The religious right, or: The destruction of the seperation of church and state.

I watched "Jesus Camp" yesterday for the second time, and seeing it again sure didn't make it any less shocking. The documentary focuses on life at an Evangelical bible camp in North Dakota, while also playing important political clips from the year the film was made (2006) as well as interviewing the host of an anti-fundamentalism radio show. While the film takes an objective viewpoint, as it doesn't express any specific view on the camp's indoctrination of kids, it's not hard to understand why most who see the film end up feeling scared and angry that the nation's children are being exposed to such brainwashing material from such a young age, all with their parent's full knowledge and consent.

What can be called the "Religious Right" in this country is mostly made up of people who identify themselves as "Evangelical" Christians. These people believe that to be saved, one must be "born again" a process that involves confirming Jesus Christ as your savior, usually done at a young age. The Evangelicals also practice speaking in tongues, which ends up somewhere between ridiculous and truly frightening. The religious right is responsible for the ever growing blur of the line between church and state. By indoctrinating kids, these people are breeding the next generation for a religious war.

The problem that a mobilized group of people who put their biggest belief in something spiritual creates is much too big to be discussed in its entirety here. What I believe needs to be focused on, is the creeping flippant control these people are amassing. In America, the Evangelical sect is a virus, slowly killing our laws, beliefs, and traditions. Is there a place in modern society for religion and spirituality? Yes, I believe so, but this warped sub-sect of Christianity has no place in a country that markets itself as a place free from religious doctrine in the governmental area. Camps like the one shown in "Jesus Camp" teach children to hate abortion, praying together to end the practice, although obviously these children can parrot back their pastor's over simplified ignorant view, I doubt they could even begin to understand the socio-economic black lash of outlawing pregnancy ending practices in a modern post industrial country with a population of 300 million.

These groups of ultra religious adherents spare no effort in becoming active citizens, their members run for political office, as well as vote frequently for the dismissal of civil rights for gays, as well as economic programs for the poor. They often mix their message of Christian superiority with flagrant nationalism, a deadly mix that assures the destruction of anyone not supporting their agenda.

Marx said "Religion is the opiate of the masses" and although I see cultural place for peaceful practice of it, I sadly have to agree. The religious right teaches its kids that global warming is no big deal, and that growing resource depletion doesn't exist. Why anyone would want to hoodwink the next generation into such views is confounding until one realizes that these people have no care for the earth, since they believe soon they'll be off to a much better place. This ideology allows them to commit all sorts of crimes against the earth and its peoples, all because they believe in the end, it doesn't really matter. By telling the poor and sick not to fight, because in the end, they will go to heaven, they make sure the exploitive system in places for centuries continues to push on.

These sects need to be discredited asap, and adherents need to be removed from government because as long as the insane man is allowed to steer the ship, the chances of running aground grow.