God Squad on Katrina

Never in my lifetime have I seen such a lack of separation between church and state in the U.S. in the Federal government than under the Bush Regime. The Republican party is controlled by the religious right in roughly 20 states, and the Federal government is infected with religious zealots.

I want to call attention to a rising religious right perspective called Christian Reconstructionism, which literally seeks to replace Federal and state laws with religious laws based on Old Testament Christianity.

Just Google Christian Reconstructionism for more details. Over the past twenty years we have seen the growth of religio-fascism in the U.S. When American government officials use religion to justify their foreign and domestic policies, all wars become "holy" wars, and social Darwinism becomes a sign of true righteousness.

Donations to charity have been the lowest among -- this uncharitable and mean-spirited attitude toward the poor lives on today, and is highlighted by disasters such as hurricane Katrina. And, of course, it would not be a God Squad moment if Pat "take him out" Robertson weighing in on the matter.

For four years the American public has been deceived by claims that the reorganization of FEMA and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security have made Americans safer and better prepared for any kind of emergency. The major effect of these agencies has been to undermine the constitutional rights and civil liberties of Americans, not, as it tuned out, to make us safer and better prepared.

The failure of these Washington bureaucracies (along with some state and local officials) again proves that in the U.S., image and posturing is more important than reality.

Just take a look at this excellent coverage from Petty Larseny:

Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Christian GOP: Katrina Was God's Work
If your normal instinct is not to give a shit what Rick Scarborough says, you may already be a winner. If, however, you do give a shit, that might mean you have the unfortunate luck of being someone like Sam Brownback, Tom DeLay or Bill Frist. They were Scarborough's allies in pulling together the so-called "Justice Sunday" events designed to overthrow the judicial branch of the United States government.

Now comes more proof that Scarborough hates America. Scarborough hasn't published it on his web site yet, but here's the text of what his upcoming "report" will say about Katrina. I've italicized the lies, underlined his anti-Americanism and bolded the hate...

NEW ORLEANS - WHEN GOD OPENS THE FLOODGATES
I write to you today with a heavy heart. These are among the darkest days I've seen. If natural disasters weren't enough, the man-made disasters in the works are a constant reminder that -- by their actions - nations, as well as individuals, are judged.

I have many friends living between New Orleans and Mobile. Tommye and I ministered in Mobile for 4 years in the early '80s, and we've maintained close relationships with those we met and came to love. I've struggled to choke back tears as I've watched the devastation and followed news accounts. Please keep these precious people in your prayers.

In every event in the life of a nation -- as in our personal lives -- God is always speaking to us. It is imperative that we hear Him and heed His voice. These thoughts I offer with deep humility.

Scriptures teach us that God will not be mocked. The scenes of devastation in New Orleans we're witnessing on the nightly news show us a catastrophe of Biblical proportions.

If that weren't enough, the chaos that's sweeping the ravaged city is a sad reminder that when God brings the deluge, the floodgates will open and unimaginable evil will wash over us.

Consider this Associated Press report, filed today, of the lawlessness that reigns in New Orleans. "Storm victims are raped and beaten; fights erupt with flying fists, knives and guns; fires are breaking out; corpses litter the streets; and police and rescue helicopters are repeatedly fired on." Thousands of National Guard troops are being deployed to New Orleans with shoot-to- kill orders.

While stories of bravery and compassion are coming out of the devastated city, there are also these reports of human beasts preying on the most vulnerable of the hurricane's victims.

After September 11, 2001, "God bless America" was on everyone's lips. But what, exactly, are we asking God to bless - a nation moving a [sic] breakneck speed toward homosexual marriage, a nation awash in pornography, a nation in which our children are indoctrinated in perversion in the public schools, a nation in which most public displays of The Ten Commandments are considered offensive to the Constitution, a nation in which the elite does all in its considerable power to efface our Biblical heritage?

We are sowing the wind. Surely, we shall reap the whirlwind.

One other factor which must be considered: Days before Katrina nearly wiped New Orleans off the map, 9,000 Jewish residents of Gaza were driven from their homes with the full support of the United States government. Could this be a playing out of prophesy ("I will bless that nation that blesses you, and curse the nation that curses you")?

Please read on. I want to give you two examples - from today's headlines - of how we are bringing disaster on ourselves. And then tell you what you can do - right now, today - to begin to reverse the process.

He then goes on to slam California's gay-marriage legislative push and opposition to criminalizing bestiality in Washington. And what does he say you can do to ensure proper gender- and species-alignment of genitalia in two Pacific states?

If you're shocked and saddened as I am by the foregoing - if you understand that it's up to people of faith to save our beloved country, before it's too late - there's something important you can do right now.

I urge you to register for Vision America's upcoming Countering The War on Faith Conference, October 17-18 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

This will be unlike any conference you've attended in the past. We will discuss and analyze every aspect of the war on Christianity and Christians, coming from the news media, Hollywood, public education, academia, the judiciary and leftwing activist organizations (like the ALCU [sic] and People for the American Way).

Confirmed speakers include Senator Sam Brownback, Alan Keyes, Gary Bauer and Phyllis Schlafly. But that's just the beginning. Individual registrations are only $149 ($259 for married couples). That includes two lunches and a dinner - plus all conference materials. We've deliberately kept the price as low as possible to encourage attendance.

At the conference, we will show Christians how to fight back against militant secularists, cultural polluters, gay activists and Hollywood indoctrinators. The conference will be the start of a year-long Christian voter registration, education and mobilization effort.

Visit the Vision America website, where you can register for the conference online and pay with a credit card. After you've done that, please download the conference flyer and distribute it to your personal e-mail list, with a note from you asking them to attend.

His thesis is simply that New Orleans deserved to die. Biloxi deserved to suffer. Poor, black children deserved to drown because Americans have too many freedoms. This is not some fringe kook, this is what the mainstream of American Republican politics has become. That's why it's not just Schlafly, but Brownback, too. Until Brownback, DeLay, Frist and the other Republicans who benefit from and ally themselves with Scarborough and his traitorous, hateful, fearful thugs renounce him and his school of thought, consider them all enemies of freedom and enemies of America.

I'd love to see people flock to register. I'd love to see people infiltrate this bogus conference and remind people of what truly makes America great: Freedom to dissent, questioning authority, compartmentalizing religion away from public decision-making. When Scarborough and his ilk (including Pres. Bush, who has called both Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks God's "tests" -- e.g., the will of God) credit America's pain to their deity, they are siding with that deity against this country. Let's take the war to them.