This is part three of a planned 4-part diary on why I think Bush is trying to force God's hand and make the Rapture happen.
Part I dealt with some of the players involved.
Part II took a stab at defining what the Rapture is. Today, we'll look at what the Dominionists are after, and what they're doing to make it happen.
Some might say that there have been too many diaries on this topic. And while I'll admit that there have been more than a few diaries, I'm trying to wrap the whole thing up into one neat package. Perhaps a foolhardy notion, but Dominionism is a topic I strongly believe needs to be repeatedly brought to light, in order that it might be viewed as the danger it truly is.
If you agree, join me after the fold for a look at the aims and plans of the would-be creators of Dominion
What they want: Total control of the Government, in order to create a new society with rules based not on the Constitution or existing Law, but rather a society defined by God's laws, primarily found in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy and in the New Testament's Epistles written by Paul.
This new society would unite Christians under one set of rules for worship, creating a world church, thus fulfilling a necessary prophesy for Christ to return
Dominion theology is predicated upon three basic beliefs:
(a) Satan usurped man's dominion over the earth through the temptation of Adam and Eve;
(b) The Church is God's instrument to take dominion back from Satan; and
(c) Jesus cannot or will not return until the Church has taken dominion by gaining control of the earth's governmental and social institutions.
From Biblical Discernment Ministries
For an even more in-depth definition, see the dKospedia entry on Dominionism.
How will they create their Dominion?
The plan is simple. By creating a voting bloc big enough to affect legislative races nationwide. In doing so, they can put into place Chritian legislators who can then pass new laws into being that tear down the current structure. Look how successful they were this passt election with not only getting Bush reelected, but also the sweeping passage of Defense of Marriage Acts.
Another example, the Constitution Restoration Act. calls for limiting the Supreme Court and federal courts from hearing cases involving "expressions of religious faith by elected or appointed officials." According to Katherine Yurica's article at the Yurica Report:
Although the claim by its sponsors appears to be that the intention is to prevent the courts from hearing cases involving the Ten Commandments or a Nativity Scene in a public setting from being reviewed, the law is drawn broadly and expressly includes the acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law by an official in his capacity of executing his office. John Giles, Alabama President of Christian Coalition said, "The greatest unbridled abuse by the federal judiciary for over forty years has been in the area of redefining the acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of law...We define this as judicial activism, making law from the bench. These unconstitutional rulings have gone unchecked by other branches of government."
The following proposed law will be added to Sec. 1260 of Title 28, Chapter 81 of the U.S. Code:
"Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the Supreme Court shall not have jurisdiction to review, by appeal, writ of certiorari, or otherwise, any matter to the extent that relief is sought against an element of Federal, State, or local government, or against an officer of Federal, State, or local government (whether or not acting in official personal capacity), by reason of that element's or officer's acknowledgment of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty, or government."
Because the judiciary is "an element" of the federal, state and local governments, this wording, if it becomes law, may allow any judge to institute biblical punishments without being subject to review by the Supreme Court or the federal court system.
This lovely peice of legislation was introduced into the House by Aderholt, Mccotter, Pence, J. Davis (Vir.), Bachus, Ryun (Kan),Foxx, Barrett (SCar), Wamp, Wilson (SCar.), Rogers (Ala), Pitts, Everett, Cannon, Souder, Cantor, Price, Mcintyre, Weldon (Fla), Jones (NC), Bishop, Herger, Goode, Hall, And Lewis.
In the Senate it was introduced by Shelby, Brownback and Burr.
On other fronts, Bill Frist wants to invoke the Nuclear Option to eliminate the filibuster. This has been covered ad nauseum here on dKos, but Sister Joan Chittister wrote an important piece in the National Catholic Reporter that bears repeating:
No doubt about it: We have entered a new phase of history. In the name of freedom and goodness, thought suppression is in the air. Now discussion has become dissent.
It is intimidation time in the United States of America. Everybody is expected to follow the flag bearer rather than the Bill of Rights.
It is inquisition time in the church. Everybody is expected to accept clerical answers rather than pursue Christian questions of conscience.
It is the period of the new McCarthyism, the rush to purify the soul of the nation by those who would do anything, however democratically impure, to achieve it.
The unwritten assumption is that to open for discussion what the ruling system decrees to be final is to attack or abandon the system itself.
Now the Senate is dealing with the same tactics. There is a move to outlaw the filibuster on judicial nominations. With it goes one of the few legislative tactics a minority has in response to government by majority. Once the majority has spoken, the thinking seems to be, no one may say another word. Called "the nuclear option" because it is designed to obliterate all dissent, the proposal threatens the only legislative tactic a minority can hope to maintain -- the power of its voice to persuade people to keep thinking about a question rather than rush to judgment about it. But suppression of discussion eliminates the very concept of "parliament." It requires government by fiat.
Bill "He-who-weilds-the-nuclear-option" Frist, if you didn't already know, is a Dominionist.
There's a ton more out there on these guys, but that's it in a nutshell. If you want more info on the Dominionists, I heartily recommend the Yurica Report.
Tomorrow, I'm going to attempt to wrestle this monster I've created into some semblance of order, and finally explain why I think Bush is trying to trigger the Rapture.
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An end note:
I was criticized in my last diary because I was supposedly confusing Rapturism with Dominionism. And while I will concede that R.J. Rushdoony and Gary North both wrote critiques of the Pre-Tribulation Rapturists, those self-same Rapturists including D. James Kennedy are using Dominionism as groundwork to bring about the Rapture.
Also, note that as far as I can tell, those who espose Pre-Trib beliefs and those who lean Post-Trib agree that there will be a Rapture. It's just the timing of the event that they have trouble reconciling. I base my conjecture on an interesting set of charts regarding the timing of Rapture which can be found here.