Man, Huckabee should probably just quit now.  First Ric Flair goes and endorses him, now World Net Daily?  Boy, he’s really kickin’ ass and takin’ names now!

Edit - Oh yeah, and don’t forget Ted Nugent and Chuck Norris!

The opening here alone is pretty laughable. We start right off with the hilarious suggestion that Christians are somehow being persecuted when they compose upwards of 76% of the population. Note for you math impaired Christians out there, that means you make up over two-thirds of the population, also known as a solid majority. You don’t know what it means to be persecuted and you probably never will unless you do something stupid like immigrate to Saudi Arabia. To go on and suggest that Christians in general, and Janet Folger in particular, will be rounded up and tossed into prison if Hillary Clinton is elected should bring tears of laughter to your eyes if it weren’t for the fact that some idiots out there actually believe that crap.

Bear in mind that those that Ms Folger considers True Christians (TM) is probably a much tinier number.  I mean, if you cut out the denominations that are even considering recognizing gay marriages, or the ones that allow female ministers, or the ones who aren’t wholeheartedly endorsing Huckabee, or the Christians who don’t go to church every Sunday or homeschool or picket Planned Parenthood clinics, or read Ms Folger’s books to their kids at night ... that would cut the numbers substantially.

I hope.

We knew “Thought Crimes” was in danger of becoming law back when it passed Congress in 2007, but thankfully, President Bush kept his promise to veto it.

Presumably this meant the bill managed to garner enough Republicans to get through the Senate, which seems unlikely (beyond any other unlikelihoods in her screed).

That was dismal, but I hope Janet Folger at least gets part of her wish for the future and stops writing.

Thought crimes? I’m not understanding something. Anyone got a link explaining wtf she’s talking about?

No link, but if I had to guess from what was written, she’s equating the Fairness Doctrine to Thought Crime legislation/laws.  Of course, from the fevered mind of a fundy, if you allow anyone to say anything other than “PRAISE JEEEZUS BROTHAHS AND SISTAHS!” or “That’s a bunch of tree-huggin’ hippie crap!” on the airwaves, you are surely persecuting the poor Christians for thought crimes.

She seems to be conflating the Fairness Doctrine (about which I’ve seen critiques from the left and right, and about which I’ve my own not-nearly-so-apocalyptic reservations) and anti-discrimination laws which include sexual orientation (since it’s declasse to make the same critiques about anti-discrimination laws based on race, faith, or country of origin).

In short, anything that prevents her from discriminating against those she disagrees with is discrimination against her and therefore is wrong.  She seems unaware of the irony.

Hmmm ... it does make me want to go dig out the similar essay that Harlan Ellison did from a left-wing perspective in the late 60s (I think it’s in one of his Glass Teat books).

Someone should stick Folger in a room with someone of the “Bu$h is gonna declare martial law the day before the Nov. 2008 election and become President for Life!!!!” persuasion along with a video camera.  Stick on Youtube and you’ll have a huge humour hit on your hands.

You’d think you could only cry wolf so many times, as I heard similar crap to this when Bill Clinton was Pres.  Of course for every batch of people who finally get that such paranoid fantasies are just that and chill out a new batch of the clueless probably falls for them.

WTF! If I were Huckabee I would come out with a statement denouncing this bullshit right away. But then again Huckabee is pretty outspoken for religion and ID.

So basically this Janet Folger is spewing more “I’m being oppressed because they’re not letting me oppress people” bullshit?

This “if we’re not allowed to deny rights, marriage, employment, etc. to homosexuals then you’re denying us freedom of religion” crap seriously gets on my nerves. If you’re arguing for people to be allowed to deny someone employment on the basis of their sexuality, you are not a crusader for civil rights.

It’s not that complicated, seriously.

So basically this Janet Folger is spewing more “I’m being oppressed because they’re not letting me oppress people” bullshit?

If that’s what fundies actually believe it would explain a lot.

If that’s what fundies actually believe it would explain a lot.

I think either they believe that, or they think other people will believe it and they’ll get more sympathy if people think they’re oppressed.

I personally don’t know Janet Folger (thank the FSM) but I would bet money that she doesn’t actually believe this tripe, she is just pandering to her audience.  During my time in Fundyland I certainly was willing to believe any crackpot theory that came along that fed my paranoia about the world being against Christianity, and the end of the world being near. To my fevered imagination, everything, be it slight (real or imagined) against me, depressing news item, or even the gas pump stopping on $6.66 one time was a Satanic plot to drag me and any other true Christian out there over to the dark side.

However, some of the people I got some of the crackpot theories from, like Chuck Missler (the guy who thinks peanut butter should produce ants if evolution exists) and Hal Lindsey both of which make a ton of money on the crap they spew out.  Nowdays I gotta wonder how much of their own crap they can possibly believe.  Of course, we can’t know for sure, but I can’t personally believe the Chuck Misslers and Janet Folgers all believe this bullshit they spew 100%.

I can only chalk my experience up to temporary insanity though, as I have since come to love rational ideas, have a great ability to separate truth from fiction (except for the FSM...oh wait...crap!) and critical thinking is one of the rules I live by now.  That is not to say that I’ve gone in the completely opposite direction, but I really do believe there is a whole bunch of evidence to show that religious fundamentalism is a form of insanity that basically cranks the credulity part of the brain way up, and turns down the critical thinking and reasoning portions of the brain, or at the least converts them to serve the credulity section.  Having personally experienced it myself, that is my official diagnosis of religious fundamentalism.

It’ certainly easier, or more comfortable, to believe that the world (and demonic forces behind it) are against you, actively scheming and plotting and persecuting, than that your own problems and failings are, in fact, quite possibly your own fault.

That’s a generality for all conspiracy theories.  Except for the ones I have, of course.

Chuck Missler (the guy who thinks peanut butter should produce ants if evolution exists)

What? Uh… what was his reasoning for that?

You’ll have to check out the video Les posted awhile back, I can’t even begin to explain it.  Chuck Missler Peanut Butter Video.

...

CHUCK YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG

EVOLUTION DOESN’T WORK THAT WAY

Do you know what? That’s what we said.

If this woman is such a respected commentator, why’s her English so bad (’gotten’)? ( Yes I know - speak to the masses of their level- man of teh people stuff.)

I noticed there was no way to post a comment saying “how’s this going to get past the folks on the hill?”

Excellent rant, I’m with you 100%.

Don’t lump all Homeschooling families in with these superstitious twits though.  Some of us home school because we don’t want our kids being trained by Christian fascist’s to be corporate clones!

If those idiots actually listen to her they deserve to be persecuted.

I’m Xavier from Barcelona,north east Spain,and i’m very interested about all this matter, Creationism vs. Evolution theory. Sorry about my Intermediate English grammar level,i try do my best. I watched a video on You Tube of this graceful fanatic creature called Janet Folger,and i was nearly to rotten. I didn’t understand 100 % of her speech,but it didn’t care,her behaviour was as a salesman trying faking you.
Maybe one day,these poor fanatics will open minds,and they’ll accept that Bible is a story,but not reality.
It could be possible trying an update of religion,but with the new Pope,talking about a real Hell,it seems difficult.
I’d like to convince myself of this: “i’m a human being,then,there’s a creator with human shape,and with human sentiments”,but it’s so childish,knowing bit of Science information about Universe,macrocosmos and microcosmos,that it’s utterly impossible believe on it.And there’s more,the way the fanatic catholic justify disgrace or pain,it’s really sadism.
Well,we are really worried here in Europe about crazy fanatics can influence into the Scientist community,and how politics allow it. I hope they leave their fears,and see reality instead of imaginary states. That’s all,folks....bye !

Xavier this is an old post you might want to check out Dr. ken Miller articels or videos translated into spanish or if your English is good enough check les’s article about this free book http://stupidevilbastard.com/index/seb/comments/science_evolution_and_creationism_available_for_free/
and check out my blog for evolution posts
http://science-vs-religion.blogspot.com/