The American Patriot's Bible
From examiner.com:
The American Patriot's Bible is a combination of a New King James Bible (and all the helps that come with it) and a history of the United States, looking through the lens of Christianity.
Is it far-fetched to say that this is likely a very dangerous book? Discuss.
12 comments:
depends on the type of Christianity it's looking through ... i think it sounds like it could potentially leave a lot of room for biased viewpoints.
it won't catch on untill they do it with a modern translation like new American or niv....
I think you are assuming that the American people read. When they make a movie of it is when you should worry.
If they did it by looking at the Utopian communities like the shakers, amish, and puritans and the temperance movement and how those things shaped the country it would be pretty awesome.
I may be being too hopeful though. If they talk about the righteousness of the U.S. and manifest destiny, prayer in schools etc. then it's pretty scary.
Isn't the fundie right always going on about how we're 'a christian nation'? From that light, it makes sense. But as I think the fundie right is dangerous, I agree that the book has potential to be a dangerous flag to wave around to justify hypocritical agendas.
Isn't the fundie right always going on about how we're 'a christian nation'? From that light, it makes sense. But as I think the fundie right is dangerous, I agree that the book has potential to be a dangerous flag to wave around to justify hypocritical agendas.
Elle, I agree that talking about all the interesting sects in the original colonies would be quite cool. There's no denying that America's history has been greatly shaped by Christianity (for better and worse), but I just don't see how Christianity and patriotism need to be related. The idea that has been present in some Americans from the beginning that America is "the promised land" is dangerous and misinformed. America belonged to someone else. Christians ransacked it, supposedly in the name of Christ, but really through the misguided idea of their own superiority.
Anything that gives fodder to the "America is a Christian Nation" crowd is, I believe, inherently terrifying and dangerous. The more validity that claim is given, the more power the right-wingers have to turn this place into a fundamentalist-Islamic-style theocracy. And we can all see how well that works.
Oh, and Hannah - LOL.
Damn it! Now you got me all fired up. I went to Amazon and read the description and reader reviews (quite interesting, btw) now I agree with you about this being a dangerous book...except that anyone who is going to take is seriously probably already believes that crap. I do worry about the children of 2 reviewers who said that they wished they'd had this when they were homeschooling their kids (shudder). Homeschooling is scary enought on its own. Now I've spent the rest of my lunch break reading about the founding fathers and Declaration of Independence. Lunch is for gossip. How will I know what's up with Heidi and Spencer?
Ha. Heidi and Spencer are the spawn of Satan.
Seriously. I'm so old I don't even know who they are but I know their names because I am addicted to People.com. Sad.
From the Industrial Workers of the World Songbook:
Onward, Christian soldiers! Duty's way is plain;
Slay your Christian neighbors, or by them be slain,
Pulpiteers are spouting effervescent swill,
God above is calling you to rob and rape and kill,
All your acts are sanctified by the Lamb on high;
If you love the Holy Ghost, go murder, pray and die.
Onward, Christian soldiers! Rip and tear and smite!
Let the gentle Jesus bless your dynamite.
Splinter skulls with shrapnel, fertilize the sod;
Folks who do not speak your tongue deserve the curse of God.
Smash the doors of every home, pretty maidens seize;
Use your might and sacred right to treat them as you please.
Onward, Christian soldiers! Eat and drink your fill;
Rob with bloody fingers, Christ okays the bill,
Steal the farmers' savings, take their grain and meat;
Even though the children starve, the Savior's bums must eat,
Burn the peasants' cottages, orphans leave bereft;
In Jehovah's holy name, wreak ruin right and left.
Onward, Christian soldiers! Drench the land with gore;
Mercy is a weakness all the gods abhor.
Bayonet the babies, jab the mothers, too;
Hoist the cross of Calvary to hallow all you do.
File your bullets' noses flat, poison every well;
God decrees your enemies must all go plumb to hell.
Onward, Christian soldiers! Blight all that you meet;
Trample human freedom under pious feet.
Praise the Lord whose dollar sign dupes his favored race!
Make the foreign trash respect your bullion brand of grace.
Trust in mock salvation, serve as tyrant's tools;
History will say of you: "That pack of G.. d.. fools."
Perhaps the question is dangerous to whom or what?
I'm guessing this version of the Bible is dangerous to democracy, tolerance, freedom, pluralism, open-mindedness, women, dissidents, and many other things I consider important.
What's sad is that the Bible should be a dangerous book, to things like imperialism, greed, self-righteousness, tribalism, nationalism, the fetish of the nuclear family, and various other things that this version probably promotes.
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