The Religious Right: Pushing A
Deadly Addiction
by Carolyn Baker
05/16/05
"ICH" - - In
recent article, I promised readers that I would address the
mindset of the religious right as an addiction. In order to do so
with accuracy and clarity, it is first necessary to define addiction
and clarify the terms, Christian fundamentalism and Dominionism.
According to www.dictionary.com,
an addiction is “being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on
something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming
(especially alcohol or narcotic drugs) [syn: dependence,
dependency,
habituation]
2: an abnormally strong craving 3: (Roman law) under Roman law
addiction was the justification for slavery"
For over seventy
years, Twelve-Step programs have addressed issues of addiction not
only to substances such as alcohol, drugs, and food, but to
behaviors such as compulsive gambling, shopping, and even working.
After a number of responses to my last article from former
fundamentalist Christians, I began investigating Twelve-Step
groups which address issues of religious compulsion and spiritual
abuse. One group I discovered was Fundamentalists Anonymous (F.A.)
and its Twelve Steps. (http://www.geocities.com/church_of_hank/fundamentalists_anonymous.html)
However, before I
examine those steps, I would like to further define the terrorist
and tyrannical aspects of Christian fundamentalism.
As many readers
drew to my attention in response to my last article, Christian
fundamentalism and Dominionism are not necessarily synonymous.
According to Merriam-Webster, Christian fundamentalism is: “a
movement in 20th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally
interpreted Bible as fundamental
to Christian life and teaching b : the beliefs of
this movement c : adherence to such beliefs
2 : a movement or attitude stressing strict and
literal adherence to a set of basic principles.”
Katherine Yurica
(www.yuricareport.com)
defines Dominionism as “the conversion of America to a theocracy
by taking over the American Judiciary.” I would add that the
conquest might begin with the judiciary, but the Dominonist agenda
has targeted all aspects of government and society for the
establishment of a theocracy.
For my purposes,
the distinction between fundamentalist Christianity and
Dominionism is incidental because what is most important to
understand is that any religion, philosophy, or belief system can
be addictive, fear-based, and terrorizing, and if it is used to
justify changing the Constitution of the United States and
creating a society in which the laws of that system are also
fear-based and terrorizing, then regardless of the label,
fundamentalist or Dominionist, that system is both terrorist and
tyrannical. Whether one wishes to debate the differences between
fundamentalist Christianity and Dominionism or not, both
systems are about domination, power, control, right/wrong;
win/lose. Moreover, as in my last article, I am reiterating that terrorism
and tyranny, like the word addiction, have much
broader definitions than crashing planes into buildings,
establishing a superior race, or forcing women to cover their
faces.
My focus here is
on fundamentalist Christianity and Dominionism as religious
systems which complement and support tyrannical political systems,
specifically, fascism. I am well aware that not all fundamentalist
Christians, and certainly not all folks who call themselves
evangelicals, are of the Dominionist variety. Many are
hard-working individuals who pay their bills and follow the rules
and attempt to live the teachings of Jesus. I respect those
individuals and consider them a mitigating force amid the
onslaughts of the religious right.
For an in-depth
analysis of religious right corruption and tyranny, I highly
recommend the recent article “The Christian Mafia” (http://www.insider-magazine.com/ChristianMafia.htm
) by investigative journalist, Wayne Madsen.
Additionally, my
intention in this article is to explore the addictive features of
these systems which ultimately result not in spiritual well being
but spiritual abuse.
Spiritual abuse
is the manipulation, exploitation, and mistreatment-- mentally,
emotionally, or physically of another individual or masses of
individuals, in the name of promoting spiritual principles or
values. As we have seen from the rampant sexual abuse of children
in the Roman Catholic Church, spiritual abuse can open the door to
every other kind of abuse. And just as a plethora of Catholic
priests for two thousand years have used their position of
authority and piety to abuse children, countless children in
fundamentalist Christian homes have been beaten, raped, molested,
shamed, and emotionally devastated in the name of “children obey
your parents in the Lord for this is right.” I suspect that in
the not-too-distant future, we may see revelations of child abuse
in fundamentalist Christian homes and churches break into the
light of day that could pale by comparison the abuse scandal of
the Roman Catholic Church. For the fundamentalist Christian,
children too, born into “original sin”, are to be dominated
and made into subservient born-again believers as soon as
possible.
Also, before
turning to the Twelve Steps of Fundamentalists Anonymous., I want
to emphasize that religious intoxication is an ancient theme in
human history. In fact, Carl Jung would have called it an
archetype—a universal theme imbedded in the human psyche that is
found in all eras and cultures. According to Jung, such an
archetype is not necessarily toxic or pathological but points to
an inherent human craving for meaningful spiritual experiences.
Whether found in the spell for the revival of Osiris, the
orgiastic rites of the cult of Dionysius in Ancient Greece, or the
Native American sun dance, the need for sacred ritual and
celebration of the divine is as old as human history. However,
need and desire are not the same as physical, emotional, or mental
dependence.
What makes a
belief system, a ritual, or one’s relationship with other
adherents addictive is the dependence one has on them. Is one able
to think for oneself? Is one able to function without incessant
participation in the rituals, and without obsessive contact with
and validation from fellow devotees? Is one able to trust one’s
intellect and emotions and not subordinate them to those who claim
to have more spiritual authority, deeper spiritual understanding,
or more extensive training in interpreting the Bible or other
sacred writings?
In exploring this
topic, a caveat is in order for all who are atheist, agnostic, or
offended by the mention of “God” in the Twelve Steps. After
many years of working with the Steps and atheists and agnostics
who utilize them, I have discovered that there are many ways to
interpret and apply the concept of a Higher Power, so I would ask
the atheist or agnostic reader to consider this and continue
reading.
Why do I think
that Christian fundamentalism and/or Domininonism is an addiction?
My answer to that question comes first of all from my own
experience, as well as my observation of these individuals over
the years. I recall my own dependency on what “the Bible
says”—my own inability to trust my thoughts and feelings. I
remember the need for the “fix” of the church service, the
revival meeting, the prayer meeting, the Bible study, or listening
to a fiery sermon on tape. I knew how to think on my own, but I
was afraid to do so. Who knew what I might discover? But no
“fix” was more deliciously validating than “winning souls
for Christ”—that dramatic moment when I had manipulated
someone else into a born-again experience. For this, the
fundamentalist Christian addict lives and breathes. And this is
precisely why the religious right is intractably hell-bent on
converting the entire society and system of government in America
to its fundamentalist theocracy. What could produce a greater
“high”? And if this project should get interrupted by the
Rapture, the resulting euphoria would be so well-earned—doing
God’s work and getting the planet ready for Jesus’ return. The
adrenaline-drenched grandiosity in such a scenario is palpably
tantalizing. More addictive than heroin perhaps?
It is axiomatic
in Christian fundamentalism that without the born-again
experience, one cannot think clearly.
Being born into the human condition, and therefore, being
inherently sinful, one’s mind is deluded, clouded, and always
potential putty in the hands of Satan. Once one has been born
again, the mind is magically transformed, and one is now guided by
the Holy Spirit who Jesus said would lead his followers into all
truth. The more the born-again believer reads and studies the
Bible, the more clearly and correctly he/she thinks. Therefore,
the new convert to fundamentalist Christianity must depend
on his/her minister, Bible teacher, evangelist, or other spiritual
leader to interpret the Bible and guide him/her in living the
Christian life. Eventually, with years of seasoning in the faith,
one needs less guidance, but one always requires regular contact
with the church, prayer group, or Bible study circle because even
after decades of devotion, there is always the possibility that
one could be deceived by the devil. Therefore, thinking for
oneself is out of the question, and as a result, profound
dependence on others is created for producing the “answers”
one cannot discern by thinking for oneself.
In one of the
responses to my last article, one actively fundamentalist reader,
whom I am paraphrasing, stated that he does look to the Bible for
answers and asked to whom or what else he should look—Darwin,
Camus, or other great minds? I found the question itself very
telling because inherent in it is the assumption that one cannot
or should not trust oneself. This assumption constitutes the major
underpinning of the addiction to Christian fundamentalism, hence
Step One of Fundamentalists Anonymous:
1. I realize that I had
turned control of my mind over to another person or group, who had
assumed power over my thinking.
The
convert to fundamentalist Christianity must be convinced that
his/her thinking is irreparably in error. The underlying message
is: “You don’t believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God
because your mind has been occupied by Satan. This has happened
principally because you are a human being, but also because you
have made the enormous mistake of trying to think for yourself. Of
course you think there are contradictions in the Bible because
Satan controls your mind. If you surrender your mind to Jesus
(actually to me/us/the enlightened flock of believers), you will
understand that there are no contradictions in the Bible and that
your life should be guided only by the Bible and nothing else.
What you cannot now understand, you must take on faith, and more
will be revealed to you later. It may not be revealed on this
earth, but by accepting Christ as your personal savior and having
faith, you will be guaranteed eternity in heaven where everything
you never understood will be completely revealed to you.”
Curiously,
as stated in the definition of addiction above, under ancient
Roman law, addiction was grounds for slavery. I found this detail
particularly significant because obviously, addicted people are
“enslaved” people
Any
thinking person reading the Bible will discover dozens, if not
hundreds, of contradictions. Moreover, any Bible student who also
studies history will discover massive discrepancies regarding
which books were chosen to be in the Bible and why. Studying that
history reveals that the decision to incorporate certain books and
exclude others was primarily a fourth-century political decision
intended to strengthen the appeal of Christianity and prevent its
demise in the face of Rome’s attempts to extinguish the
religion.
An
excellent analysis of this controversy has been done by religious
historian, Elaine Pagels in her book Beyond Belief. She
explores the discoveries of the Nag Hammadi Library in Upper Egypt
in 1945, which unearthed the existence of numerous gospels
eliminated from the final canon of the New Testament. Both Pagels
and another Biblical scholar, Marvin Meyer, have analyzed the Nag
Hammadi writings and hypothesized the reasons for their exclusion.
I particularly enjoyed reading Pagels’ Beyond Belief,
because not only does she analyze the controversy surrounding the
exclusion of these Gnostic Gospels, but she openly shares her own
intellectual process of discovering the significance of their
exclusion and its impact on her own spirituality. Very
UN-fundamentalist indeed.
Reading
the research of Pagels and others makes clear the reality that the
Bible is not and cannot be the inerrant, impeccably-written,
divinely dictated Word of God that fundamentalist Christians claim
it to be. Thus Step Two of Fundamentalists Anonymous states:
2.
That person or group persuaded me of the inerrancy of the
Bible, in spite of its many internal contradictions.
One
of the most significant aspects of my abandonment of Christian
fundamentalism was the awareness that born-again Christians
worship the Bible and not God. They argue that the only way to
know God is through the Bible. They are forced to believe this
because if they concede that God might speak through an inner
voice, through a tree, or through a particular life experience,
their entire belief system is toast. When I realized that contrary
to their much-touted Ten Commandments, Bible worship is nothing
less than “having other gods before me”, I finally realized
the depth of the hypocrisy of their system. Part of my, and
anyone’s recovery from fundamentalism is a commitment to develop
a relationship with a Higher Power—whatever that may be—and
not with a book. Step
Three therefore states:
3.
I became addicted to the Bible as the supreme focus of my
faith, in spite of the commandment that God should come first.
Like
the spiritual inventory of Alcoholics Anonymous and other
Twelve-Step programs, Step Four asks the recovering fundamentalist
to look at the damage one has done to oneself as a result of
turning control of one’s mind over to another person or group.
Not a pretty picture in most cases, but certainly a huge relief
when the whole truth is finally faced and spoken.
4.
I admit to God, to myself and to another person the
shortcomings of my belief in the unbelievable.
Fundamentalist
Christianity is filled with false claims about the Bible. It has
to be in order to keep its system intact and use the Bible to
manipulate, control, and above all, gain converts. So as part of
recovering from addiction to fundamentalism, one must examine the
various false claims one has made about the Bible. Step Five
states:
5.
I have made an inventory of my false claims about the Bible.
Ouch!
This could be very painful—and it could go on for years as one
recalls all the times one may have used “the Bible says” to
beat up oneself or someone else. But again, there can be profound
liberation with truth-telling.
Could
it get more painful than Steps Four and Five? Yes. How many minds
have I whacked beside my own? Who have I manipulated, controlled,
cajoled, or conned by using false claims—things I could never
absolutely know or prove about the Bible?
6.
I have made a list of those whom I led into confusion about the
Bible.
All
Twelve Step programs require “searching and fearless”
inventories of oneself and one’s actions while practicing
one’s addiction. Moreover, they demand accountability to one’s
Higher Power, oneself, and the persons harmed.
This
could be excruciating! Admitting to someone that I may have led
them astray with the Bible? As experienced Twelve-Steppers know,
it may not be possible to make the amends in person or even by
letter. Someone may be so hurt, so angry, so alienated that making
contact with him/her is not feasible. Most important, however, is
the admission to oneself. Hence
Step Seven:
7.
I am willing to make amends to all those whom I may have led
astray.
And
now comes the payoff: sanity. Sanity is not a mental health term
but rather a state of acceptance and release often attended by a
sense of relief. After one has admitted turning one’s mind over
to another person or group and has faced the devastation the
addiction has caused, and if possible, made amends to those
harmed, it becomes possible to experience sanity.
Step
Eight, in offering the hope of sanity refers to searching
Scripture for the truth. Notice the Step says “search
Scripture.” It doesn’t say, “search the Scripture.”
One now has the freedom to search for one’s own
truth—wherever, whenever, however. Step Eight:
8.
I realize that I have the inner power to restore sanity to my
life and to search Scripture for the truth.
Having
completed the first eight Steps, the recovering fundamentalist can
begin authentic relationships with others regarding spirituality.
No longer does one need to “be right”, convert, admonish,
exhort, or teach. The first eight Steps make it possible to share
on a truly level playing field without right/wrong, either/or
dichotomies. Step Nine:
9.
I will reach out to friends who can help me clarify my thinking
about the Bible, God and Jesus.
Reaching
out to friends is not the same as dependence. It means
information-gathering, exploring, dialoging, but most importantly,
thinking for oneself.
Then
brilliantly, Step Ten hastens to add that I do not need to figure
it out all on my own; I can ask for help from a Higher Power. It
humbly implies that I don’t have all the answers. I have help,
but it is with my own mind that I grasp the truth, not with
someone else’s.
10. I confess that only
with God's help can my mind grasp the truth.
How
do I get help from a Higher Power? I practice Step Eleven which
deals with conscious contact with that power. This may have
nothing to do with reading the Bible or going to church. It may
have nothing to do with meditating in a lotus posture or praying
in the traditional sense. It may mean journaling, spending time in
nature, painting, composing music or poetry.
11.
I will seek through prayer and meditation to improve my
conscious contact with God, praying for knowledge of God's will
for me and the power to carry that out.
One
of the most profound aspects of recovering from any addiction is
the compassion one experiences for others who are still ensnared
in the addiction. One naturally wants to share the liberation,
peace, and sense of well being that one has found with others who
are suffering. What might be particularly challenging for the
recovering fundamentalist, however, is to share the Twelve Steps
of Fundamentalists Anonymous without falling back into one’s
addiction to proselytize and “being right.” So Step Twelve
must be practiced sensitively and compassionately.
12.
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these twelve
steps, I will offer these steps to other former biblical
fundamentalists.
Some
may argue that I am being judgmental and lacking compassion in
this article and my former article on Christian fundamentalism.
However, I do not apologize for being uncompromising in my
analysis. As with all addictions, compassion for the addict does
not mean condoning addictive behavior. It means speaking the truth
about the addiction to the addict him/herself, to the family and
loved ones involved with the addict, or anyone else affected by
his/her behavior. This is referred to in recovery circles as an
intervention. Is it not appropriate for critically thinking
individuals who desire to live in a diverse and open society to
conduct “interventions” when those drunk on Dominionism and
fundamentalist Christianity flagrantly attempt to construct a
theocracy which requires everyone to be a born-again Christian in
order to thrive in that society? Do we not have a moral obligation
to confront destructive religious intoxication that tears apart
families, communities, and nations? Hopefully, this article is an
example of such an intervention.
The
mainstream media does not seem to comprehend the inherent danger
of the religious right let alone report it accurately. All of us
need to challenge the addictive tyranny of Christian
fundamentalism at every turn—for the sake of our sanity and for
the sake of our civil liberties. We don’t allow street junkies
into the halls of Congress, the Supreme Court, or the pulpits of
America to admonish us how we should live and why we should
demolish our Constitution. In fact, we confront the insanity and
criminality of such individuals. Similarly, it’s time to
confront the domination drug for what it is—a grave and perverse
spiritual and moral illness.
Carolyn
Baker is recovering fundamentalist Christian and an adjunct
professor of history living in Southern New Mexico. She can be
contacted at: cbaker@nmsu.edu
Copyright © Carolyn
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