The TEA PARTY'S roots are deep ;The Civil War,SBC,and the past really isn't the past

    I have been reading an incredibly interesting, as well as eye opening, book. The name of the book is 'American Theocracy', authored by Kevin Phillips,former Republican strategist.
    The 'blurb' on the back of the book is thus; the overlook. After this I will go into detail about the roots. The entire review and history in the book and it's knowledge will be revealed in several entries.  I believe anyone, any patriotic American ,especially those who vote, will find this a fascinating treat, and maybe, by chance, change some minds and hearts,and,or,votes
     "From ancient Rome to the British Empire, every world-dominating power has been brought down by an overlapping set of problems: a foolish combination of global overreach, MILITANT RELIGION, diminishing resources, and ballooning debt."  Philllips argues, in his book, "that it is exactly this nexus of ills that has come to define America's identity at the start of the new century."
    I would like to focus on the roots and beginnings of the fundamentalist movement, and how the religious right has wound it's tentacles around American government.  For, of course, we all know, and this IS a fact, we have laws against state or national melding of government with religion, of any form.
    We know in the 2001 election of GWBush there was a tremendous voting block of fundamentalist and ultra conservative Christians.   He boasted of his being 'born again', and made statements such as 'being on a mission from God.'  By doing this, he opened the door to allow a flood of politicians who describe themselves as 'the moral religious right, or fundamentalist Christians.'  Formally they were the 'silent majority'.  Now they seem to be the loud minority. People such as Sharron Angle,running against Harry Reid for governor of Nevada, who has come up with admittedly, lies, about the famous 'headless bodies that showed up in the desert of Nevada,for reasons to stop the endless flow of Mexicans showing up in that state. Ms. Christine O'Donnell,who recently won the GOP spot for the senate, who states, and I quote, " there are animals being genetically infused with human brains, and now their are rats which have human brains."  Really? I wait with bated breath to see these rats, and wonder, do they speak English, or rat speak.?  Does anyone from the state of Delaware want a person who states this garbage as fact, as their state representative in Washington."  But I digress... please indulge me, as I feel it is my patriotic duty as an American to fill some people in on statements they may not have heard correctly. Thank you.
    Back to GWBush. And this small piece, taken from the introduction of the same book review. GW, was, yes, an elected leader, who believed he spoke for God. The ruling party, at that time, republicans, who called themselves, 'true religious believers, trying to invigorate churches, and the Republican Party that our government should be be guided by religion.  As well as a white house which implemented political agendas, national as well as international, all driven by religious motives and biblical views of the world.
    The Merriam-Webster's Dictionary describes a Theocracy as;'government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided.' By his press conferences, he protested his regard of religion as personal and private, however he was trying to 'remold' the American presidency , which is constitutionally held as a secular office, into a 'faith based' office, which was not only unknown to presidents in the past but, and this is key, it was  completely unknown to the Constitution , which is a hot button issue now with many of the Tea Party candidates, who have won slots in the republican party.  Since the Southern Baptist Convention, or the SBC, is something which I will be pointing to as references in my continued learning and reading of this book, this statement which I next refer to is rather telling, and unique thus far in historical American politics:"Bush himself has made several well-documented and uncontroverted references to God's endorsement of his political ambitions. His exact words to the SBC were,"I believe that God wants me to be president." And to Televangelist James Robison, "I feel like God wants me to run for president. I can't explain it, but I se3nse my country is going to need me...God wants me to do it."  Georgie Anne Geyer's thoughts at the time of the destruction of the twin towers, and GW's decision to invade Iraq was "based primarily on religious obsession and visions of personal grandiosity."  So, this will be the end of George W. Bush's disastrous legacy, and I will continue with how and where this 'all' came from.
    The chapters on Radicalized Religion is were the roots take shape in America.
                                   Before the Civil War
    I will make this short.  What I did find quite amazing was the information on the south which did take place before the Civil war. I think many will find this interesting.  Before the Civil War, the South ,in the US, was already fighting the confederate war against the north.
     Britain, which at one time, a biblical nation, convinced themselves that they were God's chosen one. Different from European quest, Britain as well as the Europeans flow to North American colonies helped others to see that the North American colonies were a 'religious refuge.'  In the Middle colonies of New York as well as Pennsylvania, there was a plethora of religious beliefs as people from all of Europe immigrated to the US. Making our country one of extreme religiosity, but also very tolerant to each others religions.  Choice of worship was ,indeed, so tolerant of choice of worship, the eighteenth-early nineteenth century American Protestants, were magnetically drawn here and became a faithful flock, with emphasis on a 'personal relationship with God.'  This ,then, made America a place for pioneering evangelists.  One was English visitor George Whitefield, who came here during the Great Awakening of the 1740's. Others came during the 'Second Great Awakening in the early 1800's"
These turned into sects emphasizing salvation, spirituality, physical displays, "special revelation of Mormons for example" faith healing, and "holiness upon the land." The U.S. had a 'superabundance' of denominations and sects.
    Christians were linked to like believers of other denominations by shared moral convictions. This began the growth of the megachurches, and networks of Calvary Chapels. An absolute fervor took hold in the nineteenth century around passages from the bible interpreted to signal the second coming of Christ. At this time the Pentecostal conversion were with adults taking a deep personal experience of being 'born again' in Christ.  "Notably American is the pervasive influence of the bible from the first English migrations of belief and interpretation.
                                                                                                                 
to be continued.