It can't happen here (?)

A joke going around the Internet:

Q: What’s the difference between Obama and Hitler?
A: Hitler wrote his own book.

Playing the "Hitler card" lost it's value, like anything does when it's in large supply, during the Bush years, with radical leftwingers calling George W. Bush "Hitler" at every opportunity. But there are times when the label is appropriate.

No one should never equate an American president with Hitler, and Obama, in particular, is not at his heart a mass murderer or someone who will put Americans into camps. But there are some disturbing parallels between the rise of the fascists in Europe in the last century, and the state and tactics of politics in America in 2009.

Michael Burleigh, in his book THE THIRD REICH, describes in detail how the Nazis came to power in Germany. It wasn't as though the German people woke up one day and became enablers of evil. It was a gradual process, as the values and character of the German culture frayed at the edges.

Burleigh points out commonalties within the major totalitarian regimes of the 20th Century: the use of quasi-religious symbolism; the leaders promoting themselves in messianic terms, that societal salvation would come through their policies and their leadership; the use of “crises” (often manufactured, or at the very least over-hyped) to encourage people to give up personal liberties in favor of the “general good,” which equated in greater centralization of power in the national government; the demonizing of opponents.

Looking at our current situation through the lens of 20th Century history, there are some disturbing parallels for anyone interested in looking.

In this, we're apparently the bad guys

Here's a post on iOwnTheWorld.com about the plight of 17 year old Rifqa Bary:

Railroading Rifqa
Home - by IOTW Reports - October 28, 2009 - 22:23

Pamela Geller, of Atlas Shrugs, continues her important work in raising awareness of the railroading of 17 year old Rifqa Bary, the ex-muslim christian convert who left her Ohio home in fear for her life (Rifqa has compelling evidence that her devout muslim parents would murder her in the name of an “honor killing.”) Rifqa is in a Kafkaesque world where the state may turn her over to her parents, against her wishes, to what she believes would be her certain death.

Some of the comments have focused on how the Florida family -- Christians -- have taken Rifqa in and provided her sanctuary, and how some in the media and in the blogosphere have made that family out to be the bad guys in this situation. As one poster commented, "Imagine that Rifqa was pregnant and hiding from her Christian family who won’t let her get an abortion. Does anyone here believe that the judge would return her to her home before Planned Parenthood got her that government-paid for procedure?" Indeed.

Rifga's situation is disturbing, especially since the courts may render a decision against her, returning her to her family in Ohio, and placing her life at risk. That the courts might do that says a lot about how far our legal system is out of wack.

On this sidebar discussion regarding how far our country's standards of justice have fallen, especially such that a Christian family providing her safe harbor would be considered the evil ones in this scenario, I posted the following:

I take my faith seriously. Christians are admonished to pray for the ruling authorities, not so that we can cram our *narrow* moral views down the throats of the general populace (here I strongly disagree with my moralistic statist brothers and sisters), but in order that we might all lead a tranquil and quiet life…unmolested by the state, IMO. (Look it up: 1 Timothy 2:1-2)

On election night, 2000, my wife and I determined that we hadn’t been praying enough for our leaders, and called a prayer meeting to gather in our home, which occurred every evening until the U.S. Supreme Ct. put an end to Sore-Loserman. We had as many as 16 people at a meeting, as few as two, during that 30-some-odd days of prayer.

After the election was settled, my wife and I continued to meet with another couple once a week for prayer for our nation and leaders, and have so met for the past 9 years.

And after 9 years of prayer about leaders and issues and the state of the world, here’s my take: Many Christians are concerned about the condition of our society and culture. Those who are politically active want to prevent the US from careening full speed over a cliff and down into an abyss. My take is that it’s too late — our country is already over the precipice and going down into the abyss. Stories like this one, about Rifqa, and the insane response of our courts, and blathering pundits like Mr. Johnson [a blogger attacking Christians over this], inclines me to believe this nation is plunging into deep spiritual darkness. And the fact that a year ago, people elected a *false messiah* to the presidency on the basis of “hope” (something only God gives, IMO), tells me we are way off course as a nation. Politics has become many people’s religion (even many people on the right), the state has become god, political ideology their creed and dogma, and politicians their priesthood (or savior, in regard to BHO).

But I’m not nihilistic about it. I’m also a student of revivals over the course of 2000 years of western history, similar to what the colonies and England experienced in the 1740s, and I know the nation can be pulled out of the abyss. But our problems are not primarily political, they’re spiritual. It is possible, but it’s a matter of if, and when, we are turned around as a nation. Frankly, I don’t believe it will be any time soon.

Church and State

The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority. -- Martin Luther King, Jr. The Strength to Love, 1963

The church, meaning Christians, should never be a tool, nor held captive, by either the state, or any political ideology. Too many think the debate among Christians is whether they should side with conservatives in preserving traditional values, or liberals and show compassion to those in need. This is a false debate. The church must maintain a prophetic stance toward both. Christ's kingdom is not of this world. We shouldn't stand aloof, but critique politics, as politics is often a false religion, promoting the causes of false messiahs.

Politics by any other name

One characteristic of the nature of contemporary politics in America is provided by John Derbyshire in the title of one of the chapters of his book, We Are Doomed - Reclaiming Conservative Pessimism:

Politics: Show Business for Ugly People.

Who can argue with it?

Here we go again

Politics Daily had an article about Mitt Romney's appearance at the Family Research Council's "Values Voters Summit" in Washington, DC, two weeks ago, and referenced his speech as the start of his presidential primary campaign for 2012 (as if he ever actually stopped campaigning after 2008).

The article highlights the kind of push-back Romney is getting from "values voters," mainly conservative Christian political activists. Author and former talk radio host Gregg Jackson commented, "Despite Romney's unbiblical and far left-wing record as governor on the issues FRC claims to care the most about, FRC President Tony Perkins continues to refer to Romney as a 'friend of the pro-family movement.' "

Ouch.

Here's my take (and I really was looking forward to not having to give my take prior to the 2010 elections): If "values voters" were spiritually mature and spiritually discerning, rather than act like liberals and seek for a political "messiah," they'd get on their knees, repent of their worldly shallowness, and implore God to pour out His Spirit on them, on the American church, and on this country. And they wouldn't get up until God had answered their prayer.

The Family Research Council has a right to promote its position on issues, and conservative Christians (as well as liberal ones) have a right, and I dare say, the responsibility to vote according to their convictions. But what most conservative Christian political activists ignore, or are blind to, is that in an increasingly secular society, politics has become the principal religion of most people, with their political ideology becoming tantamount to dogma. The placing of our hopes for a revival in society upon who is elected president, or who controls Congress, is, quite frankly, rank idolatry. No wonder God isn't blessing most of these efforts.

Cult Watch: Obama mediates

Cult Watch: Obama’s “Chat” About Cambridge Arrest
7/30/09

(Posted to Facebook by the Cato Institute this morning.)

So President Obama is going to host Professor Gates and Officer Crowley today at the White House. Much has already been said about thecontroversial arrest for “disorderly conduct.”

IMHO,itseems like a false arrest.I wasn’t there, but it is not a crimefor someone to beobnoxious to the police (and thatis basically the cop’s version of the incident). For additional background, I recommend the columns by Eugene Robinson, Harvey Silverglate, and Radley Balko.

But leave the arrest itself aside. Even more disturbing is Obama’s leap into this matter. It is yet another indication of the Cult of the Presidency where the President sees a role for himself in just about any aspect of life. The news media covers the event as if it is pretty much ordinary business. What’s next? Will Mr. Obama try to help the Gosselins out by having Jon and Kate over for tea? Obama could bring in the best counselors in the world while Michelle takes the kids on a helicopter ride to Camp David for the afternoon.

The "Messiah" thing is getting old