If we had a religion based government we would spiral into Religious wars quickly

[lunatica]

There would immediately arise the antagonism that many religious people and religious factions show against each other now. Followers of each religion believe theirs is the only true word of God and that others are blasphemous and tools of the Devil. A religious civil war would ensue within a shockingly short time. And if one faction were to prevail I don't doubt for a second that all the unbelievers in that one religion would be rounded up and 'converted' in one way or the other. Imagine the wrath coming down from the government against anyone who used contraceptive, had abortions, or even expressed religious doubt.

And certain religious people would be rounded up for exportation or, for an even more permanent solution, a quicky trial and sentencing to death. Mitt wouldn't like the fall out against the Mormon 'cult' members, and Catholics might really dislike the rise of the protestants as the Supreme Federal Religion of the Land. Whole swaths of people would be considered the enemy and thereby justify the use of force to quell or deport them. Muslims wouldn't have a prayer of course because they just want to follow Sharia Laws. And we've all seen or heard of the Holocaust and the Jews.

There is one form of government which I'm not willing to ever live under. Theology based government. It would get really bloody and ugly and millions of us would consider leaving the country if we wanted to live in peace. Or even just to live.

[peacebird]

1. I have a feeling that wiccans would not fare well under a theocratic regime of fundies....

[lunatica]

6. I have no ounce of doubt of that

[warrior1]

2. Being a lesbian

I would probably be executed.

[lunatica]

4. The ultimate Capital Punishment crime would be called Blasphemy

which would be anything they didn't deem as being Christian. I'm afraid you're dead right in your statement.

[RevStPatrick]

3. And there are people who are creaming for just that!

I weep for my generation...

[Marrah_G]

5. I would be dead or in hiding

Once the non christians were gone they would turn on each other.

[Nye Bevan]

7. I certainly wouldn't want to live under an Iran-style regime where the Ayatollahs run the show.

To take another example, however, the UK has an established Protestant state religion and shows no sign of descending into religious wars. Two out of the three major party leaders there are atheists, and nobody cares.

[lunatica]

11. The Church of England has been around since Henry VIII when he created it

There's been plenty of religious killing in the UK. Starting with Henry's wives. Just not lately.

[Hugabear]

36. The occupation of Northern Ireland has been pretty damned bloody

It's died down as of late, but I'm sure it could erupt at any time.

[The Genealogist]

8. Yes, I think you have it pretty well spelled out.

Once the RWers got their theocracy, or at least theocrats got enough power to start implementing their frightening laws, they would soon turn on each other in their lust for ideological purity. There cannot be more than one Absolute Truth, and they would kill each other trying to prove which had the Absolute Truth, the One True God, etc. Of course, by that point, LGBT folks, atheists, wiccans, intellectuals of varying stripes, and other Infidels would have been deported, arrested, put in camps, or killed.

[fascisthunter]

9. right wingers love institutionalizing mythology into governments

it makes them feel saner to have their whacko perspective a norm.

[jwirr]

10. I agree that would be the outcome but not necessarily because of "the only true God" thing. I

would guess it would be more about wanting freedom to believe what you want.

[TheMastersNemesis]

12. This Is The Theocratic Push

This election is the theocratic push supported by the Family and its allies. The religious right is making it clear. This elction is about a coup to take over and change the constitution. The GOP and billionaires are certainly willing to help them accomplish this mission for their own economic reasons. It would be a Theocratic Corporatist Oligarchic Dictatorship.

How many times have we hear that the bible and ten commandments should replace our Constitution? That we should be governed as a christian nation and NOT a secular one. How many times do we have to hear this meme before we realize that they are serious about forcing this change.

Fixed elections, intimidation, taking away voting from non believers, infiltrating local elections, passing pro religion initiatives, putting in judges who are religious (i.e. 6 Supreme Court justices who are Catholic, three are radical Opus Dei), etc etc,

Why would they all be so bold unless they feel that they, the GOP and the Kochs have already fixed or bought the 2012 election.
There was and anecdote by a conservative at a meeting who said that the GOP will make 2000 and 2004 look like child's play. They have it in the bag already.

Santorectum pretty much says he will establish a religious government if he wins.

[lunatica]

13. This recent religious push is what got me thinking about living in a Theocracy

The Christian based ones all seem to be pretty united right now, but that's just because they have a 'common enemy'. That wouldn't last long as each side started thumping their interpretation of scripture.

[AndyTiedye]

18. It is Clear They Are Not Even Trying to Appeal to the People at Large Anymore

They are vying for the support of the rabid teabaggers who control the state governments in most of our states.
They are counting on massive election fraud to "win".

They control 27 states with 270 electoral votes.

[lunatica]

14. The possibility of this outcome is terrifying

[cindyperry2010]

15. We would be just like the taliban

that is what the republican party is now the american taliban

[Owlet]

17. There are those who would argue that we are already fighting religious wars. (eom)

[Kurmudgeon]

19. We do have a religious based government, it worships money and power, IE Mammon.

I don't think anyone is going to be rounded up yet, but when the time comes, who is leading the harvest may surprise you.

[Occulus]

34. Rightwing Christians will lead that harvest, same as they ever have.

I know for a fact that there are far more US Christians who want to kill me or at the least push me down and keep me there than there are members of any other religion. Living in MI, I'm subject to a state Constitutional Amendment that not only forbids me from getting married, but also forbids any state-funded entity from offering domestic partner benefits.

Michigan Christians did that to me and many of my friends. I have no doubt they would go further if they thought they could get away with it.

[felix_numinous]

20. Oooh yea baby--and the only way they could -enforce- their laws

would be to bring on a full on police state.

These people are serious, they are addicted to $$$$$ and domination, and --once again-- people have to stand up to them and unseat them from places of power!! But you know what--I think we have them outnumbered and they know it.

[eomer]

21. But we do do that, don't we? Just in other places, sometimes through proxies.

Lots of people are dead, and the description of how they got that way does seem similar to your description, except that they're foreigners, others, not us, don't matter I guess.

[lunatica]

22. That's another subject

Which I have given plenty of space to here on DU because in spite of your broad brush criticism it does matter to a lot of people other than just you. I'm talking about what it would be like HERE if we had a religiously oppressive government which people like Santorum would love to lead.

I thought that was pretty clear.

[eomer]

23. My point is that it isn't another subject, not to me, and I wish it weren't to others.

But even if you insist on seeing it that way, I guess the answer to your question about how it would be is that it would be like it is for those people on whom we inflict it in other places. So go check there, see how it is, there's your answer to how it would be.

[lunatica]

24. You should brush up on your reading comprehension skills.

I wasn't wondering what it would be like. I was actually describing what I think it would be like. Your snark and intrusion are sadly misplaced. Perhaps you should stop telling other people what they should talk about and go start your own threads on the subjects you deem fit. That way you can satisfy that urge to control other people.

[eomer]

25. Apologies that I said it in a way that was snarky, but...

it feels wrong to discuss how horrible it would be if we had a government that did those things to us and not mention that we do have a government that does those things to us, where the second "us" refers to people who inhabit Earth.

[lunatica]

27. But that very thing is discussed a lot here on DU

It isn't necessary to bring it up in every single post to know what's really going on in the world. I've been part of and even started threads about what our government does to other countries. I was raised in a foreign country and have a somewhat different experience of what our government does to other countries and how our country is perceived by the rest of the world. I have always been acutely aware of what it is the be a US citizen in the world.

I have always thought of myself as being a citizen of the world first. And I'm anti war and I talk about that all the time. In this thread I'm simply anti religion and it isn't impossible, watching the teabagger's rise in power these last few years, to imagine our government becoming a Theocratic one very quickly.

We need to pay attention to what's happening here too. To what our government is doing to us, not just to the rest of the world.

[eomer]

32. Agreed, nicely put.

Thanks.

[Union Scribe]

31. Are you really slamming someone for a broad brush

when the entire basis of your OP is that religious Americans are just waiting for the chance to round up and murder everyone who isn't in their church?

[n2doc]

26. Of course. The Baptists hate the Catholics and so on

Remember back in 1960 it was a huge deal that we had a catholic president. Many people in the South were apoplectic that JFK was surely going to take his orders from the Pope.

[bananas]

28. Like Iran? nt

[lunatica]

29. I've never heard of religious wars within Iran.

As far as I know Iran was taken over by one religious group and has established a Theocracy, but it didn't take over with a bunch of religious leaders from different religions. The Shah was overthrown by the followers of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Not a mixture of various religious followers.

Right now we have three distinct religious groups personified in the Republican nominees who only appear to be getting along because they have the same goal and the same enemy. Santorum is Catholic, Romney is a Mormon, and Newt is the most dangerous of all, he's a Catholic convert who was originally a Lutheran. Ron Paul was also a Lutheran who has become a Baptist and who has stated that the separation of Church and government is a recently contrived National policy.

But yes. We would end up looking like Iran in many ways if we had a Theocratic government.

[Fumesucker]

30. There's some evidence that Europe is less religious than the US overall..

Precisely because of their history of bitter and divisive religious conflicts..

Perhaps a religious war would be a good thing for the US in the long run.

[Cleita]

33. Yes, look at history. The proof is there. n/t

[spanone]

35. that's why church & state are separate & that's why santorum is so dangerous

he fails to comprehend what makes this country great