There comes a time when ordinary citizens need to step up and openly challenge the perverse Christianization of our national instutions, particularly the military. What follows is an introduction to someone who is doing something about it - in spades...

Just one day before lambasting Barack Obama over his recent comments about religion, John McCain was a no-show at Sunday's CNN Compassion Forum on faith.  That's because when it comes to discussing his own religious beliefs, the Republican presidential nominee believes that silence is golden.  And judging by the fawning stories from the Washington Times, CNN and the Politico, the press corps seems to agree.  But McCain's reticence to speak about his faith doesn't represent a generational preference for private piety.  No, McCain's silence is an essential strategy to avoid alienating his party's evangelical base and independent voters alike by drawing attention to his confusing religious conversion, his myriad past gaffes and his current backing from extremist ministers.

At the Daily Kos website, I have written what so far is a four part series [1, 2, 3, 4] on the Bush Administration and torture. My series covers the structure of the National Security Council process, noting that George W. Bush is head of the NSC and signs off on all NSC decisions (including, presumably, torture) and emphasizes the sheer brutality and pervasiveness of the torture regime created, as ABC news revealed last week, directly out of the White House. Major organizations of the Christian right remain, as they were two years ago when Randall Balmer issued his challenge on torture, largely silent on the issue. For example I searched, on the website of Focus On The Family, for the term "torture" and found a single article which focused on the persecution of Iraqi Christians by "Al Qaeda". The implication seemed to be that James Dobson and Focus on The Family consider the extensive torture program conducted by the United States in Iraq, created by the White House, somehow irrelevant to American national morality.

On September 29, 2006 Philadelphia Inquirer showcased a challenge - made by professor of religious history and evangelical Randall Balmer, to major organizations on the Christian right, on their positions concerning the morality of the war in Iraq and on torture :

"Several months ago, I canvassed eight prominent religious right organizations, including the Moral Majority Coalition, Falwell's group, for their views on torture. My query was straightforward: Please send me, I asked, a copy of your organization's position on the use of torture. . . "

Balmer got two responses. Both defended the Bush Administration's torture policies. By that point in time, news on the scandal of abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison, and other US run prison facilities in Iraq and around the world, had revealed evidence of torture to death, sexual abuses, rape of children and other violations of the Geneva Conventions. . .

Over the past few days, I've done some writing expressing concern regarding some revelations that Jeff Sharlet will be discussing extensively in his new book "The Family"--including information regarding apparently widespread and systemic use of pyramid-scheme-esque "cell church" groups, of which Hillary Clinton would appear to have been inducted through at least one, possibly two, levels of indoctrination within at least two separate cells within the group.  There's also some real concern that some of the same "bad habits" of this particular type of religious pyramid scheme may be showing up in "The Family's" cells as well--one of which we'll discuss today.

The news re cell-church groups in "The Family" is probably not going to be the only bombshell released by Sharlet's upcoming book.  My question is, what has "The Family" so spooked that they've apparently sealed all recent records about the group even to their own members?

On Friday, news reports started coming out to the effect that Hillary Clinton may be a member of a cell-church group run by the secretive "Family" nee "Fellowship" org; as the import of this is underappreciated by most (even by some researchers into dominionism), I posted a diagram of how cell groups work in "The Family".

There are actually a number of reasons--besides the obvious--why it should be a matter of concern that Hillary Clinton would appear to have been recruited into a religious pyramid scheme with strong political aspirations.  One reason I am gravely concerned for her right now is info I've dug up on the other reported members of her "cell church"--almost all of whom have strong history with dominionists...and it doesn't help that Hillary has also made some statements that point to her possible involvement in something very dangerous.

Today it was reported in the local paper that John Hagee has donated 6 million dollars to Israel.
 http://www.theledger.com/article/20080406/API/804062669

It appears to be a big publicity stunt.  The article says that "Hagee... brought hundreds of backers on a solidarity trip to Israel."

The money is going to 16 specific Israeli causes- including to a West Bank conference center.

They "Pray for the Peace of Israel", yet support causes that cause conflict (instead of healing and reconciliation).  

Obviously, he's trying to influence Israeli policy and win Brownie points with the "hard-liners" in Israel.

A few days ago, I wrote a post expressing concern re Hillary Clinton's reported involvement in a cell-church group operated by the longest-running political dominionist group in existence--some folks considered this a wee bit controversial, in part because it was "OMG CANDIDATE DIARY" (to be honest, I'm worried about her) and partly because folks noted "there is no clear evidence this is coercive".

After some discussion with Jeff Sharlet over in Fred Clarkson's article on "The Family"--in which he's discussed info that will be included in his upcoming book--it would appear that not only does "The Family" use the same model as other coercive groups using pyramid-like structures, but may well have originated its use politically.

[bumped from diaries - ed]

In the Politico this morning, Jonathan Martin offers what the New Republic deemed a "smart piece" about John McCain's religious beliefs.  But in describing McCain's reluctance to speak publicly about his faith ("McCain Shies Away from Religion Talk"), Martin tells only half the story.  Given that John McCain is now the de facto leader of God's Own Party, his contradictory and suspiciously-timed statements regarding his religious conversion is a story that still needs telling.

There's been a lot of good writing recently in regards to what is probably the oldest continuously running political dominionist group in the US today--a secretive org called "The Fellowship" or "The Family", and the target of much-needed research and exposure in an upcoming Jeff Sharlet book.

Our own Frederick Clarkson has recently reported on recent articles relating to Sharlet's book which give disturbing confirmation to something I've suspected for a time--that "The Family" uses a particularly abusive "discipling and shepherding" model common in neopentecostal dominionist cell churches.

The abusive tactics could have major implications politically--especially as Hillary Clinton is a known member of one of their "cell churches".

As most of you may know, Dobson has a history of misusing (and distorting) scientific research to further his own nefarious goals.  Well, he's done it again- this time claiming that "Anthropologists agree on traditional definition of marriage".

There is no such consensus- and most anthropologists would DISAGREE with his views/beliefs about marriage.  "One man-one woman" is actually not the most common (polygyny is)- and it is only a recent happening in the world.  While individuals may have practiced it thousands of years ago, the more widespread practice of serial monogamy is a fairly recent (less than 200 years old) phenomena.

The American Anthropological Association has replied, and here is a link to the reply: http://aaanewsinfo.blogspot.com/2008/03/anthropologists-defend-th eir-position.html

The things that Dobson and ilk like him have said have been disproved time and time again.  They say being LGBT is a choice- we've demonstrated otherwise.   They say that serial monogamy is the norm- we've proved that wrong.  They say that any other form of marriage is bad or destructive- we've shown that there are many different "types" of marriages, and that they ALL work.  (I would agree, however, that the more patriarchal forms tend towards violence and abuse- and I wish they could see where they're heading!)  Many of the more fundamentalist churches/groups say that homelessness is also a choice (or the fault of the individual)- that's been disproved.  I could go on and on.

Our research also has demonstrated that most of the things they support- for instant spreading "democracy" (read Market Economy) around the world is good for people- our research actually demonstrates that it impoverishes the poor and middle class whenever it is introduced.  And as we saw with Palestine- "democracy" is encouraged, as long as it fits American Interests.  Even privatization is being shown to be generally a disaster and often far less efficient or economical than government programs.

You can then understand my irritation with the man and his organization.   He's now misusing the very people who show how wrong he is.

Over the past few days, we've had a lot of people (including Bruce Wilson) writing about a con game being promoted by the Walid Shoebat Foundation--namely, the claim that they are supposedly ex-PLO terrorists who essentially "found Jesus".  

The most recent revelation found--in a few hours of Googling on this--is that the group may not in fact be a nonprofit, and turns out to be a front-group of (of all things), a dominionist-run card company and publisher who also has a supposed "ex-Hitler Youth" promoting almost the same game--and there may be evidence of even deeper fakery going on.

We swear this is not a Rick Roll or an April Fool's joke, folks.

"Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all...and passionate attachments for others should be excluded; and that, in place of them, just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave...a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils."-George Washington's Farewell Address – 1796