1. View existing government as corrupt and illegitimate because it is secular and not sufficiently rigorous in upholding religious authority or religiously sanctioned moral and social values.
While this certainly isn't true of libertarians, it is very true of the base. Not only do you have to be a Christian but you have to be a Christian in THEIR WAY. President Obama and the entirety of the Democratic party are not sufficiently Christian.
2. They subscribe to a particular set of behavior and opinions that they believe political authority must reflect, promote, and protect in all governmental and social activities. The government must be in the hands of believers.
This is what Katie meant by "taking our government back." It must be back in the hands of believers. Of course, they mistakenly see people like me and President Obama as believers as well but really that's how their perception works. Again, Obama and all Democrats are destroying our country.
3. They are exclusionists. They tend to see their views as part of the inheritance of everyone who is a believer.
4. They are militant and willing to use coercion to achieve the only true end.
This is what I was getting at the other day when I spoke of the similarity between the current conservative movement and the Nazi party in Germany in the 1930s. Their fervent belief is overwhelming and I especially find it troubling in the economic beliefs of libertarians.
5. They attack the inability of government to address social problems.
This is where the abortion and gay marriage issue comes in. They see both as pure evil and the government as being complicit in allowing them both to transpire.
6. They are universalists. They see their views as part of the inheritance of someone who is a believer.
From now until the election, look closely for any or all of these traits coming from the right. No doubt, these characteristics will become increasingly magnified as we move closer to November 6, 2012
9 comments:
transnational religious movements
Just to clarify, but you believe that U.S. right-wing Christians behave in the same way as transnational religious zealots? That really confused me on point 6, because universalist is the dead opposite of a nationalist (which you have previously said is so characteristic of our right-wing friends).
Oh, and apparently us libertarians are "true believers" solely because of point 5*. Because not one other dumbass point applies.
Big fucking whoop.
You do realize M that you are drifting into the kind of worldview known amongst oh say the Birchers (not the same specific worldview, but very much the same style of worldview).
* As opposed to the "true believers" that just know in their hearts that govt is the answer to every social problem.
Mark, you've been talking to conservatives too long. You're making sweeping general statements about a class of people, tarring them all with the same brush.
These statements don't "prove" anything; they just aggravate people and make you seem just like the people you're talking about.
You should take a pledge: "I will never write another post about how bad 'they' are." Write it on a Post-It note and put it on your monitor.
You're never going to get "those" people to change, especially if all you do is blast them. The only hope you have is to sway the people in the middle toward you. And by behaving the way you claim "they" do, you only convince those in the middle that you're no better than "them."
That's hilarious blk. If he doesn't talk about them he won't have anything to talk about. He gave up on talking about anything obama has been doing some time ago. If he did that, he would have to discuss and he would rather rant, tar and feather. You don't ever talk about anything positive democrats are doing, you just write stuff about how bad republicans are doing, even when they are out of power.
Well, that is a good point, blk but I think it's foolish to ignore them.
rld-do you actually read my blog? I have several posts about the president over the last couple of weeks. Back to the game playing again I see...
Pot, meet kettle. What constantly amazes me, Mark, is your apparent obliviousness to how your own behavior resembles that of those awful, awful people you seem to be edging towards calling enemies of mankind. And as Juris points out, only one of your 6 points applies to libertarians.
Of course, they mistakenly see people like me and President Obama as believers as well but really that's how their perception works.
Seriously, Mark? Who are we going to believe? You or your lying site archives? Hmm. Of course we'll believe you, Mark, you're not a believer.
Mark, you've been talking to conservatives too long.
Actually blk he has been listening to the voices in his head too long, rather than talking to real conservatives and libertarians that are right here.
Oh, and speaking of not talking about Obama - he was just in San Fran at a campaign fundraiser. Some 200 people paying up to $35,000 a head. That's a pretty serious chunk of change isn't it? It is for me - that's more than my mortgage for the year (almost 2 years worth at that). Just to sit in His presence and break bread with him. Of course that is all they expect for that money I am sure.
Sometimes I think the subtitle for this site should be, "Where My Fear and Loathing of the non-Progressive 'Other' is Always Polite to Discuss"
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