# Regarding the religious far-right **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 4, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513 "2017-09-04T21:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/21 "2017-09-06T21:24:42Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > … > And you have a problem with a small group of nuts that you label the Christian Religious Right? Actually, no. Her thread title specifically calls out the religious FAR-right [emphasis mine]. As you – and others - have noted (and others will note in subsequent posts) there are extremists for any an all points of view. There are even militant Buddhists who clash with other groups for whatever reasons, despite the fact that theirs is a philosophical perspective rather than a religion. That’s the way humans are about their beliefs. –G! Anyone who believed he/she was the prophecized Messiah already failed the first test: Humility ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/22 "2017-09-06T22:56:23Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Klinger was not transgender, transsexual, a transvestite or even really a [cross dresser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-dressing). He was merely a man who wanted to get thrown out of the Army on the basis of being crazy and the best/easiest way for him to commit to the idea was to dress in women’s clothing. > > The character of Klinger was no more related to sexuality or gender than the characters in _Some Like it Hot_. Except those guys were really trying to look like women. That distinction was lost on the fundamentalists of the day, some of whom did object. They didn’t have the political or social clout (or media) of today, so it was no more than an occasional news item. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/23 "2017-09-06T23:11:21Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > Actually, no. > Her thread title specifically calls out the religious FAR-right [emphasis mine]. > > –G! > Anyone who believed he/she was the prophecized Messiah already failed the first test: Humility So you saying that when someone uses the term “religious FAR-right” they are not talking about Christians??? ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/24 "2017-09-06T23:48:53Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Title of thread: “Regard the religious far-right” > > You: “Why are you attacking all Christians?!” > > Do you see the distinction between what the OP actually said, and what you accused her of saying? > > In 2008, the Religious Right managed to pass an amendment banning the recognition of gay marriage to the constitution of the state of fuckin’ _California_. If you think the religious right doesn’t have power in this country, you need to wake the fuck up. Badly. “Regard the religious far-right”. When someone uses this term, they are not referring to Christians?? Just who are the people that make up the religious far right? Hindus? So you are saying that if one voted to pass the amendment in California banning the recognition of gay marriage, you are a member of the religious right? Personally, I didn’t vote either way on that amendment. I do not recognize any government’s authority to tell me who I can and cannot marry. By voting either way on that amendment, you are ceding your sovereign right to the government regarding who you can or cannot marry. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/25 "2017-09-07T00:08:10Z")
Fear is a wonderful motivator. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/26 "2017-09-07T00:56:09Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > “Regard the religious far-right”. When someone uses this term, they are not referring to Christians?? Just who are the people that make up the religious far right? Hindus? In this country, the religious far-right is Christian. The religious center is also Christian. And so is the religious left. Pretty much any combination of “religion” and a political orientation is going to be mostly Christians, because most of this country is made up by Christians. So, do you understand now that she the OP said, “religious far right,” they were not talking about Christians as a whole? > [@](#): > > So you are saying that if one voted to pass the amendment in California banning the recognition of gay marriage, you are a member of the religious right? No, that’s not what I’m saying. I am saying that the Christian Right in this country poured tens of millions of dollars into this state to pass Prop 8, and it worked. The religious right is a powerful and dangerous force in American politics, and has been for nearly forty years now. The fact that you seem unaware of this makes me question your political acumen in general. > [@](#): > > Personally, I didn’t vote either way on that amendment. I do not recognize any government’s authority to tell me who I can and cannot marry. By voting either way on that amendment, you are ceding your sovereign right to the government regarding who you can or cannot marry. I no longer have questions about your political acumen. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/27 "2017-09-07T01:27:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > A lot of religious people don’t see their beliefs as a choice they made. In their view, God made the rules and they’re universally applicable. The believers see themselves just as the people who are aware of the rules that God made. > > They don’t see God’s universal rules as something you can choose to accept or not. They effect you regardless of your belief. Just like gravity will effect you, even if you don’t believe in it. > > Their view is God made a rule that says everyone is a man or a woman and you’re the physical gender you were born in. If you defy this rule, God will send you to Hell when you die, where you will suffer for the rest of eternity. And these rules apply to everyone. You can’t choose to opt out of them. > > The result is these people don’t feel they are oppressing transgendered people. They feel they’re helping them by warning them of a danger they’re either unaware of or are ignoring. Yeppers. This is about the size of it. As someone who was raised Southern Baptist and broke free of its’ grip, there is strong fear instilled in you from an early age that lightning bolts will hurl from Heaven if you step off “the narrow path”. That, and it is really hard to admit that people that you love and care about are THAT wrong about something. At least it was hard for me to finally come to terms with loving my family and knowing they aren’t stupid people, but being absolutely sure they wrong about their spiritual approach to life. Some people just can’t accept that Mama & Daddy & Grandpa are wrong, and still love them. It feels like a rejection, so they continue to buy in because they don’t want the lightning bolts. Cognitive dissonance is just too hard to handle on this level when indoctrination is this deep. And as far as condemnation of gays, well here’s the thing…Jesus never addressed it at all. So if it were such an all-fired important grievous sin that a person could burn in Hell for it, one would think he might have mentioned it, right? The only anti-homosexual mention in the New Testament comes from Paul, who was a Roman (and we all know how freaky-deaky those Romans were :p). That’s why some evangelicals put Paul up on such a pedestal, imo. Not because he was freaky, but because they like what he said about homosexuality. And the Old Testament “abomination” thing? Well, Jesus supposedly came to make a “New Covenant”, which does away with the “Old Covenant” (Old Testament), so who cares what that says? Far Right Christians just use the Old Testament to cherry pick on…they pull out the bits they want, like tithing 10% and anti-homosexual stuff, but they sure throw down on some PIG when it says not to eat that! And don’t just aim at the white far righters. There are some black churches here in the South that are just the same way in how they selectively pull out Bible parts for interpretation. It isn’t necessarily just a white evangelical thing. And I don’t believe Orthodox Jews are real tolerant of the LGBT community either. As for myself, I live and let live. If God is truly as all-powerful as all that, I’ll leave the Judgement and Hell-Fire up to him, it’s not my business. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/28 "2017-09-07T04:48:48Z")
> [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > And as far as condemnation of gays, well here’s the thing…Jesus never addressed it at all. So if it were such an all-fired important grievous sin that a person could burn in Hell for it, one would think he might have mentioned it, right? The only anti-homosexual mention in the New Testament comes from Paul, who was a Roman (and we all know how freaky-deaky those Romans were :p). That’s why some evangelicals put Paul up on such a pedestal, imo. Not because he was freaky, but because they like what he said about homosexuality. And the Old Testament “abomination” thing? Well, Jesus supposedly came to make a “New Covenant”, which does away with the “Old Covenant” (Old Testament), so who cares what that says? There’s that great line from Garfunkel and Oates, _“So whatever people tell me/That The Bible tells me/I will do.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/29 "2017-09-07T05:26:21Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > Why do they feel that they are _ **entitled** _ to force society into a misshapen regressive mold, to have everything be the way they want it _ **regardless of how everyone else feels?** _ Because they’re convinced they’re in the majority, and that most people are like them, only too afraid to say it. They think that they’re the Real America, that everyone else is a minority with an entitlement complex, and that nobody can tell them they’re wrong. > [@](#): > > Why do they have the impression that they are in charge of making these decisions for a society that vastly outnumbers them? They don’t feel outnumbered. They feel like they’re surrounded by people who are like them, because they mostly are, and there’s a whole industry devoted to catering to that sense of identity. It’s just the Liberal Elites trying to ruin everything for Real People. They think they’re Conservatives. They think they’re trying to preserve America, as it was and should be, without realizing that it was _never_ like that, it was _never_ the level of insane theocracy they want to implement. It was worse in the past, yes, but there was a time when the GOP could rid itself of the Birchers, not invite them in to the main table. They’re the crazed revolutionaries and they don’t even know it. I, in all my moderate-Progressive gradualist glory, am closer to being Conservative than they are, in that I better represent the traditional strain of American political discourse from the earlier part of the 20th Century, if not before. > [@](#): > > Why do they think that what literally millions of people of color, women, and LGBT people want is simply irrelevant? Some combination of “They’re just welfare bums” and “They’re dangerous lunatics whom I would gladly beat the shit out of if I ever came across one of them who wasn’t so afraid of getting the shit beaten out of them I actually realized I was within punching range” perhaps seasoned with a little “We know what’s best for those people, don’t we?” when it comes to cutting social programs. > [@](#): > > Why do they think that religious freedom somehow includes the right to oppress and punish other citizens, to whom our nation accords the same rights and freedoms that they themselves have? Because when you’re accustomed to being in charge, being on a level with everyone else feels like persecution. > [@](#): > > Does it never occur to them that for billions of people, Christianity itself is “mythology?” It occurs to them that many people are going to eternal torment, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/30 "2017-09-07T13:30:24Z")
The trouble with religious extremists is that they KNOW they are right. They don’t BELIEVE it, they know it. Confusing beliefs with knowledge with the most dangerous thing a person can do. BELIEVE that child rape is right? You have a right to think it. KNOW that it is right and therefore have a right to act on it. Dead wrong. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/31 "2017-09-07T16:54:31Z")
I do not know that many far-right Evangelicals, but one common thread I’ve noticed (and which has been touched on several times in this thread) is that humanity / the world / the universe is forever poised on the cusp of good & evil, and the slightest deviation from Righteousness is likely to bring forth the wrathful Old Testament deity (YHWH) who will fling us all into the Pit. Thus it is up to the Elect (i.e., them) to keep everybody on their toes, and as much as possible, enshrine Righteousness into civil law and enforce it. I asked once why an omnipotent and (supposedly) benevolent Creator would come up with something so fragile, and the answer boiled down to a) it’s all part of the Plan, b) it’s all mankind’s (actually womankind’s, thanks to Eve) fault, and c) I’d better watch my step and repent before it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/32 "2017-09-07T17:17:45Z")
nm …it sounded better in my head ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/33 "2017-09-07T17:26:07Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > I asked once why an omnipotent and (supposedly) benevolent Creator would come up with something so fragile, and the answer boiled down to a) it’s all part of the Plan, b) it’s all mankind’s (actually womankind’s, thanks to Eve) fault, and c) I’d better watch my step and repent before it’s too late. Yes, that whole “it is all part of God’s Plan” thing is a popular default answer to anything they can’t explain. I got into a “discussion” one time with a distant relative about so-called hidden code messages in the Bible, like taking the first letter of each word from a passage of verse and deriving some meaning from it. When I asked her how she thought this was in any way realistic considering the Bible was not originally written in English, and that considering English didn’t even exist when it was written, how could there be mesages combed from it now? She said it was all part of God’s Plan. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/34 "2017-09-07T17:39:47Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > I am a pagan. I have been pagan by choice since early adolescence. (my family had no particular religion. We never went to church.) I arrived at my choice through earnest curiosity, sensible research, and endless reading. I am not a TV cliche kind of pagan; I don’t go around talking about “The Goddess” this and that, I don’t practice crystal healing or try to balance my chakras. > > I mostly just find that my experience of divinity in this world comes mostly from nature. Because of this, I have a profound regard and respect for the earth and its flora and fauna, including my brother and sister humans. Things that bug me in an “against my religion” kind of way are things like pollution, littering, animal cruelty and people harming children. To a lesser extent, I also object to overly-manicured gardens and the need of “civilization” to pave over and sanitize everything. > > I was reading an article this morning about the religious far-right faction that wishes to remove transgendered people from society altogether. I guess their end goal is to force everyone to identify as the gender of their birth, and anyone gay is supposed to just pretend they’re straight and be miserable. I find it hard to believe that they actually think they can achieve this, and what’s more, it’s inconceivable to me why they want it. Set aside for a moment the (arguable) fact that their bible appears to vaguely admonish against it, because that book says lots of things that they obey or not as they choose. (as I recall, “the sin of Onan” is also admonished against, yet if any one of them said they never masturbated, I wouldn’t believe it.) > > From the position of someone who believes that nature is a manifestation of deity, I have no problem at all with people modifying their natural body. I would never be so ignorant as to suppose that nature never makes mistakes. I don’t understand why they hate LGBT people so much. It seems as though these same people hate the poor and anyone of color as well. > > Why do they feel that they are _ **entitled** _ to force society into a misshapen regressive mold, to have everything be the way they want it _ **regardless of how everyone else feels?** _ > > Why do they have the impression that they are in charge of making these decisions for a society that vastly outnumbers them? > > Why do they think that what literally millions of people of color, women, and LGBT people want is simply irrelevant? > > Why do they think that religious freedom somehow includes the right to oppress and punish other citizens, to whom our nation accords the same rights and freedoms that they themselves have? > > Does it never occur to them that for billions of people, Christianity itself is “mythology?” > > (FWIW, I feel the same way about repressive Muslim and other regimes, so you needn’t point them out as if it nullifies my remarks above. However, I know many American Muslims personally and they are all awesome. I’d wager a guess that repressive regimes elsewhere probably have far fewer actual adherents, as just people in fear of their lives. Whereas repressive Christians seem to be that way on purpose.) As a member of the religious right let me answer your questions. It would help if you were more coherent but I will do my best. First of all the sin of Onan was not masturbation but not participating in leverite marriage. 1. I don’t feel entitled to anything. I vote the way my brain and conscience tells me will result in the best country to live in. 2. If society actually does vastly outnumber me than the world will be worse but in a democracy that is acceptable though regrettable. 3. What do women and people of color have to do with anything you asked about? What they want is no more or less relevant than what I want. We are all citizens and can vote for our preferences. 4. What rights and freedoms do you imagine we want to take away from others? You need to be more specific. 5. Obviously there are lots of other people who believe other things but just because other people have wrong opinions does not mean that I should not follow the truth. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/35 "2017-09-07T19:31:54Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > As a member of the religious right[…] > > [snip] > > 1. What rights and freedoms do you imagine we want to take away from others? You need to be more specific. I just want these two phrases to be juxtaposed, because this is akin to a competitive hot dog eater asking a vegan what they’ve ever done which is contrary to veganism. (Assume they don’t only eat tofu dogs, smartasses. Work with me here.) So I’ll turn it around: How is a political organization which is opposed to marriage equality, opposed to reproductive choice, opposed to free expression of content they deem ‘immoral’, and in favor of a more overtly religious government _not_ attempting to take away freedoms from others? ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/36 "2017-09-08T17:21:15Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > I just want these two phrases to be juxtaposed, because this is akin to a competitive hot dog eater asking a vegan what they’ve ever done which is contrary to veganism. > > (Assume they don’t only eat tofu dogs, smartasses. Work with me here.) > > So I’ll turn it around: How is a political organization which is opposed to marriage equality, opposed to reproductive choice, opposed to free expression of content they deem ‘immoral’, and in favor of a more overtly religious government _not_ attempting to take away freedoms from others? We are definitely trying to take away the freedom to commit abortion. As far as I know we are not trying to take away the freedom for gays to marry, just not in favor of the government recognizing it because it is not an actual marriage. We are not opposed to freedom of expression just using our tax money to pay for art that insults what we find sacred. A more overtly religious government would not take freedoms away but would allow more freedom to practice religion. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/37 "2017-09-08T17:35:23Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > We are definitely trying to take away the freedom to commit abortion. As far as I know we are not trying to take away the freedom for gays to marry, just not in favor of the government recognizing it because it is not an actual marriage. We are not opposed to freedom of expression just using our tax money to pay for art that insults what we find sacred. **A more overtly religious government would not take freedoms away but would allow more freedom to practice religion.** The problem is the desire to not only practice religion but to force your religion on others. The civic need for recognition of gay marriage are the legal protections accorded a married couple. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/38 "2017-09-08T20:57:44Z")
Having been raised basically southern baptist, there’s a mindset that there are Christians, for whom (Americans anyway) this is their country by right, and there is the rest of the world, who are deluded by Satan. Everything revolves around that dichotomy. Christians are following God, and God is God and therefore correct about everything. Anything not-Christian is of Satan and must be opposed, or is a lie, and is trying to undermine God. It is a very ‘Us vs. Them’ mindset. This is how you get things like Donald Trump, poster boy for every sin, being ‘Used by God for the benefit of his people’ instead of being labeled an anti-christ. I can promise you, that if he had run as a Democrat, he would currently be the most reviled man in existence by the religious right. This is how you get convicted felons and con men revered as men of God. Because they say they’re on God’s side, which makes them ok, regardless of their sins. And this is how you get fervent believers throwing themselves upon their swords, violating the law and hurting other humans, because they believe those other people are WRONG and that they themselves are on the side of God and must sacrifice of themselves to follow GOD’S WILL (as they see it). ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/39 "2017-09-08T21:29:58Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > We are definitely trying to take away the freedom to **commit** abortion. As far as I know we are not trying to take away the freedom for gays to marry, just not in favor of the government recognizing it > **because it is not an actual marriage.** We are not opposed to freedom of expression just using our tax money to pay for art that insults what we find sacred. A more overtly religious government would not take freedoms away but would allow more freedom to practice religion. (N.B. emphasizing coding added by me – **kd99** ) **Nice bit of semantic _jujitsu_, there.** By sliding in the word “commit,” above, you appear to be attempting to establish (without needing to persuade anyone of the proposition), that abortion as a procedure is a transgressive act. **In what way is same-sex marriage not an “actual” marriage?** I have no desire to put words in your mouth, but I suspect that, in your lexicon, marriage is a purely religious term for a purely religious activity. May I trouble you for a clarification, please? ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513/40 "2017-09-08T22:02:55Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Having been raised basically southern baptist, there’s a mindset that there are Christians, for whom (Americans anyway) this is their country by right, and there is the rest of the world, who are deluded by Satan. Hi fellow Southern Baptist! I think it all goes back to that whole Pilgrim story about how they were Protestants and came here “to escape religious persecution” stuff, and they were painted to us as kids as being so righteous in this endeavor and the founding of this country was built on that! Nevermind the Protestants killed and persecuted just as many Catholics as vice versa! I think this feeling of standing on moral high ground comes from that, which we all know is flawed. > [@Chimera](#): > > Everything revolves around that dichotomy. Christians are following God, and God is God and therefore correct about everything. Anything not-Christian is of Satan and must be opposed, or is a lie, and is trying to undermine God. It is a very ‘Us vs. Them’ mindset. Yes. The Bible is right because the Bible says it right. Because it said so. And all like that there. > [@Chimera](#): > > This is how you get things like Donald Trump, poster boy for every sin, being ‘Used by God for the benefit of his people’ instead of being labeled an anti-christ. I can promise you, that if he had run as a Democrat, he would currently be the most reviled man in existence by the religious right. Preach it. They hated Trump when he was still a Democrat, but this group cannot resist a reformed sinner. They will give him everything. > [@Chimera](#): > > This is how you get convicted felons and con men revered as men of God. Because they say they’re on God’s side, which makes them ok, regardless of their sins. I always say Jesus must be in jail because a heck of a lot of people sure seem too find him there. > [@Chimera](#): > > And this is how you get fervent believers throwing themselves upon their swords, violating the law and hurting other humans, because they believe those other people are WRONG and that they themselves are on the side of God and must sacrifice of themselves to follow GOD’S WILL (as they see it). And sadly, they think it will somehow get them into Heaven with an extra silver star in their crown. There’s that line about either being on fire or cold for the Lord, and if you are lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth. Now certainly this isn’t all Christians, just the really really far right ones. I think many of these same things could be said of radical Muslims as well. There are many forms of Christianity, as there are many forms of Islam. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/regarding-the-religious-far-right/795513.md?page=3)