Vice Regents of God
From the Christian Science Monitor:
"As the vice-regents of God, we are to bring His truth and His will to bear on every sphere of our world and our society. We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government ... our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors - in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0316/p16s01-lire.html
A quote from material written by Rev. D. James Kennedy, pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 2005 at a conference called "Reclaiming America for Christ."
http://www.crpc.org/2000/
An article in the April 21, 2005 Rolling Stone titled "The Crusaders," pages 41 and 42, sounds the warning alarm about right-wing Christians whom the article identifies as "the Dominionists - biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government."
The Christian Science Monitor article ends with this:
"Still, the 2004 election confirmed a growing mobilization of conservative Christians. And in a recent Barna survey of American pastors about their choice for "the most trusted spokesperson for Christianity," Dr. Kennedy made the top 10, sharing the final spot with three others, including Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson and President Bush, each winning the vote of 4 percent of the clergy."
If you ever scratch your head and wonder what the Tom DeLay http://tomdelay.house.gov/ agenda is, where the rhetoric comes from, and why DeLay's supporters don't think it's unethical, you just might want to read these two very similar articles.
"As the vice-regents of God, we are to bring His truth and His will to bear on every sphere of our world and our society. We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government ... our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors - in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0316/p16s01-lire.html
A quote from material written by Rev. D. James Kennedy, pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 2005 at a conference called "Reclaiming America for Christ."
http://www.crpc.org/2000/
An article in the April 21, 2005 Rolling Stone titled "The Crusaders," pages 41 and 42, sounds the warning alarm about right-wing Christians whom the article identifies as "the Dominionists - biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government."
The Christian Science Monitor article ends with this:
"Still, the 2004 election confirmed a growing mobilization of conservative Christians. And in a recent Barna survey of American pastors about their choice for "the most trusted spokesperson for Christianity," Dr. Kennedy made the top 10, sharing the final spot with three others, including Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson and President Bush, each winning the vote of 4 percent of the clergy."
If you ever scratch your head and wonder what the Tom DeLay http://tomdelay.house.gov/ agenda is, where the rhetoric comes from, and why DeLay's supporters don't think it's unethical, you just might want to read these two very similar articles.
posted by Bill | 8:29 PM
6 Comments:
I can't believe no one ever comments on your blog! You must not be commenting enough on other people's blogs or something. Ok, you asked my opinion nicely, so here goes. Yes I believe firmly in religious freedom and I think that our country is magnificent for allowing so many different religions to prosper here. However because I am a fundamentalist Christian, and I do think the Bible is literally true and God upholds everything in the universe, I would like to see Christians in the government. The role of politicians is to represent we the people, so of course I want someone who represents my views and values. I agree and see no problem with Dr. Kennedy's statement. God has called us to be set apart, to be good stewards of the Earth, and to respect our government no matter who runs it. He ordains those in power, Republican or Democrat.
I can't speak to the Tom DeLay thing...don't know enough to make a judgement yet. Not all conservatives or Christians or whatever support him.
My $.02 for now. Ask me anything, maybe I'll elaborate if I have time. Time is a precious commodity to a new mom though.
Sarah,
Thank you for taking the time to not only read but also actually comment in my blog!! Welcome :)
While I see what you are saying and as a former "fundamentalist" church member I understand your view, what I fear is what the consequences will eventually be if this country ever does come to the point where it is under the control of the religious right. Most people have the presence of mind to question their own beliefs about what is right and what is wrong. The religious right attribute their beliefs to a higher and unquestionable authority and therefore do not need to question them. That, to me at least, seems very dangerous especially if the religious right should happen to actually be mistaken. I cherish religious freedom. I fear religious intolerance. I welcome religious debate. I abhor one-sided infallible religious dogma especially when it becomes the basis for the "law of the land."
The U.S. chooses many of its leaders democratically so it is entirely possible that the religious right could some day dominate our government, but the U.S. Constitution protects the rest of us should that day ever come. The fears expressed in these two articles is what will become of that Constitution should all branches of the U.S. government come under the control of those who do not question the fallibility of their own beliefs.
Bill,
I do understand your point of view and I frankly would fear the same thing. I know this kind of goes against my belief system but I think a country with only one group of people with similar views controlling the entire government would be scary. Personally I don't think it will every happen so there's no need to fear. And I also think it's foolish to think that the religious right doesn't ever question its own beliefs. I think we're all human, we question our beliefs, just some may be easier to convince of their rightness than others. Having an absolute standard to live by is a good thing, but not because someone else says its true. I have studied and decided that I believe it, as much as a human can.
I also fear religious intolerance and I think what you're hearing from the religious right is the same fear. We experience a great deal of relgious intolerance all the time. I believe very strongly in freedom of relgion, not freedom FROM religion. I don't think a person expressing his religious views in school or in a courthouse is endorsement of a state religion. I think it should be his right.
By the way...who's Eric? I haven't read enough yet to figure that out.
Eric is a Texas conservative in his early 30's who is one of the very few people who comment here on my blog. At least by his comments, the world would be a better place if I and the 60's generation were dead. Yet I do hold out hope that someday he will come to see the light!
He isn't a member of the religious right, but he is a strong Bush believer.
I think you aren't alone among fundamentalist Christians when you doubt that the religious right will ever take over, but I think it is rapidly becoming clear that their intent is to do just that. It didn't take a majority to put Hitler in power. It won't take a majority to put the religious right up there either. All it will take is some ignorance, some disinformation, and a whole lot of apathy.
Ouch! I know you aren't comparing the religious right to the Third Reich.
I wrote an article for a magazine once about communicating across generational lines. Perhaps Eric would respect your generation more if he really understood what shaped you and what has shaped us.
Welcome Mike.
You said, "Bill, I think you are overreacting if you think the "religious right" wants to take over." You answered your next question right here. If you can identify them by the term enough to assure me that I am overreacting to something I read which clearly states that such is indeed the desire and the plan of some. Perhaps I was merely hallucinating this week from lack of sleep and I just imagined hearing the news that seems to indicate progress with this very cleansing process... like the idea for a state law that all books written by or about gays should be banned in all public libraries in the state... or the talk that President Bush should be able to get 100% approval of his nominees by Congress... or the legislation giving the Federal Government the final say about the construction of liquid natural gas terminals in a state such as Maine. Such a terminal would bring LNG tankers to Maine ports against the popular will of the people who live there...
There were more.
It never ceases to amaze me how much people can overlook when it seems so obvious to others. I'm sure I am guilty too but it just never ceases to amaze me. How much will it take before you realize there has been a revolution in America?
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