Hitler & Christianity

Sibby has a post today, mostly a cut and paste job, that is simply a lie. There is no other word for it. Now to be fair Sibby didn't write most of it, but he posted it on his website without doing any research. Lies like this can't go unanswered so I will answer. Here is part of the post.

"When they mention recent Christianity-induced violence, the name that most often pops into the conversation is that of Adolf Hitler. The left loves to hold him up and talk about how a Catholic envisioned and then carried out the Nazi Holocaust. The major flaw in that argument is that Hitler was not a Catholic. He was simply born to parents who were Catholic. Read any legitimate biography about him and you will see that he was virtually devoid of any sort of spirituality and that the closest thing to religion in his life was a disturbing fascination with occultism. The bitter irony is, if Hitler had indeed been a Catholic, it is highly unlikely World War II would have ever occurred."

Where to start? How about with Hitler's own writings in Mein Kamph.

"Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord."

How about Hitler's own words from speeches.

"We demand liberty for all religious denomitions in the State, so far as they are not a danger to it and do not militate against the morality and moral sense of the German race. The Party, as such, stands for positive Christianity, but does not bind itself in the matter of creed to any particular confession. It combats the Jewish-materialist spirit within and without us, and is convinced that our nation can achieve permanent health from within only on the principle: the common interest before self-interest."

This next quote could come from Sibby himself.

“We were convinced that the people needs and requires this faith. We have therefore undertaken the fight against the atheistic movement, and that not merely with a few theoretical declarations: we have stamped it out.”

As you can see from the photos the left, Hitler certainly spent a lot of time in church and with Catholic Cardinals for a guy who wasn't really Catholic.

Sorry Sibby, but your lies have to stop. It is not my contention that todays wacky brand of Christian fundamentalism is akin to Hitler's Christianity, all I'm saying is you can't deny Hitler was a practicing Christian.

Defense Department Exporting Christianity

This story is really unbelievable. It seems "actor" Steven Baldwin is going on a Crusade to Iraq. That isn't my word it's his. The really amazing thing is the DOD is sending him on his Crusade.

"Baldwin became a right-wing, born-again Christian after the 9/11 attacks, and now is the star of Operation Straight Up (OSU), an evangelical entertainment troupe that actively proselytizes among active-duty members of the US military. As an official arm of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, OSU plans to mail copies of the controversial apocalyptic video game, Left Behind: Eternal Forces to soldiers serving in Iraq. OSU is also scheduled to embark on a "Military Crusade in Iraq" in the near future."

It seems Baldwin and his minions are also sending US troops "freedom packages". What is a freedom package you ask?

"With the endorsement of the Defense Department, OSU is mailing "Freedom Packages" to soldiers serving in Iraq. These are not your grandfather's care packages, however. Besides pairs of white socks and boxes of baby wipes (included at the apparent suggestion of Iran-Contra felon Oliver North, according to OSU) OSU's care packages contain the controversial Left Behind: Eternal Forces video game. The game is inspired by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' bestselling pulp fiction series about a blood-soaked Battle of Armageddon pitting born-again Christians against anybody who does not adhere to their particular theology. In LaHaye's and Jenkins' books, the non-believers are ultimately condemned to "everlasting punishment" while the evangelicals are "raptured" up to heaven."

Now this video game is a real work of Christianity,

"The Left Behind videogame is a real-time strategy game that makes players commanders of a virtual evangelical army in a post-apocalyptic landscape that looks strikingly like New York City after 9/11. With tanks, helicopters and a fearsome arsenal of automatic weapons at their disposal, Left Behind players wage a violent war against United Nations-like peacekeepers who, according to LaHaye's interpretation of Revelation, represent the armies of the Antichrist. Each time a Left Behind player kills a UN soldier, their virtual character exclaims, "Praise the Lord!" To win the game, players must kill or convert all the non-believers left behind after the rapture. They also have the option of reversing roles and commanding the forces of the Antichrist. (Video preview here)."

That's right, the DOD is sending video games to troops in a Muslim country that encourages them to shoot and kill all non-Christians and then yell "Praise the Lord!". Your tax dollars at work.

Here is one reaction to this whole operation,

"The constitution has been assaulted and brutalized. Thanks to the influence of extreme Christian fundamentalism, the wall separating church and state is nothing but smoke and debris. And OSU is the IED that exploded the wall separating church and state in the Pentagon and throughout our military. The fact that they would even consider taking their crusade to a Muslim country shows the threat to our national security and to the constitution and everyone that loves it."

And this quote is not from some pinko, commie God-less Liberal, it's from Mikey Weinstein former Reagan White House counsel...that's Ronald Reagan. These people need to be stopped.

It Took a Little Longer than I Thought...

...but we finally have a response to Barack Obama's painfully correct statement that America is not a Christian nation.

"Regardless of how we've allowed ourselves to get off track, the evidence is overwhelming that America was founded by Christians on Christian principles."

Actually that is not true...not at all. The "Creator" that is mentioned in the Declaration of Independence (evangelicals favorite document to hijack for their cult-like purposes) is a creator in the deist sense of the word. A passive God that created and then allowed man the freedom to live his own life, not the all knowing, all seeing vengeful God of Bob Ellis and his ilk.

If you follow the link Ellis provides in the above quote it will take you to a long winded narrative that basically states the Christianity and by extension Christians have a monopoly on values. Apparently only Christianity extols the virtues of hard work, honesty, treating others well, not stealing, not killing, not cheating. Ellis tries to make the point that these are all Christian values and because they have all gone into the making of our laws we must be a Christian nation. This arrogance is one good reason that many people tire quickly of self-righteous ego-maniacal evangelicals like Bob Ellis.

John Adams on Religion

Many Conservative Christians are actively trying to hijack the Declaration of Independence and somehow make it into proof that the founding fathers envisioned a Christian nation. How one can read what John Adams actually said and come to that conclusion is beyond me. Here is a sample.

"The United States of America have exhibited, perhaps, the first example of governments erected on the simple principles of nature; and if men are now sufficiently enlightened to disabuse themselves of artifice, imposture, hypocrisy, and superstition, they will consider this event as an era in their history. Although the detail of the formation of the American governments is at present little known or regarded either in Europe or in America, it may hereafter become an object of curiosity. It will never be pretended that any persons employed in that service had interviews with the gods, or were in any degree under the influence of Heaven, more than those at work upon ships or houses, or laboring in merchandise or agriculture; it will forever be acknowledged that these governments were contrived merely by the use of reason and the senses."

A Christian Rant

Apparently the Sioux Falls Argus Leader isn't the only newspaper that features "Rants & Raves." Here is an interesting "Rant" from the Augusta Chronicle.

"A RANT TO THE people who are so against the war. We lost the Korean War, we lost the Vietnam War and if we lose this war, then Christians would be beheaded if they don't accept Allah."

More proof that Christianity and logic don't not go hand in hand.

More on Christians United for Israel

In a previous post I noted how the CUFI is actively using the Jews including Senator Lieberman to try to affect American foreign policy and bring about the end times.

Now we have this chilling report of these delusional people actually meeting with members of congress and offering foreign policy advise.

"Christians United for Israel met with Congress members last week as part of the second annual Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Summit. Led by Pastor John Hagee, the group called on Congress to support pre-emptive military action on Iran and to oppose a two-state solution for the conflict between Israel and Palestine."

There is a video of the wing nut speech here.

It turns out these people have a "final solution" too.

"The video, produced by Max Blumenthal, is a hair-raising wake up call for all of us. Pastor Hagee, and his minions in the pews and in Congress, are praying for nuclear war as the "final solution" to bring on the reign of Christ."

It may seem like these people are simply crazy and not to be taken seriously, but they already have access to congress and don't forget Reagan Sec of the Interior James G. Watt. Watt advocated no conservation of land or resources since the end times were near. Just like Conservative Christians have methodically worked their way on to local school boards, make no mistake they will try to gain more and more influence in congress.

Evangelicals Influencing Foregin Policy

We are all used to Evangelicals injecting their religious beliefs into political debates about abortion, birth control, sex ed and gay rights. Now though, at least one fringe group is trying to influence America's foreign policy. A group call Christians United for Israel is having a big conference in Washington advocating war with Iran to protect Israel.

The founder of the group is Rev. John Hagee who clearly has no interest in protecting Israel. Nope. What he cares about is keeping American troops in the Middle East to fulfill is prediction that the end times are imminent and that a necessary precursor to "rapture" is continued war in the Middle East.

The most amazing part is that the Jewish delegation present knows Hagee's motive and they don't care.

"'If they have an ulterior motive to have the second coming, they're entitled as long as they don't require us' to go along with it, Foxman said. 'They are entitled as long as they don't make it conditioned to us to accept their other agenda, which is Christ.'"

Another interesting side note is that Joe Lieberman who used to be a Democrat, proudly spoke at this shindig. He should be ashamed of himself, but like most Republicans, he is locked up in his own little world and either can't see or doesn't care that these Evangelicals are using him and his Jewish faith to promote their own crazy end-times fantasies.

Freedom of Religion?

Fundamental Christians believe in freedom of religion as long as you choose their religion. This fact was recently demonstrated on the floor of the Senate.

"Today was a historic first for religion in America's civic life: For the very first time, a Hindu delivered the morning invocation in the Senate chamber — only to find the ceremony disrupted by three Christian right activists.

The three protesters, who all belong to the Christian Right anti-abortion group Operation Save America, and who apparently traveled to Washington all the way from North Carolina, interrupted by loudly asking for God's forgiveness for allowing the false prayer of a Hindu in the Senate chamber."

Here are some of the really tolerant things these fine young Christians yelled during the prayer,

"Lord Jesus, forgive us father for allowing a prayer of the wicked, which is an abomination in your sight."

And

"This is an abomination. We shall have no other gods before You."

More proof that these people don't want religious freedom, they want a Christian theocracy.

First Amendment Claims Attempt to Hide Hatred

No matter how you dress it up, hatred is hatred is hatred. Some evangelicals are now trying to hid behind the first amendment as they continue their campaign of hatred against homosexuals.

"Pointer and many other preachers oppose a proposal in Congress to expand federal hate crimes laws to include sexual orientation, gender and disability to the racial, ethnic and religious categories already covered. They say the bill would censor their preaching, especially their sermons about homosexuality."

First of all it seems amazing that one could argue, as a Christian, the need for hate speak. Second, the bill would have no bearing on sermons delivered in church,

"It covers only violent acts that result in death or bodily injury. It does not prohibit or punish speech, expression or association in any way, even hate speech. People will always be free to speak their mind about issues."

Of course evangelicals never let the truth get in the way of their narrative.

No Longer Just a Christian Nation

Sen. Barack Obama has uttered words that are sure to send Evangelicals into a hissy fit of epic proportions.

"I think that the right might worry a bit more about the dangers of sectarianism. Whatever we once were, we're no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers. We should acknowledge this and realize that when we're formulating policies from the state house to the Senate floor to the White House, we've got to work to translate our reasoning into values that are accessible to every one of our citizens, not just members of our own faith community."

Bush Invokes God...Again

Remember when Bush said God told him to invade Iraq? Well it seems now God is telling Bush to stay in Iraq even in the face of all that continues to go wrong there.

"The other debate is whether or not it is a hopeless venture to encourage the spread of liberty. Most of you all around this table are much better historians than I am. And people have said, you know, this is Wilsonian, it's hopelessly idealistic. One, it is idealistic, to this extent: It's idealistic to believe people long to be free. And nothing will change my belief. I come at it many different ways. Really not primarily from a political science perspective, frankly; it's more of a theological perspective. I do believe there is an Almighty, and I believe a gift of that Almighty to all is freedom. And I will tell you that is a principle that no one can convince me that doesn't exist."

This would be amusing if it wasn't for the fact that Bush's "God Hotline" is costing American lives every single day.

Romney Failing the "Christianity Test?"

It seems Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is just not Christian enough for the radical religious Right who now control the Republican party.

"Many evangelical believers — a group that Romney must win over to prevail in the
primaries — say the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not
Christianity."

Why anyone would want to appeal to these people is beyond me, but such is the state of the modern Republican party. Here is what one really enlightened follower named Mary Doreen had to say about Romney,

"I'm a Christian. I don't think a Mormon or a Catholic is a Christian."

Can you take more?

"'Mormonism is not Christianity,' says Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a powerful voice among conservative Christians."

"'When asked in polls whether they would vote for a Mormon candidate, a substantial minority of conservative Christians say they would be less likely to vote for a Mormon candidate,' Green notes. 'And when those questions are followed up, there's a significant group that says there's no chance that they would vote for a Mormon candidate.'" (emphasis mine)

It's nice to see rational thought goes into their thoughts on who should be president.