It’s one of the creepier corners of scriptural exegesis(at least the End Times types often work from a position of broad dissatisfaction and desire for an outside-context solution, rather than making it personal); but if you feel like having a rummage around the backstory look for ‘imprecatory prayer’ or people talking about ‘the imprecatory psalms’.
Thankfully, there are enough non-horrible adherents that the matter is considered somewhat edgy and controversial; but while the position that praying for the deaths of your enemies is 100% jesus-justified is a minority view it’s not as minor a minority as one might like.
When I was a young child and I was immersed in my evangelical upbringings and I was taught the Book of Daniel and Revelations, I was told that Russia, the Great Bear and the Arabs were the evil axis, Gog and Magog who along with Satan would fight Israel and Christ in the battle of Armageddon on the plain of Meggido. Now, somehow, Evangelicals embrace Russia and the Arabs and if we question this alliance we are being swayed by the work of Satan. So which is it you imbeclic, moronic fuck? Until the day she died, my mom made monthly donations to your lying, pilfering ilk, you old crusty decrepit mindless asshole. FUCK YOU!
What chills me most about this situation is how comfortable these people are in openly discussing that the US makes lots of money selling human-killing devices to other countries. As if that in itself isn’t something to be concerned about. On the plus side, lots more people get to see how the world really works. I guess.
On the general theme of critiquing the US military-industrial complex, I highly recommend this podcast:
Hosted by Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner (both veterans), aimed at current military personnel, with a focus on offering a way out of complicity with the imperial war machine. Very well done.
Goes on to show that the real gods the Religious Right worship are Mammon and Moloch: money and guns, unto which innocent children are regularly sacrificed.
Pat Robertson isn’t a Christian, he’s a “Godless” Pagan. A true Christian wouldn’t consider condoning a human sacrifice justified in making money, no matter how large the profit. Otherwise, is it worth killing someone for $100M, $10,000, $1,000 or $100 profit; what’s the cutoff point for justifying a homicide for profit?
We just need to get a replacement copy of the third tablet, where “Thou shalt not kill” was continued “… unless you have a big arms deal with the United States, then it’s cool.”
