[Jamie McDaniel]

Originally Posted by BruceChris

So to simplify, let's call these people the Neocons, and Suzer's bunch the Theocons. We can then pretty much see, or at least begin to learn that the Neocons believe that they are using the Theocons, and the Theocons believe that they are using the Neocons. However, it is ourselves, the rest of the non-rich, the rest of the world, the environment, and anyone unlucky enough to be labeled a terrorist that are really going to suffer from all of this.

I watched the full 12 minute video (thanks Steven for the direct link.) I read the article Susan posted from Salon (it was a little confusing as posted, it needed the questions in bold or italics like the original.)

I also briefly looked at the Christian Embassy website. Their about us page now reads:

Out of respect for those we serve, we have removed the promotional video from our website until further notice.

On that same page, I also read:

We were founded by Washington officials, concerned business leaders and Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International.

Ah, the Campus Crusade for Christ. I'm still on their mailing list from when I gave to their Jesus video project.

When I was a Southern Baptist, receiving these mailings from fundamentalists is what, I think, really awakened the liberal in me. I specifically remember getting a survey from the Alliance Defense Fund in 1998 or 1999 about the homosexual threat. I wrote Alan Sears a strongly worded letter along with my survey responses. Whereas I once naively thought all Christian groups had good intentions, I started to wonder whether Jesus was now being used as a Trojan horse for beliefs totally at odds with the life he lived.

I'm thinking some of these people in the promotional video from Christian Embassy are likewise naive. Their faith is important to them, but unfortunately not important enough for them to be knowledgeable about historic Christianity so that they might be on guard for when the Bible is used to justify oppression and war.

Their careers take them to Washington and a group with a diplomatic-sounding name introduces themselves as ministering to U.S. decision makers and military leaders.

From the video:

I would say Christian Embassy, in my interaction with my fellow flag officers, has helped inspire some of that. You know we talk about that kind of stuff and I think it is a huge impact because you have many men and women who are seeking God’s council and wisdom as we advice the chairman and the secretary of defense.

I rather like people saying their faith helps guide their decisions when I know such faith is rooted in the God of justice, the inclusive Spirit, the Prince of peace, the loving Creator who watches over all. However thanks to the fundamentalists of today and to history books which reveal the fundamentalists of yesterday, I'm no longer naive. I don't want leaders who are either. I know for the theocons, God's "council and wisdom" equals a harmful religion about Jesus rather than the healing religion of Jesus (thanks to Nathan's post.)

I'm still waiting on the leaders who will state, "Upon reflecting on the things close to God's heart, we have decided to scale back U.S. military spending 20% over the next 5 years in order to provide resources for education, health care, and urban renewal. This world may never allow all our swords to be beaten into plowshares, but we've tried violence and found it failed to establish peace. Let us try a new way."