The rise of the fundamentalist right in America

[J.A.K.]

I switched(by choice)from public school to a small Christian school my sophomore year in HS. This school/church would definitely be considered fundamental/"legalistic". Culottes below the knees for girls, navy knit slacks and tie (square sock-tie FTW!) for the boys. No shorts anytime. I played JV/Varsity basketball and we had to wear sweatpants while playing...LOL! Hair must be a certain length, cheerleaders could not do legkicks...you get the point. The teachers actually lived this type of life 24/7 and it was taught as "the" way according to scripture.

Looking back, I realize how miserable those people were trying to constantly adhere to those misguided principles, especially the females. As for me, I was distracted enough by sports/girlfriends/friends -basic HS stuff- to not be overwhelmed by the rules. I still managed to have a blast during HS. I had a good "balance"/freedom in my home life in that my family did not adhere to the strictures of the school. I simply accepted them as a student.

Fundamentalists seem to think there is some stasis of rigorous piety that can be reached and that it can only be reached in the narrow confines of painting the world demonic. I have yet to meet a truly happy fundy. I imagine they approach some perverse happiness while spewing invectives. But for ones claiming to have a stranglehold on truth and the path to peace, this is hardly rewarding.

I worry less about the kook fringe in the video by OP, than the zeitgeist that will relegate the truths of scripture into obscurity. My school eventually ended- cracking up from the top down. Fundies would never be able to hold a consortium very long because they would always devolve into chaos from a myopic hyper-defensiveness or a who can out-Nit who regarding interpretation of scripture/creed. Rather, I fear moral relativism, nihilism, and iconoclasm will serve to suppress an invaluable source of guidance (if only as an alternative) and "first principles" for life.

Good thread. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[katyseagull]

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I worry less about the kook fringe in the video by OP, than the zeitgeist that will relegate the truths of scripture into obscurity. My school eventually ended- cracking up from the top down. Fundies would never be able to hold a consortium very long because they would always devolve into chaos from a myopic hyper-defensiveness or a who can out-Nit who regarding interpretation of scripture/creed. Rather, I fear moral relativism, nihilism, and iconoclasm will serve to suppress an invaluable source of guidance (if only as an alternative) and "first principles" for life.



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I agree with what you wrote, J.A.K. I never worried about the kook fringe because I think it is just that, a fringe. If the kook fringe became bigger then I'd be very concerned. I don't think these nuts are representative of Americans or Christians at all and hope that the rest of the world is not buying this propaganda but I fear that it is since Americans themselves are buying it.

However, to get back to what Whiskeytown wrote, I never realized that Blackwater was run by Fundamentalists. Good lord, now that is actually very troubling. I am a pacifist and don't feel Christians should be involved in wars (let alone murdering civilians). And a paramilitary? Wow. Ok now I am starting to feel unsettled by this. I really wonder if the U.S. is showing signs of becoming a fascist state. Yikes. I guess I am starting to get concerned about fundamentalists in America diebitter [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img].

[Blarg]

It's only a matter of time before we all become Wahabis.

[katyseagull]

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It's only a matter of time before we all become Wahabis.

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Why do I not know what this means!! Does everyone else know what 'Wahabi' means besides me?

[Manque]

Wahhabism is an 18th century reform movement in Islam. The The House of Saud are wahhabis and have used their countries oil money to fund maddrassas and mosques thoughout the world that preach shia law and in many cases violent jihad. Osama Bin Laden is a Wahhabi.

[Blarg]

It's that green horseradish paste you mix with soy sauce when you get sushi...no wait...

The Wahabi are a sunni islam sect that the House of Saud has provided tremendous funding for inside and outside Saudi Arabia, helping them set up religious schools (madrassas is how the word is spelled I think). Under the banner of education, many of the schools spend little time on any subject but memorizing the Koran. The Wahabi are an extremely strict fundamentalist islamic sect. The House of Saud has put so much money into the establishment of the madrassas, and conducted much of its civil society in deference to Wahabi religious ideas, as a way to keep its hold on power nationally and spread it internationally.

Saudi Arabia's cynical opportunism in this regard uncomfortably echoes the style and machinations of the House of Saud's foremost ally for decades -- our American royalty, the Bush family. That Bush is using national resources to help establish what is essentially a privatized military in Blackwater, and at the same time carefully directing that privatization so as to tighten his bonds with the religious right in the process, is pretty much business as usual.

[daveT]

It is only a few centuries before Oprahism, Elvisism are legit religions, and people are crusading because Arnold Schwartzegnegger is the real prophet. I wonder if they will use his long-haired Conan the Barbarian look, or his short-haired Terminator look.