These Christians ... believe in God, Rumsfeld's Holy War and their absolute duty ... to kick Muslim ass, the Armageddon and The Rapture"
Joe Bageant: The Covert Kingdom: "May 25, 2004 | Thy Will be Done, On Earth as It is in Texas | By JOE BAGEANT
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... These Christians do not read the same books we do, they do not get their information from anything remotely resembling reasonably balanced sources, and in fact, consider even CBS and NBC super-liberal networks of porn and the Devil's lies. Given how fundamentalists see the modern world, they may as well be living in Iraq or Syria, with whom they share approximately the same Bronze Age religious tenets. They believe in God, Rumsfeld's Holy War and their absolute duty as God's chosen nation to kick Muslim ass up one side and down the other. In other words, just because millions of Christians appear to be dangerously nuts does not mean they are marginal.

Having been born into a Southern Pentecostal/Baptist family of many generations, and living in this fundamentalist social landscape means that I gaze into the maw of neocon Christianity daily. Hell, sometimes hourly. My brother is a fundamentalist preacher, as are a couple of my nephews, as were many of my ancestors going back to god-knows-when. My entire family is born-again; their lives are completely focused inside their own religious community, and on the time when Jesus returns to earth---Armageddon and The Rapture.
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Yes, when The Rapture comes Christians with the right credentials will fly away. But you and I, dear reader, will probably be among those who suffer a thousand-year plague of boils. So stock up on antibiotics, because according to the "Rapture Index" it is damned near here. See for yourself at http://www.raptureready.com. Part gimmick, part fanatical obsession, the index is a compilation of such things as floods, interest rates, oil prices, global turmoil As I write this the index stands at 144, just one point below critical mass, when people like us will be smitten under a sky filled with deliriously happy naked flying Christians. ...

- posted by Editor @ 11:04 AM

Turkish PM accuses Israel of practising state terrorism: likened [Palestinian] treatment to that of Jews under the Spanish inquisition
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Turkish PM accuses Israel of practising state terrorism: "Chris McGreal in Jerusalem | Friday June 4, 2004
The Guardian

The prime minister of Turkey, Israel's closest ally in the Middle East, has accused Ariel Sharon of 'state terrorism' against Palestinians and likened their treatment to that of Jews under the Spanish inquisition.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments to the Israeli newspaper, Ha'aretz, come after an international outcry over the killing of about 60 Palestinians, including many civilians and children, in last month's military assault on Rafah in Gaza.

The army was also responsible for the widespread destruction of Palestinian houses in Rafah, which left about 1,600 people homeless. Yesterday, the military continued the demolitions, with more than 40 homes destroyed in Rafah camp this week.

Ha'aretz asked Mr Erdogan - who recently defined three kinds of terrorism: personal, institutional and state - if he believed Israel was practising 'state terrorism.' He replied: 'When you look at the structure of what has happened, how else can you interpret it?'

Mr Erdogan noted that Turkey had welcomed Jews driven out of Spain by the inquisition.

'Jews were the victims at that time. Today, the Palestinians are the victims, and unfortunately the people of Israel are treating the Palestinians as they were treated 500 years ago. Bombing people - civilians - from helicopters, killing people without any considerations - children, women, the elderly - razing their buildings with bulldozers.' "...
- posted by Editor @ 11:00 AM

Soldiers' exhibition opens Israelis' eyes to harsh reality of occupation
Yahoo! News - Soldiers' exhibition opens Israelis' eyes to harsh reality of occupation: "Thu Jun 3, 8:52 AM ETAdd Mideast - AFP to My Yahoo!

TEL AVIV (AFP) - A group of Israeli soldiers has fanned debate over the army's behaviour in the occupied territories by going public about their time in the flashpoint West Bank town of Hebron in a disturbing new exhibition.

Snapshots and videos featured at the exhibition here, called "Breaking the Silence", are designed to shake up complacency among the Israeli public by detailing the abuse meted out by soldiers to Palestinians.

"Hebron was the hardest and most confusing place that we served in. Up until now, we have all dealt alone with the shocking things we saw there... We decided to tell," said a statement released by the troops who had served in the Nahal Brigade. None of the soldiers was prepared to speak to foreign journalists. ...
- posted by Editor @ 10:57 AM