If Democrats need motivation to turn out and vote in record numbers this November, this is it

[lees1975]

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/07/if-democrats-need-motivation-to-turn.html

The intersection of Dominion theology with right wing politics has created a movement within the Evangelical and Pentecostal/Charismatic branches of American Christianity that pushes churches to use Christian theology and doctrine to achieve political power rather than fulfilling the Christian mission and purpose apart from political power, which is what Christ and the apostles taught. It is anti-Christian in its philosophy and actions, willing to set aside core principles of the Christian faith to gain political power and influence.

That is why a man like Trump, an immoral, God-cursing, demonically-driven demagogue, is so popular among Evangelicals. Trumpism tells Christian leaders that turning the other cheek and loving your enemies, which identify Christian character and are direct teachings of Jesus himself, are for suckers and they are hindrances to the kind of worldly influence and power that he is after. Those who want to "get anywhere in the world," must get themselves into positions of worldly power in government, education, media, arts and entertainment, religion, family and business and that can't be done by loving your enemies or turning the other cheek. That denies core Christian theology, but it fits with some powerful, pseudo-Christian perspectives which incorporate and use theories about "end times" prophecy that causes some Christians to abandon parts of the gospel in a quest for worldly influence.

This movement is more widespread than you might think, and has supporters and advocates in the house, senate, state legislatures and in the courts. I believe it provided a lot of the motivation for many of those who turned up at Trump's invitation on January 6th to try to overturn a legitimate election. This is a philosophical position that fits the broad definition of fascist, and requires an autocratic government to be sustained. Democracy simply extends rights to individuals these people have determined should not have them, claiming that they speak directly for God. Their intent is to "reconstruct" the government of the United States, not to patriotically defend its ideals, which they do not share at all.

Democrats better get familiar with this.

[flying rabbit]

1. And that is

the problem. I hope enough people take notice before we turn into a complete shitshow.

[SharonAnn]

13. Doesn't mention the incredible Catholic Opus Dei movement. 5 on the Supreme Court.

[lees1975]

16. It does mention Catholic "Integralism" of which Opus Dei would be included

but I'm not sure how many of the current Catholics on the Supreme Court actually hold to an Integralist position. My guess is that Kavanaugh probably couldn't care less about Catholic perspectives, he's more of a conservative ideologue. Hard to find specific information but Roberts is apparently not very regular in taking communion or attending church. Sotomayor, of course, is a real justice who leaves her own prejudices and biases behind. That leaves Coney-Barrett, Alito and Thomas, all of whom I would say hold to some kind of Catholic perspective of dominion theology.

I find it ironic that the only Evangelical Christian on the Supreme Court at this point is Ketanji Brown Jackson. And yes, it is not only possible to be a genuine conservative Protestant Christian and be a progressive justice, but Christians who actually know their stuff and follow the gospel intentionally are going to be progressive and able to recognize that all humanity has those unalienable rights endowed by their creator, including free will.

[SharonAnn]

22. Roberts, Kavanaugh, Alito, Thomas and Wm. Barr all have Opus Dei ties.

They attend the Opus Dei churches, and/or send their children to Opus Dei schools, are on the board of the Catholic Information Center (Opus Dei run), etc.

Thomas was "converted" By Fr. McCloskey. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/quite-a-shock-the-priest-was-a-dc-luminary-then-he-had-a-disturbing-fall-from-grace/2019/01/14/99b48700-1453-11e9-b6ad-9cfd62dbb0a8_story.html

"Soon, the telegenic priest was sharing his views as a regular on political talk shows such as “Crossfire” and “Meet the Press,” and on the Eternal Word Television Network, a Catholic cable channel. Political Washington didn’t just take notice, it embraced him. He kept company with a rotating cast of right-of-center bigwigs, including Judge Robert H. Bork, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), economist Larry Kudlow and former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), all of whom he helped convert to Catholicism. Articles described him as the “Catholic Church’s K Street lobbyist,” “a firm voice, fostering faith” and a “crusader.”
...
"Washington didn’t just take notice, it embraced him. He kept company with a rotating cast of right-of-center bigwigs, including Judge Robert H. Bork, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), economist Larry Kudlow and former House speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), all of whom he helped convert to Catholicism. Articles described him as the “Catholic Church’s K Street lobbyist,” “a firm voice, fostering faith” and a “crusader.”
...
"Although he left Washington at perhaps the height of his fame, McCloskey’s legacy is the ongoing influence of the Catholic Information Center. The center’s board includes Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the Federalist Society, which helped shepherd the Supreme Court nominations of Brett M. Kavanaugh and Neil M. Gorsuch. White House counsel Pat Cipollone is a former board member, as is William P. Barr, who served as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush and is now President Trump’s nominee for the same position.

The small center — its members and its leaders — continue to have an outsize impact on policy and politics. It is the conservative spiritual and intellectual center that McCloskey had imagined and its influence is felt in all of Washington’s corridors of power.

[lees1975]

23. That's very interesting,

especially about Gorsuch, who is Episcopalian.

But Catholic "Integralism" is the general philosophical perspective that has been around for a long time. I must admit, I don't really see how the Catholic views, especially Opus Dei, would ever get along with the Calvinists and Pentecostals who promote a similar view within their own denominational institutions, which would clash since Catholics believe they are the chosen people and the chosen church, and these Protestants assume that title for themselves, considering Catholics as heretics, idol worshippers and the pope as the Anti-Christ in their armageddon scenarios.

It's the politics that brings them together, which means they both must drop a lot of what they consider Christian distinctives to join the conservative political movement. And that should be a warning of their intentions.

[SharonClark]

2. Excellent article that everyone should read.

But who is behind Signal Press?

[usonian]

4. The OP. Unless I am wrong. GREAT stuff. nt

[LoisB]

17. Appears to be an imprint of Atria Books which is an imprint of Simon & Schuster. From what I

can gather, it appears to have been owned by WCTU (Woman's Christian Temperance Union) at one time.

[mopinko]

3. john fugelsang made a great comment the other day-

you dont have to believe to take the bible and shove it down their throats.
i was raised catholic, it's been a lonnnggg time. but i promise i know more about what's in that book than at least half of these wing nuts.

makes me want to memorize the sermon on the mount.

[ShazzieB]

9. Raised Baptist here, and I can definitely say the same.

Those evangelunkheads think they know SO much, but they don't know squat.

[usonian]

5. Onward Christian Suckers and Losers.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/bush-speechwriter-slams-trump-jr-for-portraying-jesus-teachings-as-manual-for-suckers/ar-AASbva7

A former speechwriter (Peter Wehner) for George W. Bush slammed Donald Trump Jr. for saying Biblical teachings have "gotten us nothing" during a speech to young conservatives.

[lees1975]

7. An incredible statement that so many Christians ignored or passed over.

Last edited Mon Jul 4, 2022, 11:31 AM - Edit history (1)

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-subversion-of-christian-church.html

"We've turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference--I understand the mentality--but it's gotten us nothing. OK? It's gotten us nothing while we've ceded ground in every major institution in our country."--Donald Trump, Jr.

And there, wrapped up in one single quote, in context, is the theology of Trumpism. Following Jesus will get you nothing.

And no, Junior, you don't even "sort of understand" the Biblical reference. If you did, you would never have said that.

[chowder66]

6. My dad saw this coming decades ago and would talk about it from time to time.

It freaked me out.

[lees1975]

8. So did my Dad.

He heard a lot of it through a men's group in church where there were several individuals who would spout this stuff from time to time. Unless you're familiar with it, and you know the background, it is difficult to get into an argument with someone who believes that what they believe comes directly from God himself and as they venture out to make the world over in their terms, God will cheer them on and hold their coattails while doing it.

[chowder66]

10. I have no how my dad knew this except that he was particularly prescient with politics.

I wish I would have asked him.

He was a non-practicing Catholic and once a Republican, but he switched and became a Democrat due to the Republican response and treatment of the Clinton affair. He also was taking issue with them prior to that but that broke the camels back for him.

He was one of the good Republicans when he was registered. I didn't agree with him on a few things and vice versa but he knew his party was gone.

[chowder66]

15. I'm lucky that I've rarely encountered such people.

But I'm grateful that my dad shared his insights.

[Stuckinthebush]

11. Same with my father - a Presbyterian Minister

He was sickened by it. About 25 years ago he said, "They are successfully taking over the name Christian with something that is anything but Christian."

He also said that they were winning. He died in December of 2019 right before COVID hit the world. I'm glad he didn't have to see COVID or the state of the country and world today.

[lees1975]

12. Most Christians are influenced by outsiders, not their own pastors and church leaders

and that's the problem. The Christian media business is a billion dollar a year, profit making niche of the media. It has few parameters when it comes to content, they just put out what sells. The more sensational, the more it sells. All this end times idiocy, based on a perspective that was developed by uneducated people with a King James Bible as a resource that makes an "armageddon calendar" attracts interest. A whole generation of these phonies was discredited with their certainty of the "rapture" occurring, first by 1988 and then the Y2K stuff when none of what they predicted happened. But that hasn't stopped a whole new group. I often wonder how much money is made off of their "prophecy conferences" that attract thousands, while church pews on Sunday are getting emptier and emptier.

In a church with congregational polity, a local church pastor who goes against this stuff gets fired. But even members who aren't employed by churches or denominations have to be careful. I know of individuals who worked for employers who were ardent supporters of Trump that got fired for being a little too open about their views. Free speech is a myth these days.

[chowder66]

14. That sums it up.

Sorry about your dad. Mine passed in 2017 and I miss him and wish I could talk to him about the state of things.
Even though at times what he had to say was downright frightening, he left me a little more prepared.

[slightlv]

18. My Dad died just before Y2K

While I've missed him since he left, I've been missing him more these pass few years even more. This year has been especially hard for some reason. I've dearly wished he could be hear to talk to... and yet, I'm so glad he's -not- here to see what's become of our country. He's a hard man to figure out in some ways. He always voted Republican; and yet, by his actions, you'd have assumed he was a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. I think it was because he was a one issue voter - guns. He had it in his head Democrats would take his guns, and he was a collector. He was also a child of the Great Depression who lost his twin brother in a fire when they were five. Passed around from one relative to another until he was 17, he then joined the Army to fight in WWII. It left it's mark on his soul. He was in his 30's when he met and married my mom. He was the type of person who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it - even if it was his last shirt. He fed every animal that came to the yard. His was tenderest of hearts I ever met, and his arms the strongest I've ever had the luxury of being engulfed within. I loved him dearly and could never really understand that "R" vote! He was so proud of his military service, and doubly so when I joined the Air Force at 18. He was proud of this country. For these reasons, I'm glad he's not here to see what's become of it. I'm glad to he's not here to see what's become of "his" Republican party. And, while he gave up his NRA membership years before he died, I'm glad he's not here to see how ridiculous the laws around his guns have become. Even he would agree they're not some sacred idol to be worshipped and adored.

We talked and argued politics. I miss that. I wish I had his wisdom to draw on today, now that I'm a second class citizen. He'd be incensed at what they've done to us women. So, I'm torn. I think I'm more glad he's not here, tho.

[chowder66]

19. He sounds like one of the good "R's" when the party had some semblance of morality.

My dad would have also been incensed about what they are doing to women. He considered himself a feminist even when he was a Republican.

[lees1975]

20. This is not your Dad's Republican Party

It's been hijacked. And what disappoints me more than the political positions they used to hold is that those who know the party has been hijacked won't stand up to the bullies. A mob incited by the former President intended to assassinate members of Congress and Mike Pence, and Pence's response is, "Yes, I would vote for Trump again." You can't fix that kind of idiocy.

[chowder66]

21. Agreed.