USA: Christian Fundamentalist?

Bonzodog

I had a thought today;
With all the recent goings-on in the US, and some of it's stranger policies, is the USA becoming a Christian Fundamentalist State?

If it is, surely that means it is attacking the muslim states in an almost crusade-like fashion. It seems that GW Bush has always let the church and christian far-right have a major influence in government policy.

What do people think?

mike65

I think its a good question. The rise of evangelical churches has been astonshing, I can only guess most of thier adherants already lurked in the suburban undergrowth. They do only seem to vote for one party so they could deliver Republican presidents from now till Kingdom Come (geddit?!)
unless those who back the Democrats actually get out and vote.

Did anyone see that Channel 4 news report two nights ago? "Jihaist" Christians ready to kill and die for thier fundamentalist beliefs?

The United States will I think become ruptured sometime this century as the Old Testament crowd either take over or get out and form a state within a state.

Mike.

Hobbes

There was a good documentry some time back called "God's next army". There is a thread on it in this forum. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054942700

There is also a movie coming out called "Jesus Camp". Oddly enough both pro/anti are saying the movie is an accurate portrayal.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jesus+camp&search=Search

Anyway the point is that the US isn't becoming a Christian Fundamentalist because of its population but rather that the Christian Fundamentalists realise that if they put people into places of power and indoctrinate early they can change the country.

bounty

oh ffs jebus camp... brainwashing camp

Sgt. Sensible

The bible belt is huge and there are powerful elements in the republican party who advocate a culture war against a 'radical left' that exists only in their own minds.

"There is a religious war going on in our country for the soul of America. It is a cultural war, as critical to the kind of nation we will one day be as was the Cold War itself." - as Pat Buchanan put it.

J.S. Pill

Sgt. Sensible wrote:

The bible belt is huge and there are powerful elements in the republican party who advocate a culture war against a 'radical left' that exists only in their own minds.

This isn't confined to just the republician party. Some of you might have heard of prominent 'independent populist' pundit Bill O' Reilly's new book Culture Warrior': http://www.billoreilly.com/culturewarrior

Check it out, there's even a reference to his Irish roots in the preface! As much as I try, I just can't hate the guy!

I really think this is a topic that should be approached with caution. That chanel 4 documentary was interesting and all but it is precisely because the subject matter makes such good television that we should try our best to maintain some perspective. Some commentary would have us believe the christian fundamentalism in the US just arose overnight as if bush getting elected was some signal for everyone to throw up their hands and praise the good lord.

Anyway, continue...

Hobbes

It didn't raise overnight, it is just since the Bush administration they have been a lot more blatant in thier agenda and are in a position to enact change to thier liking. I mean the US has a president at the moment that actually supports Creationism!

silverharp

I doubt if it drives policy but there is an overlap. I would say the US is behaving like an Empire with fascist overtones. I can only hope that the US dollar will fall apart in the coming years and that they will "get back in their box"

mike65

Yah! Global depression!

Mike.

bonkey

Check the reaction to the whole Mark Foley affair.

Compare to what a Christian Fundamentalist's reaction would be to such an affair.

Conclusion : No, Christian Fundamentalists don't run America. "Strong Family Values" and all the rest of it is just a flag of convenience to wave when it suits.

daithimac

The christian movement while easy to mock are also a major force for good in america. they run great number of charitable organisations and some of there political objectives are more in line with those of Europe than there goverments would be

constitutionus

you know whats really scary? john carpenter predicted all this in "escape from L.A"

Gotta admit the "land of the free" aint looking so free lately:D

bonkey

daithimac wrote:

The christian movement

Is not the Christian Fundamentalist movement.

Attractive Nun

A Christian Fundamentalist state? What?

Whether or not it's intended, such language appears to me to be nothing more than an attempt by some to create some sort of moral equivalence between the government of the US and the governments of the states it denounces (Iraq, Iran etc.). It hardly needs to be said that no reasonable comparison can be drawn between the maniacal despotism of Middle Eastern dictators and the vaguely Christian influences within the American administration. But when America is labelled "Christian Fundamentalist", it takes a fairly sectarian attitude towards Islam to conclude that there is much difference between a "Christian Fundamentalist" state and an "Islamic Fundamentalist" state.

So, in conclusion, no, America is not becoming a fundamentalist state. I mean, really, look at the laws in America compared to here, for example. Gay marriage is well on the way to becoming an institution in America, abortion is legal, separation of church and state is enshrined into the constitution. There is of course a (perhaps) growing population of vocal Christians in parts of the country, call them fundamentalists if you will. Any true liberal cannot condemn this as it's merely a cultural quirk of the regions in question - and of course no one here would deny anyone's right to their own religion, and I hope no one would mock people's choices. I'll admit to being disgusted by the socially conservative politics of many of these people, and I am worried by the influence such a group wields over the American administration, but it's downright anti-American to simply label the entire state fundamentalist because of this relatively small issue.

Hobbes

Attractive Nun wrote:

So, in conclusion, no, America is not becoming a fundamentalist state. I mean, really, look at the laws in America compared to here,

Yes lets.

for example. Gay marriage is well on the way to becoming an institution in America,

Actually its banned in most States and Bush has brought to a Federal issue to ensure that those states that allow Gay marriage can't.

Bush has also publically called for a ban on Same sex marriages. Heck his re-election campaign was built on it.

He's even practically said on Television that Gays are undermining America.

abortion is legal,

However Bush has signed into law making it harder to get an Abortion for some women. You also have a very hard core anti-abortion judge signed into the SCJ.

Heres more on it.
http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2003/11/12/abortion/index_np.html

separation of church and state is enshrined into the constitution.

Creationism.

I am worried by the influence such a group wields over the American administration, but it's downright anti-American to simply label the entire state fundamentalist because of this relatively small issue.

So the question becomes is it the State that enacts the laws or the people? Is Irans population fundies? If not why do the Fundies have the power? The same could be asked of the US.

And as Bonkey says and it should be made clear as possible that Christian Fundamentalists are not your average Christian and they shouldn't be lumped together.