While at Oral Roberts, Bachmann worked as a research assistant for one of the professors, John Eidsmoe. She has brought up his influence on the campaign trail, telling one audience in Iowa this year that he "taught me so many aspects of our godly heritage."
Eidsmoe's 1987 book, Christianity and the Constitution, tells Christians that "they need to get politically active and they need to get involved with the legal system and they need to make sure American law is more biblically based," says Lizza. "That's what the book ends on, a clarion call for his students to get involved. ... Eidsmoe is someone who believes American law should be based on the Bible. He believes that the United States is a Christian nation, should remain a Christian nation and that our politics and our law should be permeated by one's Christian faith."
"For a number of years, Michele Bachmann's personal website had a list of books she recommended people read. It was called 'Michelle's must-read list.' I was looking over the list and noticed this biography of Lee by Wilkins. [I had] never heard of Wilkins and started looking at who he was. And frankly couldn't believe that she was recommending this book." "Wilkins has combined a Christian conservatism with neo-confederate views and developed what is known as the theological war thesis.
This is an idea that says the best way to understand the Civil War is to see it in religious terms, and [that] the South was an Orthodox Christian nation attacked by the godless North and that what was really lost after the Civil War was one of the pinnacles of Christian society. This insane view of the Civil War has been successfully injected into some of the Christian home-schooling movement curriculums with the help of [Wilkins]. My guess is this is how she encountered the guy at some point. ... She recommended this book on her website for a number of years. It is an objectively pro-slavery book and one of the most startling things I learned about her in this piece."
Wow! And here I thought Sarah Palin was the craziest bat in the belfry!
There is more in that NPR link and I encourage you all to read it.
I have to admit that the part about the South being a Christian bastion against the godless North left me slack jawed. But do you know what? That is exactly the same kind of language that we are now seeing coming out of the Teabaggers, so I guess it does make some kind of batshit crazy sense.
it bothers me that there is all of this controversy about Michelle's photo on the cover of Newsweek. The actual cover was not photoshopped - she posed for it.
ReplyDeleteUnlike the disrespectful covers of President Obama - with the clown face.
Isn't it more sexist to distort a woman's appearance to make her look more attractive than reality?
In the 70's I lived in Cleveland, Ohio. There were a few co-workers who had mixed marriages..black men with white wives. At first you may have seen color but after just a short time you saw personalities....
ReplyDeleteI learned a whole lot about myself.
One of the startling statements one of the black men made was: "Down South they hate you to your face and up North they hate you behind your back". Hmmmmmmmmmm
I heard part of it. Excellent interview. Still haven't heard ANYTHING anywhere but NPR about the ALEC group and their influence peddling though.(hint hint Gryph)
ReplyDeleteThe Christian bastion is not limited to the south and it is a mistake to assume that. Consider the abortion fight in Kansas, the straw poll projections in Iowa, the Mormons in Utah, the mega churches in California, the gay marriage vote in California. The evangelical threat is nationwide and must be opposed everywhere.
ReplyDeleteBill
http://tinyurl.com/4x4lxvh Did you see this? OT= Palin
ReplyDeleteIt is time, by God, for the 'churches' to pay taxes.
ReplyDeleteThey lost the right to be UNtaxed when they began interjecting themselves into the 'state'.
Loved Floyd Orr's book, "Paradigm Shift." The Southern Strategy. It's been building for YEARS.
ReplyDeleteThe writer interviewed on Terry Gross of Fresh Air yesterday just wrote about all this in a New Yorker piece - I highly recommend everybody read that because you will finally have your list of talking points you can use to persuade family members, friends, etc. who might still be under the delusion that Michelle is a "smart cookie" or whatever.
ReplyDeleteOne of the striking parts of the interview for me was how her "former tax litigator" street cred is pretty much blown to bits. After law school she worked for five years in a tax office but spent so much time out on maternity leave (with two pregnancies) and dealing with her kids that SIX other people only remember her as a slacker, unmotivated, and woefully unintelligent during the time she worked there. She went right from there to raising foster kids (making loads of money from the government for doing so) and then later began running for local political office, which started her political career.
So she basically has zero experience doing anything except daycare. (Not that there's anything wrong with being a mom; I'm just saying, don't buy her "former tax litigator" career spiel. She never had a career.)
Another very telling part of the interview reveals how she has followed certain inspirational Christian writers who flat out tell you not to believe ideas presented to you by "Non-believers" (i.e. non fundamental Christians) because they are being misled by Satan. So she is very unwilling to listen to any ideas or facts that counteract her worldview. Not what you want in a politician.
She really missed her calling as a minister.
Michele, you were just a weirdo from some random congressional district in Minnesota. You said some very embarrassing and alarming things as a sitting elected official, but you were harmless.
ReplyDeleteNow your elevated stature within the Tea Party and seeking the highest office of the land exposes you for the false resume you peddle, foster home exaggerates, government subsidy abuses and whack-job Dominionism is exposed.
You will shrivel on the the Election 2012 vine. May you not only lose the Primary, but may you lose your precious District and be relegated to the field of washed-up, has-been-wanna-be, you know, like that faux politico Sarah Palin?
I lived in Michelle's District. She started a crazy charter school, she tried to have her crazies take over the school board, she went door to door telling people outrageous lies about the objective-based school curriculum (she came to my door), etc. This doesn't even include hiding in the bushes at a gay rally (photos available) or telling police that a tiny former nun was trying to attack her in a bathroom when the constituent was only trying to ask her a question.
ReplyDeletePalin and Bachmann are both cold calculating, nasty and narcissistic while wrapped in relatively attractive packages. Neither one of them can keep staffers and are considered bat shit crazy by their party. The only thing they are good at is self promotion. The only differences are that Michelle actually believes the extreme religious viewpoints she spouts and has a family that isn't dysfunctional like the Palin clan. Palin pretends to be a believer and family values candidate in order to attract attention.
The 'godless' North founded by Quakers who left England because of religious persecution and their sense that Europe was godless and still deeply entrenched in Protestant philosophy by the time of the Civil War? Is that the godless North of which her idol speaks?
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think we still call it the Wo-ah of Nawthren Aggression???
ReplyDeleteBlade has an interesting post on "Sarah's Scandals" today.
ReplyDeleteBachmann, much like her conjoined twin Palin, believes a lot of crazy shit.
ReplyDeleteI believe, also like Palin, that she wouldn't have gotten as far as she has today without the benefit of a (somewhat) pretty face. (Ignoring the batshit crazy eye thing).
I heard on Keith Olberman's show from a reporter that her number one concern several years ago was her anti gay agenda. She actually would say that gays could "indoctrinate" kids into their "lifestyle."
Between all the crazy shit she says, her clearly biased ultra conservative "Christian" agenda, and her mindless quest for power, I believe that she is actually more of a threat than Palin. She can speak somewhat coherently and she's not afraid to tell outright lies to any media outlet, unlike Palin who hides behind the skirts of Fox and the curtain of Facebook.
The fact that she's an actual contender (even leading the polls) as a republican candidate tells me two things: The republican party is off the rails certifiably crazy and the Mayans may have been right about that 2012 thingy.
Gles 4:12
ReplyDeleteYes, and even if everyone is white southerners are nice to your face but you never know if they like you or not. In the north, you know.
This information makes perfect sense to me. Prior to the Civil War, religion was used to prop up the practice of slavery.
ReplyDeleteNot surprisingly, the bible has many passages about how women should submit to men, and slaves to their masters.
Especially the old testament supports an authoritative, patriarchal system often based on "tribal" affiliations, and brutally enforced by stoning, beating, etc.
"Freedom of speech" did not exist in the south at that time, as preachers that argued for a Christ that embraced all men as brothers were literally run out of town.
You may recall the recent "pledge" Michele Bachmann signed that originally had a passage that implied that black people had it "better" under slavery because of the lack of access to legal, safe abortions. WTF??
Our history books do not reflect how really nasty "King Cotton" was in the south, or these right-wing harpies would not be running to their bible AGAIN to try to wrest control over those uppity woman and colored people.
.....and with all these truly crazy people who are actually in the position to become contenders I cannot believe there were enough normal, intelligent, good people to elect our President. I have to keep believing that we will not give this country up to the the ones who wish to destroy our constitution. Thank you Gryph for helping to expose the worst of them.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between MB and SP?
ReplyDeleteMB is certifiably crazy, psycho, and a dominionist believer to the core.
SP is simply a narcissistic grifter, latching on to catch words and ideas only when they bring money into her pocket.
So MB is scarier than SP because she has been elected and re-elected to a political office.
SP is just a scam artist really, in another world she would be running rigged cards games on the streets of NYC or working in a carnival on some rigged game.
FOIA requests!!!
ReplyDeleteFor all the lies and hate filled rants that Bachmann directs towards Obama, the EPA, the stimulus, etc.
FOIA requests were sent to 3 agencies and looky see what surfaced!!
Bachmann, like others spewing the hate with forked tongue, the FOIA exposes the many requests Bachmann submitted for stimulus funds up the ying yang.
Link to Sam Stein (Huff) exposing Bachmann which we know if questioned, she will play evasive like she has on so many topics and questions. She, like Palin are like slimy snakes!!! But we know that!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/10/michele-bachmann-stimulus_n_922851.html#comments
de
@4:45 Hammer & a Feather: Not all churches preach politics from the pulpit. I agree that those that do (and that would include the entire Catholic Church since the Pope sticks his nose in politics) should lose their tax exemption under current politics.
ReplyDeleteHOwever, I'm not opposed to eliminating the religious tax exemption altogether. Then we don't have to define religion. If God will provide, he'll provide for taxes too.
At least Sarah ghost written fb posts are accurate and spot on revelations.
ReplyDeleteMichelles mentor is a MAN who believes the bible is law. A Man WOULD believe that considering men were the only ones with power then.
Irony.
6:09am. Agree! After returning from a trip to South Carolina, I was telling a friend who originally came from South Carolina how friendly and hospitable everyone was. She said, "Never assume that gracious hospitality is meant sincerely. Most laugh behind the backs of every Northern."
ReplyDeleteSomebody from Bachmann's team had to approve the photo for the cover. Maybe it was approved by someone wanting the world to see what a lunatic she really is??
ReplyDeleteYou see, slavery was justified because it's in the bible. In fact, God says it's not only fine and dandy, but a good thing (the Mormons used the same argument about polygamy). Which is why the Confederates were convinced they were going to win--because they had God on their side and were fighting for freedom (um, their own). Read their diaries and letters from the first year of the war, and they sound just like today's Teabaggers. After that, the letters get really depressing because God had forsaken them, everyone they loved was dying and they were all understandably in a serious state of grief.
ReplyDeleteI have been ignorant of the beliefs of the evangelical base that are so extreme. Much of what Bachman, Palin and the like spout has special meaning to their base inclusive that the constitution was based on the 10 commandments.
ReplyDeleteIt is these extremists seeking to transform America to a pure like minded Christian dominion.
Godless north? I am stunned!
Wow. Now it's understood why they make these subtle references about the good old days during slavery. I really hope this exposes her beliefs and throws her out of the race.
ReplyDeleteI'm tired of hearing these self-professed christians love the old testament ways, owning slaves, eye for an eye, etc.
If Michele Bachmann really really professes her faith, a simple way to see that is by the one golden rule that Jesus commanded, "Love your neighbor as yourself". To treat others as one would have others treat them.
The barbarianism of the slave trade is not a christian principle. Neither is owning people against their wills. Don't believe it when she and her ilk claim they are christians. Without having read the material and book by this Wilkins, I hear this subtle vein of "the old ways or the highway" rant with the tea party. Dangerous.
This is a great John Stewart segment on the New Week Cover. Enjoy.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-9-2011/glazed-and-confused
A relative of mine was talking about when they moved to North Carolina for a job change. One of their new neighbors came over and introduced himself. He said that there were two kinds of yankees--'Yankees' and 'Damn Yankees'. 'Yankees' are the ones that return to the north and 'Damn Yankees' are the ones who stay in the south.
ReplyDeleteSarah or Michele....which one's crazier? Help. I don't know the answer. Please vote.
ReplyDeleteScary stuff. I too have often wondered about southern hospitality. It feels fake and now I know it is fake. They must really, really dislike West Coasters.
ReplyDelete@7:04 - Irony is the fact that you post on here day ad night (where your pro-Sarah opinions have no value) and everyone laughs at you behind your back.
ReplyDeleteBiblical passages were used in ante-bellum times to justify enslavement of black-skinned and dark-skinned people. It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the Bible is the source of some extremely inhumane notions. The Koran has nothing on the Bible as a prompt for crazy people to do wrong on a monumental scale.
ReplyDeleteWe were taught this view of the Civil War for a semester as part of junior-year American history at the small dominionist school I attended in Colorado Springs in the late 80s/early 90s. (Sorry for the run-on sentence.) Until now, I had no idea this theory had ever been published (we had no textbook--our principal/history teacher dictated notes to us out of a three-ring binder) or disseminated beyond a few crackpots. When I tell people we learned this in school, they're horrified. And I'm horrified in retrospect.
ReplyDeleteOh they do, Anon @8:12! I live in SC and had a friend whose daughter had to move to California. She hated every minute of it and couldn't wait to get away from all those people that lived there! She is now back in SC and living her racist hate-filled life!
ReplyDeleteNancyB in SC
I personally thought the Newsweek picture made her look better than she usually does. Her eyes are just loony tune crazy most pictures.
ReplyDeleteFrank Schaeffer's follow-up article is posted on Alternet.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.alternet.org/teaparty/151960/michele_bachmann_was_inspired_by_my_dad_and_his_christian_reconstructionist_friends_--_here%27s_why_that%27s_terrifying/?page=entire
Mkay, so what's up with the two cover photos?
ReplyDeleteWhich one is doctored?
[er rather photoshopped these days]
--GypsyGirl
Matt Taibbi wrote an extensive article about Bachmann in the July 7-21 issue of Rolling Stone as well. It's also a must-read and is available to read on their website if you are not a subscriber. As scary as $carah is she's pretty much a toothless tiger in comparison to MB. I'm beginning to believe that $P was rolled out as an experiment to see how far they could go with mesmerized, hypnotized female puppets and if her baggage proved a bit much for general consumption, they had less-baggage, more dangerous Bachmann waiting in the wings. A woman who appears more 'reasonable' than Paylin but is far more indocrinated and dedicated to establishing a theocracy that would ultimately allow the godless uber rich puppeteers an easier target for political and economic takeover.
ReplyDelete4:30AM
ReplyDeleteIt was photoshopped to make her look 'better'. The wrinkles in her face were removed, her teeth were whitened and her eyes got sparkle.
Did you see any of the other photos that were taken that day? The one they used is the best shot.
Look at recent photos of her - they all look the same.
One of the striking parts of the interview for me was how her "former tax litigator" street cred is pretty much blown to bits.
ReplyDeleteThought that was blown months ago. She only ever had ONE case - she sued a native american indian who made less than $10K working for a non-profit.
"At least Sarah ghost written fb posts are accurate and spot on revelations."
ReplyDeletewhat universe do you live in?
Didn't you already know that all liberals are, by definition, godless. Just because some of us believe we are following Jesus of Nazareth with our social gospel, is totally beside the point. So we have the "godless" North. Now, of course, Alaska is just a wasteland of ice and snow, doncha know?
ReplyDeleteJo at 8:01 a.m., I lived in Georgia for seven years, and there's a saying there: "There are black people, and then there are n---ers." College students and grads are the ones from whom I heard this saying--people who ought to be educated enough to know better.
ReplyDeleteAccording to my (educated at Covenant College on the GA/Tenn border) hs principal, who bought into Wilkins' theory, most slave owners in the south were kind and gentle masters who told their slaves about Jesus, thus enabling them to go to heaven. It's mythology straight out of Eugenia Price's novels. The stories of abuse, rape, families being torn apart, etc., were greatly exaggerated northern propaganda, not depictions of typical slave life and conditions.
By this token, slaves who ran away from their masters were disobeying God's will, and the Quakers and other operators of the underground railroad were also sinning. We never heard, of course, about the religious convictions of those who helped the slaves escape or of people like Harriet Tubman, who from what I recall had profound religious convictions that led her to endanger her freedom and life repeatedly to help others. Fortunately, I had read enough by the time we had this unit of "American history" that I recognized and questioned these discrepancies.
BTW, we were told that the North had no more religious conviction by the time of the Civil War, because everyone with integrity and stamina and motivation had gone West. Not kidding: this is what we were taught. And God allowed the Native Americans to be mostly destroyed because they were "ruining the land."
It's all so INSANE that I don't know how you even counter it. I had read enough actual history by high school that I had a rudimentary BS meter, but most teenagers haven't. And some of my peers weren't allowed to read widely; their parents placed stringent restrictions on what they were allowed to be exposed to.
So
ReplyDeleteMichele Bachmann is an idiot.
She IS the 2012 Elections' Sarah Palin.
A sampling of the thinking from them.
ReplyDeleteMonstrous predictions (UK?):
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/robbins-report/2011/jul/23/oslo-terrorist-his-own-words/
List of victims:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14276074
Picking anyone for office is like picking which STD you want
ReplyDelete