"The seeds of theocratic authoritarianism are being planted."

[alwaysinasnit]

https://www.alternet.org/2019/12/the-seeds-of-theocratic-authoritarianism-are-being-planted/

Snip...

Initially we heard a lot about Barr being part of a group of Republicans who are dedicated to the concept of a “unitary executive.” That was affirmed by the attorney general’s recent speech to the Federalist Society. It was, however, Barr’s speech at Notre Dame that led many of us to look at little deeper into what motivates this attorney general. He blamed “secularists” for moral chaos and posited that “free government was only suitable and sustainable for a religious people.” Stewart and Fredrickson point out that these views are foundational for Barr.

As Joan Walsh recently pointed out, a look at Barr’s history demonstrates that he has been “neck-deep in extremist Catholic institutions.” One of the more interesting is the Catholic Information Center.

Snip...

Reading the Washington Post article Walsh linked to about the Catholic Information Center, it became clear that this group appears to be the Catholic version of the Protestant group Jeff Sharlet wrote about in his book, “The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.” It is especially worth noting that the Federalist Society’s Leonard Leo serves on the board of the Catholic Information Center. He is the person featured in a Washington Post report by Robert O’Harrow and Shawn Boberg titled “A conservative activist’s behind-the-scenes campaign to remake the nation’s courts.” All of those extremist judges being nominated by Trump and rushed through confirmation by McConnell are being fed into the system by Leonard Leo, who joins Barr in being affiliated with an extremist Catholic organization.

All of this is why Stewart and Fredrickson point out that Barr’s interpretation of executive power is an “effect, rather than a cause, of his ideological commitments.”

Snip...

Anyone familiar with Margret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale understands that this is what happens when democracy is replaced by theocratic authoritarianism. It is a marriage of white nationalism, Christian nationalism, and misogyny. That is where the current conservative movement is headed in this country.

=======

These are some sick motherf*ckers.

[dewsgirl]

1. The most chilling line of the series....

When they slaughtered Congress, we didn't wake up. When they blamed terrorists and suspended the constitution, we didn't wake up then, either. Nothing changes instantaneously. In a gradually heating bathtub, you'd be boiled to death before you knew it.

I think of this often, every time Barr's theocratic agenda comes up.

[alwaysinasnit]

2. +1000

The thing that scares me the most is that, unlike Moscow Mitch et al, Barr is a true believer (a true Christian Taliban).

[dewsgirl]

3. I think there are many other members of that Christian Taliban,

including, Pompeo, DeVos, Pence, etc. different religious sects, but all of them 100 percent into their religious nuttery.🙄
I don't think they could pull off the type of coup, that lead to the founding of Gilead, but I don't put it past them to try something.

[SharonAnn]

15. He's Opus Dei and they are far more powerful than televangelists.

Do not underestimate them. It’s a powerful, fascist. catholic, international organization. Very well funded and many members control “levers of power” in many countries.

Www.odan.org

[dewsgirl]

17. Thank you for the site.

[ck4829]

21. Disturbing

[Haggis for Breakfast]

4. Sharlet's book was a real eye-opener.

I think what surprised me most were all the prominent people he mentioned in it.

[alwaysinasnit]

5. Yup, and holding positions of great influence.

[Hortensis]

6. :) Handmaid's Tale is an allegorical novel, fantasy not history.

For real world example of a democratic republic whose people voted to convert to a hybrid theocracy-democracy, we have Iran. Of course, the culture there is very different; it was already traditionally very authoritarian and religious while ours is very nonauthoritarian democratic and far more diverse in every way. It was sold to Iran's voters, alarmed by too much galloping secular change, as theocracy lite -- just a gentle religious overlay of moral guidance over the democratic process. Then the trap slammed shut.

Agree we have problems here, though nothing like the Iranian lesson or the allegorical fantasy. The religious right has been infiltrating government, including the judiciary, big time; and it's greatly accelerated since the election of a massively weak and malleable whackjob. He runs a real chance of eventually ending up not just out of office but bankrupted or even in prison if he loses their support. On the plus side, the corruption of Christian churches by politics is causing many sects to hemorrhage members. Every year more and more Americans are no longer identifying as religious.

We have a big job ahead, but the usual peaceful revolution of a national election will be able to accomplish a good amount of it, aided by the religious right's own suicidal actions. A shift of power to the Democrats next November, federally and in more states, will be a very serious blow to their ambitions. One to follow with more electoral blows while their leaders die off.

[alwaysinasnit]

7. I agree, yet as to your last paragraph, I am not as optimistic that Dems will be able to offset the

expected Republican cheating, voter suppression, and just plain old electoral fraud that will result from Republicans' desperation to hold on to power. Nevertheless, I hope you are right.

[Hortensis]

9. Yes, that is all our fear of course. We won the midterms

big time, though. People are getting smarter and more aware about what's happening, and at that time most were reacting the way we needed them to.

[alwaysinasnit]

10. Well, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for a huge Dem turnout.

[rickyhall]

8. I can't help but think Jesus agree, from I've read that he said.

I'm not a "Christian", but I believe in what JC said & did.

[alwaysinasnit]

12. Funny you should say that. I refer to people who actually follow JC's teachings as Christ-like.

For those that just speak the words, I refer to them as Christians. (FWIW, I was raised in the Catholic faith.)

[ck4829]

20. That's me as well

[Zenlitened]

11. No, the seeds are SPROUTING.

Some are already even bearing fruit.

[alwaysinasnit]

13. I believe you're right. And it is some nasty shit.

[ck4829]

19. Real nasty, truly disgusting

[Initech]

14. Trump is only going to last 4, maybe 8 years tops.

The judicial appointments are going to last a lifetime. If the Christian right gets their slimy hands on the Johnson Amendment, we are truly fucked as a country.

[certainot]

16. authoritarianism and religious fundamentalism are symptoms of the Certainty Deficit Disorder

they represent strategies for creating certainty where there is none, caused by trying to satisfy impatient satisfaction-demanding reproductive urges in areas of the brain that would work better with patience and objectivity

that's what happens when humans learn sex with the hand connected to the left side of the brain

it offered survival value in times of conflict and that is why humans evolved from 50-50 to 90% right handed

democracy could beat it by teaching humans not to masturbate with the right hand but as long as the theocrats can prevent sex education and increase frustration - the secret of authoritarian power - humans are going to keep suffering from sex on the wrong brain

[ck4829]

18. K&R