Max Blumenthal: Tom Delay Ready for the Rapture
Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour from huffpost and Vimeo.
The Huffington Post's Max Blumenthal, whom you may remember brought us "Generation Chickenhawk: The
Unauthorized College Republican Convention Tour", takes his cameras to the "politically extreme" Christians United for Israel's annual Washington-Israel Summit, where plenty of people are preparing for the end of times.
Says Blumenthal: "...CUFI has an ulterior agenda: its support for Israel derives from the belief of [San Antonio-based megachurch pastor John] Hagee and his flock that Jesus will return to Jerusalem after the battle of Armageddon and cleanse the earth of evil. In the end, all the non-believers - Jews, Muslims, Hindus, mainline Christians, etc. - must convert or suffer the torture of eternal damnation. Over a dozen CUFI members eagerly revealed to me their excitement at the prospect of Armageddon occurring tomorrow."
Tons o' fun!
Rapture Ready: The Unauthorized Christians United for Israel Tour [huffington post]
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A Visit to the College Republican National Convention [tr]
Politicians React to Ann Coulter Gay Slur and CPAC Events [tr]
Max Blumenthal is a fucking GENIUS!!! I especially loved the interpretive dance at the end.
Posted by: JR | Jul 26, 2007 3:47:57 PM
OH yes! The rapture! I always find that the clergy I fuck are in rapture, especially if I rim their assholes before I fuck them good, they find rapture...then they cum good and go home to the wife and kiddies.
Posted by: Bostonian Queer in Dallas | Jul 26, 2007 3:54:19 PM
Wow...isn't it amazing that these people who believe all this hocus pocus of the second coming and prophecies, who feel like they are ready for the rapture "tomorrow" are also the ones who worry that gay marriage, telletubbies, and Harry Potter are going to ruin society. Why worry, if they're ready for the rapture.
That was a little scary bit about the Muslims equated as Satan, the support for the invasion of Iran, and the dancer at the end.
So is Tony Blaire or Jimmy Carter the anti-christ? Jeesh!
Posted by: Kyle | Jul 26, 2007 4:06:57 PM
These people are serious as a heart attack, unfortunately. They just don't see (or don't care) that they're acting like utter fools.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 26, 2007 4:12:17 PM
These people are just like the Muslim jihadists who look forward to their 72 black-eyed perpetual virgins in heaven after death. They have taking the "Book of Revelation" literally - a document written in exile by a senile and probably schizophrenic man who had a real beef with the Romans - and they lick their lips in anticipation of the death and destruction that their "Prince of Peace" will bring with his "second coming".
Quite frankly, the vision these people have of Jesus is absurd and not "biblical". Jesus is not recorded as having said anything about his "return" involving wars and anti-christs and the like. Most of this apocalystic nonsense was invented in the Middle Ages (if I recall correctly) when it was felt that the end of time was at hand and that the battles against the Muslims who occupied Jerusalem and who had attacked Europe were against the forces of Satan.
It would be almost as if they were taking the "Harry Potter" novels as literal, actual events instead of the fantasy fiction they are.
The amount of sheer idiocy required to adopt this worldview in the 21st century is astounding. One must ignore everything that is known about science, history and common sense in order to swallow the load of horseshit that these people dish out.
Perhaps it's time that people like Tom Delay, Hagee and the other organizers of this event are given some long-overdue psychiatric evaluations and maybe a long stay in a nice, quiet padded room where they will be safe from the demons that the believe haunt their world.
Posted by: Jonathon | Jul 26, 2007 4:13:36 PM
Oh look Andy is poking fun of Christians again. I know these people are on the extreme, but I'm Christian and I just feel like Andy just lumps us all into one crazy pile. It's hard enough being gay but it's really hard to be gay and Christian. A little tolerance please.
Posted by: Jarrod | Jul 26, 2007 4:19:39 PM
What I find most amusing about Max's transparent video is in the fact that he mentions that thousands came to see Hagee, but Blumenthal chose a very select portion of the "flock" to interview for his piece.
Anyone who knows Blumenthal's point of view on matters of organized religion, the Christian Right and Republicanism/Conservatism, would expect this from him, and he did not fail to be predictable.
Maybe Max can now show you an edit of more footage, with the doctors, lawyers, small business owners, teachers, scientists and the literally thousands of others who were there who were not speaking from an uneducated perspective and who were not doing interpretive dance in the aisles, and show that there is a movement of people who do not subscribe to "the rapture" and just believe that god's-will will be revealed one day, and until then, our lot is to work together for a common goal of survival.
Max forgot to include Hagee's comment while holding his friend Rabbi Aryeh Sheinbaum, an Orthodox rabbi from San Antonio when asked about eschatology, "we both know that one day when we're dancing in the streets of Jerusalem together, one of us will have to seriously reevaluate our beliefs."
That said to anyone else listening, that while Hagee is indeed a Christian and holds to the belief in Christ, he does acknowledge that maybe he does not everything and that God's design is still truly unknown.
Max, an honest reporter would try to stay honest, but one with an agenda will always only find the facts that support his ends.
Posted by: Johnny | Jul 26, 2007 4:32:25 PM
Jarrod,
I don't think Andy is poking fun at ALL Christians. He's just points to groups that promote hate and intollerance as this video clearly shows the people from CUFI doing (did you catch that dude with the anti-gay t-shirt?).
It's like watching the network coverage of the pride parades each year seeing them focus on the guy in assless chaps (not that there's anything wrong with that). The guy in assless chaps doesn't represent all gays, but he's just having a little fun.
I know the people from CUFI don't represent all Christians, but what they believe in is frightening - non Christian-like ideologies.
Though not religious at all, one of my favorite quotes is attributed to Christ:
"Blessed are you when men reproach you, and persecute you, and
speaking falsely, say all manner of evil against you, for my sake."
I can't ever believe that these self-righteous bastards from CUFI are blessed at all.
Posted by: Kyle | Jul 26, 2007 4:35:39 PM
Jarrod. I respect your faith, but you gotta admit, these people are FRIGHTENING! They need to be exposed and stopped. They are meeting to ultimately influence foreign policy to ensure the Armageddon outcome!
To put it another way, alot of Christians think that all gays are "of satan." I guess this is all guilt by association. SO, you'll have to develop a thicker skin and be satisfied that you are OK with your own Christian heart, regardless of the slings and arrows.
Posted by: RJVegas | Jul 26, 2007 4:35:50 PM
Please Christians are crazy, Adam and Eve? Noah's Arc?
Posted by: Jersey | Jul 26, 2007 4:46:55 PM
Still think Christianity is harmless? All a person has to do to know the correct answer is take one look at these nuts and you'll KNOW the answer intuitively...
Posted by: Robert In WeHo | Jul 26, 2007 5:15:05 PM
Hmmm, this may be a small group of Christians, but, Christian churches are for the most part anti-gay. There are a FEW examples where this is not the case, but I've had about all I can take of the "unconditional" love of Christianists and their ilk. And then there are the goups like this one that advocate war and suffering on others are really whacked.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 26, 2007 5:20:23 PM
Hmmm, this may be a small group of Christians, but, Christian churches are for the most part anti-gay. There are a FEW examples where this is not the case, but I've had about all I can take of the "unconditional" love of Christianists and their ilk. And then there are the goups like this one that advocate war and suffering on others are really whacked.
Posted by: Brad | Jul 26, 2007 5:20:33 PM
If we were to revise the Bible for 2007, what would it say?
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Jul 26, 2007 5:33:55 PM
Thought for the day: if the Bible is the Word of God, that does not mean he meant it to be taken literally.
Posted by: anon (gmail.com) | Jul 26, 2007 5:35:32 PM
Christ almighty I love Max Blumenthal. Everything I've seen from him is so great. I'd blow him in a second just to show my gratitude.
Posted by: designer_man | Jul 26, 2007 5:40:56 PM
Please Johnny,
Looks like you're seeing just what you want to see, just as you accuse Max of doing. Did Max not include Hagee's denial of belief in eschatology?
And sorry again, I am sure Max could have spent all day there finding crazy if he wasn't removed from the premises.
Sorry, no one needs to help that group looking loony, as if Doctors and Lawyers could never believe in the Rapture and turning of Jews anyway.
Posted by: Marco | Jul 26, 2007 5:51:14 PM
Given all the horror and heartache that Christians have wrought upon the world in the name of whatever version of Jesus they happen to believe in at the time, I think that a little ridicule on Towleroad is pretty insignificant.
I have no tolerance for the intolerant. It's a survival mechanism that I've learned over the years, and it is pretty easily justified. I am a Christian too, but I have no interest in aligning myself with these people. If Jarrod and guys like him want to, then that's fine... but they need to be ready to take the heat if they're going to self-identify with those who dish it out.
Posted by: Brian | Jul 26, 2007 5:52:18 PM
Posted by: designer_man | Jul 26, 2007 5:40:56 PM
I second that. Even sloppy seconds,
Posted by: Marco | Jul 26, 2007 5:53:52 PM
I like the Homer Simpson approach to the rapture:
"Allah, Buddha, Jesus... I love you all!"
Why hedge your bets? Somebody's right and somebody's wrong. We just don't know who.
Posted by: John | Jul 26, 2007 6:05:30 PM
everybody is welcome to believe whatever fairytale they choose to but i don't have to respect their loony beliefs... and when they use those childish, wacked-out theories to justify denying me my civil rights or to blow up the planet to fulfill some crazy prophecy, then i have MAJOR issues with them... and don't give me that "i'm only loony-lite" crap.. if you're buying into it, you're part of the problem.
Posted by: el polacko | Jul 26, 2007 6:51:51 PM
Johnny,
I'm sorry but any lawyer or doctor or educated person that sits in that session and applauds the nuking of an entire nation of people to bring forth the Second Coming of Christ should have piles of ridicule and criticism poured onto them. Period. I live/work in DC and in my job am quite familiar with this organization and sadly, they are a fast growing group. Next year at their conference, they will no longer fit into the Wardman Park Marriott alone (largest convention hotel in DC), but will grow into the Convention Center itself. We can laugh and joke about these people as if they are ridiculous but they have a following and money and influence. And so long as we have the leadership we do in this country, I would never second guess their influence.
Posted by: Anon E. Mouse | Jul 26, 2007 7:56:33 PM
entertaining but i don't see what the big deal is...pretty much all religions believe that their way is the way, and that non believers will not get the same rewards they will. as far as the eschatology goes, its one of many things espoused by organized religion of all types that doesn't make any particular sense. the bible was written by man, and is as flawed as man, as was the torah, as was the koran, as was the book of mormon, as was dianetics, on and on. these people don't seem particularly offensive in terms of their embrace of extreme passages from their particular book, or at least not in contrast to any other. as far as their impact on america's policy towards the genocidal state of israel, i don't think they have any more impact than other lobbying organizations. the bottom line is, as we have seen, when moneyed interests determine it is to their financial advantage for the us to overthrow a political regime in order to ensure that they have infrastructure on the ground to make profits, then the us will do so. the decision to invade and bomb iran will be based solely on that, and not the actions or words of any religious organization. additionally, i didn't see that they were trying to hide anything about their agenda. so, he makes a lot of money off his ministry? yeah, thats not news. so do the heads of glaad and hrc. so they didn't want this guy at their conference and had him escorted out? again, not a big deal. they had the right to do that, just as i'm sure when hrc holds their annual dinner, they escort out the people they don't agree with. it makes sense, and it's smart, and its what you do. big whoop.
on another note, i wonder how many people reading this flinched a little when they realized that they voted for joe lieberman in. interesting fellow...
Posted by: dan | Jul 26, 2007 8:54:35 PM
Sorry, Jonathon is wrong, this world destroying Rapture crap was a product of the second great awakening in 19th century USA -- liars and frauds who begot and promoted premillenial dispensationalism. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapture for more. How insane that such fairy tales now threaten the world.
Posted by: Tom | Jul 26, 2007 9:49:38 PM
The problem is not that over 40 million Americans believe in the rapture and think Armagedon will come in their life time. The problem is that A) these people get to VOTE and B) America has the most powerful arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.
Don't you see the repurcussions? Or you think that these people's fanaticism is any less scary than that of the virgin-believing, allah-praising sexually repressed, suicide committing muslims?
The rapture ready christians don't need to strap bombs on their body because they have one of them as the commander in chief who has the entire military at his disposal!
Posted by: ReasonBased | Jul 26, 2007 11:57:21 PM