Know your Right Wing Christofascists!
Posted: October 3, 2012 Filed under: 2012 elections, religious extremists, right wing hate grouups, VAGINA Ralph Reed, VAGINA Rick Santorum, War on Women | Tags: Jerry Farwell, Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, religious hate speech, religious violence, right wing religious hate groups, theocracy 64 Comments
Here’s a list of the 10 Most Dangerous Religious Right Organizations in the country. These folks are determined to undermine the US constitution that prevents mixing of specific religious doctrines with US law. These people don’t want freedom for their religious practices. They want the US government to enshrine their petty theocratic agendas into law and to persecute the unbelievers.
1. Jerry Falwell Ministries/ Liberty University/Liberty Counsel
Revenue: $522,784,095
2. Pat Robertson Empire
Revenue: $434,971,231
3. Focus on the Family (includes its 501(c)(4) political affiliate CitizenLink)
Revenue: $104,463,950
4. Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly Alliance Defense Fund)
Revenue: $35,145,644
5. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Lobbying Expenditures: $26,662,111
6. American Family
Association
Revenue: $17,955,438
7. Family Research Council
Revenue: $14,840,036 (includes 501(c)(4) affiliate FRC Action)
8. Concerned Women for
America
Revenue: $10,352,628 (includes 501(c)(4) affiliate CWA Legislative Action Committee)
9. Faith & Freedom Coalition
Revenue: $5,494,640
10. Council for National Policy
Revenue: $1,976,747
The Christian Right has basically infiltrated the Republican Party and is most evident as “Teavanagelicals”.
ON AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL, the merger of Christian Right and Tea Party interests is remarkably advanced. The alliance has served as the very foundation stone of theFaith and Freedom Coalition, the latest venture of that intrepid politico-religious entrepreneur, Ralph Reed, which has sprouted chapters in many states, most prominently Iowa, where it sponsored the first candidate forum of the 2012 cycle. There is even a term to describe this new strain of conservatism: the “Teavangelicals,” a subject of a recent broadcast by Christian Right journalist David Brody, which, among other things, examined the conservative evangelical roots of major Tea Party leaders. Most recently, a host of organizations closely connected with the Christian Right and “social issues” causes have signed onto the “Cut, Cap and Balance Pledge,” the Tea Party-inspired oath that demands a position on the debt limit vote that is incompatible with any bipartisan negotiations.
But this convergence between the two groups goes well beyond coalition politics and reflects a radicalization of conservative evangelical elites that is just as striking as the rise of the Tea Party itself. Indeed, the worldview of many Christian Right leaders has evolved into an understanding of government (at least under secularist management) as a satanic presence that seeks to displace God and the churches through social programs, to practice infanticide and euthanasia, to destroy parental control of children, to reward vice and punish virtue, and to thwart America’s divinely appointed destiny as a redeemer nation fighting for Christ against the world’s many infidels.
As an illustration of this phenomenon, it’s worth unpacking a few lines from a recent missive by televangelist James Robison, the convener of two recent meetings of Christian Right leaders in Texas to ponder their role in 2012, and also of a similar session back in 1979 that helped pave the way for Reagan’s conquest of conservative evangelicals. Says Robison:
There are moral absolutes . No person’s failure reduces or redefines the standards carved in stone by the finger of God and revealed in His Word. We must find a way to stop judges and courts from misinterpreting the Constitution and writing their own laws.
“Activist judges” who have developed and applied protections for abortion rights, non-discrimination, and church-state separation have long been a bugaboo for the Christian Right. But Robison appears to be extending this traditional list of evangelical grievances, adding his blessing to the Tea Party’s objection to the string of Supreme Court decisions that enabled the federal government to enact New Deal programs like Social Security that protect people afflicted by personal “failure” from the consequences of their actions.
They have more impact than just trying to deny the civil rights of GLBT, the reproductive rights of women, and the suppression of religious minorities in the US. They have a global agenda that is as much of a terrorist movement as any religious extremist movement abroad. They support governments that believe in not only persecuting but killing GLBT citizens with money and other resources. They actively support militia’s that kill and maim GLBT citizens and non-believers and work to keep women’s status as property and breeding chattel.
In recent weeks, police have descended on the Harare offices of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), seizing the group’s publications and computers as evidence, they claimed, in an ongoing investigation. The police sought to also arrest staff, but the organization’s lawyer has kept them free for now.
The gay rights activist organization is — absurdly — accused of seeking to overthrow President Robert Mugabe’s government and teaching people to commit acts of sodomy.
This police activity underscores the effort of the Mugabe-led ZANU-PF ruling political party to incite anti-LGBT hatred in mobilizing its base for elections next year. Mugabe faces a challenge from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirayi, who recently adopted a pro-LGBT rights position.
In one raid, police forcibly entered GALZ premises and began arresting advocates gathered to discuss the draft constitution under debate. The draft includes anti-gay provisions shaped with help from the US-based Christian right group American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) through its Zimbabwe office. The proposed provisions explicitly prohibit homosexuality and, mimicking American efforts, define marriage as between a man and woman.
Some activists were injured trying to escape over a security fence armed with an electric razor wire. Those caught — 31 men and 13 women — were arrested, bundled into police vehicles, and kept in filthy cells for what GALZ staffer Miles Rutendo remembers as “a night in hell.” Police beat and stomped on the backs of gay rights advocates forced to lie on the wet floor. One victim passed out and was rushed to the hospital.
The physical and mental abuse did not end with their release. In a country where LGBT people suffer brutal harassment, these activists’ sexual preference was exposed to neighbors, families, and workplaces. Their families forced some from their homes. Whether any lose their jobs remains to be seen.
Additional, rallies have been held through out the US that are well within in the boundaries of first amendment free speech rights but definitely fall into the hate speech realm.
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins topped a full day of speakers at “The America for Jesus 2012” prayer rally.
Robertson, a former Republican candidate for president, called the election important, but didn’t mention either major political party or candidate by name.
“I don’t care what the ACLU says or any atheists say. This nation belongs to Jesus, and we’re here today to reclaim his sovereignty,” said Robertson, 82, who founded the Christian Coalition and Christian Broadcasting Network, and ran for president in 1988.
Organizers plan another prayer rally Oct. 20 in Washington, D.C., two weeks before President Barack Obama faces Republican Mitt Romney in the presidential election.
Perkins asked the crowd to pray for elected officials including Obama.
“We pray that his eyes will be open to the truth,” Perkins said.
A number of event organizers, though, have been vocal critics of the Democratic president.
Steve Strang, the influential Pentecostal publisher of Charisma magazine, which was distributed at the rally, recently wrote in a blog post that America is under threat from a “radical homosexual agenda.” He also said Obama “seems to be moving toward some form of European socialism. Speaker Cindy Jacobs has blamed a mysterious Arkansas bird-kill last year on Obama’s repeal of the policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” which allows gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.
Speakers throughout the day condemned abortion, gay marriage and population control as practiced by Planned Parenthood. Christian rock music filled the historic mall as speakers challenged the crowd to overcome the seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and slothfulness.
Yup, these are the same folks we’ve been fighting since the 1980s. It’s going to be a continual fight to keep theocracy out of our state, local, and federal government and to stop the hate-filled agendas of these religious extremists.
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Now that is a good list. I will be sending, sharing and saving this.
They are most definitely out defying the IRS, preaching in the pulpit………….the Alliance Defending Freedom have several cases in the court, google Don Hamel. They are putting money and more money into the cases.
I know, I was just told to “Surrender to Jesus”, and they are praying for me 24 hours a day now. You know how I felt? Insulted.
I am now reading “The Oath” by Jeffrey Toobin.
The US Supreme Court is now almost fully packed by these thinkers with Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Roberts with Kennedy holding close to the same views as evidenced by many of the recent findings.
They are there – and this is outlined in the book – to carry out these policies as they have all been associated with one or more of these groups over the past few decades. ( Clarence Thomas most notably through his wife Ginni.)
This court majority aims to accomplish this goal by reading law as “originalists” meaning that the Constituion would have upheld slavery right through 2012.
Watch for the current docket featuring AA, voters rights, and women’s issues to be overturned under the “originalist” theory unless one or more of them votes otherwise.
This court has gone so Far Right in recent decades that it caused Souter to resign and Sandra Day O’Connor to apologize “for what her party has become”.
Their goal is to dismantle the New Deal and satisfy the Republican Party’s wishes and they make no bones about doing so.
Reading this today only underscores your post of how politicized this current court has become in 30 years.
Roberts is a true ideologue as Chief Justice.
Will it never end? This has nothing to do with religion and everything to do with power. Unfortunatley their followers truly belive that these men are godly people, so they blindly follow and contribute. Stupid followers, machievalian leaders. Evil men shepherding sheeplike people. It’s disgusting.
Right, and what better way to push this stuff through than to turn it into law knowing the SC will will put a further stamp of approval on it.
We are seriously f*cked and surrounded by these nuts. You begin with the “conscience rule” and work out from there.
That is the one thing that scares me the most. Once that is done, the North American continent can kiss goodbye any chance of justice.
Good Post Dak.
The Southern Poverty Law Center follows these christofacist groupies like they’re carrying the plague, because they are.
They also partake in skinhead festivals, and say they are Americans, and that liberals are anti-americans. They have had long family careers, and they are emerging from the darkness, and gathering, and nobody seems to really be watching…………communities are ignoring the hate that is promoted by the groups. Like the KKK it’s kicking.
Great post. These are scary paranoid zealots.
I thought Jesus’ kingdom was supposed to be in heaven not on earth. He was apparently big on compassion too. Something these groups do not have.
How far off is the dunking chair (or is waterboarding the new & improved modern version?) and being burned alive at the stake (or just a napalm bomb from a friendly drone)?
I doubt that they would dunk us, but I have no doubt that if they achieve their objective, we would be imprisoned and perhaps burned at the stake. It’s the right thing to do, doncha know.
Good grief – are those revenue figures yearly revenue??? Over half a billion dollars and what do they spend it on? Poor people? NO! Overturing the separation of church and state or keeping women barefoot and pregnant.
Those pamphlets the Jehovah’s Witness hand out are full of how they want to overthrow secular governments and usher in the Kingdom of God. I have to wonder what my fate would be in that world – prolly not a pretty picture.
Do you realized that Bush gave a hell of alot of money to faith based programs, billions went to the Catholic Church, and notice how they are discrimination against women. They even received stimulus monies, and many of them have health care centers, and food centers, and make sure that you pray with them before you get that pound of hamburger or five pounds of flour. The IRS must be pressured to stop those who mix church and state, and start defunding, and removing them from the welfare rolls.
Yup. Those are annual revenues.
Damn, that’s scary!
I do have a question. Muslims in general, along with Muslims groups are continuously berated by the Right for not denouncing the Muslim terrorists. Why aren’t those who actually practice true Christianity (like the Nuns on the bus) speaking out against these teavangelicals & white supremacist groups? Why are they letting these christofascists define Christianity?
I think that some do. There are also interfaith organizations which promote respectful dialogue. They dont seem to get as much press.
Because somebody told them it was their right, their freedom……………..
NW Luna is right. There are lots of religious people doing good works in this country. I don’t know what I would do without help from my church now that I am disabled. But kind people like that don’t make the news or seek the spotlight.
I’m not saying there are churches that actually do good works. My question is why those who minister to the poor, downtrodden aren’t calling these crazy christians out for there prejudices, hate speech & interference in politics.
I was really surprised to see that the Falwell empire is still so rich and powerful. Those amounts of income for Falwell and Robertson are stunning.
Concerned Women for America – yeah uh-huh. The Lehaye’s penned those horrible Left Behind books – I know this comes up a lot. I actually read the first one and half the second one to see what the fuss was about. The characters were laughable stereotypes (dumb blonde stewardess who I think becomes the Antichrist’s mistress later in the series). The hero is a pilot who buys his new wife (old one got raptured) a mink coat and diamond brooch. And that serves no other plot point but to illustrate this guy’s manly manliness. I guess she’s going to meet Jaysus in her mink with the diamond pinned on. During the End Times…he buys her a mink coat….LOL told you it was funny.
I couldn’t get through the second book.
You have my admiration for trying.
Sorry for being OT but this may fit somehow. Where does Fox find these goofballs? This is clearly nuts.
Fox News psychiatrist: It’s ‘way normal’ to hoard ‘enormous cache’ of weapons because of Iran
Wow. That’s a new low.
These loons are watching too many episodes of “The Undead”.
Who is getting rich? Bullet manufacters – in last dozen years or so, many weapons have been sent to middle eastern contries, enough for every man, woman and child to have a semi-automatic. Guess that’s part of the norm too.
More about that Philadelphia event;
http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/10/religious-right-meets-in-philadelphia-to-demand-christian-nation/
And where does this leave those of us who do not believe?
Who prefer to think that we are not here by some design but by a chance reaction that adapted itself to life through evolution that science has more or less validated?
The separation of church and state was put in there to overcome nimrods like these freaks who seem to believe that shoving their authority down the throats of all of us somehow paves the way to a heaven that probably = and more likely than not = does not exist.
Believe in whatever makes you comfortable but let the rest of us figure out our own journey in life for pete’s sake.
These people are horrible no matter how much gloss is spread over their slimy selves.
If they take over, it leaves me looking for another country.
That is so well stated and I was thinking, it’s almost like a real race discussion, could it really happen?
All of that is anathema to the Religious Right.”
I’m not convinced Pat Robertson believes in anything but himself. I have to think he’s just a typical conman – look at his blood diamond enterprise in Liberia.
OTOH there is this tendency to believe the end justifies the means with “true-believers”.
BB was telling me that he has investments in blood diamonds and all kinds of places where there are nasty dictators
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/pat-robertsons-gold-deal-african-dictator/story?id=9749341#.UGzGiU3A__I
Wow … what a guy!
Akin’s Campaign Stands By Claim Of Abortions On Women Who “Are Not Actually Pregnant” — Cites “ample evidence” of doctors deceiving women into thinking they’re pregnant. Another detour in to women’s health in the still-competitive Missouri race.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccaberg/akins-campaign-stands-by-claim-of-abortions-on-wo
1978? A crooked doctor was caught and that’s his evidence. I read in a comment at Pierce’s that Akin has a Masters in something. I didn’t know there was an academic track in Dumbass.
And here’s granny starver Ryan in an interview for Focus on the Family…
Ryan promises anti-LGBT group: Romney will ‘protect traditional marriage and rule of law’
Three hours until debate time … we’ll be live blogging all of it!!!
I’m debating whether to do the debate or scour websites for Caribbean real estate 🙂
Keep looking Ralph, I checked, internet connections are bad.
I have a friend who is moving to Ontario soon ( the Lake Huron area ). Need I say I am envious? I wonder if I could stow away in the moving van?
Beata, I don’t know how many times I have offered over at the Widdershins, but if you need a place to stay in Ontario ….well I’m the place. I have two empty bedrooms. You have a place to lay your head.
You are always so kind, HT. You know I can’t even think about moving until my mother is gone, but I will remember your offer. Thanks. 🙂
This is OT but it just made me so mad.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/10/03/947981/court-requires-disabled-rape-victim-to-prove-she-fought-back-calls-for-evidence-of-biting-kicking-scratching/
Those judges are complete morons!!!!! That decision is amazingly wrong.
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/gohmert-obama-advice-people-muslim-brotherhood
That scary bastard was an elected judge before running for congress. People here are nuts.
Yes they are. I trying to decide if I should start a drinking game. I only have a bottle of wine. Maybe it will go well with a cold!
I’m not quite winning the battle of the sinus infection yet here. This strain is nasty. The fever is the worst.
Both of you get well soon. Don’t know about wine but tequila can be nice with a cold 🙂
Ralph, that’s a thought, my neighbor has tequila shot parties! But he is kinda crazy, I might not be up to him tonight!
Pd, you could try a hot toddy. Good for a cold and any thing else that ails you.
I’m having chicken soup. 🙂
Don’t they know he’s a Kenyan and not connected to the Ottoman’s?
Evidently they’re just going on the idea that all blah people are the same type of infidel.
Hey just look at what we to look forward to
http://tbogg.firedoglake.com/2012/10/03/and-filling-in-for-carrot-top-will-be-michelle-malkin/
TBogg is right. You couldn’t make that shit up.
I have to bring this up, the press spoke to the Chipotle guy, yes the first caption is funny, but the last one is just another reason Romney doesn’t get it. Romney said thank you back to the guy working in that job instead of saying back, “nice to meet you, too.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/romneys-chipotle-photobomber-speaks
Love this comment from the thread about Rmoney and Chipotle.
Sometimes, yea, sometimes the comments are really good.
SteveM on what I also believe is an Rmoney campaign strategy to flim-flam the larger public.
CAN WE GIVE A NAME TO ROMNEY’S 24-HOUR FLIP-FLOPS? MITT-FLOPS? INSTA-FLOPS?
If only the press would. The media sees it as politics. I see it as not a game but my life.
Bingo!
United Methodist Women fight back against Pam Geller and her Hate Speech in Subway ads.
“Hate speech is not civilized. Support peace in word and deed.”
United Methodist Women’s ads vs hate speech in NYC subway http://www.am-free.blogspot.com/2012/10/support-peace.html
Beautiful ladies!!!
Thanks for posting that, Dak!
Hooray for them!