America, Fascism, and God: Sermons from a Heretical Preacher

Loehr provides clarity in a time when confusion and dupilicty seem to be the weapons of choice by those that are presently waging war on our cultural, religious and politcal system.

With the minimum of words, Rev. Loehr has managed to describe such topics as fascism in America in a way that gives urgency for decent people to stand and be counted. The barbarians within our own culture are making their move.

I received this as a Christmas present and will admit that I have not yet completed the entire book. This is an amazing book with very clear,concise, and compelling messages (say that 10 times fast). It has made me think twice about the way I live my life even though I consider myself to be a liberal. The other wonderful part is that he provides the other books/authors that informed various sermons so that you can read in more detail the topics he discusses. Not a book for the faint of heart because he really challenges your views so come prepared.

The good reverend Davidson Loehr was a combat photographer in the Vietnam war, earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in philosophy and religion, and is senior minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, Texas. His sermon, "Living Under Fascism," delivered the following Sunday post 2004s (S)election, caused an uproar among many bewildered and brainwashed Right wing "Christians" who, conditioned over time and through a sense of familiarity, have failed to recognize that their religious denomination and political party have merged in dark union, have been subverted by those who, in reality, do not embody the tenets of The Prince of Peace, nor encompass "conservative" or "patriotic" ethics; those are the fronts such 'pious' snake oil salemen use. Their "family values" consist of a corrupted ethic of greed which makes sure that they and theirs continue to lead the "good life" at any cost, no matter how devoid of compassion or sympathy the means to that end may be. This virulent movement is what author Mark Crispin Miller {"Cruel and Unusual: Bush/Cheney's New World Order," and, "Fooled Again: How The Right Stole The 2004 Election"} psychologically frames as being "projective;" those who abide its propagandistic indoctrination have only the need and desire to violently attack and impute to its opponents that which they who comprise their movement are most guilty of, and therefore, on an unconscious level, are most fearful of. It is a pathological mass movement that has strategically inundated its venomous, belligerent, high-fiving, "shout-down-smack-down" attacks against everything "soft," "progressive," and "liberal" [i.e. anyone who dares criticize its positions or propaganda "talking points] within a deluge of pop culture mediums, mainly television and talk radio, the programming of which resonates and amplifies various free floating anxieties and hostilities of average, working class people and suburban Wonder-breaders: the "angry white guy" syndrome, whose hatred of "whiny liberals" is only a cover for their hatred of women, their lack of conscience, and their inability to confront their own emotions[which is why Right wingers often accuse liberals as being "too emotional," as if their own fanatical loathing of more articulate people than themselves ISN'T fueled by emotion. Again; *projection*]. If not so utterly misinformed, shifted to the 'ME FIRST!' Right within the Consumer Culture, and indoctrinated into empathy-deadening, blinders-on "reality," they'd realize the true source of their daily frustration - be it acknowledged or denied - has a great deal to do with the very politicians, lobbyists and corporate pirates that the propaganda they buy hook, line and sinker encourages them to vehemently rally in support of. The Christo-fascist movement has been amassing institutional power {establishment power is inherently conservative} over the past three decades, it's Orwellian, unconstitutional effects now hovering like a death sh

As Garrison Keillor wrote in Home Grown Democrat, gadfly preacher, Loehr, puts plain sense into plain language. He calls spades spades and introduces the new term Christo-fascism while outlining the problems America must grapple with if she is ever to reclaim her place as a nation of courage, morality, and character. Here too, is the chiling tale of religion's role in promoting violence and hate and greed. Read this short book of sermons that make good sense to good people.