# This would scare me, if it wasn't so spectacularly unsuccessful. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 25, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798 "2005-10-25T12:17:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/1 "2005-10-25T12:17:25Z")
Cory Burnell has a dream. He wants to save us from ourselves. In fact, he wants to make a new America within America. To this end, he founded the group, [Christian Exodus.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051024/od_nm/religion_secession_dc;_ylt=Ao9iEjZKz_dkIc2FT9zqm_kSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl) He wants to take over South Carolina, make it a religion based state. He threatens to secede if the group can’t have their way through normal channels. > [@](#): > > Burnell hopes to move 2,500 Christians into the northern part of the state by next year and to persuade tens of thousands to relocate by 2016. His goal is to fill the state legislature with “Christian constitutionalists.” Wow, this could be serious. :eek: …Except > [@](#): > > Christian Exodus officially started in May 2004, reaching people mainly through the Internet. Since then, five families and two individuals have relocated to South Carolina, Burnell said. A slow start, so he held a conference: > [@](#): > > The organization, which claims about 1,000 members, held its first conference October 15-16 to promote its agenda. About 50 people from as far away as Ohio and Oregon attended. Ok, I’m not so worried after all. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/2 "2005-10-25T12:24:40Z")
Its a pity he hasn’t been successful. It would probably be better for normal everyday people if all the extremists and other assorted nutters were to segregate themselves into a small state and become independant. Or maybe setup a colony on the moon… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/3 "2005-10-25T12:25:34Z")
Ah, yes, South Carolina. What’s that old quote? “Too small to be a nation too large to be a lunatic asylum.” I can’t say they don’t have the right to try it. A certain segment of the libertarians have been advocating something similar for years. Good luck to them. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/4 "2005-10-25T12:34:28Z")
With apologies to all the good people in South Carolina, my MIL lives in SC. You know, the one that got on the phone with my daughter when she was 12 and accused her mom and I of stealing the $5 out of the birthday cards she sent. The cards that never came? yeah that assface, bitch from hell. Cory can have her. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/5 "2005-10-25T13:09:13Z")
Hm. When one bunch of Christian extremists attempts this, it’s mildly amusing. When another bunch actually _does_ it, it’s Sand Point, Idaho. Or Jonestown, Guyana, if you buy the claim that they were actually Christian. The world has always scared me to some extent, and this is one of the reasons why. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/6 "2005-10-25T13:20:22Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Cory Burnell has a dream. He wants to save us from ourselves. In fact, he wants to make a new America within America. To this end, he founded the group, [Christian Exodus.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051024/od_nm/religion_secession_dc;_ylt=Ao9iEjZKz_dkIc2FT9zqm_kSH9EA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl) He wants to take over South Carolina, make it a religion based state. He threatens to secede if the group can’t have their way through normal channels. Where’s [this guy](http://www.civilwar-va.com/southcarolina/sc-central.html) when we need him? Sailboat ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/7 "2005-10-25T13:39:25Z")
Perhaps tellingly, Cory himself lives in California. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/8 "2005-10-25T13:41:01Z")
These guys got busted on the Daily Show a few weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/9 "2005-10-25T15:07:01Z")
Anyone remember Antelope/Rajneeshpuram Oregon: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,\_Oregon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,_Oregon) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/10 "2005-10-25T15:08:28Z")
More: [http://www.a2zgorge.info/community/towns/antelope.htm](http://www.a2zgorge.info/community/towns/antelope.htm) ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/11 "2005-10-25T16:07:33Z")
I wonder if the stole the idea from the Libertarian Free State Project. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/12 "2005-10-25T17:11:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Anyone remember Antelope/Rajneeshpuram Oregon: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,\_Oregon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,_Oregon) I remember those people hanging around Corvallis in the 80s when I was a kid. That whole thing was creepy. A family friend was in charge of the local Young Life chapter that the ranch was donated to (it is now a Christian summer camp). He said that when they dredged the lake to make it safe for the kiddies, they found more ammunition and explosives stockpiled than the Oregon National Guard had. :eek: :eek: :eek: They also found that the quarters where the Rajneeshpuram slept were set up to have nitrous oxide pumped into them (to make the young virgins more pious, one assumes). Very, very freaky. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/13 "2005-10-25T17:27:54Z")
First they wanted to take “under God” out of the Pledge - now “indivisible” as well. Darn Commies. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/14 "2005-10-25T17:50:44Z")
I agree with seperating the nuts from the rest of us, but why give them such good coastline? Let’s just fence off North and South Dakota, no one’s using them anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/15 "2005-10-25T17:52:04Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Anyone remember Antelope/Rajneeshpuram Oregon: > > [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,\_Oregon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope,_Oregon) Yes, I’ve been studying them in my Chemical/Biological weapons class. They were responsible for the most successful modern biowarfare attack. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/16 "2005-10-25T17:54:47Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > Yes, I’ve been studying them in my Chemical/Biological weapons class. > > They were responsible for the most successful modern biowarfare attack. At the salad bar in the local Skippy’s, right? I was 8 (I think) when it happened, but it was a Big Deal around here. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/17 "2005-10-25T17:58:20Z")
Can’t we just give them South Dakota instead? Or maybe the UP. Heck, I’d even let them have Delaware. Just build a fifty foot containment wall… I just want to play the Lee Van Cleef character in the film. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/18 "2005-10-25T19:01:28Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > He wants to take over South Carolina, make it a religion based state. He threatens to secede if the group can’t have their way through normal channels. What an original idea! South Carolina would never have come up with an idea like that. Oh, wait. . . . Hmmmn. Didn’t seem to work out too well for them that time, did it? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/19 "2005-10-25T19:14:52Z")
South Carolina… I once went to a conference at USC. On the quadrangle I saw a historical plaque stating that as soon as the Civil War began in 1861, the _entire_ student body _immediately_ volunteered to fight for the Confederacy. (All _men_, of course; women weren’t allowed into universities in those days.) All those young lives, full of promise, just thrown away in the wrong cause. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2005, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798/20 "2005-10-25T19:52:06Z")
> [@Homebrew](#): > > Perhaps tellingly, Cory himself lives in California. Naw, he was the first to move to SC from California back in 2004. > [@Derleth](#): > > Hm. When one bunch of Christian extremists attempts this, it’s mildly amusing. When another bunch actually does it, it’s Sand Point, Idaho. > > Or Jonestown, Guyana, if you buy the claim that they were actually Christian. > > The world has always scared me to some extent, and this is one of the reasons why. Or Waco or Ruby Ridge or Oklahoma City, or WTC. ☹ I recently read a biography of L. Ron Hubbard that was not filtered through the glass eye of Scientology. This guy sounds a lot like Ronny, just not as charismatic. \*\* buttonjockey308\*\*, and \*\* Stranger On A Train\*\*, his long term plan is to “Redeem” all of the states, one at a time, so he’d get to the Dakotas soon enough. Let’s see, he’s 29, and he figures SC will take until 2016. 50 states at 11 years a state… He needs to live to be 579 years old to complete his mission. :dubious: Or does he have children to take up the torch when he is called home… Oh my. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-would-scare-me-if-it-wasnt-so-spectacularly-unsuccessful/327798.md?page=2)