Armageddon, Anyone?

Religion transforms itself from a life-affirming practice to a destructive cancer when its followers embrace isolationist, segregationist views (us vs. them, believers vs. non-believers). Conflict is invevitable, because in society there are millions of people who are non-believers, or are luke-warm believers. When religious fundamentalists aren't in control of a country's government, they can be kept in check. When religious fundamentalists are in power, danger lies ahead: like gasoline and fire getting closer together.

In the case of the U.S., we have a President who caters to the Religious Right, and is a religious man himself. Whether or not he is a fundamentalist, only he knows. I believe that, based on my personal observation of his behavior, if it weren't for the political opposition (if it wasn't necessary to play the "political game" in Washington), President Bush would show his true colors as a fundamentalist Christian. He would outlaw abortion, cripple all institutions that stand for civic rights (labor unions, trial attorneys, advocacy groups, etc.) and restrict other religions, especially Muslims and Jews.

Here's the inherent danger of religious people in positions of power: to them, mortal life is subordinate, or less significant to after life. They reason that reaching the gates of Heaven is the only purpose of life--the supreme, ultimate goal. Mortal life is full of suffering, pain and sin, they believe. It is just a mere pit stop on the way to Heaven. Only when the soul leaves the mortal body and rests in Heaven can one experience true peace. While on Earth, the fundamentalists put into place policies that "smite the practices of the non-believers and sinners", damn the consequences. The death and destruction occurring in Iraq is a direct result of this practice. Bush believes that God told him to invade Iraq. Despite over an estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed, including babies, women and children; over 2,000 American troops killed; and over a hundred journalists and charity workers murdered, Bush is able to sleep well at night because he believes that God is on his side, and that all those dead people are in a better place now (except for the bad guys, who are burning in Hell). "Yeah, it must have been very bloody and painful the way they died, but at least it was quick," Bush's dull mind tells him. And, as a bonus to Bush and his ilk, the Iraq war is bringing the world closer to nuclear destruction; i.e., Armaggeddon. The fundamentalists have a sick, morbid attachment to nuclear annihilation, because it is something that is referenced in the Bible. In a very sick way, they welcome it, because it is judgment day: Sinners will meet their fiery death in Hell, while believers will reach the gates of Heaven and will finally be able to meed God. Everything in the universe will be perfect once again.

I truly believe that the U.S. went way too far this time in its long history of imperialism. Young Muslim men are heeding the call of their imams. They are interpreting the Quran in a way that compels them to attack infidels. They are bent on acquiring nuclear weapons technology to finally bring down the U.S. They will use the internet to solicit members, set up and activate sleeper cells in the U.S., and surreptitiously orchestrate mass destruction like 9-11. How about a small nuclear bomb at the Superbowl, or Times Square NYE, or the Las Vegas strip? What about all those nuclear warheads of the former Soviet Union? Over 25% of them are unaccounted for. There are a lot of Cold-War Soviet scientists living in anonymity whose nuclear bomb expertise is in high demand. Remember, many of them lost their jobs after the collapse of the USSR because their services weren't needed anymore. Here's the equation that spells danger for the world's future:

Wealthy Muslim Sympathizers + Angry Fanatical Muslim Terrorists + hundreds of obscure scientists who know how to make nuclear bombs, and need money + Internet = Big Explosions and Large Scale Deaths.

People foresaw this equation and kicked and screamed during the last two Presidential elections, but the wrong person got elected each time. The momentum of civilization's destruction are close to reaching critical mass, and once that happens, there is no saving the world.

To Sum It Up: F-you Ralph Nader. You screwed the world by running against Gore in 1999 despite strong warnings of the consequences. Screw you Al Gore, for running such a wimpy campaign and making the fatal mistake of deciding to distance yourself from Clinton(65% approval rating) to appease to the right-wingers who wouldn't have voted for you anyways. You too, Jeb Bush for committing a crime by illegally giving your lunatic brother Florida in 2000. To Hell with you, Supreme court Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, for not allowing a recount to finish. And Colin Powell, may your guilty conscience plague you for the rest of your life. You were in a position to find a non-military solution to the Iraq problem, but like a house slave, you decided to abandon your better military instincts and instead chose to appease your white master. You lied to the world community when you made those bogus WMD claims to the UN. You are partly responsible for the beheadings and maimings and torture and death and destruction that continues to go on and on and on... General Powell, why did you decide not to serve in W's second administration? Couldn't stomach the consequences of your actions? You went to Pottery Barn, broke the expensive vase, and high-tailed out of the store. You know General Powell, you could have been President, but you kowtowed to the right wingers who talked you out of running against Bush. What a wimp you turned out to be.