New National Blog Site Takes on the Religious Right

[paineinthearse]

Received by email from Frederick Clarkson

For Immediate Release
November 21, 2005

New National Blog Site Takes on the Religious Right


Talk to Action, the first national interactive blog site devoted to discussing the theocratic Christian Right and what to do about it, will launch on Monday, November 21st, 2005.

www.Talk2Action.org.

Talk to Action, founded by author Frederick Clarkson, blogger Bruce Wilson, and 14 other writers, seeks to advance the national conversation on this subject.

"We are concerned about the theocratic tendencies of the religious right in the United States," said Clarkson. "Among other things, claims that America is a Christian Nation; sectarian approaches to public policy such as efforts to require the teaching of "intelligent design"; the movement to redefine our laws in terms of religious laws; and a growing culture of religious intolerance and religious supremacism. We welcome anyone who shares our concerns to think and learn with us. Strategize with us. Debate with us."

Clarkson, the author of the book, Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy, has written about politics and religion for more than 20 years. The founding writers also include: Chip Berlet, Senior Analyst, Political Research Associates; Joan Bokaer, founder of Theocracy Watch; Esther Kaplan, author of With God on Their Side: How Christian Fundamentalists Trampled Science, Policy and Democracy in George Bush's White House; Dr. Bruce Prescott, Executive Director, Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists; noted blogger, Pastordan, a minister in the United Church of Christ who operates the blog site, Street Prophets; Michelle Goldberg, Senior Writer at Salon.com; and Joel Pelleteir, an artist whose remarkable painting American Fundamentalists, is touring the United States. And others!

On Tuesday, November 29th, Talk to Action will, in partnership with the San Francisco-based Mother Jones magazine, host a national "e-conference," on the Talk to Action site, featuring writers and editors of Mother Jones which is publishing several articles about the religious right in the next issue.

Talk to Action, like such major blog sites as The Daily Kos, uses "scoop" software, that has proved to be highly conducive to online discussion. The site differs from other major sites, however, in that it seeks to be less freewheeling in tone as well as content. Talk to Action seeks a more thoughtful, civil, and nonpartisan tone than is found on many sites. While anyone can read the site, those who agree with it's general purpose are welcome to become registered users, publish their own essays, and comment on the posts of others.

"We favor religious equality and separation of church and state," Clarkson said. "We support reproductive freedom and gay and lesbian civil rights -- including marriage equality. Therefore," he says, "debates about abortion and gay rights are off topic on this site. We understand that there are those who may be concerned generally about the politics of the Christian Right who may not completely share our views on these matters. They are welcome to participate anyway, but bearing this in mind. Our purpose is to take the conversation forward, and not let it be held back by debating what, in our view are or should be, settled matters of human, civil and constitutional rights.

-- 30 --

Edited Fred's typo ("bog" instead of "blog"). Hadn't noticed, how funny!

[yellowcanine]

1. Bog, blog, whatever.

[paineinthearse]

4. Don't shoot the messenger

It was Fred's typo!

Thanks for noticing, I've edited here and relayed the info to him.

[FizzFuzz]

2. KandR. I've been wanting to see some kind of organized movement

to debunk the christofascist element of the RW.

I'm saving the link, thank you.

[Imagine My Surprise]

3. Hey! Thanks for sharing this!

[AZBlue]

5. Some thoughts...

Hmmmm...I'm intrigued and will have to check it out - thanks for sharing!

I'm curious though - I'm certainly no fan of the Religious Right, Evangelicals, whatever you want to call them. However, are we now attributing to them more power than they really have? Aren't they like the Moral Majority - neither moral nor the majority? Instead of working against them wouldn't time be better spent just working to mobilize the majority who don't believe in them? If we just got more of that group to vote, we wouldn't really have to worry about the RR.

Plus, isn't freedom of religion a right in this country? I agree the RR tries to step over the line by wanting to govern by their interpretation of the Bible, but we need to make sure we don't step over the line in opposing them.

Just some thoughts...

[Poet Lariat]

11. Regardless if they are small in numbers

They have an enormous amount of "perceived" power when wielded as a club by Bushco through the MSM.

They have enormous "collective" power at the voting booth. Imagine thousands of bus loads on election day from "Highway Frontage Mega" churches all across the country with a single, common purpose.

They have enormous "implied" power when taking on "touchstone" issues such as Proposition 2 in Texas recently (Constitutional ban on gay marriage) where they can co-opt other, "less radically fundamental" churches to form large single issue voting blocks.

AZBlue, I see your point and agree that mobilization of the true majority is necessary. I also believe that if RRR brand of religion is not exposed for what it is, they will continue to gain power and influence in this country and around the world.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

6. Thanks. Just what we need..

to combat the right wingers. They are everything that libertarians stand against, which makes me wonder what ever happened to the libertarian wing of the GOP. They want complete control & government interference in your private lives.

[paineinthearse]

7. If you responded to this post when it was in LBN...

...and gave it a nomination, it was wiped out when moved to GDP.

[Joanne98]

8. YAY! I'll be going there! K&R!

[FizzFuzz]

9. I can't nominate again, but I CAN k.i.t.t.t.

As I happen to be accidentally listening to some Christian Radio, I'm having an interesting time analyzing I'm hearing.

Some of it is making me uncomfortable, and some of it I can understand on a certain level. I haven't figured out how to describe that level yet. It's interesting to note the heavy reliance on sentimentality to carry messages........

cursory opinion right now is that is generally very outward centered--responsibility for "our lives" lies with Jesus....
.....and the RW message...again, there is only one "person who can bring peace", inference being that its not within us.

Well, I'll have to get into some more analysing this.

Anyone have some viewpoints? I've never listened to Xtian radio before, its bizarre in some ways. Tell me what you think...wow even just heard a caller's email, ending with "Until He Comes Again, I remain with you in JEsus ....blah blah blah". Hmm is that a way of expressing a mass belief in the world ending soon. Oh my god, there's a preacher on now, preaching about, basically, the soon-to-be end of this world....blah blah. The preacher is just hammering away.

Well, I'm starting to get a sketchy idea of how brainwashing occurs, and how fear is so central in their message.

Brrrrr. Creeepy.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Thanks. Great stuff.

[bonito]

12. Kick!

[paineinthearse]

13. 12 hour

:kick: