Apocalyptic Christian anti-Earth
Bill Moyers retired, but he's not yet tired. Writing in yesterday's Star Tribune Moyers reports that "millions of Christian fundamentalists may believe that environmental destruction is not only to be disregarded but actually welcomed -- even hastened -- as a sign of the coming apocalypse."In the article, "There is No Tomorrow", Moyers begins by observing that "one of the biggest changes in politics in my lifetime is that the delusional is no longer marginal. It has come in from the fringe, to sit in the seat of power in the Oval Office and in Congress. For the first time in our history, ideology and theology hold a monopoly of power in Washington." This theology is as bizarre as it is dangerous.
Nearly one third of Americans believe in the ersatz version of "Rapture" foisted over on a naive populace by right-wing fundamentalists. Believe it or not, they even have an online "Rapture Index" that puts a weekly number on how close we are to the Apocalypse, the end of the world as we know it. Not only do these believers feel fine, but they just can't wait for the end; they want to hurry it along, bring in on sooner. By the way, today's Rapture Index = 154, within their highest range of endliness, or as their own guide says: "Fasten your seat belts." They are ready to go.
The last time I checked, this has always been called a "self-fulfilling prophecy". You predict some objective future, but then the subterfuge is that you work toward creating that very same future. If I predict that I will fail a test, and therefore don't study for the test, then of course my prediction will come true. But this Rapture delusion is dangerous: They predict the utter collapse of civilization and then work toward bringing it about.
If you're wondering why the fundamentalist christians joined hands with the neo-conservative imperialists, then wonder no more. From the fundamentalist viewpoint, both are setting into place conditions that edge us ever closer to apocalypse. This is why Bush's policies might seem on the surface to be utterly unrealistic and ignorant, but when you look behind the scenes, you find that they are quite coherent. It makes perfect sense to them. Destroy the environment, since there's no tomorrow anyway. Bring the Holy Land into ultimate readiness for Armageddon, the grandmother of all battles. Prepare the way for the return of the king and the disappearance of all those annoying democrats. Don't teach evolution in the schools. Don't teach complicated history in the schools, because it's all over anyway. Teach sexual abstinance instead, because there won't be a next generation. Don't worry about running out of oil in the next 30 years, because by then we'll all be flying like angels.
For 2,000 years the Christians have expected Christ's return within their own lifetime. Every generation has been disappointed that life continues as it is. When you read the gospel of Matthew and the epistles of Paul in the New Testament, take them at their word: they expected Christ to return in their time, not 2000 years later. This expectation, ironically, recurs today among many Americans. They have the smug audacity to read the New Testament as about our own time today rather than the historical period that ended 2000 years ago. This is an enormous anachronism.
They literally expect that Jesus Christ quote "will descend from heaven, while remaining in the air, he will snatch his Bride, the Church, out from among this sinful world. Christ then takes the Church to heaven for the 7 year wedding feast...." etc. After the 7 year honeymoon, Christ then brings the right-wing back down to earth for the new Reich, the "1000 Year Reign" under HIs authority. But that can only be established after the horrendous ultimate battle against evil -- in other words, the rest of us here left on earth have to be exterminated in the final solution: genocide.
I know this sounds hysterically exaggerated, but follow the links throughout this post and you'll discover the baleful truth about a huge class of Americans. I devoutly wish that it was an exaggeration. In other words, we are in deep trouble here since the office of the President is occupied by a man who believes this crap.
Later this week, I'll post more about how and why the evangelical churches strongly supported the Nazi fascists. But if you understood the implications of the above, you already know why.
posted by E. Heroux @ 1:55 PM
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