When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross. [Sinclair Lewis, 1935] HIS PREDICTION seems ON THE VERGE OF COMING TRUE
(PASO ROBLES, Calif.) - There are a number of ways to look at Presidential Campaigns, and McCain’s age is an important one. Another is the increased influence of Evangelism.
For a vote for McCain may well be a vote for Sarah Palin, a woman whose fundamentalism is all the Republican’s Far Right [its passive-voice] could hope for. If she passes her first test, it remains to be seen how she will handle the test of being President, if necessary.
If she proves to be a good Christian-Soldier doing as she is told, America could regress toward the Middle-Age [c.1000 A.D.-15000 A.D.] when Roman Catholicism became all powerful, but also corrupt.
Faithful Friars, known as Humanists, knew the Church was not an infallible Institution and sought to counter the claim by encouraging the Church to revert to the pristine paths of its beginning as a religion of reason.
The Middle-Age, between the Dark Age prior to 1000 A.D. and The Age of Enlightenment, post-1800 A.D., was an intra-mural contest of philosophies between the Humanists, who never wavered in their support of the Catholic concept, and the steadfast resistance of the Holy See that had seen its Spiritual and Institutional wealth increase tremendously during the Renaissance that The Holy See [Christianity’s Passive-Voice] perceived as evidence of God’s approval, so it persisted.
Erasmus of Rotterdam was a Humanist who in 1511 published a work he entitled: In Praise of Folly. It became the egg hatched by Martin Luther in 1525 that lent impetus to Protestants, caused a schism and eventually led to Lutheranism and Calvinism.
The Holy See refused to be reformed and initiated a Counter-reform movement, that resulted in three-hundred years of internecine disaster via autos-da-fe [acts of faith] conducted by Inquisitors The slaughter is estimated to have eliminated ten-million apostates of one or the other persuasion, many by burning [symbolic of hell].
Anyone familiar with Church history knows Christianity was not above war or vengeful killing in order to have its way; the Crusades and Inquisitorial-torture prove that point. Islam survives, and Protestants prevailed, but the loss of life was [is] enormous.
Evangelists today are as prone to lie, cheat, and kill as were their predecessors. Rod Parsley, of Cincinnati fame, preaches that God’s plan for American-Christians is to destroy Islam [Iraq, for starters?] Is there an Evangelist who is not convinced that in the apocalyptic battle between the forces of good and evil [the Second Coming] Christ will prevail? My impression is that Evangelists are eager for the fray.
We live in dangerous times, and are being led astray by persons who cling to an image of a fruitless past rather than a vision of a rational and peaceful future.
Common sense can put the government of the people on a logical track again, depending on who is elected in November, McCain the perpetual Christian-warrior, or the peace loving and reasonable Barack Obama.
------------------------------------------------Kenneth G. Ramey was a 79-year old "writer without a Website" who is generating excellent, provocative articles on the subject of religion and world affairs. We are pleased that Ken's "lone wolf" presence as a writer in the world has been replaced by a spot on our team of writers at Salem-News.com. Raised in Minnesota and California during the dark years of the Great American Depression, Ken is well suited to talk about the powerful forces in the world that give all of us hope and tragedy and everything in between. You can write to Ken at: kennethramey@yahoo.com
Dangerous Times
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