Repug Christian Supremacist Give The World an Xmas Present

[boutons_]

H.Res. 847, introduced by Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa):

"Recognizing the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.

Whereas Christmas, a holiday of great significance to Americans and many other cultures and nationalities, is celebrated annually by Christians throughout the United States and the world;

Whereas there are approximately 225,000,000 Christians in the United States, making Christianity the religion of over three-fourths of the American population;

Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000,000 Christians throughout the world, making Christianity the largest religion in the world and the religion of about one-third of the world population;

Whereas Christians identify themselves as those who believe in the salvation from sin offered to them through the sacrifice of their savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and who, out of gratitude for the gift of salvation, commit themselves to living their lives in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Bible;

Whereas Christians and Christianity have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization;

Whereas Christians and Christianity have contributed greatly to the development of western civilization;

Whereas the United States, being founded as a constitutional republic in the traditions of western civilization, finds much in its history that points observers back to its roots in Christianity;

Whereas on December 25 of each calendar year, American Christians observe Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ;

Whereas for Christians, Christmas is celebrated as a recognition of God's redemption, mercy, and Grace; and

Whereas many Christians and non-Christians throughout the United States and the rest of the world, celebrate Christmas as a time to serve others: Now, therefore be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;

(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;

(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;

(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;

(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and

(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world."

=============

The Onion couldn't have done it better. http://spurstalk.com/forums/images/smilies/smilol.gif

Merry Xmas, Steve King, you're quite a horror story.

[JoeChalupa]

God Bless America.

[Extra Stout]

H. Res. 635

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

October 2, 2007.

"Whereas it is estimated that there are approximately 1,500,000,000 Muslims worldwide;

Whereas since the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, some threats and incidents of violence have been directed at law-abiding, patriotic Americans of African, Arab, and South Asian descent, particularly members of the Islamic faith;

Whereas, on September 14, 2001, the House of Representatives passed a concurrent resolution condemning bigotry and violence against Arab-Americans, American Muslims, and Americans from South Asia in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the United States;

Whereas some extremists have attempted to use selective interpretations of Islam to justify and encourage hatred, persecution, oppression, violence and terrorism against the United States, the West, Israel, other Muslims, and non-Muslims;

Whereas some Muslims in the United States and abroad have courageously spoken out in rejection of interpretations of Islam that justify and encourage hatred, violence, and terror, and in support of interpretations of and movements within Islam that justify and encourage democracy, tolerance and full civil and political rights for Muslims and those of all faiths;

Whereas Ramadan is the holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal for Muslims worldwide, and is the 9th month of the Muslim calendar year; and

Whereas the observance of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan commenced at dusk on September 13, 2007, and continues for one lunar month: Now, therefore, be it


Resolved, That the House of Representatives--

(1) recognizes the Islamic faith as one of the great religions of the world;

(2) expresses friendship and support for Muslims in the United States and worldwide;

(3) acknowledges the onset of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal, and conveys its respect to Muslims in the United States and throughout the world on this occasion;

(4) rejects hatred, bigotry, and violence directed against Muslims, both in the United States and worldwide; and

(5) commends Muslims in the United States and across the globe who have privately and publicly rejected interpretations and movements of Islam that justify and encourage hatred, violence, and terror."

[JoeChalupa]

:tu ^ RACK 'IM!

[xrayzebra]

Merry Christmas and may God Bless you and all your family
during this CHRISTmas season.

[Extra Stout]

Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch!

[JoeChalupa]

Que?

[PixelPusher]

Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch!
Damnation...the areas of my brain that once held my high school german has been replaced by pithy movie quotes. I got everything but the word "Rutsch". (same as "Jahr"?)

[Ignignokt]

What a bunch of pansies on these boards. "Hide your flex dildo, the christian right is coming for you fags!"

is it really that bad..

[Duff McCartney]

Aren't we forgeting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Merry Christmas and may God Bless you and all your family
during this CHRISTmas season.


You're so insensitive.

[boutons_]

"true meaning of Christmas"

biggest retail $volume of the year.

Baby Jesus has a hell of a marketing department.

[JoeChalupa]

I love Christmas.

[Mr. Peabody]

Aren't we forgeting the true meaning of Christmas? You know, the birth of Santa.

Your words make baby Jesus cry....

[Mr. Peabody]

"true meaning of Christmas"

biggest retail $volume of the year.

Baby Jesus has a hell of a marketing department.

You're so cynical. Contrary to what you say, Christmas is more than just an orgy of consumerism. Most people spend the time with family and there's definitely is a festive spirit in the air around that time whether you admit to it or not. Maybe it's not as religious as many people claim, but I could think of worse ways to spend my time than seeing my family, having time off work, and giving gifts to people I care about. It's by far my favorite holiday and I'm an atheist.

[JoeChalupa]

I concur. To me Christmas has NOTHING to do with shopping but rather giving of one's self. Spending time with my family is worth more than anything in any department store.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

merry winter solstice!

[01Snake]

http://jlogged.com/wp-content/uploads/festivus-poles_book.gif

[FrankCostanza]

Happy Festivus to everyone!!!!

[101A]

You're so cynical. Contrary to what you say, Christmas is more than just an orgy of consumerism. Most people spend the time with family and there's definitely is a festive spirit in the air around that time whether you admit to it or not. Maybe it's not as religious as many people claim, but I could think of worse ways to spend my time than seeing my family, having time off work, and giving gifts to people I care about. It's by far my favorite holiday and I'm an atheist.Well said.

[xrayzebra]

You're so cynical. Contrary to what you say, Christmas is more than just an orgy of consumerism. Most people spend the time with family and there's definitely is a festive spirit in the air around that time whether you admit to it or not. Maybe it's not as religious as many people claim, but I could think of worse ways to spend my time than seeing my family, having time off work, and giving gifts to people I care about. It's by far my favorite holiday and I'm an atheist.

I know I love Christmas. I enjoy having all the family
here on Christmas day. And as much as i moan about
no peace in the house, I wouldn't really have it any other
way. Well maybe during the football game.....

18 for dinner this year. And all the little ones (great
grand kids) opening gifts. What a great life I have.
I only hope you all have the same.

[JoeChalupa]

Merry Christmas everyone!

[boutons_]

"Contrary to what you say, Christmas is more than just an orgy of consumerism."

I didn't say it is was more, or less, than orgy, but you turn a nice phrase there, extremely descriptive, and accurate, as any retailer or consumer will testify.

[Duff McCartney]

It's by far my favorite holiday as well...and I'm pretty atheist as well. My only criticism of Christmas is that religious and non-religious alike only choose this time of the year to be giving and nice...rather than the entire year.

[scott]

Glad to see our elected officials using their time efficiently.

[jochhejaam]

The Onion couldn't have done it better.

Merry Xmas, Steve King, you're quite a horror story.


"rejects bigotry...directed against Christians..."

He nailed you there bouts.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Thank God for Bill O'Reilly when you're able to sing X-mas carols without being blowed up by the jihadists:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/13/oreilly-declares-victory_n_76712.html

[Mr. Peabody]

Thank God for Bill O'Reilly when you're able to sing X-mas carols without being blowed up by the jihadists:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/13/oreilly-declares-victory_n_76712.html

It's not the jihadists that you have to worry about, it's those damn secular-progressives. Thank god we have a culture warrior like O'Reilly to look after us.

http://images.salon.com/news/feature/2004/12/16/grinch/story.jpg

Merry Christmas and god bless us everyone....(except for the Jews, minorities and homosexuals)

[boutons_]

Looks like the resolution passed easily


Congress's Bullying Pulpit

By Sally Quinn
Sunday, December 23, 2007; B07

As a child, I went to a small school in rural Alabama near an Army post where my father was stationed. It was a very Christian town, and our teacher was "born again."

This was decades ago, but I remember clearly how she used to tell us that we must accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior. Then she would ask for hands to see who had. By age 11 I had become a nonbeliever. My father was in the Army and had fought in World War II and Korea; I concluded quickly that no loving God could have allowed those atrocities to be committed.

But we had all seen our teacher, when crossed, call an unlucky member of our class up to the front of the room, make the student lie down on her desk and be paddled. The humiliation was worse than the pain. So, when she called on us to admit that we had accepted Jesus as our savior, I dutifully raised my hand.

Thank goodness, those days are over, you might be thinking. Nothing like that could happen in this country today.

Well, think again. It happened this month, right here in Washington.

On Dec. 11, H.R. 847 was passed in the House of Representatives. Just listen to what our lawmakers have resolved:

"Whereas Christmas, a holiday of great significance to Americans," it begins, "is celebrated annually by Christians throughout the United States. . . ." It goes on to state, among other things, that "Christianity [is] the religion of over three-fourths of the American population," that "American Christians observe Christmas, the holiday celebrating the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ," and that "Christmas is celebrated as a recognition of God's redemption, mercy, and Grace."

"Now, therefore be it Resolved, that the House of Representatives . . . expresses continued support for Christians in the United States . . . acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States . . . rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and expresses its deepest respect to American Christians."

For brevity, I have omitted the resolution's references to Christianity around the world.

This resolution passed with 195 Democratic yea votes, 177 Republican yeas and nine Democratic nays. No Republicans voted against it. Ten House members voted "present." Forty were not there, including the bill's sponsor, Rep. Steve King of Iowa.

Among those voting for the resolution was a Jewish member of Congress who has asked me not to print his name. He was outraged and appalled by the bill, he told me. But he was also afraid. He thought it would hurt him with his mostly Christian constituency if he voted against it. He told some of his colleagues about his anguish. They advised him not to be stupid. It would be better for him politically if he voted for it.

It's possible that the 10 who voted "present" also had problems with the bill but decided it was safer not to vote against it. One could also assume that some of those who were absent were not there so as not to have to deal with the problem.

Earlier this year the House also passed resolutions honoring Islamic and Indian holidays but nothing that so equated a single faith with America and Americans.

How could this happen, in what will soon be 2008, in a pluralistic, multicultural, multireligious society, a society based on the concepts of religious freedom and separation of church and state? What were they thinking?

This resolution was as anti-American as anything Congress has ever passed. It disenfranchised and marginalized millions and millions of men and women, reducing them to second-class citizens.

How about this next time around: "Whereas all holidays have great significance to some Americans, be it resolved that the House of Representatives expresses its deepest respect to Americans of all faiths and non-faith alike."

(nah, that not Chrisitian/white supremacist enough)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101920_pf.html

[Extra Stout]

I can imagine Rep. King sitting in his office after the Ramadan resolution passed. Congress usually doesn't pass religious resolutions like that, but after much liberal back-patting, he began to think, "What would be the reaction if I proposed a Christmas resolution?" What's good for the goose is good for the gander, right?

I can imagine him then thinking that the liberals would not be able to help themselves. Somebody would blow a gasket over a Christmas resolution. There would be cries of "fascism!" It would provide an easy opportunity to contrast the liberal reaction to a recognition of Islam to their reaction to a recognition of Christianity. They could be painted as favoring Muslims over Christians. Even more than hypocrites, they could be smeared as obsequious cowards... all by a silly little Christmas resolution.

Members of Congress themselves hardly could be goaded into taking such obvious bait, and the resolution passed easily, but there always seems to be a chump who takes the fall, and in this case it was Sally Quinn. Thanks, Sally, from the GOP!

[O-Factor]

It's by far my favorite holiday as well...and I'm pretty atheist as well. My only criticism of Christmas is that religious and non-religious alike only choose this time of the year to be giving and nice...rather than the entire year.

How can you be an atheist and Christmas be your favorite holiday. Christmas IS a religious holiday. Always has been. Way to contradict yourself there.....poser atheist.

[ggoose25]

I hate shit like this. First of all, more congressmen should've had the balls to vote how they really felt. If they were outraged about it, then go ahead and say it. Someone needs to call it out.

I agree with substance of the resolution, but the US Government should not be making any kind of statements that favor one religion over another.

[O-Factor]

I like how Christmas is a Christian holiday and yet EVERYONE wants to particitpate yet still criticize it for being religious. If you don't like it, DON'T celebrate it. No one is twisting your arm. But don't try to take, or rationalize taking religion out of it. Not going to happen.... secular progressive assholes.

[O-Factor]

I hate shit like this. First of all, more congressmen should've had the balls to vote how they really felt. If they were outraged about it, then go ahead and say it. Someone needs to call it out.

I agree with substance of the resolution, but the US Government should not be making any kind of statements that favor one religion over another.


One nation Under God

[ggoose25]

Yeah, but the government shouldn't be saying which God.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I like how Christmas is a Christian holiday and yet EVERYONE wants to particitpate yet still criticize it for being religious. If you don't like it, DON'T celebrate it. No one is twisting your arm. But don't try to take, or rationalize taking religion out of it. Not going to happen.... secular progressive assholes.

typical neo-con: telling us what we can celebrate, and how.

[Extra Stout]

Well, they only caught 9 Democrats, but they're making hay of it anyway:

WND (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59171)

[ggoose25]

I dont think Jesus had this in mind when he wanted us to be fishers of men.

[O-Factor]

Yeah, but the government shouldn't be saying which God.

Were the men who wrote the Constitution not Christian?

[beachbarbie948]

How can you be an atheist and Christmas be your favorite holiday. Christmas IS a religious holiday. Always has been. Way to contradict yourself there.....poser atheist.

Who says you can't like Christmas is you're an atheist?

[Oh, Gee!!]

Were the men who wrote the Constitution not Christian?

no

[ggoose25]

Does it matter if they were Christian or not? They were smart enough to write this:


Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

And actually I think most of them were influenced by Deism which bases the existence of God as a logical conclusion in a complex line of reasoning. They weren't Christians the way you and I are today, since we rely heavily on personal faith and spirituality.

[Extra Stout]

Were the men who wrote the Constitution not Christian?
Some of them were. A lot of them were Deists, which were sort of the 18th-century version of liberal mainline Protestants.

[Ignignokt]

(1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great religions of the world;

(2) expresses continued support for Christians in the United States and worldwide;

(3) acknowledges the international religious and historical importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;

(4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in the formation of the western civilization;

(5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and

(6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians and Christians throughout the world."
so what about this list is unconstitutional?

What makes you think there will be an inquisition?

How big is the sandcastle lodged up your vaginas?

[Ignignokt]

I dont think Jesus had this in mind when he wanted us to be fishers of men.


Irrelevant.

[boutons_]

More Christian fascists/supremacists bullshit:

Now the Theocrats Want 'American Religious History Week'

By Chris Hedges, The Nation
Posted on January 15, 2008, Printed on January 16, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/73778/

Here is an event I have no intention of honoring: American Religious History Week. OK, it's not official yet. But it is spelled out as Resolution 888 in the bowels of a House committee, sponsored by Republican Congressman Randy Forbes and backed by thirty-one other Representatives. This is an insidious attempt by the radical Christian right to rewrite American history, to turn the founding fathers from deists into Christian fundamentalists, to proclaim us officially to be a Christian nation. If you want to know why Mike Huckabee is dangerous, why his brand of right-wing Christian populism is so frightening, you should read this resolution.

Sent to me by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the resolution has passages like this: "Whereas political scientists have documented that the most frequently-cited source in the political period known as The Founding Era was the Bible" and "Whereas the United States Supreme Court has declared throughout the course of our Nation's history that the United States is 'a Christian country', 'a Christian nation', 'a Christian people', 'a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being' and that 'we cannot read into the Bill of Rights a philosophy of hostility to religion....'"

The resolution is staggering for its sheer volume of falsehoods about our history, our system of government and our democracy. It asserts that Thomas Jefferson "urged local governments to make land available specifically for Christian purposes, provided Federal funding for missionary work among Indian tribes, and declared that religious schools would receive 'the patronage of the government.'" There are seventy-six preambular clauses like these, leading up to four resolution clauses, the third of which states that the House "rejects, in the strongest possible terms, any effort to remove, obscure, or purposely omit such history from our Nation's public buildings and educational resources."

"House Resolution 888 is perhaps the most disgraceful, shocking and tragic example yet of the pernicious and pervasive pattern and practice of the unconstitutional rape of our bedrock American citizens' religious freedoms by the fundamentalist Christian right," says Michael "Mikey" Weinstein, head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and a former White House counsel for President Reagan.

The resolution may never work its way out of committee, and even if it does, it may never be passed. But it is important because it expresses an increasingly influential ideology. It underlies the ideological appeal of the Huckabee campaign, however adroitly the Republican candidate dodges these issues when speaking to the general public. "I hope we answer the alarm clock and take this nation back for Christ," Huckabee told a Baptist convention in 1998. He assured the crowd that he had not entered politics "because I thought government had a better answer. I got into politics because I knew government didn't have the real answers, that the real answers lie in accepting Jesus Christ into our lives." And this ideology, as illustrated by Mitt Romney's coded appeal to Christian fundamentalists when giving his recent Texas speech on faith, or even John McCain's humbling trip to Liberty University, has a powerful pull on Republican candidates.

I saw a persistent rewriting of history in numerous Christian history textbooks, used by hundreds of thousands of children, when I wrote American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America. The revisionists take a minor historical event -- in the case of the missionaries, drawing from very rare decisions to provide funds for mission schools or the building of a church on Indian lands -- and use it to create a false portrait of a Christian nation. The resolution asserts that the Fourth of July was designed as a Christian holiday, and that in 1977 Congress authorized that Bibles be "printed under their care" and imported for dissemination to the American public. Congress never imported Bibles. But facts matter little.

It is a mistake, despite the seeming implosion of the Republican Party, to count these people out. The Christian radicals have, as the Huckabee candidacy illustrates, broken free from the fetters of their corporate and neocon handlers. They have unleashed a frightening populism that, in the event of an economic meltdown or period of instability, could see the movement ride the wave of a massive right-wing backlash. So when you get tired of the cute sound bites that constitute most coverage of these campaigns, pull out this resolution to remind yourself that we are playing with dynamite, that unless we begin to re-enfranchise tens of millions of Americans -- and this means economically -- back into the mainstream, unless we again give our workers the chance to earn a living wage, we will fail to blunt this movement and could well fall victim to it.

Chris Hedges, a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter, was the Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times. He spent seven years in the Middle East and reported frequently from Iran. His latest book is American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America.

© 2008 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/story/73778/

=============

And then there is this bullshit:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/01/20070111-2.html

Coming from "Christian" dubya, you just know the "freedom" is meant as freedom to teach creationism, Bible tales, exclusivly Christianity (no Muslim/Koran, Catholic, Jewish, Hindu stuff) in public schools.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Hey, Osama, err boutons, I don't see you bitching about Osama and his crew wanting us all to either become Muslims or die.

This is a weird news story, but let's see it play out in Congress before you go PMSing about it. Fuck, I think you hate America more than Dan.

[boutons_]

OBL is forgotten, by dubya, by everybody, no threat to USA. He suckered dubya onto OBL's killing fields, Mission Accomplished.

dubya, dickhead, neo-cunts, Christian supremacists are a much greater, more sinister threat to USA than OBL and terrorists.

[BonnerDynasty]

What a bunch of pansies on these boards. "Hide your flex dildo, the christian right is coming for you fags!"

is it really that bad..

Exactly. People will bitch about anything.

[boutons_]

faggots? interesting how you project your sexual preferences into 888 which doesn't mention faggots.

You chickenshit bubbas too scared to go beat up faggots by yourself and want Christian supremacists to do it for you?

[Extra Stout]

The resolution may never work its way out of committee, and even if it does, it may never be passed. But it is important because it expresses an increasingly influential ideology.
So this "ideology" is "increasingly influential," even though it is not even strong enough to get a boilerplate resolution out of committee.

Sounds like the typical scaremongering of the anti-religious left to me.


Christian supremacists are a much greater, more sinister threat to USA than OBL and terrorists.
This is another example of lefties sliming Christians and downplaying radical Muslims, because they know deep down Christians won't hurt them but Muslims might.

[boutons_]

"sliming Christians"

you said that, not me. I said "Christian supremacists".

OBL and terrorists have been an OPEN threat, Christian supremacists are a sinister threat. Too sinisterly subtle for ya?

[Extra Stout]

"sliming Christians"

you said that, not me. I said "Christian supremacists".

OBL and terrorists have been an OPEN threat, Christian supremacists are a sinister threat. Too sinisterly subtle for ya?
If "Christian supremacists" are just some small subset of Christians, then what is this "great," "sinister" threat?

By "sinister" did you mean "fictitious, but expeditious for left-wing scaremongering?"