Mencken, thou shouldst be living at this hour

[Chip Berlet]

Hi,

See below for answer to Doug Henwood, Todd Archer, and Chris Doss:

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Doug Henwood
> Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2002 1:34 PM
> To: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com
> Subject: RE: Mencken, thou shouldst be living at this hour
>
>
> Chip Berlet recommended:
>
> >http://tentmaker.org/articles/The-Touchstoning_of_Americas_Heart.htm
>
> ...where one reads an unsurprising critique of the filth purveyed by
> Hollywood (with which some Z writers might be in partial agreement!),
> but also a critique of imperialism and greed

<<SNIP>>
>
> So we have something a bit more complicated than standard issue
> Bible-thumping lunacy, and not the sort of armed millenarianism the
> Economist article was talking about. So what do you make of it, Chip?
> Is this kind of thinking widespread?
>
> Doug

Apocalyptic millennialism spans the political spectrum and even infuses some
secular groups. There are many Christian evangelicals and fundamentalists
who oppose greed and crass materialism as un-Biblical; and a few that even
oppose militarism and war. Seamless garment Catholics oppose greed, crass
materialism, war, the death penalty, euthanasia, infanticide, and abortion,
and some are quite apocalyptic.  See:

Daniel Berrigan, Ezekiel: Vision in the Dust, (Maryknoll, New York: Orbis
Books, 1997).

Apocalypse, Revelation, and Prophecy are all related terms.

So not everyone who is apocalyptic is going to turn to armed insurgency.
The FBI and ADL made that mistake, and Matt and I criticised that in our
book on Right-Wing populism because it encourages government repression.

But as for apocalyptic millennialism being a widespread style in certain
Christian subcultures, yes, it is hellzapoppin. And it is a major influence
for Christian Right support for Israel hardline policies.

To answer Todd Archer, there are a number of Christian Right appointees in
the Bush administration, the most high profile being Attorney General
Ashcroft. People for the American Way and Americans United for Separation of
Church and State have issued a number of press releases about specific
trends and a few individuals.  I do not know of a systematic study, but
suspect someone is working on one.

Ashcroft is clearly influenced by apocalyptic millennialism in its most
demonizing form. If you read the literature on apocalyptic millennialism,
you will find that one form is that which sees time as running out in the
battle against evil and which justifies the use of any means necessary in a
pre-emptive strike to stop evil from triumphing.

Sound familiar?

To answer Chris Doss, who said:

= = =

Check out the extremely entertaining leftwing evangelicals at
www.endtimesnetwork.com (they think US capitalism is the Beast of
Revelation).

= = =

I love reading the Antipas Ministry folks who run the end times network, but
the are hardly left-wing.  On their own website they proudly proclaim they
are neither left-wing nor right-wing. These are anti-elite populists infused
with apocalyptic millennialism. Don't you love it that they cite C. Wright
Mills?  But they are more complicated and really want the church back on the
right road so that Jesus can return and run the show. Their main goal is
converting as many people as possible to Jesus before the ship sinks (the
Apocalypse). Not generally a left-wing agenda.  But as you say, they are
extremely entertaining, and their critique of capitalism and militarism is
often wonderful.

-Chip Berlet