Bush’s God By Robert B. Reich

My response to Mr. Reich's article:

Hello, Mr. Reich-

I read your article with great interest, but I think there is a basic problem in the way it labels the problem.

The problem is not "Religion" - I am a very religious person, but as a Pagan, I believe in freedom and acceptance, I incorporate scientific principle into my belief system and I don't fear death. Fundamentalists are terrified of death, to the point that they will kill others to secure their position in Heaven.

The problem is monotheism and patriarchy - the idea that a few people have the divine right to control all of the wealth and power. Belief in a ruling or "chosen" class or group creates a sense of entitlement. The corresponding idea that most others are undeserving of special privilege for whatever reason - race, gender, sexual orientation, social class, "sin"- is used to justify slavery, imprisonment, torture, taxation, denial of civil rights and freedom to their "inferiors". They know best because God told them so; do it their way, or die - it's for your own good, and you weren't going to heaven anyway.

Their belief that they are "holier than thou" is conceit, pure and simple, combined with a complete lack of empathy for others. It's not faith, which implies optimism and love for one's fellow beings - it's pathology. A healthy human being considers the feelings and rights of others. These extremists are manifesting the sociopathy that infects all fascist movements. Until we call it what it is, moderate and caring people will continue to support the Neocons in a misguided effort to defend the rights of people of faith. It’s not religion that’s at fault – it the presumption of righteousness and entitlement in these Christo-fascists masquerading as faith. Their Old Testament values have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus- or Mohammed or Buddha, for that matter. There is more Colonialism than Scripture in their dogma, a sort of “Christian” (read that “White Protestant/Aryan”) Supremacist movement that seeks to secure its control over our government by loading the courts and perverting our laws. They hide beneath the banner of religion so that they can trick Catholics and African American churches into throwing in with them to attain a majority; once they have control, they’ll turn on them as surely as they are against gays, women and Pagans now. They will stop at nothing because they believe “God” speaks through them, so anything they do is right and justified in their twisted logic. So call it patriarchy, or call it monotheism – or better yet, call it what it is: Fascism – but please, don’t call it religion. We can’t allow them to deceive good people anymore. There is too much at stake.

Peace

Morgaine Swann