There’s an excellent diary by mswsm, 'US ATTORNEY: Paulose Speaks, Raises New Questions about "Standing in the Gap"' questioning how Paulose got appointed as US Attorney in Minnesota. In it, she points out that Paulose has publicly quoted the Bible and admits that she is "standing in the gap." More critically, the diary reveals where this phrase comes from.
It comes from a very fundamentalist prayer, by a group known as Capital Hill Prayer Partnership asking God to empower his "Church" so that they can control America’s culture. It’s not clear to me what "church" or group of churches this prayer alludes to.
Mswsm's revelations got me to thinking. And now I am frightened. Very frightened. Come with me to find out why.
Update 1: While I was writing this, mswsm's diary made the Rec List. I am so happy for this cause now the issue has a great chance of generating debate!
Now I consider myself a very devout Christian, and accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I worship every Sunday, and frequently attend services during week. Being semi-retired now, I have time to participate in church associated fellowships, Bible study, and charitable activities. I work with my church for social justice, choosing to work with prisoner visits and in immigration advocacy. But I have always abided by what Jesus said, "Render unto Caesar, the things which are Caesars, and unto God, the things which are God’s." As an American, I am proud of the separation of church and state, and of the religious tolerance that this nation has stood for.
But now, I am very frightened, because the true scope of what is going on under George W. Bush’s administration hit me like a sledge hammer after reading mswsm's diary. If carried out to its fullest, even my own beliefs may not measure up and I will be told what I should believe!
Here's how I see it -
In two days, AG Alberto Gonzalez will appear before Congress to try to save his ass in connection with the dismissal of 8 US Attorneys.
- These hearings deal with questions that the administration may have politicized the Department of Justice.
- There is tremendous concern over whether the removals stem from trying to influence the prioritization and prosecution of individual cases, or both.
- There is tremendous concern about the corollary – i.e., what about those not removed – are they being kept in place because the play ball with the administration in areas where politics trumps the rule of law?
We have read elsewhere about Monica Goodling and her famous alma matter Regent University. Loads of Regent University alumni have been hired into critical positions in our government. From this
- There appears to be a directed effort one the part of the Christian right to staff our government with people who put their faith above the Constitution and rule of law.
- There appears to be an extreme willingness on the part of administration officials to let this happen.
Now we find out that Paulose considers herself to be "standing in the gap." I urge the reader at this point to look at the prayer she alludes to one more time, very carefully. Note how it is asking for the power to change the culture of the nation. The CHPP and the radial Christian Right seems to have the goals of
- Gathering the political power to start changing the structure and focus of our institutions.
- Installing its members and sympathizers into positions of power to infiltrate and populate our institutions to start developing and implementing policies more consistent with what they see as the Word of God.
Folks, I am truly frightened. Because it seems to me, that what is going on is not merely the politicizing of our Department of Justice, but instead, the conversion of our system of government from the rule of law to a system based upon what CCHP et al see as the Word of God. What is going on is the establishment of a church-run state!
We have to put a stop to this!
As raucous as Senate confirmation of designated appointed officials and judges has been in the past, it now needs to get even more so. We need a new litmus test. We must ensure that no one gets appointed without clearly articulating that he or she will in all circumstance put the Constitution and the rule of law above any faith-based tenet. The one thing we the people did most clearly when we created this country was make sure that we limited the power of our government to dictate what we should or should not believe in. Now, others seek to remove this limitation. We must not let this happen.
I invite you all to comment heavily here to try to come up with ideas on the best way to deal with this obvious attempt to grab naked power and set up a shadow institution that will eventually dictate its own beliefs to us. Consider this as but the starting point of a long effort to prevent the wresting away of our democracy.