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Barbara Ehrenreich is one of the most important social analysts and economic critics of our time. A 7/9/08 Time interview includes an important observation of hers on a similarity between fundie Christian megachurches here in the US and Hamas.
What struck me when I have visited mega-churches from time to time is that they are really great big social service centers. You won't see references to Jesus in a mega-church. I mean the trappings I associate [with church]are gone, the crosses and everything. What you will see is over here we have our battered women's support group, over here we have our after-school activities. We have our group for the unemployed professionals and so on. They have really filled in where maybe there would have been public services or secular services at some other time. In the same way that Hamas, and I understand Hizballah also, gain a base by providing social services that people aren't getting otherwise.
Of course, we can all think of some other similarities:
- Superstitious world views
- Hatred of people who don't share their religious views
- Heterosexism
- Misogyny
One important aspect of this issue is a danger posed by the hate-based initiatives of Bush, and now Obama, to shift government funding from inclusive non-profits to religious ones. Government funds will be used to lure people into cultish compounds of Christian fundamentalism.
I was freaked out when I read that Obama planned to continue BushCo's faith-based bullshit. He of course said the government would..cough..monitor the theocratic organizations..to which I say..
Bullshit mutha fucka..once they have the cash, no one will be able to keep tabs on what they do with it or how they lace their 'help' with religious messages.
To use tax monies from ALL Americans for this type of crappola really chaps my ass, to put it bluntly.
I have often contemplated the similiarities between fundamentalist christians and Islam, the intensity of their belief is actually quite scary but I beleive Senator Obama does not fall into that category, his promise of continuing the faith based initiatives are just an election ploy to appeal to the christian masses, nothing more, nothing less.
The similarities between Islam and the extreme Christian fundamentalists is pretty well delineated in the indy film "Jesus Land."
As the dear departed George Carlin rightly noted "religion is bullshit."