dogemperor

dogemperor https://www.dailykos.com/user/dogemperor/rss/index.xml News Community Action Copyright - Kos Media, LLC Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:16:02 +0000 Tue, 03 Dec 2024 10:16:02 +0000 rsshelp@dailykos.helpscoutapp.com rsshelp@dailykos.helpscoutapp.com How people get recruited into coercive groups: A view from an ex-Quiverfull survivor https://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/3/17/847122/-How-people-get-recruited-into-coercive-groups-A-view-from-an-ex-Quiverfull-survivor?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Probably one of the main questions--right next to "How do we stop dominionists?"--I'm asked when writing is "Why do into coercive religious groups in the first place?" One thing to note is that, in general, people less join a coercive group and more are recruited into a coercive group or are raised in a coercive group. A <a href="http://www.open.salon.com/blog/nlq/2010/03/15/fear_loathing_in_jesuslandthe_christian_right_quiverful">new article</a> by Jonathan Rice and Vyckie Garrison--the latter of whom runs <a href="http://www.nolongerquivering.com">No Longer Quivering</a>, a support forum for ex-Quiverfull survivors--gives a glimpse of how coercive group recruitment works from a first-hand view. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) BillGothard Child Abuse ChildAbuse Controversies DomesticAbuse Dominionism Quiverfull Religion religiouslymotivatedchildabuse ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Scandals SpousalAbuse Teaching _847122 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:07:53 +0000 Rick Warren *directly* uses Hitler Youth, Cultural Revolution as models for Joel's Army https://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/1/16/684711/-Rick-Warren-directly-uses-Hitler-Youth-Cultural-Revolution-as-models-for-Joel-s-Army?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few weeks, I've written about a particular aspect of Rick Warren that has so far seen very little formal media attention--his extensive connections to groups and persons connected to the "New Apostolic Reformation" aka "Joel's Army", a particularly virulent "Christian Nationalist" movement (which had its initial origins in neopentecostal dominionist churches but has since spread via "cuckoo" cell-churches to even some mainstream denominations). In particular, Rick Warren is <a href="http://dogemperor.newsvine.com/_news/2008/12/18/2226748-rick-warrens-dirty-dominionist-secrets">not only well documented to be a dominionist with links to Joel's Army promoters in the Assemblies of God</a>, but has been <a href="http://dogemperor.newsvine.com/_news/2008/12/30/2260274-rick-warrens-connections-to-joels-army">mentored from his beginnings in the ministry by no less than C. Peter Wagner--"Mr. Joel's Army" himself</a>. Recent research by members of the New Apostolic Reformation Research Team have found, however, possibly one of the most disturbing examples of this yet--where Rick Warren literally promotes the Hitlerjugend and the Cultural Reformation as explicit models for steeplejacking entire nations. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy Military presidentialelections2008 presidentialinauguration Religion ReligiousRight RickWarren Scandals SeparationofChurchandState Vineyard _684711 Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:07:01 +0000 Rick Warren's Connections to Joel's Army https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/12/31/678720/-Rick-Warren-s-Connections-to-Joel-s-Army?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Nearly two and a half years to the day, I wrote an early article <a href="http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/6/1/112441/6431">detailing Rick Warren's connections with Paul Yonggi Cho nee David Yonggi Cho</a>--a figure who is practically at Ground Zero regarding the continued perpetuation and promotion of what has been termed "Latter Rain", evolved into "Joel's Army", and is known now as the "New Apostolic Reformation". This early post has gained sudden relevance now with Rick Warren now being chosen as the pastor to give the inauguration prayer on 20 January. This is also rather unfortunate, as it turns out that Rick Warren's connections to "Elijah's Army" go farther than trading tips with Cho on megachurch growth...far deeper. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy Military presidentialelections2008 presidentialinauguration Religion ReligiousRight Rescued RickWarren Scandals SeparationofChurchandState Vineyard _678720 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:55:31 +0000 A true Halloween horror: Sarah Palin's extensive connections to Joel's Army https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/31/648141/-A-true-Halloween-horror-Sarah-Palin-s-extensive-connections-to-Joel-s-Army?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor It's generally the tradition that people do like to be scared around Halloween--originally a festival meant to drive away the monsters of the night, we now celebrate all things spooky and monstrous. There are some monsters, though, that do need to be driven away...and some things which really are frightening. One of those things in the "monstrous" category would be the particularly extreme branch of Joel's Army that Sarah Palin is closely connected with...and, as we'll see, it is truly horrifying as to the results. Among other things, apparently a second nation besides Guatemala may have fallen to a Joel's Army coup (Fiji in the early 2000s)...and not one but two separate appointments have been made to Alaska's Suicide Prevention Council that are linked to Joel's Army groups that Palin is a member of. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism Fiji GOP Guatemala Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Kenya Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _648141 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:21:54 +0000 "Seven Mountains" and the "Joel's Army" plan for takeover https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/7/621837/--Seven-Mountains-and-the-Joel-s-Army-plan-for-takeover?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/6/175740/314/54/610148">yesterday's post</a>, I went into some of the initial detail on a statement given by Thomas Muthee in the <a href="http://www.talk2action.org/story/2008/9/24/13112/0816">infamous sermon where he "annointed" Sarah Palin</a> and also claimed to <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/22/112455/831/745/606414">literally run a traditional religious practitioner out of his home base</a>. Today, we look into how the "Seven Mountains" concept is promoted in Joel's Army circles--including some of the incredibly disturbing code-phrasing used (including literal references to genocide and extirpation of opponents), and how Palin is being used as merely a rook in what amounts to a "50-year plan" for national and societal steeplejacking by a group that can be literally described as calling for holy war with the rest of humanity.  We also look at how the mere candidacy of Palin--and McCain's other overtures towards Joel's Army--are a symptom of a serious systemic problem in the GOP that could have literally apocalyptic consequences if unchecked. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Guatemala Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Kenya Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _621837 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:56:50 +0000 Thomas Muthee's "Seven Mountains" and coded messages https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/10/6/610148/-Thomas-Muthee-s-Seven-Mountains-and-coded-messages?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Today's diary is--and yes, I know, this is a shocker--NOT going to be about Sarah Palin.  At least, not directly.  This is more towards some of her supporters...and especially in light of Palin <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/6/81820/4971/1023/621399">throwing stones whilst in a glass house</a> re the Jeremiah Wright controversy, a deeper look is warranted into one group Palin is associated with in particular. The truth is, Palin's stealth candidacy is but a single symptom of a much larger problem--much as a wound that won't heal is often indicative of the cancer beneath.  And so it is here--as we'll get into in the coming weeks, Palin is actually a rook in what amounts to a high-stakes national game of chess that the Joel's Army movement is playing with the rest of America. Today, we focus on some statements that were made with Thomas Muthee's "annointing" of Palin as governor--yes, that Thomas Muthee, the infamous Kenyan witch-hunter who spoke at Palin's supposed former congregation--and how he actually revealed much of what amounts to a longterm strategy by Joel's Army groups to steeplejack the country...and society. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Guatemala Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Kenya Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _610148 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:57:40 +0000 Palin, TrooperGate, RapeKitGate...and Joel'sArmyGate https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/24/608289/-Palin-TrooperGate-RapeKitGate-and-Joel-sArmyGate?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few weeks, folks on the Internet have turned up an impressive amount of info re Sarah Palin's questionable judgements--including scandals involving the Alaska State Police (now known as "TrooperGate") and similar hijinks with the Wasilla PD, info re Palin trying to make rape victims pay for their own evidence collection kits (which led to the state stepping in), and Palin's disturbing connections with "Joel's Army" neopentecostal dominionists. What has not been publicised so far is that the first two scandals have direct connections to the third--and, even worse, there's the most damning evidence yet that the very "Joel's Army" folks Palin is linked to may have been grooming her explicitly as a "stealth candidate". rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Guatemala Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Kenya Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _608289 Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:50:03 +0000 Palin, dominionist intimidation, and *actual* witch-hunters https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/22/606414/-Palin-dominionist-intimidation-and-actual-witch-hunters?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor A few days ago, I had reported on <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/19/162534/731/103/603997">Palin's linkages to "Bible-based cult" promoter Bill Gothard</a>...and, sadly, followup info proves that this may be far from her only links to religiously motivated abuse. It turns out that Palin--and Wasilla A/G--are intimately connected with "Joel's Army" promoters directly responsible for not only harassment of critics, but also a little-reported and growing humanitarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa: namely, the growth of "Joel's Army" "exorcists" and people--including young children--fleeing for their lives from a literal "God Warrior" progrom. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Guatemala Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Kenya Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _606414 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:04:48 +0000 Palin, Gothard, and dog-whistles to dominionists https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/19/603997/-Palin-Gothard-and-dog-whistles-to-dominionists?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor A few days ago, I wrote an article <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/16/182959/583/109/600956">detailing several more links between Palin and particularly disturbing elements of the "Joel's Army" movement</a>--namely, apparent links between Palin and Bill Gothard's network of groups, and some very disturbing dog-whistles from some of the "Joel's Army" faithful comparing her to the prophetess Deborah. Now that I have my power restored...we can get to "the rest of the story", so to speak...and now you get the background as to why the latest revelations are quite disturbing. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod BillGothard Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Military presidentialelections2008 Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _603997 Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:36:53 +0000 New revelations re Palin and dominionists https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/16/600956/-New-revelations-re-Palin-and-dominionists?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Much like the US Postal Service, neither rain nor snow nor 70% of my hometown's power infrastructure being eaten by Ike will stop me from posting the latest on Palin's connections with dominionists. We've posted before on <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213">her initial outing as a dominionist stealth candidate</a>, her <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/2/14422/49170/241/583511">links to "Joel's Army"</a> including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/12289/69937/415/586412">Alaskan state funds being used</a> for groups <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/9/143710/2371/534/592379">promoting apocalyptic theology</a>, and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/12/131526/483/698/596291">her attempt at a back-door book ban in conjunction with a crusade by one of her home churches</a>. Today, we find out even more info on the book-ban attempt giving further proof that Palin has not dropped her links with Joel's Army--and if that weren't enough, there's some very telling evidence from the horse's mouth. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abuse Alaska Apocalypse AssembliesofGod BillGothard Censorship Child Abuse ChildAbuse Children Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 Extremism GOP Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain Military presidentialelections2008 RedScare Religion ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals SeparationofChurchandState _600956 Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:57:48 +0000 More info comes out on Palin and dominionism, Armageddon, and book bans https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/12/596291/-More-info-comes-out-on-Palin-and-dominionism-Armageddon-and-book-bans?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few days, I've been one of those Damned Annoying Palin Diarists--though not on BabyGate or some of the other stuff, but more on <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213">the fact she was originally put in as a dominionist "stealth candidate"</a>, that she has <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/2/14422/49170/241/583511">extensive and ongoing connections with "Joel's Army" neopente dominionists</a> including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/12289/69937/415/586412">providing tax dollars</a> to them.  Most disturbingly, more than a few of us have raised serious questions on <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/9/143710/2371/534/592379">how Palin's connections with these groups may have literally thermonuclear consequences</a> and how much her dominionist connections would affect her public policy. We may very well have reason to worry.  Two new recent updates have given call for alarm--one being a disturbing call for war with Russia, and the second being new revelations re the attempted Wasilla book-ban that indicate it may have been a preemptive attempt. And in both cases, her "Joel's Army" sympathies may be closely linked. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Censorship Dominionism Extremism Hate Groups HateGroups JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain RedScare Religion ReligiousRight Republicans Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals Vice President VicePresident _596291 Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:29:50 +0000 A Palin presidency may have literal apocalyptic consequences https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/9/592379/-A-Palin-presidency-may-have-literal-apocalyptic-consequences?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few days I've been writing about Sarah Palin's <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213">extensive dominionist connections</a>, including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/2/14422/49170/241/583511">ongoing relationships with</a> and even <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/12289/69937/415/586412">guest-preaching at and taxpayer support of</a> several Assemblies and "Assemblies family" churches connected with <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=964">the "Joel's Army" movement</a>. Now, none other than Chip Berlet has broached the question that those of us watching this particular form of "Christian nationalism" have been asking ourselves, and I give my own thoughts and commentary on that question: Could the prospect of Sarah Palin being a heartbeat away from the presidency, and her connections with neopentecostal dominionists, have literal end-of-the-world consequences? rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Apocalypse AssembliesofGod Dominionism Extremism JoelsArmy John McCain JohnMcCain RedScare Religion ReligiousRight Republicans Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals Vice President VicePresident _592379 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:27:53 +0000 Sarah Palin used AK tax dollars to fund dominionist churches https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/4/586412/-Sarah-Palin-used-AK-tax-dollars-to-fund-dominionist-churches?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few days, I've done reporting on Sarah Palin's extensive dominionist connections--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213">the attempt to run her as a "stealth" dominionist candidate</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/2/14422/49170/241/583511">her connections to some scary dominionist groups</a> including not just "Joel's Army" folks but a far-right Christian Reconstructionist political party linked to domestic terrorism. As bad as all this--and the scandals regarding her misrule in both Wasilla and as state governor--are, there's apparently still more.   Today, we find that part of those funding scandals include the tax money of Alaskans used to pay for youth programs at Juneau Christian Center.  We also reveal info regarding a particularly disturbing Assemblies frontgroup Palin recently did a talk at, and we go into researching the dominionist connections of her most recent church--Wasilla Bible Church. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections AllianceDefenseFund Anti-Semitism AssembliesofGod CampusCrusadeforChrist Dominionism FocusontheFamily jewsforjesus John McCain JohnMcCain Religion ReligiousRight Republicans Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals Vice President VicePresident _586412 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:09:03 +0000 New revelations re "stealth dominionist" Sarah Palin https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/2/583511/-New-revelations-re-stealth-dominionist-Sarah-Palin?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor A few days ago, I wrote one of the first articles out there <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/163234/559/495/579213">regarding Sarah Palin's VP nomination as a "stealth dominionist"</a>--a "stealther" with extensive Assemblies connections (and to particularly scary segments of the Assemblies as well as a particularly nasty "Assemblies daughter", as we'll get into) as well as dominionist orgs like Campus Crusade frontgroups and deceptive "feminist" anti-reproductive-healthcare groups. The thing is, I may have just scratched the surface.   Much has been made of the recent revelation that Sarah Palin may be connected to the "Alaska Independence Party", but not revealed is its connection to the far-right Constitution Party--and she not only has attempted censorious campaigns in office, but was also apparently put in the GOP vice-presidential spot by none other than the kingmakers of the dominionist movement in the US.   rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections AssembliesofGod Censorship ConstitutionParty CouncilforNationalPolicy Dominionism Hate Groups HateGroups John McCain JohnMcCain ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals _583511 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:51:59 +0000 Sarah Palin: Dominionist Stalking Horse https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/579213/-Sarah-Palin-Dominionist-Stalking-Horse?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor The big news, obviously, in the blogosphere today is John McCain's surprise pick for the Republican veep nominee--a relative unknown by the name of Sarah Palin, whom--at least in the more conventional political circles--<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/12648/3010/45/578646">would appear to be a complete cypher</a>. Unfortunately, if one digs just a bit deeper, Palin is found to have some very interesting--and very disturbing--connections...among them, being potentially the first Assemblies-linked VP candidate and having a number of links to dominionist groups targeting kids via "bait and switch" evangelism. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 elections 2008elections Abortion Rights AbortionRights AssembliesofGod CampusCrusadeforChrist Dominionism John McCain JohnMcCain ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Sarah Palin SarahPalin Scandals WomensRights _579213 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:21:50 +0000 BREAKING: Bill to stop "kiddie gulag" industry passes House! https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/7/2/545366/-BREAKING-Bill-to-stop-kiddie-gulag-industry-passes-House?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor The "Bible boot camp" and "kiddie gulag" industry have been frequent subjects of writing here in this diary--from <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">reports of abuses in "Bible boot camps"</a> to an <a href="http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/2008/05/daily-kos-dogemperor-teen-challenge.html">expose series on the Assemblies-run "Teen Challenge" chain</a>. One thing I've been big on is efforts to shut down the "kiddie gulag" industry by requiring federal standards for facilities of this type (many of these facilities are entirely unregulated due to operating as "faith-based" <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">dominionist "parallel economy" alternatives to legit social work and mental health services</a>.  And it turns out that just such a model law--originally entered this Congressional session as <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/25/114146/721/120/503305">HR 5876</a> (with a new bill number, HR 6358)--has passed its first big hurdle in that the House version is approved. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _545366 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:00:52 +0000 Possible Assemblies direct funding of GOP? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/24/540803/-Possible-Assemblies-direct-funding-of-GOP?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/23/11522/3074/420/540626">yesterday's post</a>, I noted how the Assemblies of God are rallying around Kenneth Copeland's latest attempt to derail Sen. Chuck Grassley's investigation of nonprofit groups. There's a very valid reason why the Assemblies may be quite concerned, should Congressional attention focus on them. Namely...not only is illegal electioneering rife within the denomination, but there is some troubling evidence to suggest that violations may be crossing over into direct contributions to Assemblies-favoured candidates--possibly the most blatant 501(c)3 violations ever documented. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) AssembliesofGod Dominionism Election 2008 Election2008 GOP JohnAshcroft MikeHuckabee ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Scandals _540803 Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:24:21 +0000 Assemblies officially comes out in favour of preacher stonewalling in Congressional probe https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/23/540626/-Assemblies-officially-comes-out-in-favour-of-preacher-stonewalling-in-Congressional-probe?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor People who've followed the hijinks of the Assemblies of God in regards to televangelist scandals--and the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/30/71341/4088/938/364175">history of televangelism</a>, for that matter--know that the denomination has a long association with televangelism--and as the Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart and Ted Haggard scandals have shown, often a quite unsavoury one at that. So today's news that the Assemblies are hip-deep in the latest televangelist scandal is no shocker--the thing is, they may have tangled themselves rather deep, as the latest association is with an explicit defense of Kenneth Copeland--one of six televangelists targeted in a Congressional investigation. Even worse, the Assemblies are now trying to use the very scandal as a wrecking-ball to knock down the separation of church and state and scuttle all attempts to require accountability. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 AssembliesofGod Chuck Grassley ChuckGrassley Dominionism Elections ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Scandals _540626 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:10:42 +0000 Mississippi's "moral refusal" law--and now the "model moral refusal law" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/18/537919/-Mississippi-s-moral-refusal-law-and-now-the-model-moral-refusal-law?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/17/174534/045/226/536744">yesterday's post</a> on a case of an ambulance driver's "moral refusal" of taking a woman in severe pain to a women's clinic, a frequent criticism came up: "But wouldn't the EMT get in trouble if she died?  Surely they could revoke his license?" This, sadly, can no longer be assumed.  In at least one state--Mississippi--the scenario of an EMT conducting a "moral refusal", the woman dying as a result, and the EMT getting off scot free is an unfortunate possibility. Even worse, Mississippi's law is now considered a model "moral refusal" statute--as we'll see below. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Doctors Dominionism Health Care Health Insurance HealthCare HealthInsurance HMO Medicine ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Rescued Scandals Women Women's Health WomensHealth _537919 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 21:25:15 +0000 "Moral refusal" extends to ambulances--and a potential fix https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/17/536744/--Moral-refusal-extends-to-ambulances-and-a-potential-fix?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In Part 2 of the miniseries which <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/16/12925/5798/260/536718">we began yesterday</a>, we discuss how "moral refusal" clauses are increasingly going far beyond just doctors and pharmacists, and are now extending to the most basic thing we associate with healthcare--the trip in the ambulance to have emergency surgery. Yes, you're reading this right--dominionist ambulance drivers are now refusing to take people to women's clinics just because the woman needs a medically necessary abortion. And at the end of the post--because I never like to just bring bad news without discussing ways to fix what's broken--I present some possible solutions to the problem of "moral refusal". rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Doctors Dominionism Health Care Health Insurance HealthCare HealthInsurance HMO Medicine Recommended ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Scandals Women Women's Health WomensHealth _536744 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:45:34 +0000 Dominionist pharmacies: the newest front in the war on women's health https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/16/536718/-Dominionist-pharmacies-the-newest-front-in-the-war-on-women-s-health?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I have written rather extensively on Talk to Action regarding dominionists and reproductive health--one of the larger issues being the <a href="http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/2/81737/65743">spread of so-called "moral refusal" clauses</a> that do not just ban medical abortion but go towards banning the pill and even go so far as <a href="http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/2/8142/74897">refusing reproductive health services to LGBT people</a> and <a href="http://www.talk2action.org/story/2006/5/8/113314/2024">refusing prescriptions outright--including for antibiotics and prenatal vitamins</a>--because they came from a women's clinic. Now, in an end-run against "must dispense or refer" laws in several states, dominionists are now expanding the large "parallel economy" to a new area--namely, the dominionist-run pharmacy not providing contraceptives at all...and there are disturbing indications that a prediction I made re broad "moral refusal" clauses may have come to pass. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Doctors Dominionism Health Care Health Insurance HealthCare HealthInsurance HMO Medical Medical Care MedicalCare ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Scandals Women Women's Health WomensHealth _536718 Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:51:58 +0000 The potential naming problem for Obama's "Joshua Generation Project" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/10/533477/-The-potential-naming-problem-for-Obama-s-Joshua-Generation-Project?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Barack Obama has recently announced <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/9/204630/9289">a new initiative to reach out to non-dominionist evangelicals</a>.  It is a wonderful idea in practice. Unfortunately--partly due to neopente dominionists--Barack's initiative may have a wee bit of a naming problem. Whilst the term "Joshua Generation" has been used in African-American churches to denote the generation of people to bring social justice (much as "Moses Generation" was used for the Freedom Riders), "Joshua Generation" unfortunately has a very different connotation outside of the African-American church community...and one which Barack Obama will likely not want to be associated with. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 AssembliesofGod Barack Obama BarackObama Dominionism EvangelicalChristians General Election GeneralElection JoelsArmy ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals YouthOutreach _533477 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:58:55 +0000 Prosyletization in Iraq: Assemblies involvement in Abu Ghraib & Gitmo https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/4/526855/-Prosyletization-in-Iraq-Assemblies-involvement-in-Abu-Ghraib-Gitmo?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few days, we've gone over a history of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/2/165645/5878/1004/526837">dominionist prosyletisation efforts during the Gulf War</a> and how they are endangering not only Christians but <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/3/164337/8542/984/526849">our own military</a> to boot. Today, we get into the real heart of why some of us are so worried about the "God Warrior" tendencies in neopentecostal dominionist groups. Everyone who hasn't been completely isolated from the outside world knows by now about the revelations of torture and human rights abuses at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, and other facilities used for "extraordinary rendition" (or, more properly, gulags). Not so well publicised is the fact that the very denomination responsible for the "Teen Challenge" chain of "kiddie gulags" is in fact at the very core of the torture scandals--and that the Assemblies' own chaplains were in fact ringleaders of torture. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) AbuGhraib AssembliesofGod Dominionism GuantanamoBay Iraq Military ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals Torture _526855 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:43:31 +0000 Prosyletization in Iraq: A threat to national security https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/3/526849/-Prosyletization-in-Iraq-A-threat-to-national-security?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor As amazing as it sounds, dominionists may in fact be fomenting terrorism--not just the domestic terrorism like bombings of women's clinics we normally associate, but the very "Islamist terror bombings" that the GOP loves to use to frighten America into voting a red ticket. We detailed <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/2/165645/5878/1004/526837">yesterday</a> on how Christians in Iraq (including communities literally founded by the apostle Thomas) have been targeted due to aggressive prosyletisation by dominionist "missionary" groups; today, we focus on how our soldiers are targeted and becoming targets due to the actions of dominionists...and how some of the very folks targeting both our nation's fighting folks and Iraqis are essentially dominionist rogue agents in the US military's chaplaincy. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) AssembliesofGod CampusCrusadeforChrist Dominionism Iraq Military ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals SouthernBaptists televangelists _526849 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:43:37 +0000 Proselytization in Iraq: A minor history https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/2/526837/-Proselytization-in-Iraq-A-minor-history?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor The recent incident where <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/1/25156/02429/260/526548">a Marine was recently found distributing "Bible coins" promoted by a fundamentalist "Bible church"</a> is, sad to say, far from the first incident of overt prosyletisation in Iraq. The truth is, this sort of thing has been going on literally since Gulf War I, and ramped up in Gulf War II--and, ironically, has directly threatened the future existence of two of the oldest Christian churches in the world--churches that can literally trace their founding to one of the Twelve Apostles.  Even more disturbingly, most of the worst prosyletisation has been with civilian dominionist groups that target both Iraqi citizens and US military personnel. We detail the history of dominionist "missionary" efforts in Iraq, and the "dry run" in Lebanon, below. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) AssembliesofGod CampusCrusadeforChrist Christianity Dominionism Iraq ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals SouthernBaptists _526837 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 20:56:44 +0000 Source of "Bible coins" distributed by Marine(s) in Iraq discovered https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/1/526548/-Source-of-Bible-coins-distributed-by-Marine-s-in-Iraq-discovered?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In what is--sadly--yet another case of the extent of which blatant prosyletisation is tolerated in the modern US military, a recent incident <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-05-30-marine-coin_N.htm">where members of the US Marine Corps were handing out coins to persons in Fallujah with John 3:16 on one side and "where will you spend eternity?" on the other</a> shows that dominionism can even be potentially a risk to national security. One thing that has not yet been revealed in this incident--which has <a href="http://www.onenewsnow.com/Security/Default.aspx?id=126938">already led to the suspension of at least one Marine</a>--is  the source of the coins, a fundamentalist "Bible church" which increasingly has embraced both war imagery--and America's fighting men. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) BurtCamenzind ChristianandMissionaryAlliance Dominionism Iraq Military OperationGrace OsborneCoinage Recommended ReligiousRight Scandals _526548 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 21:03:03 +0000 Here's why McCain may have stepped away from Rod Parsley https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/23/521338/-Here-s-why-McCain-may-have-stepped-away-from-Rod-Parsley?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor The past few days have seen a remarkable level of spin--actually, downright waffling--from John McCain regarding his relationship with two neopentecostal dominionist pastors and actually soliciting his dominionist "bona fides" from them. Not two weeks ago, John McCain was heralding both John Hagee and Rod Parsley as "spiritual advisors"; this is quite the change from today, where he has <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/23/785/88364">rejected John Hagee's endorsement</a> as well as <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/1-0&fp=483714c22d315049&ei=aQw3SLXcAYny-wG51bn5CA&url=http%3A//religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/05/mccain-rejects-backing-of-ohio.html&cid=1214789789&usg=AFrqEzeOWMBFbc3JgqWbwWHcFwRa9vJOhg">Rod Parsley's</a> (in what is a beautiful example of 20 Mule Team DKos (and Talk to Action) action). Parsley, whilst less publicised than Hagee, wasn't exactly an improvement--and today we go into just why McCain likely dropped Parsley like a hot potato. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 Abortion Dominionism GodsWarriors John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights RodParsley Scandal _521338 Fri, 23 May 2008 20:27:08 +0000 "Joel's Army" and omnicide in the name of God https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/21/519046/--Joel-s-Army-and-omnicide-in-the-name-of-God?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Yesterday, we revealed that John Hagee's church is <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/20/12517/3403/732/518973">confirmedly within the "Joel's Army" movement</a>--a group of the "most extreme of the extreme" of neopentecostal dominionists, who believe they are part of a "third pentecost" designed to raise a group of divine ubermenschen to "name and claim" the world for their theology. One of the parts of their theology that is very rarely discussed--save by a few of us researchers--is that they are one of the very few groups on the planet to literally have a theological mandate for not only genocide but near omnicide--both pre- and post-Tribulation.  Combined with the known use of coercive tactics and the decidedly unique interpretations of Biblical verses that claim they're part of an end-time army of "God Warriors"...it's not exaggeration to state this is a potential threat to humanity. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Cults Dominionism GodsWarriors Hate Groups HateGroups John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Scandal _519046 Wed, 21 May 2008 21:12:57 +0000 Hagee-linked CUFI definitively linked to "Joel's Army" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/20/518973/-Hagee-linked-CUFI-definitively-linked-to-Joel-s-Army?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past week or two, a major focus on this diary has been on John Hagee--who has close associations with John McCain, runs a church <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/8/141951/7939/699/511879">that pretty much wants to nuke everyone</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/9/165026/2943/580/511990">may well be one</a> of the most abusive neopente dominionist groups <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/10/1787/26874/752/511810">ever formally documented in commonly available assays of coercive groups</a>, and also fawns over the Jewish people--and in particular Israel--<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/15/153631/410/270/516384">to the point of idolatry whilst condemning them to Hell in the same breath</a>. Now, recent revelations--inspired by an excellent series on Hagee by our very own <a href="http://troutfishing.dailykos.com">Troutfishing</a>--show that in fact Hagee's church is in fact part of the extremely militarised (and extremely worrying) <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/4/102528/740/779/253481">Joel's Army movement</a>...right down to the hymnal. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Cults Dominionism GodsWarriors John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Rescued Scandal _518973 Tue, 20 May 2008 20:46:12 +0000 Huck's "jokes" about Obama's death are no shocker to some of us. https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/16/517129/-Huck-s-jokes-about-Obama-s-death-are-no-shocker-to-some-of-us?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor There is being quite a lot of shock posted on a recent statement that Mike Huckabee made here in Louisville a few hours ago at the NRA conference--namely, <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/16/144637/500/611/517036">Huck made a comment on how a supposed sound was Barack Obama ducking in an attempt to keep from being shot at</a>. For some of us--especially those of us who have followed Huckabee's extensive links with the highly militaristic "Joel's Army"/"Joshua Generation" neopente dominionist movement--this is but the latest and one of the more blatant of his statements of this type, and probably not even the most extreme of them. In today's special edition post, we give a bit of history on this. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 Abuse ArmyofGod AssembliesofGod Barack Obama BarackObama BillGothard boot camp bootcamp Child Abuse ChildAbuse Cults Dominionism Elections Gay Rights gayactivism gayhatecrime GayRights GLBT GodsWarriors Hate Groups Hate Speech HateCrimes HateGroups HateSpeech Immigration lawenforcement Megachurches MikeHuckabee Military NRA Pentecostals Police President Primaries Racism Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals SeparationofChurchandState Texas WatchmenOnTheWalls _517129 Fri, 16 May 2008 22:00:42 +0000 Cell churches, personality changes, and coercion https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/15/515505/-Cell-churches-personality-changes-and-coercion?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor One question that was frequently asked in <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/9/165026/2943/580/511990">my series</a> involving Matt Taibbi's infiltration of John Hagee's church (and the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/10/1787/26874/752/511810">chunderfest</a> resulting)--how could Matt Taibbi start developing what is known in exit-counseling as a <a href="http://www.cultinformation.org.uk/articles2.html">cultic personality</a> in just three days?   Well, one particular tool used in the "toolkit of coercion" of neopente dominionist groups in particular is the use of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/11/16111/6207/38/370152">cell churches</a>--and today, we go into depth into a study that shows the actual process of development of a "cultic personality". rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod CampusCrusadeforChrist ChristianEmbassy Coercion Dominionism History JohnHagee ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals _515505 Thu, 15 May 2008 19:58:07 +0000 "God of Chunder": McCain's "spiritual advisor" will make you puke, literally. https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/10/511810/--God-of-Chunder-McCain-s-spiritual-advisor-will-make-you-puke-literally?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Folks who are regular readers of this column know that I'm particularly focused on political links to dominionists in this column.  Today will not be an exception. It's rather rare that I refer to dominionist preachers as literally being chunder-inducing; it's even rarer when this is literally accurate. In the case of John McCain's present "spiritual advisor", John Hagee, the comparison is both literal and figural--right down to the "deliverance ministry" practice of upchucking the Devil (no, we aren't making this up).  Thanks in part to a <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780385520348-0">successful expose by Matt Taibbi</a> that finally blows the cover off the "private face" of neopente dominionism, we learn the vomit-induciveness isn't just figurative. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Dominionism GodsWarriors John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Rescued Scandal _511810 Sat, 10 May 2008 21:08:06 +0000 A weekend at Hagee's "Jesus Camp" for grownups https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/9/511990/-A-weekend-at-Hagee-s-Jesus-Camp-for-grownups?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In yesterday's post, we described some of the more...ah...unusual and disturbing public statements by John McCain's supporter and advisor John "Turn Iran Into A Glass Parking Lot For Jesus" Hagee. Today's post is a little different.  Instead of focusing on Hagee directly, we're going to focus on the sorts of stuff that are not in the public eye--namely, that Hagee runs a weekend "Jesus Camp" for grownups that was successfully infiltrated--and escaped from--by Matt Taibbi, reporter for Rolling Stone. What Taibbi reports on is illuminating--and horrifying, if old news to us survivors.  I also will give commentary on just how these tactics are used as a form of thought reform.  Hopefully it gives you a better perspective on why this sort of stuff must be actively resisted politically by anyone. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abortion Dominionism GodsWarriors John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Rescued Scandal _511990 Fri, 09 May 2008 20:50:26 +0000 What do you do with a problem like McCain's spiritual advisor? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/8/511879/-What-do-you-do-with-a-problem-like-McCain-s-spiritual-advisor?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Much noise has been made re Barack Obama's former association with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. A limited amount of noise, though worrisome enough, has been made of Hillary Clinton's association with Doug Coe, leader of the secretive "Family" group. What has gotten surprisingly little coverage in the press--especially compared to the coverage of Obama and Wright (I'll grant the lack of exposure re Clinton's association because "The Family" is so darn secretive and only one person is really writing about them)--is John McCain's association with no less than John Hagee--a guy who thinks gay people are responsible for Hurricane Katrina, that reproductive rights caused the 11 September terror attacks, and wants to use the State of Israel and the world's Jewish population as a trigger for Armageddon. Read on, and educate yourself... rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) 2008 Abortion Dominionism GodsWarriors John McCain JohnHagee JohnMcCain ReligiousRight ReproductiveRights Rescued Scandal _511879 Thu, 08 May 2008 20:32:26 +0000 Teen Challenge: Your tax dollars, paying for institutionalised abuse https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/4/504505/-Teen-Challenge-Your-tax-dollars-paying-for-institutionalised-abuse?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the past few days, we have focused on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In our final installment, we note how Abu Ghraib and Gitmo aren't the only abusive facilities getting tax dollars--both by direct funding and by welfare fraud, Teen Challenge gets quite a bit of your tax money for institutionalised abuse...and Dubya is still to this day bailing them out when they're caught doing something wrong.   rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _504505 Sun, 04 May 2008 20:44:43 +0000 Teen Challenge: Court-ordered coercion and CYA indemnity contracts https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/3/504082/-Teen-Challenge-Court-ordered-coercion-and-CYA-indemnity-contracts?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In the latest installment of this series, we focus on an increasing trend of using Teen Challenge as "alternative sentencing"--and to add insult to injury, the use of "indemnity contracts" by Teen Challenge to prevent lawsuits by survivors who manage to escape.   rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _504082 Sat, 03 May 2008 21:07:42 +0000 Teen Challenge: Sex abuse and sexual predators https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/2/504053/-Teen-Challenge-Sex-abuse-and-sexual-predators?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In our latest installment, we now touch on disturbing subjects--sexual abuse (including a known child molester as a Teen Challenge facility manager) both in Teen Challenge and its parent denomination. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _504053 Fri, 02 May 2008 21:08:50 +0000 Teen Challenge: The depths of coercion at a "God Warrior" training camp https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/5/1/505299/-Teen-Challenge-The-depths-of-coercion-at-a-God-Warrior-training-camp?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In a continuation of the series, we uncover disturbing revelations at the Florida Teen Challenge boy's camps--which include literal "God Warrior" imagery, right down to the camo and drill patrols. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _505299 Thu, 01 May 2008 20:44:18 +0000 Teen Challenge: Possible missionary mill? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/30/504060/-Teen-Challenge-Possible-missionary-mill?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In a continuation of the series, we focus on how Teen Challenge operates in part as a de facto "missionary mill" for the Assemblies of God--and in fact as a particularly insidious recruitment front for the group.   rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _504060 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:01:02 +0000 Teen Challenge: Life within the "Jesus Gulag" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/29/504015/-Teen-Challenge-Life-within-the-Jesus-Gulag?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In a continuation of the series, we focus on life within Teen Challenge, as revealed by their guides to members--and point out why Teen Challenge cannot be considered a legit rehab facility but rather a "Jesus Gulag".  (It's a little long, but this is by necessity.) rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _504015 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:52:43 +0000 Teen Challenge: A typical week in the "Jesus Gulag" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/28/503981/-Teen-Challenge-A-typical-week-in-the-Jesus-Gulag?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In a continuation of the series, we focus on a typical week at Teen Challenge--and the extreme amounts of indoctrination, which often take up more than half of the waking hours of the day of participants. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _503981 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:04:28 +0000 Teen Challenge: Coercive groups disguised as rehab https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/27/503961/-Teen-Challenge-Coercive-groups-disguised-as-rehab?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2008/4/25/114146/721">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. In a continuation of the series we began <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/26/17250/8747/930/503496">yesterday</a>, we focus on an aspect Teen Challenge shares with its parent denomination--a history of rampant coercive tactics and spiritual abuse. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _503961 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:19:37 +0000 Teen Challenge: The Assemblies' own "kiddie gulag" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/26/503496/-Teen-Challenge-The-Assemblies-own-kiddie-gulag?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've written quite a lot on the subject of coercive "behaviour modification" facilities in past--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/25/114146/721/120/503305">legislative efforts to stop the industry in its tracks</a> as well as exposes of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">their heavy usage as a dominionist "parallel economy" alternative to legit mental health</a> and <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">info on gross abuses in these facilities</a>. Over the next few days, we are going to focus on a specific chain of these facilities (which have been compared to Abu Ghraib)--Teen Challenge, a chain of Assemblies-run "faith based rehabs" that was the target of a "get out of jail free" deregulation of the "kiddie gulag" industry in Texas by none other than George W. Bush. We begin with a history of how Teen Challenge was deregulated, and some of the reports of gross mistreatment at the facility--including just about every form of abuse that could have been done to those kids. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _503496 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:02:50 +0000 ACTION DIARY: HR 5876--a chance to protect kids from abusive "kiddie boot camps" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/25/503305/-ACTION-DIARY-HR-5876-a-chance-to-protect-kids-from-abusive-kiddie-boot-camps?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor In past, I've written rather extensively on the subject of religiously motivated child abuse in dominionist circles--and in particular, the use of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/27/24620/9073/0/363063">"parallel economy" alternatives</a> to legit mental health care, including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/12/131327/478/704/370495">the "Bible-based boot camp" industry</a>.  Increasingly, these facilities are either being put in explicitly friendly states that give broad exemptions to "faith-based children's homes" or out of the US entirely. Since 2005, Rep. George Miller has been working to pass <a href="http://www.isaccorp.org/documents/hr.1738.html">HR 1738</a>--which would require states to regulate and inspect all facilities, and prohibit kids from being sent to abusive overseas facilities.  And it looks like a bill to protect kids may finally have some legs (under a new bill number, HR 5876), thanks to a <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24285355/from/ET/">Congressional hearing sparked by the first ever GAO report on the industry</a>. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse boot camp bootcamp Children Doctors Dominionism Health Care HealthCare MentalHealth Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandal SeparationofChurchandState Texas _503305 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:37:42 +0000 Just *what* is "The Family" so desperate to hide? https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/10/492947/-Just-what-is-The-Family-so-desperate-to-hide?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor Over the past few days, I've done some writing expressing concern regarding some revelations that Jeff Sharlet will be discussing extensively in his new book "The Family"--including <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/6/12121/96107/86/491127">information regarding apparently widespread and systemic use of pyramid-scheme-esque "cell church" groups</a>, of which <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/7/105037/7839/647/491583">Hillary Clinton would appear to have been inducted through at least one, possibly two, levels of indoctrination</a> within at least two separate cells within the group.  There's also some real concern that some of the same "bad habits" of <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/11/16111/6207/38/370152">this particular type of religious pyramid scheme</a> may be showing up in "The Family's" cells as well--one of which we'll discuss today. The news re cell-church groups in "The Family" is probably not going to be the only bombshell released by Sharlet's upcoming book.  My question is, what has "The Family" so spooked that they've apparently sealed all recent records about the group even to their own members? rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse Books Coercion Dominionism DougCoe FellowshipFoundation History JeffSharlet Religion ReligiousRight Scandals The Family TheFamily _492947 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:35:55 +0000 The *other* members of Hillary's "Family" cell https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/7/491583/-The-other-members-of-Hillary-s-Family-cell?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor On Friday, news reports started coming out to the effect that <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/133640/8678/994/490211">Hillary Clinton may be a member of a cell-church group</a> run by the secretive "Family" nee "Fellowship" org; as the import of this is underappreciated by most (even by some researchers into dominionism), I posted a <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/6/12121/96107/86/491127">diagram of how cell groups work in "The Family"</a>. There are actually a number of reasons--besides the obvious--why it should be a matter of concern that Hillary Clinton would appear to have been recruited into a religious pyramid scheme with strong political aspirations.  One reason I am gravely concerned for her right now is info I've dug up on the other reported members of her "cell church"--almost all of whom have strong history with dominionists...and it doesn't help that Hillary has also made some statements that point to her possible involvement in something very dangerous. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse AssembliesofGod Books Coercion Dominionism DougCoe FellowshipFoundation Hillary Clinton HillaryClinton History JeffSharlet Religion ReligiousRight Scandals SouthernBaptistConvention The Family TheFamily _491583 Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:59:22 +0000 "The Family" and its use of cells, explained https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/6/491127/--The-Family-and-its-use-of-cells-explained?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor A few days ago, I wrote a post <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/133640/8678/994/490211">expressing concern re Hillary Clinton's reported involvement in a cell-church group operated by the longest-running political dominionist group in existence</a>--some folks considered this a wee bit controversial, in part because it was "OMG CANDIDATE DIARY" (to be honest, I'm worried about her) and partly because folks noted "there is no clear evidence this is coercive". After some discussion with Jeff Sharlet over in <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/145233/7447">Fred Clarkson's article</a> on "The Family"--in which he's discussed info that will be included in his upcoming book--it would appear that not only does "The Family" use the same model as other coercive groups using pyramid-like structures, but may well have originated its use politically. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse Books Coercion Dominionism DougCoe FellowshipFoundation Hillary Clinton HillaryClinton History JeffSharlet Religion ReligiousRight Rescued Scandals The Family TheFamily _491127 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:44:40 +0000 Hillary Clinton member of "cell church" run by "The Family" https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/490211/-Hillary-Clinton-member-of-cell-church-run-by-The-Family?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor There has been quite a lot of writing recently on Talk to Action (and today in regards to a secretive political dominionist group known as "The Fellowship" or "The Family"--especially in relation to an upcoming book by Jeff Sharlet (titled The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power--you can pre-order <a href="http://www.powells.com/biblio/62-9780060559793-0">here</a>) which threatens to blow the  "Family Secret" wide open. Frederick Clarkson here on DailyKos has <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/4/145233/7447/590/466231">recently reported</a> on an NBC News report--along with a recent Mother Jones article re Sherlet's book--which give disturbing confirmation to something I've suspected for a time: Namely, that "The Family" uses a particularly abusive "discipling and shepherding" model common in neopentecostal dominionist cell churches. The abusive tactics could have major implications politically--especially as Sharlet's book has noted that no less than Hillary Clinton is a member of one of the cell-churches linked to "The Family". rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) Abuse Books Coercion Dominionism DougCoe Hillary Clinton HillaryClinton History JeffSharlet Religion ReligiousRight Scandals The Family TheFamily _490211 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:24:13 +0000 "Watchmen On The Walls" hategroup embraced by Assemblies as a whole https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/10/473692/--Watchmen-On-The-Walls-hategroup-embraced-by-Assemblies-as-a-whole?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor As one of my continuing "side series" (along with the Gothard research), I've been writing up on the <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/17/165640/10">virulently anti-LGBT "Joel's Army" group "Watchmen At The Walls"</a>--a group linked with no less than one death and multiple assaults as well as an attempted progrom against a Pride parade in Riga, Latvia, and which is now <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/type.jsp?DT=26">officially listed as a hate group by Southern Poverty Law Center</a>. One thing I've focused on is <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/10/25/123427/83/312/402430">the rather disturbing official support by Assemblies of God regional head Joseph Fuiten</a>--and those of you who've read my previous articles know <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/10/29/123330/30">Fuiten is far from the only virulently anti-LGBT leader in the Assemblies</a>. Now comes disturbing news that the Assemblies of God may be embracing hate as a whole--it turns out the Latvian head of "Watchmen" was front and center at a major conference of Assemblies preachers in Atlanta recently.  (Apologies to readers--we do have a lot to cover here, so pardon the length.) rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) AssembliesofGod Dominionism Gay Rights gayactivism gayhatecrime GayRights GLBT GodsWarriors Hate Speech HateCrimes HateSpeech Immigration Megachurches Pentecostals ReligiousRight Scandals WatchmenAtTheWalls _473692 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:24:24 +0000 New links between racists and PDI Gothard front https://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/27/465198/-New-links-between-racists-and-PDI-Gothard-front?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=dogemperor I've been writing an on-again, off-again series regarding Bill Gothard's hydra of frontgroups--and in particular a little-known Gothard frontgroup called Police Dynamics Institute.  Gothard's legacy of "Bible-based abuse" has gotten major funding from <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/2/7/163753/4705/414/452169">neopentecostal "Daddy Warbucks" of the dominionist movement</a> as well as <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/19/175629/012/188/439174">Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee</a>--and there's links to <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/30/135025/272/115/446342">the very highest levels of government even now</a>. PDI is particularly controversial because <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/28/163659/492/529/444911">the group was designed for backdoor infiltration of public safety departments like police and fire</a>, and also has connections not only to a number of scary "Joel's Army" groups but <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/29/151842/163/927/445554">to the neo-confederate "Christian Exodus"</a>...and it turns out that's not the only racist neo-Confederate group they have ties to. rss@dailykos.com (dogemperor) BillGothard Child Abuse ChildAbuse Cults Dominionism elections 2008 elections2008 GOP Hate Groups HateGroups lawenforcement MikeHuckabee Police presidentialelections2008 ReligiousRight Republican Party RepublicanParty Rescued Scandals SouthCarolina _465198 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:19:59 +0000