Battlecry: Why the Christian Far-Right is Still Wrong : NM IMC

They held it just after 3:30, a the Civic Center in downtown Albuquerque.

To say the least, numbers on both sides were truly lacking. We were the only ones who showed up to protest them, my fiancee, a good friend of ours, a couple of friends from a local collective, and my twin daughters. You could count the Battlecry members on your hands and feet.

For the uninitiated, Battlecry is an extremist Christian youth movement whose aim is to let the media know that they're sick of being confronted with images of soft-porn and violence at the hands of corporations, and their founder, Ron Luce, says that millions of teens have answered "God's call" in taking up the "battle for the next generation". They say "We are warriors!" when the only fighting most of them have done is the struggle over which clothes to wear.

It seems we have a common cause, but here below, we do it differently. I will not deny that "A stealthy enemy has infiltrated our country and is preying upon the hearts and minds of 33 million American teens. Corporations, media conglomerates, and purveyors of popular culture have spent billions to seduce and enslave our youth. So far, the enemy is winning. But there is plenty we can do. We need to take action. We need to answer the Battle Cry. " (1)

But...I don't believe these people have heard of something called a remote control. Or an off button. See, they want the world to change for THEM, imposing their theocratic style of living on us, who wish none of it. *CLICK* It's that easy. But does this group address how the corporate media incessantly lies and smears people? Of how it distorts the truth to suit Bush & Co.? Or of how the media insists on NOT covering the events that may truly change the course of things? Uh, nope....

Where was this group in protesting the injustices in Atenco, in Darfur, in Panama? Or here in the good ol-U.S. of A.? They talk about how the media and the corporate world represses them, but yet they say nothing of the repressive theocratic attitude that drives this movement.

The answer to their problems of an in-your-face media, consumerism, and other problems is simple as not swallowing the lie, and of searching for the truth. But they don't want that. They believe in returning to the "Christian values that this nation was founded upon", and they want you to join them! Which is odd, as I thought the common laws of this nation were founded by pre-Christian English tribal law.

The website forums suggest that we who protest the insidious fascism behind this movement must be following the "lies of Satan". Such rhetoric is made and adhered to by weak-minded sheep, not by those who know better.

For such a loving, peaceful religion, this movement smacks of militarism and organization seen in another place: 1930's Germany.

I don't believe that many of the members there in Albuquerque knew just how militant the movement is. To them, it seemed like another prayer group. To us, and to many who can see what is really going on, it's a frightening turn of events in which faith is a weapon, and its tenets call for the imposition of these so-called values upon the unwilling, the different, the homosexual, the pagan, the leftist.

A religion that teaches peace and forgiveness at the expense of militarism and oppressive economic influence fails in its mission. My ancestors, had the Spanish not conquered them, would have found that out the hard way. Dominionism at the expense of religion is sure to fail, either in its construction or at the hands of the people who sooner or later dissent.

The reason I brought my kids out there is because I remind myself that the choice of religion will be up to them. It is scary to think of the bait-and-switch preach tactics of these groups will be experienced by my own children. If they want to follow their dad's beliefs, or their mother's, fine. If they want to convert to Christianity, fine. But it is THEIR choice. Not mine to make, not any of their peers to make, and certainly not for Ron Luce to make.

Make no mistake: Ron Luce, Jerry Falwell, and other neo-cons would like to take away that choice. What they call neo-liberalism in the Other Mexico is what we call neo-conservatism here in America.

From the Other Albuquerque, Anthony Moss.

1.)http://battlecry.com/crisis.php