I read in a recent article: “Dominionism embraces the notion that some Americans are “called” by the Almighty to impose Christian-based governance over the land and its people.”  The idea is that some people have it into their heads that they have a God-given right to impose their beliefs upon others.  The whole idea of Christian missionaries, or anyone at all who feels that one’s beliefs are authorized by one’s religion, is called into question.  

     Oh, it’s a real problem.  Whom are you going to believe?  When your Commanding Officer orders you to perform some act you “know” to be wrong, you can’t say you were “just following orders.”  At some point, you have to call upon a Higher Authority to help you do what’s right.  If only there were some universally accepted laws prevailing all over the planet to help us know what is right!

     So it is impossible to dismiss Christian evangelists out of hand.  They really believe they are following the dictates of their God.  They are doing nothing differently from what everyone else is doing.  Everywhere on this sorry planet of ours (and getting sorrier as we speak or write), there are major disputes where everyone on one side is totally right, and everyone on the other side is totally wrong.  The problem in every case is that both sides feel that they are the party in the right.  [music cue: Bob Dylan, With God On Our Side]  The only ones who win in any dispute are the lawyers or the arms merchants, depending upon your frame of reference.  Everyone else loses.  

     There is no way out of this dilemma as long as our planet is ruled (and ruthlessly) by the Law of the Jungle.  When every nation is a Sovereign State, and every individual is ultimately answerable only to one’s God, there can be nothing but endless warfare until this planet finally be ground into dust under the heels of the conquerors, who only discover, too late, that they cannot eat that dust any more than they can eat their gold and silver.  The parasite finally dies when the host is consumed, and the Lords of the Earth will follow their peasants into their graves (if they are lucky enough to have someone left to bury them when they die).  

     We need to plant trees to restore the biological viability of our planet, and we need to set up a network of Free Farms all over the earth where anyone can go and receive free meals and lodging.  That would solve so many problems at once.  Some people object to the idea of providing free meals and lodging to the destitute (“if they are hungry and they have no bread, let them eat cake”), but “the poor we have with us always,” and by far the easiest and cheapest way to deal with poverty and all of its attendant problems is simply to feed the hungry people.  No more need for crime, theft, murder, fraud, drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, gambling, and physical, psychological, and mental health problems, along with all of the attendant secondary problems, such as the effects of these problems upon the children, and society in general.  If the option were available to just live in peace, there would be no further need for war.  This project could be adopted right away by charities until people realize how much cheaper it is, and then governments would simply take over the role of maintaining the free farms.  Of course, it would not only be cheaper, but it would promote a far easier, safer, and gentler world for everyone.  

     But no real lasting peace can ever supervene until and unless the entire planet be organized upon the basis of a single final authority (which must be understood to come from God).  

     But that’s not today’s idea, important as it is.  Today’s idea is to take them at their word.  If only someone were able to impose “Christian-based governance over the land and its people,” what a wonderful blessing that would be!  However, I don’t see any Christians, here.  This whole Right Wing Evangelical Christian movement doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Christianity, or to have any Christians involved with them in any way.  Why do they call themselves Christians?  They give Christianity a bad name.  (Talk about Somebody turning over in His grave . . . )  Do they think that all they have to do is to sign on the dotted line to become a Member of the Church?  Gimme some of that Holy Water.  Jesus Himself made it perfectly clear who His disciples were, and who might call themselves Christian, in John XIII: 34-35, as follows:

     A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another;
as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  

     By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.

     Wouldn’t it be funny if our Government were actually run by Christians?  It may happen in some alternate universe, but don’t bet Grandma’s farm on it.  Plant some more trees on it instead, while you’re waiting for the Grace and Love of God to descend upon the Members of Congress, and/or the Members of the “Christian” Church.