Normally I write about technology but the recent murder of Dr. Tiller is on my mind. Since I don't own or watch TV, I get secondhand the things said by various TV news hosts such as Bill O'Reilly. Repeatedly I see them quoted saying the most outlandish hateful untolerant things about specific people. In Why is Tiller's alleged killer doing press conferences? O'Reilly calls Dr. Tiller "Tiller the Killer" and expresses a hope to kill Dr. Tiller. Are those news hosts the primary source of the hatred spewed at people like Dr. Tiller? I think not as the hatred comes from religiously minded hard-liners. People like O'Reilly simply are using controversies for self promotion. I think that instead what we have are religiously minded hard-liners forgetting the teachings of the book and leaders they look to for teaching. Further, there are religiously minded hard-liners of all religions spewing hatred clothed in spiritual teachings, and leading their followers to commit violence in the name of spiritual teachings which universally talk of love, tolerance, acceptance, not violence and hatred.
How can it be that some followers of Jesus see it as being commanded by God that they should spew hatred and murder, that they should pass judgment, etc?
The teaching of Jesus was simple, Love. Love your neighbor, love everything, love, love, love.
Is it love to say hateful things about another, to wish for their murder, and to do so in front of an audience of thousands or millions? Is it love to say hateful things meant to incite violence against another?
The hate talk ascribed to Bill O'Reilly above is really a hallmark of the "Right Wing". There are many hard-liners who spew hatred for anybody who dares live outside their narrowly defined bounds of acceptability. Joan Walsh goes over some of them while asking Can right-wing hate talk lead to murder? Some of the right wing hatred is being aimed at Barak Obama today but they have had other targets at other times. It seems to be a pattern that they focus this hatred on specific people, painting them with rhetoric hoping that some of it sticks.
As another example, How Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories and Fearmongering Led to the Holocaust Memorial Shooting is about a different act of violence by a homegrown domestic terrorist. A man went on a shooting spree at the Holocaust Memorial, and this man was deeply steeped in conspiracy theorizing and had written several books filled with hateful obsession. This article goes on to an excellent description of the behavior patterns here.
As another example, Right-Wing Violence Will Continue, And Fox News Will Have to Answer For It points to the long running pattern of non-acceptance and hate speech being pushed by some news hosts, by some religious figures, by some political leaders, etc.
We have a pattern in this country of non-acceptance clothed in religious teachings that is eating a hole in the fabric of the country. The political rhetoric, for example, shows gaping divisions in the U.S.A. Divisions which need not exist, especially if those supposedly following the teachings of Jesus were to practice love and acceptance.
A couple years ago I wrote about the abuse of religious teachings Establishing control over a society. What I said then seems more true than ever. We have political, religious and entertainment "leaders" abusing the teachings of Jesus, promoting hate and fear, inciting followers to commit violence.
How can it be that some followers of Jesus see it as being commanded by God that they should spew hatred and murder, that they should pass judgment, etc?
The teaching of Jesus was simple, Love. Love your neighbor, love everything, love, love, love.
Is it love to say hateful things about another, to wish for their murder, and to do so in front of an audience of thousands or millions? Is it love to say hateful things meant to incite violence against another?
The hate talk ascribed to Bill O'Reilly above is really a hallmark of the "Right Wing". There are many hard-liners who spew hatred for anybody who dares live outside their narrowly defined bounds of acceptability. Joan Walsh goes over some of them while asking Can right-wing hate talk lead to murder? Some of the right wing hatred is being aimed at Barak Obama today but they have had other targets at other times. It seems to be a pattern that they focus this hatred on specific people, painting them with rhetoric hoping that some of it sticks.
As another example, How Antisemitic Conspiracy Theories and Fearmongering Led to the Holocaust Memorial Shooting is about a different act of violence by a homegrown domestic terrorist. A man went on a shooting spree at the Holocaust Memorial, and this man was deeply steeped in conspiracy theorizing and had written several books filled with hateful obsession. This article goes on to an excellent description of the behavior patterns here.
Note that none the "tools of fear" are about love and acceptance such as taught by Jesus. That is, fear and hate are the opposite of love and acceptance, hence any "tools of fear" would be opposite the teachings of Jesus. Yet many of the homegrown U.S. terrorists claim Jesus as their teacher.Demagogues and conspiracy theorists use the same four “tools of fear." These are 1) dualism; 2) scapegoating; 3) demonization; and 4) apocalyptic aggression. The tools of fear are a connected constellation of frames, narratives, and processes used by demagogues to mobilize resentment and undermine the democratic process.
The basic dynamics remain the same no matter the ideological leanings of the demonizers or the identity of their targets. Meanwhile, our ability to resolve disputes through civic debate and compromise is hobbled. It is the combination of demagogic demonization and widespread scapegoating that is so dangerous. In such circumstances, angry allegations can quickly turn into apocalyptic aggression and violence targeting scapegoated groups like Jews or immigrants.
As another example, Right-Wing Violence Will Continue, And Fox News Will Have to Answer For It points to the long running pattern of non-acceptance and hate speech being pushed by some news hosts, by some religious figures, by some political leaders, etc.
We have a pattern in this country of non-acceptance clothed in religious teachings that is eating a hole in the fabric of the country. The political rhetoric, for example, shows gaping divisions in the U.S.A. Divisions which need not exist, especially if those supposedly following the teachings of Jesus were to practice love and acceptance.
A couple years ago I wrote about the abuse of religious teachings Establishing control over a society. What I said then seems more true than ever. We have political, religious and entertainment "leaders" abusing the teachings of Jesus, promoting hate and fear, inciting followers to commit violence.
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