Bruce Wilson is a fellow researcher that I have the ongoing privilege to reciprocate with in our mutual goal to expose Dominionism and Christian extremism in America. One of those benefits is the ability to re-post each others articles, and the one he wrote yesterday needs to be spread for maximum viewing. He is co-founder of www.talk2action.org and I strongly urge you to use their site as a reliable source for your own research. Bruce is extremely knowledgeable, particularly in the realm of the New Apostolic Reformation and the Transformations Network. You will find articles by my co-researcher, Alex Bird over there as well under her pen name “dogemporer”.
The following is Bruce’s latest article posted at the Daily Kos:
“Pray For Newark” Is a Model For Christian Theocratic Rule
by Bruce Wilson
Consider this following 10 minute video documentary, which presents what it calls the “transformation” of Newark. Initiated by New Jersey residents Lloyd and Joanna Turner in early 2008, the Pray For Newark effort involves a consortium of church volunteers who are working closely with Newark’s police and the mayoral administration of Corey Booker. The effort claims to be able to field an entire army of volunteers, one for each street in the city, organized by city ward – almost like a neighborhood watch. Neighborhood watches have been shown to be effective at reducing crime. So what’s not to like?
Well, as I documented in my story Movement Behind Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” Bill Organizing in Newark, Pray For Newark is closely tied to a an international evangelical ministry whose leaders are in the forefront of opposing gay rights in Hawaii and are closely allied with Ugandan leaders who are leading the push in Uganda for the so-called “kill the gays” bill that would in effect legislate an entire segment of Ugandan society out of existence. As a simple point of fact, the Uganda Anti Homosexuality Bill is harsher than any comparable anti-gay legislation passed, prior to World War Two, in Nazi Germany. The movement can’t currently aim so high in the United States but in Hawaii, where it is highly influential in the executive branch of government, gay rights activists are being treated as second-class citizens whose civil rights can be determined by majority vote.
Another slight problem with Pray For Newark is that it is being led by a Newark minister, the Rev. Bernard Wilks, whose literature for the effort lists the goal of “enemy identification,” (see my Newark story, above) and the Pray For Newark website cites the “Seven Mountains” program which encourages Christians to achieve dominance in all sectors of society. In the video, Pray For Newark founder Lloyd Turner notes that Newark was founded as an overtly Christian city, which is correct. Turner says he wants to return the city to those roots but omits to note that Newark was set up as a theocracy.
The Rev. Bernard Wilks is an apostle in the International Coalition of Apostles (ICA), one of the major organizational bodies of a new reorganization of charismatic Christianity known as the New Apostolic Reformation – whose leaders practice exorcism, burn “witchcraft items,” and have become the new de-facto prayer leaders of the Republican Party.
In this article ICA head C. Peter Wagner explains what’s distinctive about the New Apostolic Reformation. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is extremely closely tied to Wagner’s movement. Talk To Action features a resource directory on the major known entities in the New Apostolic Reformation, here.
Pray For Newark has become so closely tied to Newark’s police department that early in 2010 Newark leader of the effort, the Rev. Bernard Wilks presided over the graduation of 54 new Newark police officers. The graduation was held in a church Wilks preaches at, with Newark’s mayor Corey Booker and other top Newark city officials in attendance.
So where is this headed ? It’s impossible to say, but given that the apostles of the New Apostolic Reformation say they’re working to implement Christian theocratic rule, the indications are not promising. In all likelihood, Newark, NJ is a developing template for the implementation of Christian theocratic government.
Thank you, Bruce!
If this doesn’t scare you as much as it does me then we need paint this picture even more clearly. There is nothing innocent about the infiltration of law enforcement agencies. It is as serious as the Dominionism infiltration in the military that we battle over at the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. These are the issues that should be grabbing our attention…not what the latest shift is or isn’t in the poster family for dysfunction form Wasilla.
Remember what I have been saying about the 7 Mountains Mandate? If you have missed any of it, please search my blog for the articles that I have written here…and absolutely check out the video I have on my sidebar to the right of this post that is their own marketing video on the 7 Mountains Mandate.
Eyes open people!
I dont feel the Judge made the right decission. At ALL!
” Lesbian’s World ”
It’s time to commemorate the collapse of Proposition 8! Homosexual couples now have equality in California!
I am disapointed in Corey Booker letting a religious group get involved in government. He has done a lot of good things for Newark. I hope he is not one of them.
They'll never be able to control 310,000,000 people. Not that I don't fear them, and not that I think it couldn't get ugly, but they are middle-aged, white, obese people in a losing battle. And they are definitely too stupid and too Biblically illiterate to know that the only way real human change happens is from within each individual, not externally or forcibly. Yes, they are very scary, and they are also very screwed up. How utterly ironic that they are totally linked to the one media network (Faux) that is the sluttiest of them all in terms of programming.
I am really pi$$ed off today. I read about an Islamic Mosque (sorry about the redundancy) that is planning to burn Bibles on the anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. They are calling on "true Muslims" all over the world to take part, and hope to have thousands participating. IMHO, this is disgusting, and a slap in the face of all Christians, be they evangelical, or more sedate. Who agrees with me?
Oh, my bad, it's a Christian church in Florida, planning to burn Qu'rans…
Good one, Bad Wolf. Love your approach. Telling, isn't it?
At the risk of invoking Godwin's law, doesn't the current political (republican) tone sound a lot like Germany in the early 1930's? They too were in a serious economic downturn and they found the solution by picking a race of people who were not well liked to begin with and blaming most of their woes on. About the only difference here is that now we have TWO races we get to blame everything on: the Muslims and the Mexicans – and of course all Muslims are of the same race – they're all a bunch of Ay-rabs, dontchaknow (the fact that a person of arab descent looks sort of like a hispanic person is just a bonus).
"Pray for Newark," "The Family" — they're all one. And now even Harper's is advocating that LIBERALS get themselves armed. It used to be the progressives who were organized and knew how to get media attention. What happened?
…Infiltration of the military, the police, and now neighborhood vigilance… ???
Let us not deceive ourselves… those who lead this movement are not illiterate!
I am not asking for ancient research, merely the 20th Century::
Communism, nazism, fascism, religious fanaticism (ok, here we have millennia).. or whatever other labels there may be for dictatorships, and you will find a common pattern:
"Gleichschaltung", German for "synchronization of content" of news, indoctrination of the populace by giving them but One Voice of information, thus stifling discussion, thus achieving the dumbing down of the majority of the population and isolation and intimidation of those who dare to question.
Organization down to the most intimate level of interpersonal communication… i.e. law enforcement to neighborhood and family is the key for the success of any and all dictatorial/dominionist systems.
These manipulators who rule their followers all have read and absorbed those murderous
"playbooks" of history and they are applying them to maximum effect!
How do we stop them? They have infiltrated and they have money. How does one cut the head off? Why is the Thrilla from Wasilla so intimately involved? She certainly has ahold of the media (and entertainment, if I must say so) and wants to influence the government. Where did it all go awry? Is apathy to blame? Ignorance?
Scary stuff indeed, Leah.
"Is apathy to blame? Ignorance? "
Yes, apathy, Ignorance, lack of critical reading and thinking skills, and manipulation.
I just finished watching the BBC's documentary, Century of Self. It's CHILLING! I've not yet recovered, but when I do, I'm watching it again.
It's a four hour commitment. But it's in 4 segments. It will be the most education you ever got out of four hours. Watch and learn how government and business learned how to manipulate the masses. Covers the 20th century. Would love to see it updated to include the last decade.
Knowing what I know, I see dominionist hands in this pie.
If anyone watches, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Episode 1 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
Episode 2 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
Episode 3 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
Episode 4 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
At each site – first, stop the trailer video, then click on the red button "watch film now"
"Gleichschaltung",(see above) Ripley!
All media are owned by WHOM?
Big Capital… and they all are looking at the next quarterly statement!
Nothing more, nothing less! Capitalism gone amok!
Money and Power has ruled for Eons!
Religions are no different. Can we spell Tithing?
Please forgive if I have stepped upon toes…
Yes – apathy, ignorance, lack of critical reading and thinking skills, AND manipulation.
I just finished watching BBC's documentary "Century of Self." It was CHILLING! I haven't quite recovered yet, but when I do, I'm watching it again. I can't emphasize enough how important I think this information is. Watch and learn how government and business have learned to manipulate the masses. It's a four hour commitment, but it is in four segments, so you can get a break. It will be the best education you ever got in four hours. It covers the 20th Century. Wish they'd update it to include the last decade. Knowing what I know, I can see dominionist hands in this pie.
part 1 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 2 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 3 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 4 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
When you get to each site – first, stop the video trailer, then click on the red button that says "watch film now"
If you watch it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Looks like the taliban to me. How long before they try to control your lives?
They are already!
Think "Right to Life" …ARRRGH!
I'd like to encourage the readers to check out the comments under Bruce's post, as well as the original article. The reason is because we're looking at a twofold danger.
The first danger is the possibility of religious groups getting too involved with government affairs.
The second, is the propaganda angle. If these people are exaggerating their involvement/accomplishments, outsiders will not know that unless they were to do some sleuthing, which is not very likely to get done. People believe what they want to believe. A video that looks like they turned an entire city around is what they WANT to believe. Then this starts to look enticing to other cities, especially the poorest with high crimes rates.
Oh yes, Propaganda!
I still think Mr. Murdoch has read and identified with too many of Ian Fleming's "Bad Guys".
This man seems to revels in his status as a rather shadowy figure who (from his native Australia via Hogn Kong, Singapore and the UK became a US Citizen simply by the pull of his influence) single handedly rules FOX. His empire of sensational papers/radio/tv spans the globe and he is the "eminence grise", the unseen power, the puppeteer behind much of what happens in the world overall at this point in time.
I
It is past midnight here, and I apologize for typos… "revel", not revels, and "Hong Kong". Sorry!
No worries…spelling is secondary when the adrenalin is pumping. We all understand that one! Thank you for all your comments…
I am reading them even though I am buried in work on the book and don't have the time to answer all as I have in the past. I will try as time allows…but your discussion is of great value. Thank you!
besides…most of us can tell when it's lousy spelling and grammar and when it's typos.
Glad to see you again F.T.D.
Due to technical difficulties I am posting a comment from GenieO that would not come through. This is for Ripley in CT in particular…
In reply to Ripley:
Yes – apathy, ignorance, lack of critical reading and thinking skills, AND manipulation.
I just finished watching BBC's documentary "Century of Self." It was CHILLING! I haven't quite recovered yet, but when I do, I'm watching it again. I can't emphasize enough how important I think this information is. Watch and learn how government and business have learned to manipulate the masses. It's a four hour commitment, but it is in four segments, so you can get a break. It will be the best education you ever got in four hours. It covers the 20th Century. Wish they'd update it to include the last decade. Knowing what I know, I can see dominionist hands in this pie.
part 1 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 2 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 3 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
part 4 http://www.freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=1…
When you get to each site – first, stop the video trailer, then click on the red button that says "watch film now"
If you watch it, I'd love to hear your thoughts.