Dominionism in American Politics – "Expanding the discussion behind the Headlines"
What IS Dominionism?
In a word - theocracy.
Think of this word as a big umbrella. Under the umbrella of Political Dominionism are numerous "franchises" or sects of radical Christian belief whose goal it is to take "dominion" over all things secular.
This is as good a time as any to announce that later this week on January 21st I will have the honor of becoming the newest member on the Board of Directors for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation at the request of Mikey Weinstein.
The following story is why I am passionate about contributing to the work being done by MRFF in the tireless efforts to protect military personnel from religious fanaticism, and consequently the rest of us from a military run by Christian Dominioinists. If this story doesn’t convince you of the religious extremism insinuating itself into our military, nothing will…
U.S. Military Weapons Inscribed With Secret ‘Jesus’ Bible Codes
By Brian Ross, Joseph Rhee and Tahman Bradley January 18, 2010
“Coded references to New Testament Bible passages about Jesus Christ are inscribed on high-powered rifle sights provided to the United States military by a Michigan company, an ABC News investigation has found.
The sights are used by U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and in the training of Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. The maker of the sights, Trijicon, has a $660 million multi-year contract to provide up to 800,000 sights to the Marine Corps, and additional contracts to provide sights to the U.S. Army.
U.S. military rules specifically prohibit the proselytizing of any religion in Iraq or Afghanistan and were drawn up in order to prevent criticism that the U.S. was embarked on a religious “Crusade” in its war against al Qaeda and Iraqi insurgents.
One of the citations on the gunsights, 2COR4:6, is an apparent reference to Second Corinthians 4:6 of the New Testament, which reads: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Other references include citations from the books of Revelation, Matthew and John dealing with Jesus as “the light of the world.” John 8:12, referred to on the gun sights as JN8:12, reads, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”…[read entire story here]
Here is an appeal for help to MRFF by a young man who was re-deployed to Afghanistan for his 4th tour. His 4th! And he is only 22 years old. He is a red-blooded Caucasian American, born defender of his country’s freedom and constitution, father, husband and follower of the Muslim faith.
To: Mikey Wenstein and MRFF:
I am a U.S. Army infantry soldier with the rank of (rank withheld). I am married with children. I am stationed at Fort (installation name withheld). I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times. I have been awarded medals for direct combat engagement as well as for injuries and wounds received in hand-to-hand combat. I am a Muslim American. My family converted when I was very young. I am Caucasian and have a last name that does not sound ethnic. Therefore, few of my fellow soldiers know that I am a Muslim.
My wife comes from a Christian tradition but rarely practices or attends church. I have witnessed terrible religious persecution in the my (number withheld) years in the Army. Most of it comes from “angry” conservative Christians in my unit chains of command and occasionally from my fellow infantry soldiers.
I am very familiar with the Trijicon ACOG gunsights and have often had them as part of my personal weapons; both my M-4 and my M-16. In my first 2 deployments I saw and experienced no incidents regarding the New Testament bible quotes that are written on the metal casing of the gunsights. Many soldiers know of them and are very confused as to why they are there and what it is supposed to mean. Everyone is worried that if they were captured in combat that the enemy would use the bible quotes against them in captivity or some other form of propaganda.
Defending the US Constitution
As an American soldier I am ashamed that those bible quotes are on our primary weapons. As a Muslim American I am horrified. As one who swore his oath to the Constitution, I am driven to fight this Christian insanity but I know if I try to do so in a visible way that I will suffer at the hands of my military superiors. I am of low enlisted rank and can be crushed easily. I am prepared to suffer, but I am not prepared for my wife and children to suffer.
So I have reached out to MRFF because there is nowhere else safe to go to try to fight this thing of disgrace. There are many other soldiers who feel as I do. Many are Protestant and Catholic and they fear reprisal just as much as I do for trying to stand up to the Christian bullies in uniform who outrank us. But if you try to fight back, you are not “asking” for trouble, YOU ARE IN TROUBLE from the start. And if you are a Muslim American, the hatred is always just below the surface and ready to explode at a moment’s notice. After the Fort Hood shootings, it was so bad, even for a low profile Muslim like me, that I had to ask MRFF for help.
Nothing in my first 2 deployments prepared me for what happened with the Trijicon ACOG gunsights during my 3rd deployment to Afghanistan. I will never forget the day it occurred. It was morning and there was a mandatory formation of several companies. A very senior NCO was yelling at us which is not that unusual. He asked a private what it was that he (the private) was holding in his hand and the private said it was his “weapon” several times to which the senior NCO replied “and what ELSE is it”?
Finally, the senior NCO said that the private’s rifle was also something else; that because of the biblical quote on the ACOG gunsight it had been “spiritually transformed into the Fire Arm of Jesus Christ” and that we would be expected to kill every “haji” we could find with it. He said that if we were to run out of ammo, then the rifle would become the “spiritually transformed club of Jesus Christ” and that we should “bust open the head of every haji we find with it.’ “He said that Uncle Sam had seen fit not to give us a “pussy ‘Jewzzi’ (combination of the word ‘Jew’ and Israeli made weapon ‘Uzi’) but the “fire arm of Jesus Christ” and made specific mention of the biblical quotes on our gunsights. He said that the enemy no doubt had quotes from the Koran on their guns but that “our Lord is bigger than theirs because theirs is a fraud and an idol”.
As a Muslim and an American soldier I was fit to be tied but I kept it in. There were many Afghans, both civilian and military, on base within earshot of what was being yelled at us and I can only wonder in shock what they must have thought. This senior NCO was apparently also the head person of a conservative, crazy Christian group called the “Christian Military Fellowship” and made a big deal about the importance of joining to everyone. He told us all that we MUST read a book called “Under Orders” in order to make it through this combat deployment and said he had many copies for everyone. Some of my friends went and got their copies. I refused.
Finally, this senior NCO ended his yelling by warning us that if we did not “get right with Jesus” then our rifles would not provide spiritual strength despite the bible quotes on our ACOG gunsights and that we would be considered “spiritual cripples” to our fellow units and soldiers. He didn’t say it in so many words, but the message was clear; if anything bad happened in a combat situation, it would be the fault of anyone who had not accepted Jesus Chris in the “right way”.
I have never felt so ashamed and scared in my life. I have never hated myself so much for not speaking out. So I thought of my wife and children and endured. Every time I looked at my rifle with that Trijicon ACOG gunsight/scope with the biblical quote from the book of John (8:12), it would make me sick. If I had tried to protest, it would have made me dead. And if I’m dead I’m of no use to my wife and children.” ~ Anonymous Soldier
Extreme pressures brought on by relentless proselytizing, demands to convert or be ridiculed, punished and ostracized…and the worst – the threat of being left without dependable back up in a combat encounter by your fellow soldiers – are all common practice by these self-proclaimed God’s Army soldiers.
According to ABC, when asked about the inscriptions…
“Tom Munson, director of sales and marketing for Trijicon, which is based in Wixom, Michigan, said the inscriptions “have always been there” and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is “not Christian.” The company has said the practice began under its founder, Glyn Bindon, a devout Christian from South Africa who was killed in a 2003 plane crash.”
“Have always been there”…since 2003. That is a different definition of the word “always” in my world, Mr. Munson. This manufacturer is making millions and millions of dollars peddling the fear of god. Our own soldiers feel as threatened by this religious extremism as the enemy. What makes these Khristians any different from the Islamic extremists they detest so much and long to exterminate?
And just a clarification…this is not about anti-Christian agendas masked by efforts to uphold the separation of church and state. Read the young soldier’s story again…people of ALL faiths are frightened by these members of an extreme Christian cult who truly does have an agenda…Dominionism.
As if it is not enough to be away from home, loved ones, and putting your life and limb in danger to protect the freedoms that you cannot even rely on receiving in the military!
“This is probably the best example of violation of the separation of church and state in this country,” said Weinstein. “It’s literally pushing fundamentalist Christianity at the point of a gun against the people that we’re fighting. We’re emboldening an enemy.” ~ Mikey Weinstein, Founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation
This story will also be airing on ABC’s Nightline tonight in much greater depth.
America, I knew, has an ever growing problem in regards to the separation of church and state, but THIS………………..THIS is simply disgusting.
I am reposting this great post I found on The Mudflats.
It points out perfectly, how bastardized the "idea" of the founding fathers vision and the constitution have become:
Desert Mudpup Says:
January 18th, 2010 at 12:41 PM
So, S’arah claims all the Founders are her favorite – or at least that she likes them all b/c of their “diversity.” I wonder if that really extends to those whose diversity includes these views on religion?
Thomas Paine, Pamphleteer, Revolutionary writer, inventor, intellectual.
“I detest the Bible as I detest everything that is cruel.”
“Reasoning with one who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to a dead man.”
“The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on no principles; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing; and it admits of no conclusion.”
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of… Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all.”
George Washington, 1st POTUS
“The United States of America should have a foundation free from the influence of clergy. Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.”
John Adams, 2nd POTUS
“God is an essence we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is gotten rid of, there will never be any liberal science in the world.”
“The question before the human race is, whether the God of Nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether priests and kings shall rule it by fictitious miracles?”
Adams was drawn to the study of law but faced pressure from his father to become a clergyman. He wrote that he found among the lawyers ‘noble and gallant achievments,” but among the clergy, the “pretended sanctity of some absolute dunces.” Late in life he wrote,
“Twenty times in the course of my late reading, have I been upon the point of breaking out, ‘This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!’”
Thomas Jefferson, 3rd POTUS
“Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man. The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves. These clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ. The Christian God is a being of terrific character – cruel, vindictive, capricious, and unjust. In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to Liberty. I do not find in orthodox
Christianity one redeeming feature. The clergy believe that any power confided in me will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly.”
James Madison, 4th POTUS
“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.”
“Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by ecclesiastical bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history.”
“During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.”
Abraham Lincoln, 16th POTUS
“My earlier views on the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of Salvation have become clearer and stronger with advancing years.”
“The Bible is not my book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma.”
“I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies.”
And speaking through Poor Richard, 1758:
“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.”
It would seem that many of our Founders would have some strong disagreement with the views of S’arah and others as to whether they intended no barring of the conflation of politics and religion, and on the issue of whether they founded a Christian nation. We would do well to remember that our Founders learned the lessons of just such a history.
My goodness. Who knew? Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
How can we get this outrageous behavior stopped? My Senators are both Republicans who are likely to support this and my federal Representative is retiring and is likely to be replaced by a conservative Republican so contacting any of them is futile. Honestly, the two Senators from Kansas are truly oblivious to the opinions of the rank and file voters. The only listen to their large contributors.
I hope someone reading your blog can point the way to a source which may help us make a real impact on these outrageous policies.
Thanks for investing your time to help us make a difference.
ks – send your rep. and senators emails anyway. It might feel pointless, but you have the right to go on record with your opinions.
Also, feel free to email senators and reps from other states and districts. I email several all the time. You may not be able to vote for THEM, but their votes affect YOU. They need to know that people all over the country are behind them. For starters try:
Sen. Schumer, NY
Sen Menendez, NJ
Sen Kerry, MA
Sen. Franken, MN
Rep. Anthony Weiner, NY
Rep. Rush Holt, NJ
Rep. Alan Grayson, FL
Rep. Barney Frank, MA
The fight against this is not futile, in fact we are just building and the gains against Christian extremism is getting noticed. Mainstream Christians are as appalled and concerned as non-Christians.
It is a fight against an extreme sect of Christianity that no more represents true Christians anymore than Islamic extremists represent all of Islamic faith.
Hang in there with us! I am building a Call to Action site as we speak that will have steps all of us can take to effect the change we need to make it so that you do not have to say,
"My Senators are both Republicans who are likely to support this and my federal Representative is retiring and is likely to be replaced by a conservative Republican so contacting any of them is futile."
Hopefully, this will get wider attention once it's seen on ABC's newscast.
The post reminded me that Sarah Palin once said that her work as governor was of no avail unless the hearts of Alaskans were right with God. She also presumed to know God's will, with respect to the pipeline. LINK to the ADN article.
Congratulations, Leah! You will be a wonderful addition to the MRFF. I am sending you a donation right now. Wish it could be larger. The military mindset is very concerning. Someone I know just sent me this. We all have work to do to
raise the world's consciousness above thinking that the goal is having the best weapon and the 'best' religion – and then to impose that religion on others. You are vital in this quest. Thank you so much for all your efforts.
Sinister… you caught that one right!
Just as the science fiction of yore is no longer fiction, Orwell's "1984" has, in a much more sophisticated and YES sinister way, come to envelop us all, and yet:
There is evolution in invention, and every discovery has a counterpart. Orwell did not/could not
have anticipated our technical advances, and yet, here we are: Willingly under the surveillance of Google etc., not merely of our leaders, but busily blogging away in the quest of changing their world of influence. Power to the People is alive and well… for the moment!
So far, so good… but… independent thought is dangerous to Those Who Wish To Rule!
If I comment now, I shall be thrown into moderation or banned for using foul language!
I am a pacifist, by nature and nurture, but as of this moment, I want to… oh, no, nevermind!
My thanks to all of you who are more coherent than I am at this moment!
This needs to get to "Those Who Rule" and addressed in the name of Separation of Church & State!
I can't tell you how much your donations mean to me. I was working every moment as it was…now I have to sleep less! It is not going to be easy but with your help, it allows me to be the activist that I am and I can assure you…we are going to make an impact!
Sarah Palin sees no use for Separation of Church and State and with her AIP friends are continuing to march forward as the Press sits back till someone shoves it in their faces.
Thank you Mikey Weinstein and Leah for doing the Media's job for them.
It is too bad that our Cowardly Press turned their backs to the Palins deep involvement with the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party) when Sarah hit the scene with McCain.
The AIP has groomed, financed and made Palin's walk into Mayor, Governor, & VP 'wanna be' from the start of her Political ambitions.
Ms. Palin's beliefs 'mirror-image' the AIP's standards and at least Salon.com tried to educate the Public about her dangerous ties to this Organization of Terror, while the rest of the Media buried it.
I hear and second your frustrations. Unfortunately, as long as major money owns the news media, we will never have true reporting. It is sad to say, but true. Unless it smacks of tabloid material it is unlikely to see light in a news room. And so much money passes through the 501(c)(3) "churches and ministries" that it is virtually impossible to know whose toes are being stepped on in the corrupt world of Christian Dominonism.
Nevertheless…a list is being compiled and will be forthcoming in the book Alex and I are really working to get out.
(Part 2) It is the opium of the people.” Who is more oppressed than a soldier? They control key people in the military with it who then use it to control others. I have become very alarmed about where this country is going. They have been in control a long time and now have most of the money. I am extremely alarmed about the militarization of the relief efforts in Haiti. My eyes are opened and I can read between the lines. I see a military base in Haiti's future. Latin America is very afraid.
(Part1) Leah congratulations about joining the board of directors of MRFF. I am very happy to know you will be sitting on that board. I just read James Douglas', JFK, The Unspeakable a book I recommend for every U.S. citizen. It is clear to me now JFK, MLK, and JFK were all killed by government agencies on the orders of higher ups. It is also clear it was because they opposed the war that someone wanted make a lot of money on. These powers are much stronger today, but everyone can see examples of what they are and how they control the government through the HCR bill. They had us convinced MLK was killed because of prejudice, the main reason was he opposed the money making war machine. Some of those corporate monsters have gotten religion all entwined with their money making. Karl Marx said, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.
Absolutely chilling post! Christianity forced on friendly and enemy combatants alike….down the barrel of a gun!! Such an amazingly STUPID idea! In effect, these morons are trying to make the wars in the 21st century……religious wars. Nobody EVER wins religious wars. Just century after century of blood and death….
Thanks for the heads up, Leah. SOMETHING must be done about this. Each individual soldier should be able to practice the faith of his/her heart in a way that will give them strength, courage, and wisdom to meet the challenges and travails of battle…..but it’s frankly obscene to think of Christianity being used as the instrument of death.
…Indeed! And these soldiers (many of whom are still kids) are terrified by this ridiculous lapse in judgement. Here is one that came in today about these gunsights…
"Mikey,
We have a good friend who's a former Marine. I sent him the story and when he got home tonight, he looked at his ACOG and following the optic strengths, here is what it said:
"JN8:12"
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
This has spooked him more than anything he's heard, read, known. For him to think that he was in Iraq with this very weapon and never knew it. He's having a lot of trouble with this.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, he is not in a position to talk to the media for reasons which I totally understand.
What an incredibly horrific yet groundbreaking story. And to realize that none of this would ever seen the light of day but for you. In my book, the Nobel Peace Prize belongs to you, no question.
Please, please be more careful than ever. You're making a lot of uglies crazy mad.
You are a represenative of the light of the universe. Face it or not Islamic american soldiers should not be allowed to fight against their brothers. In WWII Italian americans were given a choice…..most of them wound up fighting the Japanese.
Congratulations Leah! I just read about your new position on Bree's blog , and I'm so happy for you and those whom your hard work willl serve.
This post is most disturbing to me on so many levels. I don't think Jesus's weapon of choice needed inscriptions, they were his good words, deeds, and the example he set. I feel badly for the soldiers who have no choice but to follow orders from these zealots, and it must be brought out into the open and stopped. This is part of the legacy of GWBush , his "Faith Based Initiative and the contractors he allowed into the military.
My only wish is that once this story hits the airwaves, our President acts swiftly to put an end to these contracts and practices because it puts our soldiers in peril.
Thank you so much…we have a lot of work to do! We need all of you to come along for this ride. It will be a wild one, but worth the battle.
I couldn't agree with you more. Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney all had their filthy hands in this mess. What the zealots don't compute, nor care about, is that it isn't just Christian tax dollars paying these contractors to put Christian propaganda on American weapons that are issued to many who are NOT Christian…not to mention the inflammatory dangers when these weapons with their arrogant messages end up in the hands of the enemy.
2003 – interesting as everyone would recall was the start of the current war in Iraq. This of course is highly disturbing as many have mentioned, but also not surprising. The military often seems to operate in unquestioned secrecy to a certain extent. That being said, you would think that there would be some high ranking officials who would at least recognize what the soldiers themselves have pointed out, namely the risk of retaliation after getting captured with these weapons.
I hope when this story is investigated further that some one discovers which people were responsible for this contract and who approved inscribing bible verses on the gun sights. The orders came from somewhere.
By Brian Ross, Joseph Rhee and Tahman Bradley January 18, 2010
I am a U.S. Army infantry soldier with the rank of (rank withheld). I am married with children. I am stationed at Fort (installation name withheld). I have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan multiple times. I have been awarded medals for direct combat engagement as well as for injuries and wounds received in hand-to-hand combat. I am a Muslim American. My family converted when I was very young. I am Caucasian and have a last name that does not sound ethnic. Therefore, few of my fellow soldiers know that I am a Muslim.
Extreme pressures brought on by relentless proselytizing, demands to convert or be ridiculed, punished and ostracized…and the worst – the threat of being left without dependable back up in a combat encounter by your fellow soldiers – are all common practice by these self-proclaimed God’s Army soldiers.
It took seven years for this to come to light? WOW just WOW!
When slayer Palin sighted in on that moose, poor thing didn't have a chance.
Outrageous does not BEGIN to describe this……………..
America, I knew, has an ever growing problem in regards to the separation of church and state, but THIS………………..THIS is simply disgusting.
I am reposting this great post I found on The Mudflats.
It points out perfectly, how bastardized the "idea" of the founding fathers vision and the constitution have become:
Desert Mudpup Says:
January 18th, 2010 at 12:41 PM
So, S’arah claims all the Founders are her favorite – or at least that she likes them all b/c of their “diversity.” I wonder if that really extends to those whose diversity includes these views on religion?
Thomas Paine, Pamphleteer, Revolutionary writer, inventor, intellectual.
“I detest the Bible as I detest everything that is cruel.”
“Reasoning with one who has abandoned reason is like giving medicine to a dead man.”
“The study of theology, as it stands in Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founded on nothing; it rests on no principles; it proceeds by no authorities; it has no data; it can demonstrate nothing; and it admits of no conclusion.”
“I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of… Each of those churches accuse the other of unbelief; and for my own part, I disbelieve them all.”
George Washington, 1st POTUS
“The United States of America should have a foundation free from the influence of clergy. Religious controversies are always productive of more acrimony and irreconcilable hatreds than those which spring from any other cause.”
John Adams, 2nd POTUS
“God is an essence we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is gotten rid of, there will never be any liberal science in the world.”
“The question before the human race is, whether the God of Nature shall govern the world by his own laws, or whether priests and kings shall rule it by fictitious miracles?”
Adams was drawn to the study of law but faced pressure from his father to become a clergyman. He wrote that he found among the lawyers ‘noble and gallant achievments,” but among the clergy, the “pretended sanctity of some absolute dunces.” Late in life he wrote,
“Twenty times in the course of my late reading, have I been upon the point of breaking out, ‘This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it!’”
Thomas Jefferson, 3rd POTUS
“Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man. The clergy converted the simple teachings of Jesus into an engine for enslaving mankind and adulterated by artificial constructions into a contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves. These clergy, in fact, constitute the real Anti-Christ. The Christian God is a being of terrific character – cruel, vindictive, capricious, and unjust. In every country and every age, the priest has been hostile to Liberty. I do not find in orthodox
Christianity one redeeming feature. The clergy believe that any power confided in me will be exerted in opposition to their schemes. And they believe rightly.”
James Madison, 4th POTUS
“Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise.”
“Strongly guarded as is the separation between religion and government in the Constitution of the United States, the danger of encroachment by ecclesiastical bodies may be illustrated by precedents already furnished in their short history.”
“During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity, in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.”
Abraham Lincoln, 16th POTUS
“My earlier views on the unsoundness of the Christian scheme of Salvation have become clearer and stronger with advancing years.”
“The Bible is not my book and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long complicated statements of Christian dogma.”
Benjamin Franklin, Author, printer, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist (community organizer?), diplomat:
“I have found Christian dogma unintelligible. Early in life I absented myself from Christian assemblies.”
And speaking through Poor Richard, 1758:
“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.”
It would seem that many of our Founders would have some strong disagreement with the views of S’arah and others as to whether they intended no barring of the conflation of politics and religion, and on the issue of whether they founded a Christian nation. We would do well to remember that our Founders learned the lessons of just such a history.
I really appreciate your post. Thank you!
My goodness. Who knew? Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
How can we get this outrageous behavior stopped? My Senators are both Republicans who are likely to support this and my federal Representative is retiring and is likely to be replaced by a conservative Republican so contacting any of them is futile. Honestly, the two Senators from Kansas are truly oblivious to the opinions of the rank and file voters. The only listen to their large contributors.
I hope someone reading your blog can point the way to a source which may help us make a real impact on these outrageous policies.
Thanks for investing your time to help us make a difference.
ks – send your rep. and senators emails anyway. It might feel pointless, but you have the right to go on record with your opinions.
Also, feel free to email senators and reps from other states and districts. I email several all the time. You may not be able to vote for THEM, but their votes affect YOU. They need to know that people all over the country are behind them. For starters try:
Sen. Schumer, NY
Sen Menendez, NJ
Sen Kerry, MA
Sen. Franken, MN
Rep. Anthony Weiner, NY
Rep. Rush Holt, NJ
Rep. Alan Grayson, FL
Rep. Barney Frank, MA
The fight against this is not futile, in fact we are just building and the gains against Christian extremism is getting noticed. Mainstream Christians are as appalled and concerned as non-Christians.
It is a fight against an extreme sect of Christianity that no more represents true Christians anymore than Islamic extremists represent all of Islamic faith.
Hang in there with us! I am building a Call to Action site as we speak that will have steps all of us can take to effect the change we need to make it so that you do not have to say,
"My Senators are both Republicans who are likely to support this and my federal Representative is retiring and is likely to be replaced by a conservative Republican so contacting any of them is futile."
Let's get back to secular politics!
Hopefully, this will get wider attention once it's seen on ABC's newscast.
The post reminded me that Sarah Palin once said that her work as governor was of no avail unless the hearts of Alaskans were right with God. She also presumed to know God's will, with respect to the pipeline. LINK to the ADN article.
Congratulations, Leah! You will be a wonderful addition to the MRFF. I am sending you a donation right now. Wish it could be larger. The military mindset is very concerning. Someone I know just sent me this. We all have work to do to
raise the world's consciousness above thinking that the goal is having the best weapon and the 'best' religion – and then to impose that religion on others. You are vital in this quest. Thank you so much for all your efforts.
Here's the link. It is hard to watch. It gets worse and worse. The future in firepower.
http://www.metalstorm.com/release/future-weapons-…
Country Girl, I noticed the narrator use the phrase about metal storm 'the weapon is as sinister as it is deadly". "sinister".
Sinister… you caught that one right!
Just as the science fiction of yore is no longer fiction, Orwell's "1984" has, in a much more sophisticated and YES sinister way, come to envelop us all, and yet:
There is evolution in invention, and every discovery has a counterpart. Orwell did not/could not
have anticipated our technical advances, and yet, here we are: Willingly under the surveillance of Google etc., not merely of our leaders, but busily blogging away in the quest of changing their world of influence. Power to the People is alive and well… for the moment!
So far, so good… but… independent thought is dangerous to Those Who Wish To Rule!
If I comment now, I shall be thrown into moderation or banned for using foul language!
I am a pacifist, by nature and nurture, but as of this moment, I want to… oh, no, nevermind!
My thanks to all of you who are more coherent than I am at this moment!
This needs to get to "Those Who Rule" and addressed in the name of Separation of Church & State!
Oh…there has been a couple of "blue streaks" running around here! You are not alone. Welcome back BTW
Appreciate your assurances and thank you for the "welcome home". You all are my other family!
You're back! I have missed you, my friend.
We'll talk another day???
anytime – get my email from Leah
I can't tell you how much your donations mean to me. I was working every moment as it was…now I have to sleep less! It is not going to be easy but with your help, it allows me to be the activist that I am and I can assure you…we are going to make an impact!
Leah,
Thanks for the above. I have included it in a post as to why we are losing in Afghanistan.
http://bestoftheblogs.com/Home/24879
I think you are an excellent person to work with Mickey Weinstein. God speed and calm seas in your efforts!
Heartfelt thanks, Max!
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Sarah Palin sees no use for Separation of Church and State and with her AIP friends are continuing to march forward as the Press sits back till someone shoves it in their faces.
Thank you Mikey Weinstein and Leah for doing the Media's job for them.
It is too bad that our Cowardly Press turned their backs to the Palins deep involvement with the AIP (Alaskan Independence Party) when Sarah hit the scene with McCain.
The AIP has groomed, financed and made Palin's walk into Mayor, Governor, & VP 'wanna be' from the start of her Political ambitions.
Ms. Palin's beliefs 'mirror-image' the AIP's standards and at least Salon.com tried to educate the Public about her dangerous ties to this Organization of Terror, while the rest of the Media buried it.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/10/10/pali…
I hear and second your frustrations. Unfortunately, as long as major money owns the news media, we will never have true reporting. It is sad to say, but true. Unless it smacks of tabloid material it is unlikely to see light in a news room. And so much money passes through the 501(c)(3) "churches and ministries" that it is virtually impossible to know whose toes are being stepped on in the corrupt world of Christian Dominonism.
Nevertheless…a list is being compiled and will be forthcoming in the book Alex and I are really working to get out.
(Part 2) It is the opium of the people.” Who is more oppressed than a soldier? They control key people in the military with it who then use it to control others. I have become very alarmed about where this country is going. They have been in control a long time and now have most of the money. I am extremely alarmed about the militarization of the relief efforts in Haiti. My eyes are opened and I can read between the lines. I see a military base in Haiti's future. Latin America is very afraid.
(Part1) Leah congratulations about joining the board of directors of MRFF. I am very happy to know you will be sitting on that board. I just read James Douglas', JFK, The Unspeakable a book I recommend for every U.S. citizen. It is clear to me now JFK, MLK, and JFK were all killed by government agencies on the orders of higher ups. It is also clear it was because they opposed the war that someone wanted make a lot of money on. These powers are much stronger today, but everyone can see examples of what they are and how they control the government through the HCR bill. They had us convinced MLK was killed because of prejudice, the main reason was he opposed the money making war machine. Some of those corporate monsters have gotten religion all entwined with their money making. Karl Marx said, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions.
Absolutely chilling post! Christianity forced on friendly and enemy combatants alike….down the barrel of a gun!! Such an amazingly STUPID idea! In effect, these morons are trying to make the wars in the 21st century……religious wars. Nobody EVER wins religious wars. Just century after century of blood and death….
Thanks for the heads up, Leah. SOMETHING must be done about this. Each individual soldier should be able to practice the faith of his/her heart in a way that will give them strength, courage, and wisdom to meet the challenges and travails of battle…..but it’s frankly obscene to think of Christianity being used as the instrument of death.
…Indeed! And these soldiers (many of whom are still kids) are terrified by this ridiculous lapse in judgement. Here is one that came in today about these gunsights…
"Mikey,
We have a good friend who's a former Marine. I sent him the story and when he got home tonight, he looked at his ACOG and following the optic strengths, here is what it said:
"JN8:12"
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
This has spooked him more than anything he's heard, read, known. For him to think that he was in Iraq with this very weapon and never knew it. He's having a lot of trouble with this.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, he is not in a position to talk to the media for reasons which I totally understand.
What an incredibly horrific yet groundbreaking story. And to realize that none of this would ever seen the light of day but for you. In my book, the Nobel Peace Prize belongs to you, no question.
Please, please be more careful than ever. You're making a lot of uglies crazy mad.
Hugs, (Name Withheld)"
You are a represenative of the light of the universe. Face it or not Islamic american soldiers should not be allowed to fight against their brothers. In WWII Italian americans were given a choice…..most of them wound up fighting the Japanese.
I second that last sentence! Be Aware, Leah!
"…men of blood and deceit the Lord detests." Psalm 5.6b
Congratulations Leah! I just read about your new position on Bree's blog , and I'm so happy for you and those whom your hard work willl serve.
This post is most disturbing to me on so many levels. I don't think Jesus's weapon of choice needed inscriptions, they were his good words, deeds, and the example he set. I feel badly for the soldiers who have no choice but to follow orders from these zealots, and it must be brought out into the open and stopped. This is part of the legacy of GWBush , his "Faith Based Initiative and the contractors he allowed into the military.
My only wish is that once this story hits the airwaves, our President acts swiftly to put an end to these contracts and practices because it puts our soldiers in peril.
Thank you so much…we have a lot of work to do! We need all of you to come along for this ride. It will be a wild one, but worth the battle.
I couldn't agree with you more. Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney all had their filthy hands in this mess. What the zealots don't compute, nor care about, is that it isn't just Christian tax dollars paying these contractors to put Christian propaganda on American weapons that are issued to many who are NOT Christian…not to mention the inflammatory dangers when these weapons with their arrogant messages end up in the hands of the enemy.
Our enemies do not need any more fodder!
Of Nightline? It isn't on here yet…
Eastern time xD, the segment finished up an hour ago here.
22 years old and has been deployed four (4) times to Iraq and Afghanistan?
I question that.
2003 – interesting as everyone would recall was the start of the current war in Iraq. This of course is highly disturbing as many have mentioned, but also not surprising. The military often seems to operate in unquestioned secrecy to a certain extent. That being said, you would think that there would be some high ranking officials who would at least recognize what the soldiers themselves have pointed out, namely the risk of retaliation after getting captured with these weapons.
I hope when this story is investigated further that some one discovers which people were responsible for this contract and who approved inscribing bible verses on the gun sights. The orders came from somewhere.
There will be no investigation, because if POTUS orders it, he faces certain elimination. I firmly believe that he is acutely aware of this.
I taped myself an MP4 of the broadcast for archival purposes, and to share with my circle of friends.