Republicans' Growing Enthusiasm For Tearing Down Church-State Wall

"American Theocracy"

Kevin Phillips

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/american-theocracy-by-kevin-phillips.html

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Alan: In the absence of intellectual rigor and studious investigation of history, the "idea" of theocracy seems inimitably sublime. 

Imagine! 

Putting God Himself in charge. 

Such humility! Such devotion! Such godly submission to The King of Kings. 

Lamentably, theocracy provides common cover for projecting human prejudice onto God "Himself." 

Once theocracy is established, it becomes increasingly self-reinforcing, "true believers" at liberty to construe Divine Will and Divine Judgment as coincident with their own feelings and convictions. 

Theocracy's persistent contempt for "infidels" results in dispossession, injury and slaughter rained down on anyone outside the fold - anyone not "chosen" - anyone who will not submit to the imposition of (presumed) Truth.

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"Santorum, Savonarola And The Pending Apocalypse Of The Republican Party"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/02/santorum-savonarola-and-pending.html

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Republicans show growing enthusiasm for tearing down the wall between church and state.

Christopher Ingraham

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"The terrible thing about our time is precisely the ease with which theories can be put into practice.  The more perfect, the more idealistic the theories, the more dreadful is their realization.  We are at last beginning to rediscover what perhaps men knew better in very ancient times, in primitive times before utopias were thought of: that liberty is bound up with imperfection, and that limitations, imperfections, errors are not only unavoidable but also salutary. The best is not the ideal.  Where what is theoretically best is imposed on everyone as the norm, then there is no longer any room even to be good.  The best, imposed as a norm, becomes evil.”  

"Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander,” by Trappist monk, Father Thomas Merton

More Merton Quotes

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/04/merton-best-imposed-as-norm-becomes.html

Alan: Theocrats do not believe in Democracy - certainly not in majority rule.
Typically, theocrats are unaware of their opposition to democratic process, convinced that "God's Truth" -- under their careful guidance -- will become fully apparent to everyone, except those who deserve death, or better yet, eternal damnation. 

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Aristotle On Democracy - "Rule By The Needy"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/03/aristotle-on-democracy-rule-by-needy.html