I’m opposed to how Christo-fascism is functioning politically in the US today

Anthony, radical that you are, however, perhaps you can educate and improve me. What do you make of these Christian rock bands and the massive audiences that they’re playing to? We don’t see many Buddhist rock bands, for instance. What do you think of the corporatization of religion in this way? If you follow the link to dailykos there are some interesting youtube clips from these events. What do you think of the rhetoric that these Christians are fighting a war and that we need a more warlike Church? What do you think of the fact that 150 of Bush’s appointees are from Pat Robertson’s Regent University? Why do you think forms of worship such as these concerts and these megachurches have been such a big success? Do you think these are things that should just be ignored? larvalsubjects said this on April 10th, 2007 at 8:18 pm

Alex, my positions on what? Clearly I’m opposed to how Christo-fascism is functioning politically in the United States today. I do not believe all Christians are Christo-fascists. Would I like to see all religion disappear from the world? Sure. I think it’s nonsense, but much of it is fairly benign. Do I get upset with most of it? No. I’m not sure what else there is to state. All of this has been stated many times before on this blog and elsewhere. What’s unclear? larvalsubjects said this on April 10th, 2007 at 8:52 pm

Well I’m a realist and know that there are many religious people that I love and admire despite their quirky beliefs, and also recognize that it’s not going away anytime soon. For instance, I think Martin Luther King is nifty. However, I do find it interesting that believers tend to be the only ones who take any criticism or rejection of their beliefs as a horrific affront and personal attack, as if others should remain silent regarding their metaphysical claims. For instance, during the Enlightenment, as Descartes’ mechanist hypotheses spread throughout the universities in Europe, the response of those who disagreed either sought to fire those teaching Cartesian mechanism, ban the teaching of mechanism at the universities and require the teaching of Aristotlean physics, or enact laws of the state preventing the exploration of these positions.

I am not endorsing Cartesian mechanism, but only offering it as a historical example. There is something internal to Christianity that seems to shut down critical discussion that is welcome in other aspects of life. Of course, religion is not alone in this. For instance, you seem to take offense at my casual remark that I wouldn’t mind seeing religion disappear from the world. I wonder if you’d be similarly bothered by my dim view of the phlogiston hypothesis or the aether hypothesis? larvalsubjects said this on April 10th, 2007 at 9:07 pm