So if a major Republican (neocon / dominionist) collapse is imminent - which may or may not be the case - it does not guarantee smooth sailing thereafter.  It does guarantee that a whole lot more effort will be required from those who love democracy or care about the better parts of the American dream.

First, as I say at the end, I appreciate the courage and courtesy it takes to write an email such as you have written. ...

I'm quoting the article in full.  Like many promoted through the daily email Dobson sends me, it is very short -- short in number of words, short on substance, long on self-reporting and self-serving.  But at least they do inform us of their primary source: "from staff reports."

from staff reports

A top official calls it "self-intoxicating rhetoric."

The group that is always first in line to rid the public square of any mention of Christianity now says religion has never enjoyed greater freedom and public discussion in America.

Already we are into examples of the hyperbolic right's brand of "self-intoxicating rhetoric."  It is not reasonable, respectful, nor true to start their article with "The group that is always first in line to ..."  In fact the ACLU is often the first or only group "in line" to protect churches and religious people from state interference.

[crossposted from PublicChristian.com ]

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has launched a passionate attack on President George Bush ... Dr Sentamu, the Church of England's second in command, urged the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) to take legal action against the US ... "Camp Delta at Guantanamo Bay should be shut immediately because prisoners there are being tortured."

Animal Farm, as in, "All animals are equal - but some are more equal than others."  The reference, of course, is to George Orwell's mocking novel about totalitarian government (Communist styles in particular).

Or: Who Then IS My Neighbor?

Are we traveling down the same road the Germans took in the early 1930's? I can't say - but some of the landmarks sure look familiar.

People get upset when I raise that issue, but for different reasons.

1. One extreme: "That's ridiculous! Bush isn't trying to kill people; he's trying to save America! He's a true Christian-American hero! Your remarks are outrageous, if not worse!"
2. Other extreme: "Yes! I see the similarities, and they are outrageous and terrifying!"
3. Middle: "Please don't talk like that. Bush may be incompetent or even a crook, but he isn't a mass murderer. You hurt our case against him when you overstate it so grotesquely. Please show some sense and restraint."

[crossposted from PublicChristian.com]

Many (not all) Christians and conservatives lie to me regularly in their emails and other communications. Many (not all) secularists and liberals tell me the truth and try to avoid manipulating me. Who should I believe?  The dishonest Christians?  I don't think so. Emails forwarded to us from Don Wildmon ("The American Family Association") are a very clear example.  Here are some quotes from Wildmon, with my responses.

[ Cross-posted from PublicChristian.com ]

It's been difficult for me to write these last few days partly because I am so deeply offended and outraged.

Now they are pretending their drive to destroy the US Senate and the Judiciary is a campaign in defense of faith and of people of faith. It is not. It is entirely about increasing the power of the powerful and the wealth of the wealthy, as is plain when you look at what they DO with any power they get.

The arrogance and infidelity, the sanctimonious perfidy of the Republican party and its wholly-owned appendages in the so-called "community of faith" is astounding. These people are truly among the all-time greats in brazen lying, wool-pulling, and hypocrisy. They have worked hard at it, and they have become world-class.

"We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men." - George Orwell

So let me say some very obvious things about torture:

How many heroes does it take?  In times of major crisis it usually takes a lot due to the sad fact that many of them will be taken down, electorally or even physically.

I'm complaining about lack of leadership in the churches and in government and politics. When the time comes that the last strongholds of decency and democracy are being destroyed one has to take a stand on behalf of those strongholds.  It seems that the worst fate imagined by some of our representatives today, clerical and political, is to be forced into retirement by those who don't want to hear what needs saying.  But fear about losing a high position (or the next election) can look very craven and shortsighted in times like these.

Here's an example of a church leader under the Nazi's immoral regime:

Matthew 5:38-48

"You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

Is it ever appropriate for Christians to resist authority?  Many of us feel there is much in the behavior of our national leaders that cries out for criticism and resistance.  Are Christians permitted to do that? Does "turn the other cheek" mean we should be doormats?  

"Doormat" was not Jesus' style, nor the style of his followers in New Testament times.

Every year in my Ethics class I assign "Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King Jr. In 1963, while under arrest for parading without a permit, he wrote this response to criticisms of him by other southern clergymen.

After the assignment is read, students' responses vary. Most are impressed. One or two are not. Some are quite moved, almost shocked, saying things like, "I had no idea he was such an educated man and eloquent writer!" "Every American should read this." "If we all had his intelligence and attitudes this world would be a better place." Many Americans have agreed with that assessment - which is part of why there is a holiday in his honor.

To me, two things stand out about Martin King -- the quality of his mind, and his ability to practice his philosophy in public life so deliberately and effectively.

What's wrong with mentioning Hitler or the Nazis?  We tremble even to use the word "fascist", which is like swearing with the word "darn."  The (Italian) fascists were 2nd stringers.  The Nazis were the epitome.  Why are we afraid to consider how they operated?

Evil is still evil and humans are still humans.  We do have some things to learn from how "we" (humans) have behaved in the past. Hitler appropriately represents to our minds a massive and almost-contemporary evil in a civilized, European, and "Christian" nation. Thus he is very likely a valuable point of reference as we watch the unfolding of certain evils in our own society.

It is not pleasant to study the face of evil, but it seems good that some of us be aware of its common habits, intentions, and techniques, and spread our findings around a bit. I've been browsing again in the speeches of Adolf Hitler*. There are several patterns of manipulation and verbal violence that quickly stand out to me.

BushCo unraveling? That may be what's happening.

• He will be inaugurated with serious, perhaps unprecedented public approval problems.
• He will take that oath in January with many Americans strongly suspecting that another stolen election put him there.
 
• Many key architects of his policies have left his administration or are coming under strong pressure from the public.
 
• He's getting much more open criticism and resistance from his own party.
 
• Who knows, maybe the mainstream so-called "liberal media" will even start dealing a little more rigorously with him, his policies, and their consequences.
 
• He's trying to deflect attention from a failing policy toward Iraq because he knows the people of these United States are becoming increasingly displeased with the whole thing.
• His credibility continues to drop, which means public support for more wild new adventures - whether in matters of foreign relations (Iran? Saudi Arabia?) or domestic affairs (Social Security? Homeland Security?) - will continue to shrivel as time passes.

George W Bush, speaking words the "Christian Right" wants to hear, is not the first national leader to use Christian morality as a rallying cry.  Nor is he the first whose actions do not correspond to his words.

"The National Government will preserve and defend those basic principles on which our nation has been built up. It regards Christianity as the foundation of our national morality and the family as the basis of national life."

Maybe we can learn from human experience. Those two sentences were spoken February 1, 1933 by Adolf Hitler during his first radio address after coming to power.  These quotes that follow are also from Hitler, the same year.

Simultaneous intensity of joy and sorrow - that is a big part of the story of Christmas. The star, angels, magi, and a baby called "God With Us" kicked off a series of events that took Jesus through experiences of contempt, conspiracy, humiliation, torture, then murder by the state. The events of those years had him in tears at times, both for the nation's loss - which he felt profoundly - and for his own. While the old seers in the temple in Jesus' infancy found deep joy in his appearance, the word simultaneously came to Mary, "a sword will pierce your own heart also."

No wonder Jesus was not exactly a happy-go-lucky sort of guy.