The way I see it, fundamentalist Christianity has been given far too many passes for times when its spokespersons declare that their brand of Christianity is the one true religion blessed by God. They offend further when they insist that their religion blended with politics produces the only truly god blessed government on earth. Fair-minded people tend to look the other way and excuse extreme bias in Christians even when their talk makes no sense and is a blatant contradiction of the Gospel they claim to love and celebrate. Fundamentalist Christians are taught to make themselves believe and try to make others believe God is on their side because they call themselves by the name given to his son in scripture. Why should we be surprised when terrorists like Timothy McVeigh and Anders Breivik identify themselves as Christians? While it may not be adequate defense in a court of law for outrageous criminal acts by terrorists who call themselves Christians, it is surprisingly effective in gaining sympathy and understanding with fundamentalist Christians in the general public.
With the same language and in the same tone that Tea Party politicians make their charges against government, both McVeigh and Breivik railed against taxation. Before the Oklahoma City bombing Timothy McVeigh wrote in letters to editors of newspapers that “Taxes are a joke.” He wrote, “Regardless of what a political candidate promises, they will increase taxes and more taxes are always the answer to government mismanagement. They mess up. We suffer. Taxes are reaching cataclysmic levels, with no slowdown in sight. Is a Civil War imminent? Do we have to shed blood to reform the current system. I hope it doesn’t come to that. But it might.”
Norway’s aryan terrorist Anders Behring Breivik is a self-described fundamentalist Christian who wrote in his manifesto before he killed more than ninety Norwegians last week that he was starting a Christian war to defend Europe against the threat of Muslim immigration and domination. His manifesto is also a classic rant against social and political liberalism. He wrote of his hatred of government and his belief that taxation is killing the spirit of the Norwegian people.
If the rhetoric of McVeigh and Breivik sounds familiar, it’s because it is the same as the manifesto developed and updated weekly by Grover Norquist, Tim Phillips, and the Koch-funded Freedom Federation. Sponsored by the Freedom Federation at Liberty University a week ago, Phillips moderated an “Awakening” conference for elected Tea Party politicians. The meeting was funded by the Koch brothers. The Norwegian terrorist Breivik may never have heard of the Koch brothers or of Grover Norquist or Tim Phillips, and I’m quite sure America’s home-grown terrorists don’t personally know Norquist or the Texas billionaire Koch brothers... but they are reassured and inspired by them in their rage and their planning. It isn’t a stretch to assume that terrorists believe they have been given tacit permission for their acts against government. Norway’s Breivik made it clear in his writings that he believes his monstrous crimes were the Christian thing to do.
Unlike Breivik and McVeigh who chose to shoot and bomb people to death to draw attention to their fundamentalist beliefs, Norquist and other Tea Party leaders have developed more subtle strategies. One of them is a pledge required of all Republicans who expect to get campaign funding from the Norquist’s money pump (“I pledge to the taxpayers of the state of and all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against all efforts to increase taxes.”). Michelle Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty and other notable Tea Party politicians came to the table early to sign. Norquist has said he is determined to get all Republican candidates for the presidency to sign his pledge.
What is developing in our country today is a classic tale of wolf in sheep’s clothing. Clad in what they believe are patriots’ uniforms, a small but determined army of political zealots are being led by a few right-wing extremists into a relentless campaign to subvert and eventually destroy the American democracy that founders of the American nation envisioned. The Tea Party folks insist that they are simply taking up the work of “The Founding Fathers.” Recorded history shows clearly that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Mason, Benjamin Franklin and most of the others who had something to do with creating and endorsing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States certainly were not Christian fundamentalists. Tea party Republicans and other extremist political sects within the Republican Party claim their efforts to “reform” government are consistent with the goals laid down at the beginning of the American republic and with the principles of Christian fundamentalism.
Democrats are not blameless in the recent rise to power of political operatives very much like Grover Norquist. The pay to play game in Washington isn’t just a spectator sport with Democrats watching what Republicans do. Democrats can be players as well. They also are manipulated by lobbyists who can funnel corporate money into political campaigns or withhold funds and dry up reelection support. It’s very difficult for ordinary Americans from ordinary families with ordinary financial means to run for political office and get elected. After they manage to get elected the first time, elected officials must spend inordinate time and effort raising money to support campaigns, time and effort that they should be spending doing the job they were elected to do. Lobbyists make life easier for politicians. To harried politicians the help of an effective lobbyist is often irresistible.
Integrity must be restored to American political practice. Fundamentalist Christianity is not likely to be of help in the effort to return integrity to government, but there is at the heart of the Christian Gospel a simple ethic that can make the difference. It hasn't anything to do with getting to heaven or avoiding hell in the future. It's a matter of responding now to the world and everybody in it the way we would like the world to respond to us... of caring for everybody, even those whom we don't know personally... and even if by responding in ways that are morally right there is a little more cost in taxes to all of us.
With the same language and in the same tone that Tea Party politicians make their charges against government, both McVeigh and Breivik railed against taxation. Before the Oklahoma City bombing Timothy McVeigh wrote in letters to editors of newspapers that “Taxes are a joke.” He wrote, “Regardless of what a political candidate promises, they will increase taxes and more taxes are always the answer to government mismanagement. They mess up. We suffer. Taxes are reaching cataclysmic levels, with no slowdown in sight. Is a Civil War imminent? Do we have to shed blood to reform the current system. I hope it doesn’t come to that. But it might.”
Norway’s aryan terrorist Anders Behring Breivik is a self-described fundamentalist Christian who wrote in his manifesto before he killed more than ninety Norwegians last week that he was starting a Christian war to defend Europe against the threat of Muslim immigration and domination. His manifesto is also a classic rant against social and political liberalism. He wrote of his hatred of government and his belief that taxation is killing the spirit of the Norwegian people.
If the rhetoric of McVeigh and Breivik sounds familiar, it’s because it is the same as the manifesto developed and updated weekly by Grover Norquist, Tim Phillips, and the Koch-funded Freedom Federation. Sponsored by the Freedom Federation at Liberty University a week ago, Phillips moderated an “Awakening” conference for elected Tea Party politicians. The meeting was funded by the Koch brothers. The Norwegian terrorist Breivik may never have heard of the Koch brothers or of Grover Norquist or Tim Phillips, and I’m quite sure America’s home-grown terrorists don’t personally know Norquist or the Texas billionaire Koch brothers... but they are reassured and inspired by them in their rage and their planning. It isn’t a stretch to assume that terrorists believe they have been given tacit permission for their acts against government. Norway’s Breivik made it clear in his writings that he believes his monstrous crimes were the Christian thing to do.
Unlike Breivik and McVeigh who chose to shoot and bomb people to death to draw attention to their fundamentalist beliefs, Norquist and other Tea Party leaders have developed more subtle strategies. One of them is a pledge required of all Republicans who expect to get campaign funding from the Norquist’s money pump (“I pledge to the taxpayers of the state of and all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against all efforts to increase taxes.”). Michelle Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty and other notable Tea Party politicians came to the table early to sign. Norquist has said he is determined to get all Republican candidates for the presidency to sign his pledge.
What is developing in our country today is a classic tale of wolf in sheep’s clothing. Clad in what they believe are patriots’ uniforms, a small but determined army of political zealots are being led by a few right-wing extremists into a relentless campaign to subvert and eventually destroy the American democracy that founders of the American nation envisioned. The Tea Party folks insist that they are simply taking up the work of “The Founding Fathers.” Recorded history shows clearly that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Mason, Benjamin Franklin and most of the others who had something to do with creating and endorsing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States certainly were not Christian fundamentalists. Tea party Republicans and other extremist political sects within the Republican Party claim their efforts to “reform” government are consistent with the goals laid down at the beginning of the American republic and with the principles of Christian fundamentalism.
Democrats are not blameless in the recent rise to power of political operatives very much like Grover Norquist. The pay to play game in Washington isn’t just a spectator sport with Democrats watching what Republicans do. Democrats can be players as well. They also are manipulated by lobbyists who can funnel corporate money into political campaigns or withhold funds and dry up reelection support. It’s very difficult for ordinary Americans from ordinary families with ordinary financial means to run for political office and get elected. After they manage to get elected the first time, elected officials must spend inordinate time and effort raising money to support campaigns, time and effort that they should be spending doing the job they were elected to do. Lobbyists make life easier for politicians. To harried politicians the help of an effective lobbyist is often irresistible.
Integrity must be restored to American political practice. Fundamentalist Christianity is not likely to be of help in the effort to return integrity to government, but there is at the heart of the Christian Gospel a simple ethic that can make the difference. It hasn't anything to do with getting to heaven or avoiding hell in the future. It's a matter of responding now to the world and everybody in it the way we would like the world to respond to us... of caring for everybody, even those whom we don't know personally... and even if by responding in ways that are morally right there is a little more cost in taxes to all of us.
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