In the early 1990s sociologist Sara Diamond and journalist
Frederick Clarkson defined dominionism as a movement that, while including
Dominion Theology and Reconstructionism as subsets, is much broader in scope,
extending to much of the Christian Right. In his 1992 study of Dominion
Theology and its influence on the Christian Right, Bruce Barron writes, “In the context of American evangelical
efforts to penetrate and transform public life, the distinguishing mark of a
dominionist is a commitment to defining and carrying out an approach to
building society that is self-consciously defined as exclusively Christian, and
dependent specifically on the work of Christians, rather than based on a
broader consensus.”
Dominionists assert a Christian duty to take "control
of a sinful secular society."The following characteristics are shared by
all forms of dominionism:
1. Dominionists celebrate Christian nationalism, in that
they believe that the United States once was, and should once again be, a
Christian nation. In this way, they deny the Enlightenment roots of American
democracy.
2. Dominionists
promote religious supremacy, insofar as they generally do not respect the
equality of other religions, or even other versions of Christianity.
3. Dominionists
endorse theocratic visions, insofar as they believe that the Ten Commandments,
or "biblical law," should be the foundation of American law, and that
the U.S. Constitution should be seen as a vehicle for implementing Biblical
principles.
Some, hopefully not all, view this religious movement as a
mandate to assert control of what they view as the seven main elements of
authority in the United States – (1) Business; (2) Government; (3) Media; (4)
Arts and Entertainment; (5) Education; (6) Family; and (7) Religion. They speak of creating “martyrs” among the
youth, a term some, me included, associate with Islamic Mideast terrorists with
dynamite strapped to their middle.
It seems increasingly clear that this group(s) seeks to
dominate the United States, and then the world, just prior to their destruction—the
End Times.
At what stage, I wonder, do these people make it onto the
FBI’s terrorist watch list? They seem to me to be advocating the violent
overthrow of the United States, in that they disagree and wish to change our
basic Constitution, in fact our entire way of life. They promote intolerance of
other religions, and other cultural values. Of course, they hate and wish to
destroy Gays and eliminate abortion.
And now we have at least one (Rick Perry) and perhaps others
(Bachman and Palin), potential candidates to become President, who not only
associate with these potential terrorists (could we not say they are “palling
around with terrorists”?) but actively promote their values. We already know
that Perry has advocated breaking up the United States (seceding is a form,
surely, of breaking up the US).
Since this group of potential religious terrorists seems to have now joined forces with the
mainstream of the Republican party, I am left wondering how we should now label
this Grand Old Party? Have republicans
now become party to a terrorist organization, seeking to overthrow the nation?
So, I ask again, when will the FBI begin labeling as potential
terrorists the Domionistas, and everyone who associates with them, including
those republican candidates for president who seem to openly espouse their views? Perhaps Mr. Perry should be on a "No-Fly" list?
Or perhaps such a drastic action could be avoided, if the few remaining rational republicans ever decide to reclaim
control of their party from the crazies who seem now so firmly in control.
Oh, and one more thing. People this extreme clearly need to be taken seriously. We trivialize this group at our peril.
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