Issue 330 Radical rightist religious fascism May 7, 2014

Even the rightist ideologies are not exempt from this stupidity.  In this case the radicals want a form of religious fascism that all should embrace. Let's go over their ideas.

On Gays:  The radicals here whether they be here in the United States or in another country do not like gays.  They see them as an abomination and in some cases either wish to see them dead or are willing to kill them.  All this anger and hatred over come from their belief in what the Koran, The Bible and similar with respect to "laying with another of the same sex".

Purity:  There are two forms of purity that this group like.  The first is racial/ethnic.  Some believe in the concept of chosen peoples who share some form of racial or ethnic background.  So it can be all white, all Italian, or some other silly example with others being exempt.  Here the purity is partly about genetics and having a clear chosen perfect people that God chose.  

On the other hand there is the religious purity group that believe one must believe in a certain way in order to get into heaven.  So those who deviate can be punished or even silenced by murder.  It is not uncommon for the most radical to completely exile an individual for questioning their authority and thus force a divorce from their spouses and cut off all contact with their families and the rest of the congregation.  The best example of this is from the Westboro Baptist Church where its leader preached hatred of those who did not believe the same and hatred of gays in general.    

It is important to note that the only difference between radical left and right on racial and ideological purity is that leftists have ideologies that take the place of religion.  Otherwise the basic concepts and radicalism is the same.  For instance, the Nazi's are considered fascists from the political right and Communists on the political left.  Russian Communists and German Nazi's in World War II had really one minor difference from each other, that the Nazi's killed millions based on race, while the Communists killed millions based on economic class (or perceived notions of class, such as the Jews being very rich or being from a rich region). So one prefers ideological purity and the other racial.  

Goals:  To impose upon the world (or just their country) a religious fascism that disregards those who disagree.  The best example is Iran with its fascistic State as it kills gays, and would make war with those who disagree with their Shiite version of Islam.  I cannot imagine America becoming the same as that country and I hope we never do, as some in the United States Congress seem to think they can change the Constitution to define marriage and other religious based sacraments to meet their own ends.  

Conclusion:  This form of radicalism is just as dangerous as any and can degrade into a cult.  Obviously not all people of faith (or non-faith) are like this, but people should still be aware of these segment of the population.