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Author Topic:   What Would Society Look Like Under Biblical Fundamentalism?
anglagard
Member (Idle past 827 days)
Posts: 2339
From: Socorro, New Mexico USA
Joined: 03-18-2006


Message 1 of 31 (382410)
02-04-2007 3:19 PM


In the thread Lying for Jesus Award starting here Message 181 Buzsaw, Nemesis Juggernaut, and Hoot Mon implied that any fear of Christian Fundamentalism is misplaced and overblown. In order to determine if such a fear is overstated, I would like to ask such fundamentalists and their sympathizers what they would do if they had the power to change things. Specifically, I would like to ask them how they would change the following:
Form of Government: Would you preserve democracy as it is now, or would you prefer a government made up of religious leaders of your persuasion, a kingdom, a dictatorship, or some other form of government?
First Amendment freedoms: Would these be preserved or would some religions or forms of free speech such as pornography or criticism of religious/government leaders be banned?
Education: Would you change public education to include religious instruction and if so, which religion(s) would be permitted? Would you ban education in all Natural Sciences, ban specific elements of the sciences such as evolution, geoscience, and cosmology or leave public education as it is?
Medicine: I know that there is much made about the power of prayer and faith healing among our fundies. Would you ban the practice of modern medicine? Would you replace current medical treatments with prayer, laying on of hands, and snake handling?
Popular Culture: Would you censor books, music, and movies? Would there be a dress code like the Amish or Mao Zedong’s China had/have? Would homosexuality be made illegal?, Abortion?, Premarital sex?, Alcohol, Tobacco?, Medicine/Drugs?, Rap Music?, Rock Music?
Justice: Would we retain our current system or would crimes and punishments be dictated by Biblical Law and rendered by religious authorities? What would the criminal justice system look like? Would there be a death penalty?
Foreign Relations: Would foreign policy be based upon Biblical prophecy? Would we unconditionally support Israel? Would you want a holy crusade to exterminate Islam?, Communism?, Secularism?, Catholicism?, Europe?
Technology: Would we no longer be allowed to use the principles of evolution in biological and medical research? Would we no longer be allowed to explore for oil and other mineral resources using principles from old earth geology? Would anything involving nuclear reactions become illegal as such scientists that are involved believe in nuclear decay? Or would such endeavors be hypocritically declared off-limits to the cleansing of our new age cultural revolutionaries as in China during the 60s?
I have been here for about 11 months and while I have seen much criticism of the modern world, I have not seen much concerning what our fundamentalist posters would offer as an alternative. Now they have a clear chance to tell the rest of us their plans for a better society. Maybe there is nothing to fear as they say, or maybe much more. I would like to know.
That is unless, of course, they don’t know themselves. Or the plan is secret out of embarrassment or clear lack of sanity.
I realize this topic could easily meander all over so I would ask that we allow the fundamentalists to speak for themselves and stick close to the topic if promoted. I think the questions asked are of great importance in furthering mutual understanding of the position held by both sides of the debate.
I guess Social Issues.
Edited by anglagard, : spelling in title!

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 Message 12 by Archer Opteryx, posted 02-08-2007 4:09 PM anglagard has replied
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AdminAsgara
Administrator (Idle past 2293 days)
Posts: 2073
From: The Universe
Joined: 10-11-2003


Message 2 of 31 (382421)
02-04-2007 4:19 PM


Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

  
iceage 
Suspended Member (Idle past 5905 days)
Posts: 1024
From: Pacific Northwest
Joined: 09-08-2003


Message 3 of 31 (382433)
02-04-2007 5:29 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
02-04-2007 3:19 PM


Science in General
anglagard writes:
Technology: Would we no longer be allowed to use the principles of evolution in biological and medical research?
Certainly not!
I think your question should be expanded to include science in general.
When I first came here there was a user (Faith) who was otherwise articulate and intelligent blurted out a statement much like this....
"Science should not concern itself with *if* the flood happened but look into how it happened."
I may not have it exactly, but very close.
I was taken back that an intelligent person living in this modern day, enjoying the fruits of science, could hold to such demented and twisted outlook. Can you imagine what our world would look like if people with this view were in control!?
Hello! The dark ages are calling and they want their political power structure back.

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Doddy
Member (Idle past 5899 days)
Posts: 563
From: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 01-04-2007


Message 4 of 31 (382459)
02-04-2007 8:16 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
02-04-2007 3:19 PM


anglagard writes:
Justice: Would we retain our current system or would crimes and punishments be dictated by Biblical Law and rendered by religious authorities? What would the criminal justice system look like? Would there be a death penalty?
They probably would be a death penalty, and maybe even something like the inquisition, to root out heretics and burn them!
Edited by Doddy Curumehtar, : Fixed BBcode

"Der Mensch kann was er will; er kann aber nicht wollen was er will." (Man can do what he wills but he cannot will what he wills.) - Arthur Schopenhauer

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Larni
Member (Idle past 154 days)
Posts: 4000
From: Liverpool
Joined: 09-16-2005


Message 5 of 31 (382551)
02-05-2007 5:07 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
02-04-2007 3:19 PM


We could keep slaves, stone people to death, commit genocide, discriminate against anyone not of the tribes, treat woman as property, execute people for 'moral' transgressions.
Essentially do all the things moderen society tends to frown on.
Roll on the Theocracy, not.

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AdminAsgara
Administrator (Idle past 2293 days)
Posts: 2073
From: The Universe
Joined: 10-11-2003


Message 6 of 31 (382561)
02-05-2007 7:31 AM


Please folks,Angla specifically posted his questions to Biblical Fundamentalists. Lets give them a chance to answer.

AdminAsgara Queen of the Universe

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    Quetzal
    Member (Idle past 5862 days)
    Posts: 3228
    Joined: 01-09-2002


    Message 7 of 31 (382564)
    02-05-2007 8:33 AM
    Reply to: Message 4 by Doddy
    02-04-2007 8:16 PM


    They probably would be a death penalty, and maybe even something like the inquisition, to root out heretics and burn them!
    Indeed. In our one current example of a religious theocracy (revolutionary Iran), apostasy - denial of faith - was a capital crime.
    ABE: To AdminAsgara: Sorry O' Queen. I didn't see your admonition until after I posted. I'll shut up.
    Edited by Quetzal, : No reason given.

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    Phat
    Member
    Posts: 18248
    From: Denver,Colorado USA
    Joined: 12-30-2003
    Member Rating: 1.1


    Message 8 of 31 (382566)
    02-05-2007 8:44 AM
    Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
    02-04-2007 3:19 PM


    Its OK as it is
    Im not strictly a fundamentalist, although you all know I have some of their beliefs. Looking over the list, I would only say that I wouldn't change anything any more than is now being done except I confess that I would emphasize Christian religion over the other ones...even though students should be exposed to what the other ones believe.
    We are talking about a hypothetical Theocracy, after all.....and no Theocracy can be all inclusive.

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    bluegenes
    Member (Idle past 2467 days)
    Posts: 3119
    From: U.K.
    Joined: 01-24-2007


    Message 9 of 31 (382569)
    02-05-2007 8:55 AM
    Reply to: Message 8 by Phat
    02-05-2007 8:44 AM


    Re: Its OK as it is
    I would only say that I wouldn't change anything any more than is now being done except I confess that I would emphasize Christian religion over the other ones...even though students should be exposed to what the other ones believe.
    If your religion is a "true" religion, and the other religions aren't, why should it require an advantage in emphasis over the others? Surely you believe that it has an inate advantage anyway.

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    Phat
    Member
    Posts: 18248
    From: Denver,Colorado USA
    Joined: 12-30-2003
    Member Rating: 1.1


    Message 10 of 31 (382571)
    02-05-2007 9:05 AM
    Reply to: Message 9 by bluegenes
    02-05-2007 8:55 AM


    Re: Its OK as it is
    Thats a good question and well phrased. In a Democracy, of course, no belief should be part of public policy. And you are right....I believe that IF God is how I believe that He is and that His Son lives, He will be quite capable of reaching you without preferred vendor status.
    I was just answering in response to the assumption that fundamentalism had taken over. God knows that if Islam attempted such a hostile takeover in my country, I would probably be swinging the sword like it was Armageddon!
    This topic does give one pause to think.......

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    nator
    Member (Idle past 2160 days)
    Posts: 12961
    From: Ann Arbor
    Joined: 12-09-2001


    Message 11 of 31 (382587)
    02-05-2007 10:53 AM
    Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
    02-04-2007 3:19 PM


    I'd also like to know if Atheists and other non-believers will continue to have citizenship status or if we will be forced to join the church or made to leave (or worse) if we refuse?
    As a woman, I am particularly curious to hear the honest, uncensored wishes of our fundamentalis friends regarding the role and preferred conduct of women if Christian Fundamentalism had the power to change things.

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    Archer Opteryx
    Member (Idle past 3588 days)
    Posts: 1811
    From: East Asia
    Joined: 08-16-2006


    Message 12 of 31 (383586)
    02-08-2007 4:09 PM
    Reply to: Message 1 by anglagard
    02-04-2007 3:19 PM


    nothing to fear but fundamentalist fear itself?
    Thanks to Phat--but isn't it odd, anglagard, that your questions are going so conspicuously unaddressed?
    I'm disappointed. This is an excellent opportunity for more people to step up and say how they'd like things to be.
    __

    Archer
    All species are transitional.

    This message is a reply to:
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    nator
    Member (Idle past 2160 days)
    Posts: 12961
    From: Ann Arbor
    Joined: 12-09-2001


    Message 13 of 31 (383640)
    02-08-2007 5:48 PM
    Reply to: Message 12 by Archer Opteryx
    02-08-2007 4:09 PM


    Re: nothing to fear but fundamentalist fear itself?
    Yes, I am also rather surprised that nobody, even Buzsaw, hasn't come forward and outlined his Christian Fundamentalist Utopia for us.

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    anglagard
    Member (Idle past 827 days)
    Posts: 2339
    From: Socorro, New Mexico USA
    Joined: 03-18-2006


    Message 14 of 31 (383688)
    02-08-2007 7:58 PM
    Reply to: Message 12 by Archer Opteryx
    02-08-2007 4:09 PM


    Re: nothing to fear but fundamentalist fear itself?
    Archer Opterix writes:
    I'm disappointed. This is an excellent opportunity for more people to step up and say how they'd like things to be.
    Me too. One would think this would be an ideal opportunity for our fundamentalists to gain converts to their beautific vision.
    Guess their either too intellectually lazy, can't think that far ahead, or don't even believe in what they preach.
    The challenge still stands but the silence is deafening.

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    iceage 
    Suspended Member (Idle past 5905 days)
    Posts: 1024
    From: Pacific Northwest
    Joined: 09-08-2003


    Message 15 of 31 (383694)
    02-08-2007 8:24 PM
    Reply to: Message 11 by nator
    02-05-2007 10:53 AM


    Easy questions
    nator writes:
    I'd also like to know if Atheists and other non-believers will continue to have citizenship status
    Not much imagination required on that question. Straight out of the mouth of our present leader...
    GW Bush writes:
    "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God."
    Role of Women?
    nator writes:
    regarding the role and preferred conduct of women if Christian Fundamentalism had the power to change things.
    Another easy one. The role of women are clearly established in Pauline Epistles.

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