THE AMERICAN TALIBAN

Violent religious extremism is not new in this country. These people have been working here for decades. Their statements have been in numerous magazines and, believe it or not, some even have their own television programs broadcast inside our own country.

We have not been listening. The following are direct quotes from some of the most hateful and dangerous among them.

1. "Individual Muslims are the only ones really... that are qualified to have the reign, because hopefully, they will be governed by God and submit to Him."
--television program, January 11, 1985

2."The wars of extermination have given a lot of people trouble unless they know what was going on." "God (said) to kill them all -- men, women and children, to destroy them. And that seems to be a terrible thing to do. Is it? Or isn't it?" "Well, let us assume there were 2,000 of them, or 10,000 of them living in the land... "Well, that would seem hard, wouldn't it? That would be 10,000 people who would probably go to Hell. But, if they stayed and reproduced, in 30 or 40 or 50 or 60 or 100 more years, they could conceivably be -- 10,000 would go to a 100,000 -- 100,000 could conceivably go to a million. And then, there would be a million people who would have to spend eternity in Hell! And it's far more merciful to take away a few than to see in the future a 100 years down the road, and say, 'Well, I have to take away a million people that would forever be apart from God, ' ... "So, God, in love, took away a small number that he might not have to take away a large number."
--television program, May 6, 1985

3. "I want to be invisible. I do guerrilla warfare. I paint my face and travel at night. You don't know it's over until you're in a body bag."
-- Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 11/9/91

4."The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation."
-- New York Magazine, August 18, 1986

5. "I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over you. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good...Our goal is a Muslim nation. We have a Biblical duty, we are called by God, to conquer this country."
-- The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 8-16-93

6. "There will never be world peace until God's house and God's people are given their rightful place of leadership at the top of the world."
-- New World Order, a book on the theological takeover of the world

7. "God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give them probably what they deserve."
-- television program, September 13, 2001

8. "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Islam."
-- internet e-zine, September 12, 2001

Why hasn't there been a cry of outrage? Maybe because these were all made by good American "Christians".

1. Pat Robertson, The 700 Club, January 11, 1985. I only changed the word Christian to Muslim. pdf file

2. Pat Robertson again, The 700 Club, May 6, 1985.

3. Ralph Reed, former Christian Coalition executive director and senior consultant to governor George W Bush's presidential campaign - Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, 11/9/91

4. Pat Robertson, New York Magazine, August 18, 1986.

5. Randall Terry, head of Operation Rescue, -- The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 8-16-93. I swapped Christian for Muslim again.

6. New World Order is a book by Pat Robertson.

7. Jerry Falwell, The 700 Club, September 13, 2001. The words 'us' and 'we' were changed to 'them' and 'they'.

8. Ann Coulter, in the National Review Online, September 12, 2001. Again, only the word Christianity was changed to Islam.

There is no difference in mindset between these people and the fanatics that attacked our country. It is not beyond belief that many of Robertson's followers would be willing to fly a plane into a building if they believed it would help make the United States an officially Christian country. Falwell said directly that the U.S. deserved the attack. The Patriot "Movement", probably responsible for the anthrax letters, is basically a right-wing Christian extremist movement, many if not most of the groups headed by "clergy" types. And why do you think the KKK burns crosses?

Religion is personal.
Politics is public.
Oppose religious extremism.
Oppose religion in politics.

Talk about it. Send letters to your newspapers. Don't let our own Taliban gain more influence by exploiting this horrendous event.