) are “saved,” only those who think like they do…”
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
In between soccer, talking, foosball, and eating cookies, those fundamentalist church groups have been working hard on plans for theocracy.
Mwahahaha!
Sarah Jones
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Gosh, that sounds fantastic and it sounds like you belong to a mainline church not a Dominionist church, since the very purpose of the Dominionist church is to gain control of the government and I’m sure you would have noticed someone preaching to you about being a warrior of God and being willing to kill people for Jesus.
Angelia Sparrow
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Laugh it up. You’re the type who will, until you’re hauled off to the camps.
I have four children simply because I do not have five. I thought it was my duty as an intelligent white Christian woman to breed little God Warriors to combat the godless ignorant brown tide sweeping over our country.
Twenty years later, I am a pagan priestess, two of my kids are pagan, one is on the GLBT spectrum (and I am out of the closet) and two are atheists.
I know what these people want and how they have been working to get it since the mid 80s. Google Patrick Henry College and see how many legislators and pages are alums…
Sally
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Thank you Leah. I have been reading more and more about this movement, and it is terrifying. How they manage to wrap themselves in the flag and the Constitution while doing everything in their power to ensure the collapse if democracy was interesting to start, but now is becoming something to really be concerned about.
Anne
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
Leah, I greatly appreciate this article and I look forward to your future discussions of this matter. Above all, I appreciate the important distinction you have made between truly devout Christians who walk the walk as well as talking the talk and Dominionists. The former truly exemplify what religion at its very best is about. Dominionists, on the other hand, completely subvert religion in the pursuit of raw, unchecked power and exhibit none of the positive, life-affirming qualities of true Christians. The fact that they have aligned themselves with corporate groups that could not care less about everyday Americans only underscores their moral bankruptcy.
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:05 pm
If we progressives are to regain our proper place in the world, we are going to have to start reproducing. Otherwise the world will soon be entirely populated by Catholic home-schooled children who will continue to breed until they’ve entirely overwhelmed our fragile eco-system with their 15-passenger vans.
Have more babies, damnit! And then we can go apply for government benefits that we’ve earned through your victimhood created by our phalocentric society.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
I would suggest you go back where you came from, but even if your mother is alive, you wouldn’t fit.
Ingarose
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Very enlightening article. When did this movement start? My neighbor from years and years ago behaved like one of those but I had never heard about that term then.
John Bovay
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:38 pm
About the mid 1970′s IIRC.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:41 pm
It probably has its American roots, at least, in 19th Century “muscular Christianity”, but in its present form emerged towards the end of the Seventies. A book called “Holy Terror!” gives a pretty good account of its inception.
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Indeed, this has been going on for many, many years and many Dominionists are not fans of the Enlightenment or modernity. Frank Schaeffer talks eloquently about this.
The CURRENT incarnation took hold firmly in the late 1980s and early 1990s when they finally had a stranglehold on the Republican Party. You are right, this is not new, just continuing to morph into a more threatening form as they work toward “re-claiming” what never was – “A Christian Nation”.
Reynardine
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 12:29 am
The authors of “Holy Terror!” are Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman.
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 11:04 pm
It goes back to 1935 as a formal movement, but the roots go back to at least the Second Great Awakening in the 19th Century. It is partly a force unleashed by the Confederacy’s failure to gain separation. It carries that Old Testamentarian ideology of supremacy, war, and doom that became embedded in parts of Southern fundamentalism and extremist splinters of Christianity that arose in very small churches. Pentecostalism really took hold c. 1901 – and that coalesced a lot of these splinters until they gained strength and spread north. So it has some old roots but is actually relatively ‘young’ as a movement. It just dovetails beautifully with hyper-capitalism so it has powerful secular allies. Hence the ‘family values’ platform calling for TAX reform for corporations. Knowing this alliance between God and Mammon MIGHT make that seeming inconsistency a bit more clear!
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:40 pm
I need to make up for all the sneering I didn’t get to do when I missed my monthly Trotskyite Workers Against Theocracy meeting.
We’re, like, teaming up with a group of religious progressives called ‘Christians Against Christianity’ to fight against the pulpit-humping Fascists on the city council who are, like, BLATANTLY and in clear violation of the separation of Church and Me and whichever Amendment says you can’t do this kind of stuff (the 40th or 42nd, I think), allowing the Christianazis to travel to their little snake-handling hootennannies on PUBLIC ROADS.
PUBLIC. Roads paid for by yours and my tax dollars, if I had paid any taxes and stuff.
Man, it’s just exactly like living in Afraqestan under the Taliban, except that, like, instead of publicly executing non-believers and stuff, the Christhuglicans brutally exclude them from playing on the Baptist Association softball team.
I fear for what we’re becoming. And squirrels. I fear those, too.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Afghanistan is a good example
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:51 pm
You are a squirrel. Cream gravy.
Daniel Tomkinson
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 7:39 am
Your mockery of the rise of evangelical Christianity does not diminish the accuracy of this document in the least. Simply because you feel the immature desire to deride those whom you view as your political opponents, the facts remain as they are regardless of your blindness to them. As a former FGBMFI member, I can attest to their intent to bring a rigid interpretation of scripture into politics. It is happening. And, if you are merely a partisan and not “one of them”, then you, too, have much to fear from this movement. For they truly do seek to bring about the apocalypse using America as the point of the spear. And if you are not “one of them”, should they succeed in consolidating power, your usefulness to them will cease to exist. So, mock, if you feel you must, but there will come a time when you finally realize these people were never your political allies.
Leah Burton
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Daniel, it would be a gift for you to share with everyone what the FGBMFI actually is as you are absolutely correct about the threat of all of this!
In fact, for starters, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin is an associate of a similar group. Walker has (among other things) been a public speaker for a little-known group called Christian Businessmen’s Connection–apparently a group set up like FGBMFI but without quite so much overtly pentecostal material. CBMC is in turn a de facto frontgroup of The Family/The Fellowship via steeplejacking and has known connections to Council for National Policy members and possibly other dominionist organizations.
But this requires an entire post to go into further…
The FGBMFI, by the way, stands for Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship International. I recommend that all of you Google them…it is eye-opening.
Thank you for speaking out Daniel.
Daniel Tomkinson
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
Looking back, I see it now as a fraternity of christian business men who will help each other succeed. And then coordinate to elect local politicians or run themselves. They (we) were more than happy to help you or anyone else, but you were gonna be converted or you’d fall by the wayside.
It was this requirement to evangelize that bugged me. It always will. A helping hand is not really a helping hand when there are strings attached. Seems rather un-Christ-Like…if you know what I mean.
Reynardine
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
O’Reilly has apparently suggested that the hocky riots in Vancouver were a dastardly leftist plot designed to signal an uprising by all those icky little people around the world trying to get hold of everything Ayn Rand said they shouldn’t have. And so, he says, “we” must prepare for violence in the streets of America. So, yes, I’d say we must. Not from us, though.
AcidQueen
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
Actually, it was Glen Beck that suggested that–conveniently ignoring the fact that Canucks fans rioted in 1994 after their team lost in the Cup Finals, and Vancouverites rioted after Guns ‘n’ Roses cancelled a concert, and of course there were the Kelowna Riots in 1986 and 1988. Rioting is a BC pastime.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Check out Detroit someday
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
I am at a loss to see how sports hooliganism has a shred of political content. Beck is too weird.
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 6:38 pm
It’s not easy being enlightened, and there’s a heavy cross to bear for perfection. We progressives live in constant fear of being targeted for attacks by neanderthal Conservatives Jesuslanders who resent us for our intellectual superiority. You never know when some raving Reich-winger, fresh out of Church, is going to pull up in his gas-guzzling SUV and bash your teeth in with the butt of an AK-47 purchased through the Gun Show Loophole.
I’ve even had a couple of conservative dogs that purposely trip me one day while on a run. I’m smelling a conspiracy here. I don’t hold anything beyond the capability of The Reicht Wing Hate Machine.
Floyd M. Orr
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
You know that I support you to to the max, Leah. Your website is listed and mentioned in my book, Paradigm Shift: The Palin Matrix. Everyone should pay more attention to the message you are desperately trying to convey to the American voters before it is too late!
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 8:37 pm
I do know that Floyd and your voice is such an important one that adds to this battle. I thank you for all the work that you do in joining the rest of us intent on making enough “noise” to fight back. There is one thing I know with certainty! Dominionists hate (among so many things) exposure, and we are turning up the candle watt power. I use the mental image of sending them scurrying back into the dark recesses that they emerged from.
They are entitled to their views – they are just NOT entitled to shove them on the nation and the world. Thank you, again for the work that you do. This is a disturbing area to research and convey, but we are making inroads!
Kingergarten Cookie
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 8:53 pm
Thanks, Leah.. I ran across a website that led me through a harrowing adventure of discovery about all of this, including your page, for which I also want to thank you. I have known that there was something “not right” about the church involvement in a political group that could so callously turn its collective back on the poor, the children and the old and suffering in this world. How could they reconcile their behavior with what they say they believe about Jesus? Something gnawed at my heart. I had to find out.
I’ve been collecting information as much as possible with the intent of putting together a page to educate everyone I know about this cult. It IS a cult. It’s extremely dangerous, and it has infiltrated many key positions in government.
As a Christian, it dismays me to see the name of my Savior dragged through the mud the way they do. They are making more enemies of the cross than they are followers. And you know what the Bible says about that. 2 Peter 2:1-22 has the whole enchilada for these false prophets. NO ONE has more disgust for them that God Almighty.
Link to above verse: www.biblegateway.com/pass...
Kingergarten Cookie
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 8:55 pm
than, not that… (sigh..)
Leah Burton
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:17 pm
You are so right. I often say that Dominionists have effectively created an upsurge in those that now self-identify as Atheists because their portrayal of Christianity is punitive, retributive and violent. Way to go!
I am attacked frequently as being anti-Christian and anti-conservative. But I will tell you this with absolute conviction – the ONLY thing that I am anti – is extremism.
You would be hard pressed to find someone more dedicated to defending mainline Christians and cheering for the “Eisenhower” Republicans to come back from the “Independent Desert” than I!
It is disturbing to research – but remember – we can stop this. If all the moderates in America actually show up and vote in 2012, we can send them all packing. Thank you for taking this seriously…I can’t say that enough.
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
California Council of Churches, representing 21 mainline Protestant denominations, strongly supports Leah’s work. She speaks for religious freedom – freedom to believe as you will or to believe nothing as you see fit – which is precisely CCC’s view as well. Leah is the antithesis of “anti” Christian – she gives people a chance to let everyone find their own way in light of their own beliefs, and that is what both supports freedom of religion AND the principles of democracy.
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
We tried to update the dumbminionist’s religion to be more compatible with our enlightened lifestyles. They called us “heretics”. We tried to combine their religious beliefs with our socialist utopian ideals. They called it “Jonestown”.
Now, the only hope we have to save America from the radical extremist Christian right and restore it to the godless orgy of sex and violence that our athiest Founding Fathers envisioned, is to recreate God in a more progressive image, one with the nurturing compassion of Bill Clinton, the social conscience of Michael Moore, and the libido of Ron Jeremy. Only then can gay transgendered abortionists walk the streets at night without being assaulted by radical Christian hate groups like the Cub Scouts.
Shiva (Moderator)
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 9:08 pm
I have to ask, did you take one aspirin too many?
Leah Burton
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
Just a thought for you, “Margaret” – move along. There is really nothing for you to ‘see’ here, clearly. Let me guess. You consider yourself a “Christian Patriot”. My inbox is full of verses and prayer vigils to save my soul from your compadres. What you are exuding is hate and intolerance mixed with a despicable bag of vulgarity. You are doing a disfavor to the Lord Jesus Christ.
BTW…you leap to quite the assumption that I am a “progressive”. Let me correct you and save some time…I am an anti-extremist. Period. I was raised in a REAL Republican household…you remember? The Eisenhower Rs that actually believed in the constitution and the separation of church & state. (No? Well there has been so much revisionist history that many are left as ignorant as Palin about our true beginnings).
This is my one and ONLY response to your ongoing attempts to inject yourself into a discussion you obviously cannot hold your own in. So no matter how juvenile. Or how sanctimonious. Or how holier-than thou your remarks attempt to persuade…move along. Trolling is an exhausting hobby.
cathy
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 10:26 pm
Amen
Hope
Jun. 19th, 2011 at 11:20 pm
Leah, I’m excited to read these columns! As you’re aware, I know far more than I’d like about Calvinist/Rushdoony dominionism ca. 1990, but I’m ignorant to many aspects of the current movement and power structure, and while I can’t say I look forward to educating myself, I do recognize the importance of doing so.
One thing that I’m especially curious about is the marriage between dominionism and corporatocracy. (I’ve tried hard to forget all we were taught in so-called Christian school about how capitalism is THE only biblically acceptable economic system.) Another issue that I think might be interesting to explore is the media martyr meme–Sarah Palin’s perfected it, as we all know, but the dominionists have been doing it since at least the late 1980s. “The liberal media hates Christians.” I’m glad you’re distinguishing between dominionist Christians and decent, loving Christians with critical thinking skills.
Looking forward to reading more!
Leah Burton
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:23 am
Thank you, Hope…and I will drawinand very g the lines between Dominionism and plutocracy…it is a straight line. Stay strong, so many like you who have braved the challenges of breaking away from this cult are in great numbers and it is you who teach us.
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 5:34 am
If those Dumbminionists get control, Roe v. Wade will be revoked, and the clock will in fact be turned back 50 years to a time when women were herded like livestock into back alley abortion clinics and battered with the King James Bible until they miscarried. Affirmative Action will be scrapped. Blacks will be thrown back into shackles. Cub Scouts will go from door to door, dispersing their message of hate and intolerance. There will be a bug in every telephone, a nativity scene in every park, and a heterosexual in every Showtime drama series. Dr. King’s dream of justice and equality will yield to Jesus’ Great American Nightmare.
We need to progress forward to a point where hate and intolerance will be conquered, universal love and harmony will reign supreme, and Nick and Jessica will get back together.
The New America will also be a country of empathy, not insatiability. Every able-bodied American will be assured their immutable right to work, and will be required to apply that right to provide for those who choose not to.
ed
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 7:08 am
so all theses teabagkkkers in congress are dominionists christians rick perry is one and david barton is rewriting texas history, mitch mcconnell wants to end entitlements pual ryan boner all dominionists they wanna end democracy of the people for the people by the people for the few million of there warrior cult so who would those 100 million americans be who would be segregated and done away with minorities catolics asians blacks hispoanics in essesence we would become asegregated white society againwith minorities as there slave labor sarah plain and rick perry are tow very dangerous folks why they vbreed like rats and minorities are given birth control /
c
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:07 am
yeah, I think.
gsb
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:19 am
Does anyone remember the “C” street house in washington .D.C.? The Representives and Senators who live there,or meet there? Some of our elected officials are very involved in the Dominionist movement. Has anyone read Jeff Scharlotts book? The National day of prayer and the breakfast is one of this organizations creations. These people, if they gain any power, will without question, change this country, and not, for the better.
Leah Burton
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Jeff’s book is a great reference point. I also have a list of recommended reading on my site that include several others that are quicker reads but packed with information such as Chris Hedges, “A Fascist America”; Michele Goldberg’s, “Kingdom Coming”; and the very important book from 1988 by Sarah Dimond, “Spiritual Warfare”. All of these books will give you a great base to launch from when telling others about Dominionism.
Mikit
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Many thanks for giving me a name for this movement that I have heretofore been calling the “anti Christians” since it seems to me that they preach the opposite of all Christ stood for. These same sorts are always nominating an anti-Chirist, so let me join in the fun by tossing the name of Ayn Rand into the soup
As to Perry, take these words by Molly Ivins and run with them: ” Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be President of the United States, please pay attention.”
Leah Burton
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 2:26 pm
I believe that being able to label this cult is the first step getting the conversation going. They are indeed anti-Christian without a doubt.
By the way, Rick Perry met with Cindy Jacobs who is a senior Apostle in C Peter Wagner’s Apostolic Network. It is the same group that houses Sarah Palin’s personal Spiritual adviser, Senior Apostle Mary Glazier.
See just how incestuous this all is? And hiding in plain sight!
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 11:14 pm
What stuns me is how many of the Dominionists embrace Ayn Rand in economics and politics. That is part of the massive inconsistency of their “beliefs”, though it abets their sense of The Elect (them) deserving all material rewards, no limits. But it shows how at odds they are with faith. Mind boggling to say the least!
Pat
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
I hope you will address some of the corporations that support this group. It is scary that so many mainstream Christians do not realize what they think they are agreeing to when they agree with these people.
I look forward to your series.
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
That is a huge issue. You need to go back in history, too, to see the presence of major companies and their leaders in very pernicious actions. When there was an attempted coup against FDR in 1935, major corporate figures were part of it, and they quickly joined “The Fellowship” we now call “The Family”. Even corporations whose management is NOT personally Dominionist have given aid and comfort to those who are. The Koch brothers are not personally Dominionist, but they have alliances with many political and corporate types who follow Dominionist beliefs. This will be examined as Leah and others go along. It’s powerful, it’s pervasive, and it’s HERE.
Elizabeth Sholes
Jun. 20th, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Brava, Leah! Superb definition and explanation of how the extreme fundamentalists differ from Christians. As the policy director for a very large mainline and progressive Christian organization, I come into conflict with them almost daily. We are dismissed as “merely” Protestant – we who helped lead the march from abolition to anti-war, we are not “true” Christians. They, however, see Jesus as a “get out of jail free’ card, are really “Old Testamentarians” who salivate at the idea of stoning the impure. Why this matters, with so many in power – George W. Bush was one of them – is that they see themselves as the Elect, and therefore they twist the Constitution to assure an embedded INequality in all aspects of our nation. They and only they are entitled to the freedoms of our country, and they believe passionately that they must lead, and the rest of us whoever we are, must bow in submission to them. Leah – your work is critical to our understanding of how pervasive these people have become, how dangerous is their belief, and how intensely they seek absolute power. Thank you for your own site and for being here. This is NOT a fringe mania. They seek and are near seizing core power from which we will not recover in our lifetimes.
Margaret Sanger
Jun. 21st, 2011 at 3:26 am
Christianity, has caused world suffering for over 2000,000,000 years. It nearly eradicated the indigenous peoples of this continent, the survivors condemned to the humiliation of cartoon stereotypes and offensive sports mascots. Bush’s Christian cousin, Adolf Hitler, sent hundreds of homosexuals and midgets to the gas chambers even as great agnostics like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought against racial injustice.
Our founders constructed a wall between church and state – the only thing in the Living Breathing Constitution that isn’t ethereal. It’s for our protection! We must be aware of the Christian sleeper cells that are being activated across the nation, acting all Holier-Than-Thou and making gay couples feel like second class citizens.
OldLemming
Jun. 21st, 2011 at 7:04 pm
The battle is being waged against the “dominionist” 5th column by two organizations … and only two organizations primarily … they are The Military Religious Freedom Foundation which also has an Open Group forum on Facebook [where I shall post this blog] and Americans United for Separation of Church and State and on Facebook @ !
If you are truly concerned about this intended coup, please join us in fighting against it !
Leah Burton
Jun. 22nd, 2011 at 2:35 am
Thank you for acknowledging the work that we do at Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) to stop the spread of Dominionism. I am honored to serve on the Board with its founder, Mikey Weinstein and former Ambassador Joe Wilson. We have accomplished significant ‘wins’. The threat of Dominionism in the military is particularly disturbing and again I say – We MUST wake up and stop this.
gunnison
Jun. 26th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Very very happy to see you spreading the word about this. The radical Christian right has been steadily colonizing the GOP for a generation now, at all elevations including precinct level.
Where do we suppose this current crop of “candidates” came from? Mars?
They’ve been making them in a laboratory for better than twenty years.
It’s very unsettling.
Well done