A New General for God’s Army?
OAKLAND, Calif. - In recent appearances on two U.S. cable news networks, he was slinging and zinging — the well-rehearsed pitchman for the Biblical “End Times” was dead certain that “Iran is going to have to be attacked” before 2008.
He also claimed that during a recent visit to Iraq, he was told by intelligence sources that Iran had given the green light to Hezbollah to unleash suicide bombers in the United States this summer. 
Mike Evans is a shock jock for Armageddon, a cheerleader for the apocalypse. These days, the bestselling author and head of the “Jerusalem Prayer Team”, a U.S.-based pro-Israeli Christian evangelical organization, is at the top of his game. On Jun. 3, his new book, “The Final Move Beyond Iraq: The Final Solution While The World Sleeps“, made it onto the New York Times bestsellers’ list at number one in the paperback category.
Evans’s publisher bills him as “one of America’s top experts on the Middle East” and “a personal confidant to most of Israel’s top leaders.” He has several bestselling books under his belt, including “Beyond Iraq: The Next Move” and “The American Prophecies“.
Evans’ latest offering — 200 pages of text and 100 of assorted appendices — is relatively uncomplicated: Iran is the biggest threat to the United States and to peace in the Middle East, and it should be confronted militarily no later than the end of the George W. Bush presidency. Under no circumstances should U.S. troops be withdrawn from Iraq before the mission is accomplished — the mission being the disarming of Iran. The U.S. public has been dumbed down by the secular left and the liberal media. And god has been removed from the public square in the U.S., resulting in Christians being systematically “stripped” of their rights.
His prose is pugnacious, a style you might expect from a writer who claims that he is giving the U.S. its “final wake up call.” In the book, and in its promotional materials, terms like “appeasement,” “secular humanist God-haters,” and “pro-Islamic radical sympathizers” are tossed around as easily as if he were playing catch in the backyard.
In one passage, Evans maintains that the recommendations in the bipartisan Iraq Study Group (ISG) report, issued in early December 2006, are a “call to appeasement — just like Chamberlain’s in the face of Nazi aggression in 1938.”
The ISG report, which was largely ignored by the administration, had urged the withdrawal of virtually all U.S. combat troops by next spring, as well as the engagement of Iraq’s neighbors, including Syria and Iran, as part of a comprehensive “diplomatic offensive” designed to both stabilize Iraq and to address “key regional issues”, including the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Evans essentially agrees with the core group of neoconservatives in the Bush administration who were the architects of the war in Iraq and have more recently been advocating a robust response to Iran. He departs company with them, however, in that his analysis appears to be strictly based on his reading of the Bible and what he calls the relentless attack on Christians in the United States.
In the penultimate chapter, titled “The Battle for the Soul of America“, Evans argues that the assassinations in the 1960s of President John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. “signaled the end of the age of innocence that had been enjoyed by the American people.”
The social revolution that followed “was a full frontal assault against traditional family values and an American culture steeped in the tenets of the Bible,” and was accompanied by a “lack of moral clarity.”
This “lack of moral clarity” resulted in “battle after battle [that] has slowly stripped Christians in America of their rights,” he says. “The American courts that espouse such movements as ‘gay rights,’ ‘abortion rights,’ and even ‘animal rights’ are now pursuing the right to be godless.”
The book’s appendices offer an interesting array of excerpts from interviews with former Israeli Defence Forces Chief of Staff Moshe Ya’alon, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former CIA director James Woolsey, former Chairman of the Armed Services General Hugh Shelton, Harvard University Law Professor Alan Dershowitz, and U.S. News & World Report editor-in-chief Mort Zuckerman.
The journey of “The Final Move Beyond Iraq” to the number one spot on the New York Times bestselling paperback book list is a fascinating tale in and of itself. Evans and his publisher, FrontLine, an imprint of the Christian publishing house, Strang Communications, flew under the radar of the mainstream media, using near-daily e-mail blasts to supporters urging them not only to buy multiple copies of the book, but to help publicize it by writing five-star reviews at Amazon.com.
The goal of the campaign was two-fold: Become a bestselling book, and have that result in multiple appearances on mainstream radio and television programs. By all accounts, this approach has achieved its aims.
Evans had “made himself a major religious movement and media figure long before his new book was published,” John Stauber, executive director of the Center for Media and Democracy and the co-founder of PRWatch, told IPS. Although “he pegs himself as a ‘journalist,’ he’s really a right-wing religious political advocate with great media marketing savvy.”
For Stauber, the co-author of two books on Iraq, “Weapons of Mass Deception,” and “The Best War Ever,” Evans fits into the conservative evangelist Pat Robertson category “in some ways.” After all, “Pat started the 700 Club and morphed his run for the presidency into the Christian Coalition.”
The success of Evans’ book “shows is that if you can tap into a passionate movement, present yourself well in the media, know how to raise money, and have a fan base of hundreds of thousands of rabid fans, you can sell books. He uses the media — right wing, religious, mainstream and online — very effectively. He’s not just an author, he’s a general in God’s patriotic army, and he knows how to mobilize his troops,” Stauber added.
Bill Berkowitz is a longtime observer of the conservative movement. His column “Conservative Watch” documents the strategies, players, institutions, victories and defeats of the U.S. Right.
Copyright © 2007 IPS-Inter Press Service
I think he’s a shock and awe jock…
Poor fellow. It must be tough living with such a stress-inducing belief system. He probably feels that he is swimming upstream against a strong current every day. May all beings, including Mike Evans, be well, happy, calm, and peaceful.
Evans is A TRUE PSYCHOTIC. He believes that invasion of Iran will prove a benefit to US in iraq, and have no adverse consequences to US.
My question is: If this Mike Evans is such a cheerleader for the wars in the Middle East and claims the world’s end is near, why isn’t he over there with the “western crusaders” killing muslims? He’s nothing but another neocon chickenhawk.
I recall another little Christian pimp with a “final solution”…in Germany 1930’s
Imbeciles and tyrants get their five minutes like everybody else, but they never last long. Any history that remembers this and such bile-filled idiocracy will not be kind.
Black Sabbath wrote these words for these kinds of “War Pigs.” Won’t they be surprised when they manage to unleash Armageddon and realize that they are actually doing the “other guy’s” bidding:
Now in darkness world stops turning,
ashes where the bodies burning.
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour.
Day of judgement, God is calling,
on their knees the war pigs crawling.
Begging mercies for their sins,
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings.
Oh lord, yeah!
Those who believe in the Rapture, in Armaggedon or shockingly want to design policies around their imminent appearance SHOULD ALL BE DISQUALIFIED FROM PUBLIC OFFICE.
Any public position that requires long term planning and consciencous adherence to that practice for the benefit of future generations should automaticaly not be allowed to stand for public office if they answer belief in the near time appearance of either of these type of apolcolyptic beliefs.
When religion leads the charge TO war it opposes wha every genuine prophet has taught. THIS is the core and central blasphemy and MUST be exposed. Note how conveniently this “prophet” states the incipient attack on Iran must coincide with Bush’s presidency (they can trust this piece of amoral clay to do just that, but after 2008, the variables change. A democrat could grow a conscience?) How many on commondreams know a similar call to the return of the Messiah was promulgated in the 19th century and when JESUS did NOT show up, a variety of excuses were made for the false prophecy. It’s almost like END TIMES playbook revisited! GOOGLE this event: it’s known as “The Great Disappointment” and actually fostered the onset of the Bahai faith (supposedly) and definitely that of 7th day Adventists. The whole purpose of religion (on the part of those enligthened souls who came to this backward planet to get mankind to give up its primitive, warring ways) was to find reasons to cooperate, to turn the other cheek, to learn to forgive, to transcend real or imagined trespass. Instead, in THE HOLY LAND the birthplace of the so-called 3 great patriarchal religions, the zealots in each sect are ready to blow it all up to what, pay homage to their view of god? No wonder so many have turned to atheism (fabulous commondreams posting for any who missed it last Friday on commondreams entitled: The New Atheists) although in my view this constitutes a reaction to the fallacies of their religion of filial indoctrination, not a bona fide worldview. Since I find the Greek/Roman perception of the heavens as a multiplicity of personae or voices (and their perspectives) a valid basis for pursuing the question of fundamental human existence, this model of diverse archetypes allots to me the basis for posing the viable question: WHAT GOD DO THESE WARRIORS PURPORT TO WORSHIP IN THEIR CALL TO MURDER MILLIONS? It’s been proven statistically that modern warfare since WWII kills MUCH more civilians than “enemy” troops. To bring this kind of hell and damnation upon innocents is calamitous and represents the ANTI-CHRIST! If this matter goes forward, the environmental reverberations will be phenomenal. NATURE will not sit this one out on the sidelines. Mankind has had ample time to learn from the blood stained cloak of history how NOT to decide matters. To continue in this arrogant disregard for life is not consequence or karma-free. The notion of “winning” war is being placed on the effete block right now as Iraq comes apart at the seems/seams, both! The greatest irony here is that these churches teach that the devil will come in sheep’s clothing and his use greatest weapon of all: deception. Look who’s done their best to bring this prophecy about! The devil in their own midst… their fear of other, their hatred of outsider, their willingness to condemn their fellow man–a stranger–to death on behalf of some angry maniacs screaming supposed Biblical literalisms (never mind the countless times these Bibles have been rewritten across history to suit the ruling elites of their times). This is faith based? And they call the astrologer the heretic? I am tired of the church calling for the burning of others… take the fucking board away from your own collective eyes. If you all want to bring about Armageddon, why don’t you just elect to do a collective Jim Jones koolaid drink and leave the rest of us alone!
Ron: “Poor fellow. It must be tough living with such a stress-inducing belief system. He probably feels that he is swimming upstream against a strong current every day. May all beings, including Mike Evans, be well, happy, calm, and peaceful.”
My friend, Christian and Muslim and Judaist force is most potent when it is at its lowest. Nobody gained more from Christians being thrown to lions than Christians! Stress, though unhealthy, fuels the pathological tyrant. Death and doom, even to himself, are what he WANTS. Don’t waste a breath wishing happiness or peace to him or those like him …find your own if you really want to show the bastard! Let Evans tire himself out, screaming to an empty room, dying alone and bitter. It is his god’s plan for him.
Jeeze, just think what Evans and Lieberman could come up with if left in a room by themselves!
Stilba, it is never a waste of breath to wish peace for all sentient beings. Every thought of peace brings it closer and every hostile thought drives it further away. We create reality so we might as well wish that everyone, without exception, is well, happy, calm, and peaceful.
If you all want to bring about Armageddon, why don’t you just elect to do a collective Jim Jones koolaid drink and leave the rest of us alone! says Siouxrose. I would only add that they should do it right the first time since there is nothing worse than a suicide chump!
“The American courts that espouse such movements as ‘gay rights,’ ‘abortion rights,’ and even ‘animal rights’ are now pursuing the right to be godless.”
Wait - you mean we don’t already have the “right” to be “god-less?” Better step up that war on the Christians - you know, the ones that make up 70% of America, have been screwed by their own leaders (both literally and metaphorically,) who believe killing for God is good, and have somehow forgotten the whole Jesus-peace-love-tolerance thing.
The narrow minded fanatic thinks that his religion is the only one that is legitimate. He overlooks the fact that all of the world religions have prophecies that concern the appearance of a Messiah like person. Buddhists await Maitreya Buddha, Hindis look for the Kalki Avatar or a reincarnation of Krishna, Moslems await the Imam Mahdi (or Messiah - depending upon the sect, and Christians look for the reappearance of the Christ.
Believe it or not (!), there is one person who will fulfill all those prophecies. He’s presently in a physical indestructable body, in London. He does not want to be worshipped, or called any of those religious names. He won’t endorse any religion over any others, nor will he come across as a relgious figure, but rather as a world teacher.
He’ll inspire mankind to see itself as one family and to rebuild the world based upon the principles of sharing, justice, brotherhood and love. I know it’s impossible for many closeminded people to even consider as a possibility, but try to keep an open mind and stay tuned.
See: http://www.Share-International.org for details.
BTW, Even though most people can’t see Him, He and His group support all groups that are working to make the world a more humane, civilized place. He is omnipresent, omnipotent, & far beyond evaluation.
Believing in God is one issue; killing for an abstraction is another.
Crackpots like Evans have been around since the dawn of man and will continue to spout irrational disinformation well into the future. In the 21st century, with everything we know and have access to in our democracy, I’m baffled that there are still millions of people that believe in some anthropomorphic “God” that has mapped out the fate of all humanity.
Come on, people!!! God/Devil; Heaven/Hell; Good/Evil; and the dozens of other simplistic dichotomies are for children.
We are adults and must work for peace because it is the right thing to do for humanity. It has nothing to do with the man-made, abstract idea called “God.”
As my film professor coined, “God is a special effect.”
aum33 - Sounds like, to put it nicely, a cult. I know, I know, this one’s different. It’s True. Gonna bring peace and brotherhood to all mankind. Put the guns down boys, look who’s stepped out of Fairyland and into your barracks …it’s the God With No Name! Beyond evaluation, questioned ONLY by the Close-Minded! Give me a goddamn break.
newageartist wrote …just think what Evans and Lieberman could come up with if left in a room by themselves!
Baby Liebermans? *gag*
Jesus said that he didn’t know when the end would come only God the Father knows so why waste time even writing about these nuts who think they know. Only the stupid unread believe these hacks
The problem here, folks, is that Evans gets air play. Lots of it. You know Bush’s mantra: “See … you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again … catapult the propaganda.” (Bush to high school students May 24, 2005)
Please wake up and FOCUS.
They are working on the Big Lie here. We can discuss the details all day if it makes us feel better. But unthinking people who don’t bother to dissect the veracity of Evans’ (and Liberman’s and, secretly, the White House’s) proposition are being seduced even as I type these words, aided and abetted by our own mainstream media.
That’s the horror of Evans’ every written and spoken word. Now, how about some thoughts on how to combat this Evil?
Jesus Christ would turn over in his grave if he saw how these sociopaths are using him to promote murder, greed, and the abuse of power. It’s really time for mainstream churches to rein in their fanatical brothers–or else risk being lumped together with them when the rest of us finally get sick and tired of the slaughter, lies, and atrocities.
“In the book, and in its promotional materials, terms like “appeasement,” “secular humanist God-haters,” and “pro-Islamic radical sympathizers” are tossed around as easily as if he were playing catch in the backyard.”
OR:
‘…tossed out to grabbing hands as carelessly as plastic beads in a New Orleans parade . . . and they are just as real.’
The following (though dated) is relevant. It’s about the Bush regime fundamentalists, the US middle east policies, and their wacky belief that the world is going to soon be destroyed by God
=========
“Their beliefs are bonkers, but they are at the heart of power ”
by George Monbiot
the Guardian - London
Tuesday April 20, 2004
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1195568,00.html
excerpt:
“What makes the story so appealing to Christian fundamentalists is that before the big battle begins, all “true believers” (ie those who believe what they believe) will be lifted out of their clothes and wafted up to heaven during an event called the Rapture. Not only do the worthy get to sit at the right hand of God, but they will be able to watch, from the best seats, their political and religious opponents being devoured by boils, sores, locusts and frogs, during the seven
years of Tribulation which follow…”
———–
P.S. to Stilba - your skepticism is perfectly understandable and healthy. I don’t expect you (or anyone) to beleive what i said earlier, and i’m not interested in trying to convince anyone of the veracity of those statements. You say you want a break? Then take one!
funny how evans promotes himself the same way l ron hubbard did. they speak for god, but they are utterly shameless self-promoters.
these christo-fascists are freakin’ everywhere! wasn’t reagan reading the late great planet earth to the pentagon brass? (for those who don’t know, hal lindsey, author of late great planet earth, was kind of the godfather of these apocalypto-freaks.) and i also heard wolfowitz was reading “the bible code” at the DOD.
in a way, i look at this as the end result of capitalism, this longing for death. everything is commodified, everything can be turned into $$, nothing has value.
please jesus. save us from all your stupid children!
one personal solution to the dogma brigade –
read …Mark Twain, Bernard Malamud, Kurt Vonnegut (long live!), and William Saroyan (not necessarily in that order…)
… does provide some relief
Holy Smokes : God , the founder of the faith , PROMISED that Christians who followed Jesus Christ faithfully would be persecuted or as Mike Evans would say “be stipped of their rights”. As Christians who follow Christ we can claim no rights to be stripped of . Christ himself claimed no rights . Christians who don’t obey and follow Christ just don’t get it .
Jesus was a terrorist!
So much deja vu to all this. The apocalypto-freaks are like the occultists in Germany in the 1920s and 30s, a sidearm to the Nazis. Stupid people with New Age ideas un-grounded in rationalism, accumulating dangerous amounts of power and cash. I’m more afraid of the lack of depth of thought in our society than the airplay of crazy people. Britney Spears shaved her head and it was all over for days, but little girls didn’t go out and shave their heads. When we have the mental faculty to see somebody’s nuts, the only threat they pose is that we all might laugh too hard at them.
all prophesy is self fulfilling, if you want it bad enough you get it!
Visualize a post judaeo-christian-muslim era!
That’s the ultimate irony isn’t it? Such people purportedly speak on behalf of Jesus, but actually represent his mortal enemy. Their views are all about fear, hate, greed, and deceit. Hmmm…. Whose views does that describe? Beelze-Bush!
In fact the insane drivel they espouse actually serves in a much more convincing way to validate biblical prophecy if taken from a more authentic angle, with the US as the latest world empire bestriding the world like a colossus aiming for permanent occupation of Babylon as countless empires have done before. The fact that the anti-christ is staring them in the mirror is lost on such self-deluded hate-filled advocates of death and fire.
…these naive beings, right here, who do not understand,
roam through cyclic existence driven on by greed ,lust attachment, aversion, hate and suffering.
So that all beings gripped in this quagmire of name and form may attain enlightenment…
I must rouse my body ,speech and mind to the practice of virtue!!!
Guys, guys, guys, look on the bright side. If these people win out and get their way with this country, we will have civil chaos on a massive scale, guerilla war, civil war, all those good things the rest of the third world countries have been keeping for themselves, and we’ll then have the opportunity to grab some guns and hunt down and kill these nutcases, all in the name of saving America. No more having to watch and listen to them bullshitting the system, distorting facts, locking up innocent people, hiding their pathetic personalities behind their screwed up religion. Damn, it doesn’t get any better than that!
Anybody notice how this crap seems pre-programmed somehow? I mean, every major religion in the world seems to have an Armageddon scenario. Meanwhile, the REAL Armageddon program is the NEOs crossing Earths orbit every year. Now, an impact from one of those mothers would jar everybody back to reality, wouldn’t it? We can only pray for cosmic intervention in our mental processes because we aren’t going to come to them on our on!
We lack VISION in the United States. We are the ‘world of ghosts’ they speak about in the movie ‘Natural Born Killers.’ We have collapsed upon ourselves and the majority huddle in fear at whatever there maybe out there that could disrupt our self-deluded little world. Unfortunately, a lot of these people listen to little fear mongers like this guy and cringe at the thought of doing anything truly rational like having a WORKING foreign policy.
So, basically, we are ‘dead meat, pilgrim.’ China will take over the frontier of space. There WILL be the massive war in the Middle East that these Armageddon bastards want and we will probably be on the losing end. And, that might not be such a bad thing, as long as the situation doesn’t go global.
This nation NEEDS a little karma, just to put it back into perspective. We’ve gotten TOO fat and weak for the NWO.
The real point here is how a marginal nutcase can manipulate the system to sell books and thus have himself emerge with the legitimate-sounding title of “Best Selling Author”, and the implication that his drivel is worth listening to. This is the way of the world - discussion of global climate change was dead in the water until it was introduced as an Oscar-winning film. A huge problem is that the media gives the same coverage to the fringe lunatic viewpoints as they do to proven scientific fact. Indeed, they tend to give more time to the lunacy-spouting wackjobs, who tend to be more interesting and unique than the boring scientist, who, after all, is bound by convention, data, and truth.
Check out Beyond the Fringe, and their skit of the group waiting for the end of the earth.
When they had spent the night on a mountain top and the earth did not end the leader said: “OK, friends, same time tomorrow night; we must get a winner someday.”
I have a suggestion:
Let’s pick five cities, obtain fifty copies of his book (ten for each city), throw in any other Armageddon propogandistic bullshit, and hold public bonfires. Maybe if we are lucky, a television station or two might televise it. This ordeal might not be much, but at least it is a small show of what intelligent people think of his book.
Since they already have the souls of the very wealthy, I have been saying for more years than I care to count that as the millennium turned, the demoniacs would seize and possess the minds of the ignorant, the stupid (sorry, but true) the naive’, the avaristic-profiteers, the fools, and the lost souls, which are clueless.
They have done so and while it was happening the Bushites have stolen and spent on mercenaries and contractors which create terrorist activities, while their bosses steal the oil, the water, the cash, the businesses and the land from the Iraqi people, and then from Iranians, Syrians, Venezuelans, and finally Americans. And those who used to oppose them, seeing all that money, those who used to be called Democrats, have joined them, Getting excited over another election of thieves, mass-murderers of either or both parties, is not my idea of the way to spend the rest of my life. Therefore I shall donate nothing forever to political, giving all, instead to the poor, as I have come to realize, that this world is worth neither my accurate prophecies my time, nor my cash. The democrats have betrayed us all and will get nothing more from me
Isn’t it heart-warming to have a religious nut like Mike to tell us what is going to happen? If he wants to make things better, he should instruct all of his “children” to go on a rampage to impeach Bush and Cheney.
We need to get off oil as a fuel and solve the hydrogen problem. The billions (trillions) of dollars which have been sent to Iraq with about 4000 of our finest troops killed to support his mania, should have been enough to do the job. But like immigration reform, Bush is not the least bit interested in facing these crises. He probably doesn’t even think there is a threat. He is the threat.
When he attacks Iran, remember what I said.
He makes comparisons with Chamberlain’s appeasement of the aggressive Hitler policies. Does he not realize that the aggressor now is the US?
he’s a general in God’s patriotic army,
Good article by Bill Berkowitz but in his haste to justifiably expose Mike Evans as a false prophet which undeniably he is , he got it all right in my opinion except for the above phrase which from a Bible-believing Christians point of view is an oxymoron.
God’s army in the military context only applies very specificly to the Jews of the Old Testament when God instructed the Jewish kings and prophets in all the logistical details of the coming battle. There is not one word in the old or new testament that Mike can point to that grandizes patriotism All the Hebrew history in the Bible , God was constantly reminding the Jews of their depravity and disobedience and not to be proud of being Jews. Why would this not apply to ALL NATIONS ? . Mike Evans who I’m sure would claim Jesus Christ as his mentor and commander has completely ignored the command of Jesus which emphaticly states that “If you are not willing to forsake all friends ,family , nationality…all and follow me , you are not worthy of me ” Then take a look and see how he stands on aggression both offensive and defensive laid out for us in the Sermon On the Mount.
All references by Paul ” Put on the whole armour of God ” All weapons mentioned , both offensive ( sword )and defensive ( shield ) are strictly metaphorical for truth , courage , forgiveness , compassion etc.Instead of whining because he was stripped of his rights as a Roman citizen he relished being chained to the Roman guard because he owned the guy’s ear every waking minute.
If you take Paul’s testimony and journal out of Mike Evans’New Testament you don’t have much left.
When Bill Berkowitz starts falling into the trap of using even sarcasticly the phrases that would we would expect to hear from Mike Evans,it blurs the real issue for those who are easily duped which is all of the lip-service, flag-draped ” christians” across USA
The prof is right. This is why GWB claims to be born-again and claims like-minded delusionals as his base.
He wants an electorate who make voting decisions based on “belief” rather then facts…and who better then “born-again” christains who have long since learned to believe anything that is properly packaged for their consumption. They also have alot of practice at holding contradictory information as equally valid
so those nasty old facts just bounce off them. George himself is no more a born-again then I am. I live in the bible-belt and know quite a few people who claim this status. Had any of them been flying over New Orleans in GW’s place they would have had an immediate prayer meeting to call upon God’s help for the suffering and the dead. George, on the other hand,
guffawed about what a great time he used to have partying in the french quarter…not very “born-again”.
The real formula to George’s policies is…”Lie, cheat,
steal and kill more people!”
From the John Birch Society to the NEW American Fascist movement, the USA is now not only not well liked in the world, but moreover is not well liked at home.
The more we make this little man into a political force, the more we define the politics in his terms.
In a nutshell, any nut case can write a book like this. Ravings of the mad strike a small percentage of the American population. Defining the USA by the aberrant is how fascist gain control of the argument.
Recognizing that the vast neighborhood is populated with good folks that need help in making their lives a little better, we begin to turn good ideas into good works.
The Apocalypse occurred a long time ago in the form of “Peace Treaties” with our Native American brothers….
Remember? We mowed them down with our technologically superior weaponry…and when we still couldn’t beat them we cowardly starved their children by destroying their crops, and giving them soul-destroying alcohol and blankets infected with small pox…. Remember?!
Armegeddon? no, I sense a Presidential election coming.
Anything to get the oil.
Now our own Nazi has finished up this particulat venue to please their oily paymasters.
Taliban genocide of Afghanistan’s Hazzara Shi’ia population was the main reason why Iran came with $500 Million to help the US in the fall of 2001. Yet, an American propaganda machine have chutzpah to disseminate patently false news that Iran provide weapons to Taliban as fact established beyond any reasonable doubts.
I fear that action in Iran is already decided, tools for torture were shown to Democratic pretenders for presidence and jail capacity is more than enough to accommodate domestic dissidents: 2 million current prison population is more than possible number of trouble makers. Besides, if Saddam Hussein was smart enough to release murderes into population at large to keep them docile, his White House cousin would do the same.
Someone must inherit Jerry Falwell’s mouth.
And he must be it.
When we listened to that high rankng officer from Isreal speak at a church last month, he spoke in a manner of illusion. He never said anything that he could not later deny, and yet he so much as said, Iran would likely be attacked by someone in the near future and the use atomic weaponry was possible. I was certain his presence here was to garner support from the Christian rightests in America, the MORAL MAJORITY. From the reaction of the audience, he was sucessful. I was informed, others from Isreal were doing the same at churches all across our country. This best selller Mike Evans has penned, fits right in with that scenerio.
We can ignore or dismiss this Mike Evans as a nut case, unfortunately, we cannot dismiss people like Liberman, Bush, Cheney and countless others in power who will likely do the unthinkable and start another illegal war. If and when, they will have support from millions of misinformed clutzes in our country. Who does not wish to be in the majority of the moral? If not, all others MUST BE immoral. How smart it was for that puffed up, bible thumping shithead to coin that phrase. There are many and the damn book is a best seller isn’t it?
hey dubs i love all the authors you recommended, which Saroyan? and which Twain? in his play ‘The Time of Your Life’ by william saroyan, the Arab at the bar says very little except for the line repeatedly, ‘no foundation, all the way down the line’. an obvious reference to our economic system. these fundamentalists are the ‘bastard’ offspring of a world having taken a wrong turn. i;m not sure what to do about it.
I went to the amazon website and read the comments of people who have read this Evans book about a ‘final solution’ (a nazi term). these folks are living in a seperate reality from me. all this praying to jesus and putting life in the hands of God. it is foreign to me and dare I say sounds rather psychotic and sickeningly close minded. sometimes i believe a good ol civil war here would be an answer to the worlds problems. we live in a very divided nation. everyone thinks they are right. I wish we could somehow stop this movement towards division.
Professor Emeritus Pete B: It worked for Mother Theresa. Ronald White: Helpful Bible lesson.
Here we go again.Another pro -Israeli, christian , kill everyone who opposes us Patriotic Fanatic.Where does this Mike Evans and his Jerusalem Prayer Team get their evidence and Information from? Does god come down and talk t them in visions? Or are they smoking to much of that Government confiscated Opium? Iran has given the green light to Hezbollah to carry out suicide attacks in the United States starting this summer huh.Well as far as i know its pretty much summer now being the middle of June here and ….yep…no suicide attacks yet.By the way when did Hezbollah get into the states anyway?You would think that if Hezbollah had agents in the States ready to carry out attacks and the Government knew about it we would here a lot more of it, i mean they seem to foil these “terrorist plots” by rag-tag groups in the Country no problem, So you think we would at least hear of an investigation into the Hezbollah factor seeing as how they know these attacks are going to happen very soon.And further more i would like to know exactly the names of the people who are making these claims,everytime we get an “Irrefutable evidence” that Iran is doing this or that its always brought to our attention by some anonymous person who does not want his/her identity released on the account that they are not authorized to talk about it.Well if your not authorized to talk about it then why are you talking about it?Is it the fact that its supposed to be some top secret information? or is it because when this rumour is proven false like they almost all are ,you dont want people to know that you lied to the American public? Well which one is it?huh?
I don’t bother reading these types of books; I prefer non-fiction.
I like this definiton of “Utopia”…..
“Every person is allowed their own lifestyle and religion BUT no one is allowed to stand on a soapbox and tell others that only theirs is right!!
““secular humanist God-haters,””
why in the world does our country produce these stone age religio-throwbacks?
This is one reason why the Religous Right scares me so.
They WANT to bring about Armageddon. I don’t think they’re content to simply let it happen. They already think Earth is expendable anyway. It’s gonna blow up, so we might was well drill for oil and pollute the air. After all, Earth is under Lucifer’s dominion. Why fight for change and justice? Why learn anything?
It amazes me how such supposedly God-fearing people can be so nihilstic. Of course, I doubt that they truly are. It think it’s the poor that they’ve misled. The ones that buy their books and send them money. People like Evans and Pat Robertson capitalize on the despair of the weak, lonely, impoverished and disenfranchised. They tell them not to worry and don’t ask no questions, send your money and pray. Paradise is right around the corner.
So what’s it gonna be? Hot dogs or hamburgers grilled over a bonfire?
iwarrior, you noted: “This is one reason why the Religous Right scares me so. They WANT to bring about Armageddon. I don’t think they’re content to simply let it happen. They already think Earth is expendable anyway. It’s gonna blow up, so we might was well drill for oil and pollute the air. After all, Earth is under Lucifer’s dominion. Why fight for change and justice? Why learn anything? It amazes me how such supposedly God-fearing people can be so nihilstic.”
I agree with you 100%.
I was raised in the MIDDLE of the OLD “religious right” fundamentalists, and that was bad enough, but it was the 70’s. They weren’t THIS bad back then.
Back in THOSE days, we just had Jim Baker’s PTL Club deception and the likes. Back in THOSE days no one would have ever dreamed of any of the big time known tele-evangalists advocating murdering a leader of any country, or promoting a religioius oriented real physical war.
I am utterly shocked at what they morphed into.
But I suppose it was inevitable, really.
You know, I’ve done lots of things in my life, as an adult, a gay man, someone with HIV, etc. Many sadly quite slutty things, even. But the things that I am MOST ashamed of, in truth, are the things I did with the then 1970’s religous right, because what I did to myself, I did to me, but what we did then, be it less than they do now, we did to OTHERS.
Am I making any sense here, at all, or have I lost it for the night? (It’s 1:04 AM here.)
Berkowitz, as always, on the mark — and such a thread of commentary already!
Something salient and most important in this context are these articles, on the infiltration of the military and the Air Force Academy in particular, by miltant, “christian” dominionists; the recent presidential directive through which the Codpiece can assume whatever power he needs in order to “ensure the constitution” in the event of some unspecified “catastrophic event”.
Same old hypocrites, same old megaphone.
aum33 -
Oh, you’re talking about Maitraya, I thought from your first description that it was Count Dracula.
If rabid dogs of war like Mike Evans are anxious to meet their maker, why don’t they just kill themselves and get it over with? But no, that’s not good enough, they want to take the whole world with them, the psychotic devils. “He was told by intelligence sources that Iran was going to….” And we’re supposed to believe it. He should be arrested for inciting violence; that’s what war is, isn’t it? Violence. And they call themselve “men of God.” LOL I wonder how much BushCo paid him to lie for them.
What I don’t understand is how these people claiming to know when one Jesus of Nazareth is going to turn up on Planet Earth, don’t get stoned by their congregations after they get inevitably proved wrong?
After all, they claim that society should be organized along the lines of the Hebrew Bible, and there is a very definite commandment to stone to death anyone who claims that such-and-such an event will take place at such-and-such a time, after it doesn’t take place - and this dork Mike Evans is in effect claiming that Jesus of Nazareth is going to arrive following the efforts of the US to provoke his arrival, within a few years of the US attacking Iran. One Edgar Whisenant wrote something called “88 Reasons Jesus Will Come in 1988,” and said Jesus did not turn up as expected. But I expect Edgar Whisenant is still alive, or was never put to death for misleading the people.
Inconsistency … fundie fuckwits.
Here’s Jethro Tull, with their incisive commentary, as usual:
Hymn 43
Oh father high in heaven — smile down upon your son
who’s busy with his money games — his women and his gun.
Oh Jesus save me!
And the unsung Western hero killed an Indian or three
And made his name in Hollywood
to set the white man free.
Oh Jesus save me!
If Jesus saves — well, He’d better save Himself
From the gory glory seekers who use His name in death.
Oh Jesus save me!
I saw him in the city and on the mountains of the moon –
His cross was rather bloody –
He could hardly roll His stone.
Oh Jesus save me!
Yesterday, I passed by a corner where a couple of fundy-Christians were proseletyzing, hoping I could say “Fuck-Off!” to them if they asked me if I had been saved yet…
Didn’t happen. Nuts.
The Rapture, a Protestant manefestation that was invented in the late 19th century. Could all the religous people hurry up and die! Then you have a chance to meet the deity that you belive in. Then the rest of us will have some peace on earth.
i can’t tell you how proud i am to be an atheist !
Bush claims to be a Christian, but I can’t ever recall hearing the name Jesus passing his lips in a public pronouncement. He’s an Old Testament fire and brimstone, man is fundamentaly flawed we’re all fucked kind of guy. He’s a self-fulfilling prophecy, and he is as far from what Jesus was all about as you can possibly get.
“If Jesus saves, he’d better save himself…” He’s not the kind you have to wind up on Sunday…” Ian Anderson
I proudly alternate between agnosticism and atheism having long ago realized that Jesus’ message was hijacked. Peace, charity, forgiveness, tolerance. Does that sound like Bush to you?
I was raised in the Baptist tradition for 17 years. People in that religion enjoy being miserable! They go out of their way to brutalize themselves with guilt, biblical teachings and abuse dayly. I had a thoughly miserable childhood. It ruined me on religion for life. I couldn’t step a foot in a church without the misery of that religion flooding back into my memories. I swore I would never inflict this kind of misery on my children…and I didn’t. The children next door are being raised in that religion. I feel the utmost pity for them. The little boy asked my husband if he knew Jesus? That’s all his life revolves around is religion. His mother home schools him and he has no friends that I have seen. All the other children in the neighborhood shy away from him because he is different. Why people abuse themselves and their children in this fashion is amazing. I could not wait to leave home and religion. People like Evan’s do more to turn people off of religion than they do turn them on. They pollute the airwaves with their venom and fear. And only the type of person who is into brutalizing themselves will listen to this slop! My husband is Athiest and I am Agnostic today. I don’t buy much of the religion myth.
the buzz flash article that was linked above I recommend again. thanks to the poster who posted it. heres an excerpt. I found it very informative. http://buzzflash.com/articles/interviews/065
“Whenever a virulent form of any religion has engaged the machinery of the state -– and by that, I’m talking about the armed forces, where the sticks and stones are that break our bones — we end up with oceans and oceans of blood. And it’s happening again now. Right now, we have the nuclear weapons.
The train has left the station many times over and over and over again, and it always goes to one town, Slaughterville. Average Americans, docile and supine, need to get off their asses and realize that this is happening. We have to take our country back, which means simply following our Constitution of 200 years..’
maybe a donation for starters? put our money where our mouths are?
http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/
I can only echo melvin dada’s sentiment above.
Micael Weinstein is fighting on a shoestring an ugly, many-headed goliath that does not give quarter.
Fundamentalists are people who are only able to grasp the foundation of a ideology while the entirety of the message is lost to them. Their internal struggle to understand the message results in behavior that contradicts the very substance of the belief. Christianity in its many forms only suffers when people like Evans spout out hatred rooted in their own discontent.
Too many people are seeing that peace and diplomacy are the only weapons that should be wielded. Destructive rogue organizations will continue to become isolated and cut off from the mainstream just like America is now becoming more isolated.
Evans is afraid. Every time a person connects to the Internet they begin to see the world differently, read the opinions of others and notice that people like Evans are on the fringe. Do a search on “Michael Evans” and you get more hits from the actor from “Good Times” than anything else. Evans will fade back into obscurity like so many before him, more pathetic than prophetic.
From our home districts to the District of Columbia, We the People have spoken … For DISARMAGEDDON!
I have some doubts as to whether Bush is really a fundamentalist. It appears to be an act that he uses to gratify his insane lust for power. I watched an interview a while back with one of his top advisors back around the time when he was the governor of Texas. The advisor commented that he told Bush about the incredible potential power of the fundies if they were to rally behind someone and that Bush said a couple of times very enthusiastically in response, something like ‘wow. If i can get them behind me, then i could be president.’
Obviously - the poor bastard is way out of his league, and a major disaster for every sane person on earth.
But hey - they say the darkest hour is right before the dawn - maybe we’ve about bottomed out - once we do - then the only way that we could go, would be up. I hope it doesn’t get any darker than this!
Interesting observation: that articles about religion (case study this one, and a previous one, “The New Atheists”) spur a HUGE debate in this forum. Many of us have strong FEELINGS about this topic.
gwmRNpoz: Recognition where as a human being one has erred leads to redemption.
Iwarrior: Good points. By the way I did look you up, (cosmically speaking) and you were born with a signature that demonstrates you have mastered ethics (that means in previous experiences). I only wish all those who aspire to high office were screened for this “proof” of character; for only such types are FIT to stand office as is being shown by the disgusting misfits that have commandeered power in the US today. (Other nations suffer from this, but don’t have such ready arsenals to give ignorance brute aggressive force to so overt an extent.)
Melvin Dada: right on. VIC ANDERSON: Disarmageddon: love that! Should be a T shirt AND bumper sticker. And thanks to all who shared the truth about their religious programming. It probably fits the designation of anti-Christ when religion teaches hate.
Wdmax3: History has ample examples of the CHURCH leading one inquisition or another, they always seem to be wanting some enemy to either burn or fire (arms) at. Possibly they can only hold their numbers–”you’re either with us, or against us” style–if the members are contrasted with some outer entity, tribe, people, race, religion, etc that is designated as evil or enemy or worthy of annihilation. It’s blood sport, mostly has been that, and like most religions, has departed from the teaching and principles of its MASTER. Mankind is being the price for this massive ideological heist. It’s similar with Israel taking a very martial/aggressive stance, ultimately shooting itself in the foot in squandering whatever good will the world once held for its position. And those of Islam who choose to destroy in the supposed name of “their god” do the same injustice. Thus this human peculiarity to move to aggression purportedly in the name of ‘god’ is a serious SICKNESS. AS I have explained in prior posts, this is not about God, this is about over-worship of ONE principle from the wheel of time, the pantheon of creation and its 12 archetypes. It is enthrall to MARS, the warrior who demands the spilling of blood. Religion has fallen for this counterfeit, and to the extent patriarchal religions believe in evil, and consign it the power of deception: they have fulfilled their own prophecy right there!
Sorry Aum33, no bottom out yet. Take one unrepentant, genocidal, Aryan slave empire gone nuclear (us); mix in a genocidal religion based on flat-earth, pre-literate, patriarchal, tribal killer nomads (Habiru) and whaddaya get?
Genocide/Suicide.
Now, if we were just a small tribe of nobodies butchering people in a small private corner of our self-inflicted hell, that would be one thing. We’re not. We’re the greatest single purveyor of violence on the planet and have been for the last 50 years.
When this reality is added to the indisputable demographic that the Aryan white-meat population is past the tipping point and well on the way to their final destination as a minority in the land we committed genocide to own and built with forced labor (See: US Census population projections 2000) - you can understand how the white meat has to be getting a little twitchy.
Just ask’em, how are those nice white Xrstian folk gonna like living in a place surrounded by people the color of the Earth gibbering in foreign tongues, who are not their slaves, who do not step off the sidewalk for them or vacate their seat on the bus, and the cops are all black, brown, and yellow - with the same impunity that white cops have today.
Oh yeah, they wanna die first and they want to take an honor guard of 6 billion humans with them to Valhalla or whatever little warrior hell Aryans want to go to. May they go soon. May they go alone.
Peace.
Evans is an ignorant dupe for the Likud.
“Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it”. It was not for nothing that our forefathers instituted the separation of church and state.
Can we just go ahead and have the ‘rapture’? I think the world will be a much better place if all of these idiots just disappeared one day.
And yes, the Republicans lie to their base just like the Democrats lie to their base. Its all about money and power to the leaders of both parties.
Of course, the thing that really amazes me is the teachings of Jesus Christ seem completely foreign to the people who call themselves Christians. I’m not one by the way. But when I read the New Testament I see teachings of how love and peace can save the world. Did they miss the part where Jesus says if your enemy strikes you, turn the other cheek? One of my favorite bumper stickers is still “Who would Jesus Bomb?”
My personal image of heaven is me sitting back in a lounge chair with a nice drink in one hand and having a smoke while I have a front row seat for these idiots coming up to St. Peter expecting to get into heaven. And watching while St. Peter delivers the bad news that they were supposed to love their brother instead of killing and hating their brother. Thus St. Peter is booting one after another down to the hell in which they belong. I think I could have a nice day getting a buzz on and watching the look on the faces of these idiots as it dawns on them just how badly they missed the message and screwed up their chance for heaven.
My favorite bumper sticker is “Jesus was a liberal”.
Evans should be prosecuted under Hate Literature laws just like anyone producing a neo-Nazi tract. He’s just another bile-spewing cur posing as a Christian! Marx was right in religion being the opium of the people. Charlatans like Evans keep peeking from underneath its robes.
I decided long ago that modern Conservatives generally fall into two categories: the Selfish and the Ignorant, and books like this only confirm my belief. The Selfish group, comprised of unscrupulous business leaders, Neocons and educated religious idealogues, know fully well that their actions, speech and views directly and indirectly come at the cost of others.
A ruthless corporate executive (as opposed to a capitalist with a conscience) succeeds through the failure of his competition and/or the detriment of his consumers and/or producers. The globalist, militarist Neoconservative thrives through the extension of his unilateral control over other nations, resources and peoples. A fundamentalist zealot (in the U.S. that largely means a Christian fundamentalist zealot) will ignore cries of human independence, differing spiritual views and even governmental laws in order to spread his interpretation of The Word, often along with destructive mandates on the lives of others.
The second group, the merely Ignorant, seems to encompass the majority of Conservatives. They show disdain for anyone or anything not in their mold, and a bold willingness to act against such people and ideas with violence. The Ignorant Bunch, the 3-ton SUV jockeys who sport Chrisitan symbols yet drive visciously, may be unaware of the inherently nasty selfishness of their lifestyles and preachings, yet they are no less cruel than their educated counterparts at The Weekly Standard.
For both groups, there is a label, one used on every playground in the English-speaking world: bullyism. Conservatives are, generally speaking, bullies. They scorn new ideas and people, horde what is theirs while blocking access to others and when confronted with a challenge, too often rely on violence as a means to their end. Remind you of anyone you know? A parent? A preacher? A pundit? A President?
I believe in Karma. Not as a mystical element, but as a basic inevitability. What comes around goes around, and if nothing else, I take solace in knowing that sooner or later, the bullies of the world will be the victims of their own profit/hate/fear/warmongering, while the rest of us work to surround ourselves with family, friends and a worldview which celebrates peace and diversity, over aggression and scorn.
A new book out there that I got out of the library today by an author who I really respect, Chris Hedges. A man who moved away from a life in the ministry to become a journalist of conflicts, who has witnessed horrible conflicts. Nicaragua, Sarajevo, Iraq. A brave and committed reporter. His most famous book is ‘War is A Force that Gives us Meaning’
Reading just the first few pages of his latest book, American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War On America I can tell it will be at the least informative and at best a call to action. Theres only one way to handle bully fascists:loudly and forcefully.
His other book which I really got a lot out of was- Losing Moses on the Freeway. The ten commandments as it relates to current day america
“Come on, people!!! God/Devil; Heaven/Hell; Good/Evil; and the dozens of other simplistic dichotomies are for children.”
Nah, I think evil walks the earth unfortunately. I know it and see it everyday.
“Sorry Aum33, no bottom out yet. Take one unrepentant, genocidal, Aryan slave empire gone nuclear (us); mix in a genocidal religion based on flat-earth, pre-literate, patriarchal, tribal killer nomads (Habiru) and whaddaya get?
Genocide/Suicide.
Now, if we were just a small tribe of nobodies butchering people in a small private corner of our self-inflicted hell, that would be one thing. We’re not. We’re the greatest single purveyor of violence on the planet and have been for the last 50 years.
When this reality is added to the indisputable demographic that the Aryan white-meat population is past the tipping point and well on the way to their final destination as a minority in the land we committed genocide to own and built with forced labor (See: US Census population projections 2000) - you can understand how the white meat has to be getting a little twitchy.
Just ask’em, how are those nice white Xrstian folk gonna like living in a place surrounded by people the color of the Earth gibbering in foreign tongues, who are not their slaves, who do not step off the sidewalk for them or vacate their seat on the bus, and the cops are all black, brown, and yellow - with the same impunity that white cops have today.
Oh yeah, they wanna die first and they want to take an honor guard of 6 billion humans with them to Valhalla or whatever little warrior hell Aryans want to go to. May they go soon. May they go alone.”
That’s their fears. That’s not necessarily reality.
Yo have to keep in mind that many of the people that the Religious Right panders to are victims also. I don’t think a whole lot of wealthy people are sending their SSI checks to guys like Hinn and Steen. Like I said earlier, the televangelists want people to think that their lives wil simply get better if they juts pray and let everything go to pot. Since after all, Christ is coming back, and it going to make everything all right. Not to mention the fact that “heaven” is just a few hours away.
I grew up with a bunch of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They believed in something called “The New System”. It was essentially a utopia, where children would cuddle with tigers and where there was no strife whatsoever. They believed that if they just kept going to their meetings and reading their bible, they’d be guaranteed to live in such a place. I remember one of the younger kids telling me once that he wanted to commit suicide so that he could go to the “New System”. They didn’t believe in getting an education beyond high school since they saw no point in it. None of the women worked. They just aspired to pop out kids, take care of things at home, and go out knockin’ on doors or stand around downtown flashing their Watchtower and Awake! mags at everyone.
As far as these Aryan guys go, it’s easy to hate them no doubt. But again, and I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to hear this, they are disenfranchised also. People in power within those groups capitalize on that and give them someone to blame, give them a place to belong. But in reality, none of it makes their lives any better.
Anyway, the white meat are getting screwed too, whether people want to see it or not. They in a sense are slaves also, and don’t deserve revenge.
As a white person (my skin is a ‘color’ also or rather a different shade of one color), I’m worried about the mostly white folks in power, not people of different shades who are pretty much in the same boat as me.
I echo the previous sentiments. Fundamentalist religion, like the Left Behinders, is an intellectual cop-out. Just as it’s easier to come home and flop in the easy chair with a bud and let your mind float away with the tube, it’s easier to follow a story line that you already “know” is going to work out, if not in your favor, then at least in a way you understand. Armageddon, the final battles between Jesus and Satan on the plains of Israel, or whatever (I don’t pretend to understand Revelations, nor, I think, do I have motivation to.) What I do know is that it’s an easy way for dumb people to spend their time and inflate their egos into the cosmic realm. Even if you’re a fat truck driver you can choose Jesus and go to heaven and live forever. In a way you can’t blame them. Just as armchair warriordom is now available to half drunk Joe Blow each time the Marines drive Humvees across the desert and the airforce blows the shit out of buildings from afar (all captured on satellite TV!). Can you blame them for looking forward with anticipation to “Shock and Awe II, the Fall of Tehran”? They’ll all be waiting with their Bud helmets fully loaded. So too is eternal life offered to the dimwits of society. I think all they really think about is weather Rapture will sting a little, like when the anesthetic lapses a bit during a tooth extraction.
Stilba:
“aum33 - Sounds like, to put it nicely, a cult. I know, I know, this one’s different. It’s True. Gonna bring peace and brotherhood to all mankind. Put the guns down boys, look who’s stepped out of Fairyland and into your barracks …it’s the God With No Name! Beyond evaluation, questioned ONLY by the Close-Minded! Give me a goddamn break.”
–Yup!
iwarrior:
“This is one reason why the Religious Right scares me so.
They WANT to bring about Armageddon. I don’t think they’re content to simply let it happen. They already think Earth is expendable anyway. It’s gonna blow up, so we might was well drill for oil and pollute the air. After all, Earth is under Lucifer’s dominion. Why fight for change and justice? Why learn anything?
It amazes me how such supposedly God-fearing people can be so nihilistic. Of course, I doubt that they truly are. It think it’s the poor that they’ve misled. The ones that buy their books and send them money. People like Evans and Pat Robertson capitalize on the despair of the weak, lonely, impoverished and disenfranchised. They tell them not to worry and don’t ask no questions, send your money and pray. Paradise is right around the corner.”
–Well said Iwarrior!
Alyeska: good words!
___________
Aum33:
You’re basically a good-hearted person, but have added your advocacy to a myth invented by an illusion-filled person called Benjamin Creme of North London, UK, -he who has been fatuously spreading his errant nonsense around since the 1980’s.
Creme’s (ever tiny) band of hopefuls fatuously searched East London for approx a year, after he first stated that his supposed ‘Maitreya’ was alive and well and hanging out with the Bengali community there, –but, (surprise, surprise!) - they never ever found ‘The World Saviour’ hiding there… Is this supposed ‘lord’ suffering sever agoraphobia? Or is he just work-shy?
______________
Why place your belief in the words of a whisky-swigging unpopular artist who has never, -in over 25 years- yet, (not once) ‘come up the goods’? Instead he spouts reams of meaningless ‘nice’ platitudes and empty, always unfulfilled promises…
Some 20yrs ago Creme’s tiny band of misled fans pestered the world’s media to assemble, (to meet the bizarre criteria set out by Creme’s prediction) so that he could, -as long promised, then ‘announce the Lord’.
But lo and behold, on that Very Important Day, ‘The Lord had a cosmic emergency to attend to and couldn’t show up after all”!! – the press laughed their socks off! and from that day on, only the most beguiled and duped Creme supporters (including bits of his family) ever bothered to listen to this deluded Scotsman.
Many of his prior supporters have now sheepishly faded back into the woodwork and don’t care to mention their onetime support for Creme’s erroneous and quite risible predictions.
‘Share magazine’ (which you keep posting links to) is the main organ of publicity for Creme and his twaddle. It was started by Ben Creme and his older son, just so he could gain attention, it may have some ‘nice’ bits in it, but is still riddled with nonsense stuff about ‘light reflections in windows show that Maitreya is giving us a sign!’ –etc.
Sorry Aum33, I know you are sincere, but as much as you may want to believe all that stuff, it really is just a load of hogwash, and therefore adding to the problem, not adding to the solution, because it’s just distracting people from the real issues.
Benjamin Creme is possessed by some mischievous disincarnate who has ‘overshadowed’ him for 30 or more years, and has managed to bring discredit to many worthwhile groups (-such as the World Goodwill people).
Creme is a ‘false prophet’ and thus not worth supporting, so maybe just let the old fool die in obscurity with his whiskey bottle and pipedreams? We here in the real world have lots of important work to do, and ought not be sidetracked by such rambling buffoons.
With goodwill,
UnC-D.
Strange. A recent graduate of Pacific School of Relgion in Berkeley, CA(the most liberal seminary in the United States), I never heard of this guy. I guess he’s not that important.
I thought this all sounded familiar. I heard this guy on BookTV of all places! He was nuts, but Bohannon really didn’t come back at him.
The Final Move Beyond Iraq: The Final Solution While the World Sleeps
from June 9, 2007
Mike Evans talks to Jim Bohannon about the threat radical Islam poses to the United States. In his new book, Mr. Evans argues against an immediate withdrawal from Iraq and says that the United States should launch a strike against Iran.
UnC-D
I know you mean well, but you’re mistaken about Creme. You made some absurd claims about the man, story and group that are totally unsubstantiated & untrue. Just because you don’t/can’t see something, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. You assume too much. You assume thatI believe the story. Belief is one thing and direct observation/experience is something else. Assumptions are for fools. Time will prove the veracity of his claims. I have no desire to debate or try to convince anyone. The information is presented for people’s consideration, but never crammed down anyone’s throat. What people believe in the metaphysical/esoteric/ or religious arena, is not important to me. Ultimately, it has no bearing on reality.
The important thing in my view is that a growing number of people (thanks to the internet) are paying attention to international politics and the hideously corrupt nature of the US establishment, and that many of them are working in one way or another to encourage/bring about the changes which will transform this so called “civilization” into something worthy of being called that.
Nitpicking at each other - saying “you’re following a false prophet”, or some such is not productive, nor does it interest me at all. I couldn’t really care less what you believe, so with all do respect, please FO.
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It’s a delight to see the work of the progressive writers on this and other progressive web sites. They are on the cutting edge, and their power will inevitably increase, as the power of the corrupt soul-less capitalist pig cheerleaders of the main$tream new$media, will decrease. The American system is rotten to the core - it is just a matter of time (and progressive effort) til it collapses.
Cheers to the insightful and inspiring progressive people & writers who are working for a better world!
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May all beings be happy
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Om Mani Padme Hum
And they said Charles Manson was crazy for dreaming up Helter Skelter. Evens may be wrong about the timing but never the less it is written and it shall come to pass.
Here’s a longish take on good ol’ Maitreya…
http://grumpylion.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/saving-the-world-from-us-again/