If "Islamic Fascism' is the problem, how can Christian Fascism be any solution?

Question

There are a lot of people these days pushing Christian Fascism under a variety of names: Theonomy, Christian Reconstruction, Dominion Theology, the "Christian Nation" movement. They are zealously partisan Republicans who have more and more sway in the Party. The fact that they are using legitimate political means, and USUALLY push it without violence does not change the fact that it is an illegitimate objective. Our government was designed to be a secular one, leaving religious choice up to the individual. Government is not allowed to show favoritism to any particular religious philosophy-- that's the essence of the Non-Establishment Clause. Christian Fascists are so resentful and heedless of this restriction that they deny its validity! Such radical arrogance needs close monitoring, and our repudiation.

Answer 1

Dr. Lawrence Britt, a political scientist, published research on fascism in which he examined the fascist regimes of Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Suharto and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each fascist State:

1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism - Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.

2. Disdain for the recognition of Human Rights - Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of “need.” The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarceration of prisoners, etc.

3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause - The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial, ethnic or religious minorities; liberals; communists; socialists; terrorists, etc.

4. Supremacy of the Military - Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military are glamorized.

5. Rampant sexism - The government of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more rigid. Divorce, abortion and homosexuality are suppressed and the state is represented as the ultimate guardian of the family institution.

6. Controlled Mass Media - Sometimes the media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.

7. Obsession with National security - Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.

8. Religion and Government are intertwined - Government in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government’s policies or actions.

9. Corporate Power is Protected - The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation are often the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.

10. Labor Power is suppressed - Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated, or are severely restricted.

11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts - Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts and letters is openly attacked.

12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment - Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.

13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption - Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.

14. Fraudulent Elections - Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even assassinations of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media. Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control elections.

Benito Mussolini - who knew something about fascism - had a more straightforward definition: “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”

Abraham Lincoln stated, “I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me, and causes me to tremble for the safety of our country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people, until wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the republic is destroyed.”

The small, but ruthless, group of men, the “money power” described by Lincoln, has stolen democracy from the American people. An ever-growing number of informed Americans, however, are fighting a brave, but desperate rear-guard action to retrieve that democracy. Will we give them our total support now, or simply sit back and watch as the entire planet is taken back to the dark ages? “The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.”

Answer 2

It is strange how the Christian Fascist imagine they are ushering in the future and the second coming of Christ. While the Islamofascist think they are restoring the glory of the past. When Alli Baba lived in a cave full of gold and Genies flew on carpets.

Go big Red Go

Answer 3

An objective isn't illegitimate, only actions are. We don't prosecute someone for WANTING a Ferrari, but for utilizing illegal means in their attempts to obtain it (carjacking, forgery, assault etc)

While most religions exhort their followers to spread the word and rustle up more followers, it's the means they utilize in this regard that we need to be concerned with. If they are peaceful and legal, more power to'em- let them have their free religious expression. If they are violent, that's a problem. I think the issue with the Christian right is the legality of their approach, people in power playing fast & loose with the law, allowing government resources to be used to advance their doctrine. That's the problem- their methods, not their objectives.

Christians are free to want a Christian world, Hindus to want everybody to be Hindu, Muslims to want an Islamic planet, Atheists to want a religion-free solar system. As long as they respect each other's rights and obey the law, it's outside the realm of secular government.

Now if they go around killing people and blowing up things in the name of their religion, that's a problem.

Answer 4

Fascism comes from the West, and the word Fascist comes also from the west, so the muslims can't be fascist.

Answer 5

It's Simply because : -1 (+) -1 = -2 not zero and by analogy minus fascism plus minus fascism equal two minus fascisms that's why .

Answer 6

More people have been killed 'in the name of Christ' than for any other reason in the history of mankind.

The irony is that Jesus Himself was a pacifist who gave no one permission to kill or to murder.

Answer 7

Stop drinking the cool aid and eating stupid pie. Rush is Right. Have a great day!

Answer 8

There's fire and they're using gasoline.