QuantumMushroom couldn't be more right. No one listens to Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson. You think they have some kind of influence in today's politics, please. Paranoia at its finest folks. Hedges is obviously reporting from a position and its not in the middle or the right. He said this is the most intolerant Christian sect? I think he must of grown up in a church under a rock somewhere. Sure the 1950s were REALLY tolerant. Does anyone know how left leaning the people are who give out the Pulitzers?

I loved the Hedges war book as well, but I fear that he may be fearmongering in the most empty way in the new book.

He seems to paint a picture of psychological and economic devastation along with a crippled Progressive movement in America during the 'Aughts that has served only to boost the fortunes of the evangelical 'fascists'. But the Hedges' fascists have been around an awfully long time, from Billy Sunday to Billy Graham to Jimmy Swaggart to Jerry Falwell to Ralph Reed to Robertson/Dobson, from Black Baptists to White Southern Baptists. And there haven't been forced re-locations and mass exterminations (yet).

Like his counterparts in the Bush White House and on the Right, Hedges now finds America particularly vulnerable to attack and control from the fascist Other. It is empty when Cheney does it and I find it equally vacuous when Hedges does it.

If anything, the Dobsonite Right in America is equivalent to something like Hamas (provides social services and a lot of angry rhetoric) and not Hitler or Mussolini or Al Qaeda. I also think that the conflation of the neocons with the Christianist is a bit of a mistake, though their interests are certainly convergent now. Although Hedges backs away from the direct Italian fascism, Spanish fascism, and German fascism comparisons in interviews, his 'generalized' theoretical fascism that he prefers (ivory tower fascism) is a construct without a sound historical anchor. Or a boogeyman in the closet.

But it is a very good fight to incite and I am glad Hedges is taking it on. Certainly, the Christianists are far more interested in crippling the judicial branch than they have been historically.

The "Religious Right" is a false construct of liberals, addressing a group that is both hard to define and which votes more independently than other demographics.

Christian voters are fairly evenly divided among Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Has Hedges--an obvious utopian socialist--ever heard of islamofacism? Because Falwell's and Robertson's followers aren't sawing the heads off journalists.

Compared to the agenda of the radical left, a fellow believing dinosaur bones were "planted by the Devil" seems quaint by comparison.

For those with shorter memories this is what Jerry Falwell said on the 700 Club post 9/11:

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen."

- Jerry Falwell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Falwell#Controversial_remarks

Jerry Falwell deserves that after the infuriating remarks he made after 911. I haven't forgotten.

Here comes the double talk express:

* McCain criticized TV preacher Jerry Falwell as “an agent of intolerance” in 2002, but has since decided to cozy up to the man who said Americans “deserved” the 9/11 attacks. (Indeed, McCain has now hired Falwell’s debate coach.)

* McCain used to oppose Bush’s tax cuts for the very wealthy, but he reversed course in February.

* In 2000, McCain accused Texas businessmen Sam and Charles Wyly of being corrupt, spending “dirty money” to help finance Bush’s presidential campaign. McCain not only filed a complaint against the Wylys for allegedly violating campaign finance law, he also lashed out at them publicly. In April, McCain reached out to the Wylys for support.

* McCain supported a major campaign-finance reform measure that bore his name. In June, he abandoned his own legislation.

* McCain used to think that Grover Norquist was a crook and a corrupt shill for dictators. Then McCain got serious about running for president and began to reconcile with Norquist.

* McCain took a firm line in opposition to torture, and then caved to White House demands.

* McCain gave up on his signature policy issue, campaign-finance reform, and won’t back the same provision he sponsored just a couple of years ago.

* McCain was against presidential candidates campaigning at Bob Jones University before he was for it.

* McCain was anti-ethanol. Now he’s pro-ethanol.

* McCain was both for and against state promotion of the Confederate flag.

* And now he’s both for and against overturning Roe v. Wade.

You don't make any sense, and could not be any more wrong Chang:

Athiest's lives are more meaningfull, as we know this is it. There's no heaven or hell...we have just a few decades to understand ourselves and each other before nothingness. We have to take responsibility for ourselves, exactly because there is no 'higher power' to "forgive us of our sins"...just our own conscious and society!

Because we're not constrained by millenias old ideology; we can think for ourselves and realise the true value of people, honesty, history & science. Not the indoctrinated political creations of various empires and movements over a comparatively more recent time. Instead of me attempting to understand grammatically void comments of no meaning, can you guys just watch either of my above two linked vids, or any of the below before posting (will save me plenty of futile typing):

Richard Dawkins responds to Jerry Falwell's students
The Root of All Evil with Richard Dawkins - pt 1
BBC interviews Richard Dawkins about "The God Delusion"
Why do Atheists Care? One man's thoughts
The doomsday code: documentary (one off, 1:41)
Horizon - A War On Science (BBC Documentary, 49mins)
Biologist Ken Miller on Intelligent Design (1:57)

"As this administration has never exuded much morality or true Christianity, in my humble opinion. They've falsely cloaked themselves in it, and a fat, stupid, and scared American populace fell for it. I believe they called that the coming of the Antichrist in Revelations..."

Agreed totally. Now this a point you and I have reached over the span of 2 or 3 posts. Yet something like this doesn't resonate through a majority of the populace. People still do no question the information that is presented to them. Be it Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson or Bush delivering a message wrapped in God talk. People are too obident to the bastions of faith.

I mean look at this.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns-kPDVXACE

"Surely a search for meaning/purpose/whatever should start within observable reality?"

This *is* the basis for a genuine quest for "God". It's the Jerry Falwells, the al-Qaedas, rubbish like the woman in this video and all they represent that obscures the journey.

Snake, I think the danger is in lumping the two thought systems into one basket. There are those who believe in a god (or gods), then there are those who believe they are better than everyone else for that particular belief.

Religion doesn't kill people...people who use religion for their own gain kill people.

Personal belief systems should always be respected. The sins of the father are not handed down to the son. More people have been murdered in the name of the Christian God, yes...but that does not mean the local Protestants in your neighborhood are going to call for a Holy War. Baptists, maybe. ;-)

Then there are those like SG who are seeking out the higher being in themselves...in their own locus of control. Very different animal, that.

If we, as Atheists, start demeaning others for their beliefs then we are no better than the Jerry Falwells of this world. There is a balance. I hope we can all one day acheive it.

Being an Atheist, I can assure you I am not offended, nor is quoting the Bible offensive. Most Atheists I know (and most people from other religious backgrounds in general) are tolerant and respectful of one another's belief systems. Unfortunately, it is the loudest from every sect that gets the attention...thus (by default and erroneously) they are viewed as the "spokesperson" for that particular belief.

More and more we are becoming aware of it. The Falwells and the O'Hairs will hopefully soon become ideologies of the past...in favor of tolerance and respect.

Unfortunately, as long as we have a Fundie President who says that god talks directly to him, it's a long, hard road.

"Their attitude presumes an air of smug arrogance and I'm-the-only-one-who-really-knows-what's-right-and-going-on-in-the-world kinda attitude unlike anyone else I've seen."

Unlike anyone else you've seen? Well, let's see...the President had a nationally televised press conference today, with Rummy and Cheney not far away. You can hear and see Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity on radio and FOX News, and Rush Limbaugh on the radio. Then there's good ol' Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. You've got Bill Frist and Ricky Santorum in the Congress, and Pat Buchanan on the best sellers' list.
Shall I go on?

6 1/2 minutes from "Homecoming", a great satire that originally aired as part of Showtime's "Masters of Horror" series, and is now out on DVD. Any resemblence to Jerry Falwell and Ann Coulter is completely intentional.