Bold Contemplations

This is scary. It is like the German children being made Nazis during WWII or the children being made terrorists today.

Let us hope the children have more sense then their parents that put them in a school like that.

Jesus loves children. I doubt he would want them to become warriors.

CyberCelt -- I fear that if these notions are ingrained in these children's psyches at such a young age, it will be extremely difficult for them to be objective about their views in adulthood.

Bravo!
These kids can grow up to FIGHT and KILL muslim kids who will receive the same brainwashing with a different twist on the Creator and his messenger.

My word what year is it??? These people should have come across on the Mayflower. These antiquated notions are dangerous and however well intended do nothing more than prolong humanity's struggle to escape from the bondage of myth and superstition and retard our progress.

Unfortunately this kind of indoctrination will only exacerbate the differences between people rather than the opposite. You would think that this brand of Faith would act as a moral governor but it seems to encourage moral indignation more than anything else...sad.

The worst thing is that every day I see stuff like this - it boggles the mind to be honest. Now Bush is trying to get us into a war with Iran.

Funny, no one seems to be concerned about North Korea or any one non-Muslim - but it's not a Crusade...really...no, seriously it's not.

No, I hate to tell you this is not a small minority in the evangelical community. I was a member of these people for many years. I have been to many different conservative Christian churches, and they all preach the exact same message. One pastor started his sermon by saying, "If you don't vote for Bush, you are going to hell." Several other churches sell copies of Bush books right alongside Bibles.
I have great sympathy for the millions of church followers in the evangelical community. I do, however, have utter disdain for the leaders of the movement.

Not too long ago i went to a lecture where Richard Dawkins and Harry Koto were talking about the rise of religious fundamentalism in the USA and the consequent threats to scientific education and progress. They were really upset and I don't blame them.

In recent decades Xianity has been very laid back but unfortunately this may be about to change.

Religion is often intolerant and it is not surprising that Xian fundamentalism should rear its ugly head again at some point.

> Now Bush is trying to get us into a war with Iran.

And most ironic, to me, is the justification that's always presented, and the "shock!" that other countries don't support/back our efforts.

We claim that countries (and leaders of) who have terrorist camps within their borders are equally responsible for any harm caused by those groups. Sanctions, or all out attacks are carried out under the guise of the war on terror, and if civilians are killed in the process, it's just collateral, and ultimately blamed on the administration(s) there - forcing our hand through inaction.

We come in from a moral/militaristic position of aggresive defense... Get them before they can strike us. (almost ... infamy.. if you will.)

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So. Imagine this, instead.

Iran launches an aggresive campaign to fight terrorists abroad (as they define them), before they can strike.

They seek out "camps" that support/promote the idea of "armed religious fighters"... especially those with no regard to the views/beliefs of others. Camps supporting the notion that through armed vigilance, their God's vision for their home country can be realized, and eventually, the entire world.

So, they launch airstrikes against these jesus-camp's, killing their aggressors right where they train.. doing their best to avoid harming our innocent civilians, but.. in the end, willing to accept some losses if it means ultimately preventing an attack on their homeland or their allies.

If we protest, demanding that they not continue, they lump the rest of the country in with these fundamentalists, and demand that the UN send troops to work/fight alongside the Iranian army, to topple any leadership that seeks to prevent further attacks, or that supports these terrorist training organizations (through excuses like "freedom of expression").

Not sharing the same political philosophies as we do, they install a prime minister, elected through democracy, certainly, but a new leader nonetheless using their own accepted process, rather than our own. After preventing our normal poll process, Americans have no real choice but to vote using this new way.. and Iran starts to publish poll figures showing overwhelming acceptance of their new plans. "The American people truly have shown their relief and newfound spirits.. and they truly love Iran!"

All the while, demanding that every nuclear power generation facility, and the enrichment plants that feed them, be shut down completely, because they can also be used to produce nuclear weapons. Scores of cities go dark, until alternative power sources (coal? nat.gas?) can been planned for, bought, built, staffed, etc.. All in the name of preventing the creation of weapons that might someday be used against Iran. Citizens that complain in open-air protests are violently quelled.. and the few that attempt to invoke the 2nd are labelled insurgents, and are hunted by the Iranian guard scattered amongst the countryside in their war on terror.

:-/

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I get so tired of our justifications over there... and am truly surprised that we haven't ended up in a war with the UN over some of things we've done. And ... are you ready for that one? What happens when all these nuclear armed friends.. suddenly.. aren't so friendly? Right back to duck-n-cover time.. :(

Don't be too certain that they are tiny in number. From the Lord's Resistance Army to Christian Identity, radicalized Christianity can be found everywhere, and these folks are every bit as lethal as the worst Al Qaeda member.

This is just SO fucking scary in SO many ways.

Thanks fo rsharing, I hadn't heard about it yet.