Binary Theology -> Reductionist Politics -> Marketed Ideological Control

[jokerman93]

I've become interested in the the political world-view that seems to have evolved inside the radical christian movement over the last several decades, and the movement's usefulness as a poltical weapon by the corporate rightwing.

To avoid writing an essay here, and boring everybody, I'll just write in some shorthand observations and an invitation to hear the opinions of anyone who's been thinking about some of this.

Observations:

1. The ideology of the religious right divides the world into a clear binary demarcation of moral good and evil.

2. Any event, idea, policy, or individual that advances or advocates the political power and hegemony of the religious right is construed as good.

3. Any event, idea, policy, or individual that undermines or challenges the political power and hegemony of the religious right is construed as evil.

4. All good is assumed to be sponsored by the Christ-God postulated as the eventual sovereign ruler of coming established kingdom on earth.

5. All evil is assumed to be sponsored by Satan and his demonic armies opposing the will of the Christ-King.

(I did a search on Amazon.com using keywords:

Spiritual Warfare

I got dozens of hits on Christian books instructing the reader on the the nature of demonic influence and possesion, with recipe-like instructions in the arts and techniques of battling unseen evil forces.

Alarmingly, mixed in with this bounty of hysterical psuedo-occultism, I found many other "Christian" books drawing parallels between this struggle of good against evil with the struggle of the far right against liberalism.)

hence:

6. Republican conservatives and their agendas are sponsored by Christ-God.

7. Liberal/progressives, Democrats and their agendas are instruments of Satan and under the influence of evil.

These are the psychological dynamics that seem to remain in the closet, while all along we marvel at the corruption, codependency and seemingly mind-numbing complacency of the "right-wing, flag waving, militant conservative crusaders" who actually approve of Bushco's mad empirial ambitions for world domination.

I'm coming to the conclusion that the large segment of the American population that currently identifies with this distorted civic christianity, has no interest or concern for equality or democracy at all. They are living inside an entirely different epochal myth/fantasy. They see current world events as an end game that will result (without possibility of failure) of the dominion of their Christ-king over the polity of the world.

Democracy, constitution, bill of rights, equality, human rights, justice and rule of all will all be superceded by God's law.

If this is true, then we have an American messianic movement that is potentially as virulent and monomaniacal as any version of the Taliban, or the great psuedo-occult state religion of the Third Reich.

Arguments anyone? observations? Comments?


P.S. I found this book years ago and have read it several times. It documents the history of the corporate use of evangelism as a tool of capitalistic exploitation of underdeveloped countries and peoples.

It's good stuff and I suspect that the current use of the same kind of religion to exploit political power in this country, is merely a natural extention of the same strategies of mass control. I would also suggest that it is leading to a wholesale exploitation (for corporate gain) of the people and resources, not only of this country, but of the world.

http://www.publiceye.org/diamond/diamond.html

[PopArt]

1. Exactly

Total agreement.

I've always qualified when people, or myself, say we need to learn certain organizing tactics from the right that we should always remember that things are easier for them because they don't view things as multi-faceted, which is usually what liberals/progressives tend to do.

Is the book called "Spiritual Warfare?" There's numerous ones on the link you provide.

[jokerman93]

10. Yes here it is

Spiritual Warfare:
The Politics of the Christian Right,
Sara Diamond
(Boston: South End Press, 1989)
304 pages, index
Paperback ISBN: 0-921689-64-0 $19.99
Hardcover ISBN: 0-921689-65-9 $48.99

[newyawker99]

17. Hi PopArt!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[SlavesandBulldozers]

2. well written

and absolutely true. I've been fascinated by this phenomena as well for quite a bit of time. Generally the Religious Right is just sort of mentioned and dropped, without much qualification - but I think youve done a pretty good job of outlining it. Of course you didnt have time to get into the details, but the stances of our Religious Right are complex and often contradictory when concerning the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and the "entimes", in particular. Good work, and definitely one of the most relative posts as it pertains to understanding.

[SlavesandBulldozers]

3. i meant "endtimes"

but im sure you knew that.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

4. "Rational manipulation of irrational symbols"

A simple and highly effective propaganda technique.

[rucky]

5. If it weren't Christianity, it would be something else

there will always be an element of functional sociopaths in any society... seeking power, attaching themselves and twisting any dogma that will best fit their purposes. No different from the Taliban... or Stalin, Hitler, Earth First, Scientology, PETA... the list of extremists goes on. Plug in your observations for ANY extremist group and the model would fit.

And there will always be "lost" and desperate people willing to follow them anywhere their leaders take them - as long as the path is clear.

[Az]

6. To summarise

Conservative = Simple view of the world

Liberal = Complex view of the world

Those who wish to guide the binary theists reduce the world view to a very simplistic black/white view. Thus framed in this way it is impossible for those trapped by their view of the world around them as absolutes to see a way around these conclusions.

Liberal views are based on the idea that no one has the absolute right answer and that only together can we cobble together a consensus of how we want to live. This completely erodes the very idea of absolute rights and wrongs. For this reason the religious right is ever dubious of our calls for tolerance and compassion. They see our compassion as being accepting of Evil(note the capital E). They are constantly cautioned that Evil is devious. They are even being coached that Evil will come as a peace bringer.

Simply put it is a battle that has been going on for ages. Since the age of enlightenment a battle has raged between relativism and absolutism. The absolutists have found themself a companion in the form of Corporate Conservatives. Both despise the control and regulation a strong federal government provides to protect the people from their various forms of aggression. Both seek to dismantle the government to either the point that it stops interfering or becomes pliant to their desires. Since the drives and motivations of each others agendas do not overlap for the most part they are not bothered by the excesses of the other side and simply enjoy the power boost brought about by their marriage.

[jokerman93]

12. When you put it that way

The "marriage" between statist religion and corporate oligarchy is as sleezy a mating as one can imagine.

[roughsatori]

7. They've learned to exploit the vulnerability of binary thinking

Binary thinking being the predominant mode of thinking in Greco/Roman and Judeo/Christian cultures, and still the dominant mode of thinking in the USA has revealed itself as an epistemological mode that is suited to the us-verses-them thinking of earlier times. It also worked in earlier times as a survival tool. The Christian Right has learned to manipulate and perpetuate this vein in the USA.

I agree with your post.

[jokerman93]

14. Predominant mode of thinking

Binary thinking being the predominant mode of thinking in Greco/Roman and Judeo/Christian cultures

Yes, but around 300 years ago, an historic development called the Enlightenment introduced doubt, empiricsm, and standards of measure for reaching consensus on "truth".

We used to have an education system that taught these skills to people. I guess someone realized having a citizenry trained in critical thinking is counter to the power and hegemony of God's will and is therefor Evil.

Therefor, willful ignorance is Good.

Wow. We're really through the looking glass now aren't we?

:crazy:


on edit:
the usual typos

[Ripley]

8. I don't think we are Satanic yet, just Secular.

And that bothers them enough. But yes, I believe we're heading for a big showdown, say another Civil War in this country. Not the black/white war the supremacists have been talking about for years, but the Fundamentalists/Secularists war. I suppose the Culture wars have been going on for a couple of decades. But now the Fundies have control of the Federal government, school boards, and most importantly the Media. Have you ever noticed how many cable shows are on that have these people selling absolute crazy nonsense? Like Van Impke.

[jokerman93]

15. Are you saying

that secular progressive libreralism is not yet considered Satanic or influenced by evil forces?

You might be right but I'll bet if I did some digging I could defend an argument against that...

[JackRiddler]

9. How about turnabout?

The nice thing about black and white simplicity is that it allows for instant transformation into a negative of itself.

Maybe we can just convince the fundamentalists that their Antichrist is actually Bush?

A lot of them already believe it - no wonder!

Google Bush+antichrist...

http://www.google.com/search?q=bush+antichrist&sourceid=opera&num=25

[JackRiddler]

13. Here we go...

Apparently the Pope himself is concerned that Bush fulfils the Antichrist prophecies.

http://www.counterpunch.org/madsen04222003.html

How could we get this across to the hellfire fundamentalists?

[ithacan]

11. absolutely! Check out this website:

http://www.theocracywatch.org/

It documents how the "christian" right has taken over the republican party,

it shows how the agenda of the "christian" right is very much in line with the corporate agenda of undermining and destroying the government (except for its police functions).

[Neoplatonist]

16. The Origin of Evil

I study theology and philosophy indepthly. I'm currently reading a book of selections by Origen, the great Neo-Platonist philosopher and Catholic Church Father (c. 185--254 A.D.).

I also recently read the Nag Hammadi Library, which is the complete Gnostic Gospels. Gnostics believed evil derives from the Demiurge, Yaldaboath, the son of Sophia--the Word of God. The Demiurge is the begetter of all evil things that happen in time and space. The battle between Ahab and Moby Dick in Herman Melville's Moby Dick was a classic example of the gnostic battle between the good, Ahab (human spirit), and evil, Moby Dick (created existence).

The great psychologist C.G. Jung was also very gnostic. His symbolism of good and evil is very convergent with the notion of the Demiurge, or fallen Divine Intellect.

The main storyline in the book Demian by Herman Hesse is also a gnostic battle between good and evil.

I've come to the conclusion that evil is created in the human will. These are the stages:

1. We form a suggestion: to do good or to do evil.

2. We take delight in the suggestion or we don't.

3. We consent to the delight or we don't.

4. We act on the consent or we don't.

Ultimately, if we act from a suggestion of doing good, we do good. If we act from a suggestion of sin, we do evil. Therefore, good and evil derive from one's free will--freedom of choice.

Marcus Aurelius, the great Stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor, in book IV--Part VII, of his magnum opus, Meditations, said this: "Take away your opinion, then there is taken away the complaint, 'I have been harmed.' Take away the complaint, 'I have been harmed,' and the harm is taken away."

That quote parallels my belief that evil comes to fruition from an individual's free will. It's the original suggestion that is the origin of good and evil done by men.