Now I've Heard It All

I'm an avid reader - and I've read more than my share of scifi/fantasy literature over the years. (My current novel-du-jour is Margaret George's "Mary, called Magdalene")

When I read Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale", I thought of the fictional "Republic of Gilead" as a slightly disturbing metaphor for religious fundamentalism gone awry. For all that I've wondered aloud about the United States being on the road to becoming a literal realization of that dystopia, I never thought I'd encounter a group actually trying to bring it about. Apparently, an organization called "Christian Exodus" has emerged in the United States with the explicit intent of taking South Carolina out of the Union if they cannot achieve a certain degree of change.

After spending a bit of time roaming about their website, I can only surmise that this is the work of a bunch of loons. Determined loons, but loons nontheless.

These are more of the same people who need to go and read a bit of Bishop John Shelby Spong's works about Christian theology. The sheer vileness of the vitriol that I see coming forth from these neo-fundamentalists is revolting. Where is the "forgiveness" that scripture speaks of? (Oh yes, I forgot - it's conditional - on seeing the world through their perverted perspective - you know the same one that says that women are inferior to men; anyone who is "foreign" is inferior etc.)

*shudder*