Christian Coup d'Etat in South Carolina

[Roofus]

Taken from the L.A. Times site which requires registratiion

It began, as many road trips do, with a stop at Wal-Mart to buy a portable DVD player.

But Mario DiMartino was planning more than a weekend getaway. He, his wife and three children were embarking on a pilgrimage to South Carolina.

"I want to migrate and claim the gold of the Lord," said the 38-year-old oil company executive from Pennsylvania. "I want to replicate the statutes and the mores and the scriptures that the God of the Old Testament espoused to the world."

DiMartino, who drove here recently to look for a new home, is a member of Christian Exodus, a movement of politically active believers who hope to establish a government based upon Christian principles.

At a time when evangelicals are exerting influence on the national political stage ? having helped secure President Bush's reelection ? Christian Exodus believes that people of faith have failed to assert their moral agenda: Abortion is legal. School prayer is banned. There are limits on public displays of the Ten Commandments. Gays and lesbians can marry in Massachusetts.

Christian Exodus activists plan to take control of sheriff's offices, city councils and school boards. Eventually, they say, they will control South Carolina. They will pass godly legislation, defying Supreme Court rulings on the separation of church and state.

"We're going to force a constitutional crisis," said Cory Burnell, 29, an investment advisor who founded the group in November 2003.

"If necessary," he said, "we will secede from the union."

Burnell has not moved to South Carolina himself ? he promised his wife that they would stay in Valley Springs, Calif., until the end of next year ? but believes that his 950 supporters will rally to the cause. Five families have moved so far.

Burnell said his inspiration came from the Free State Project, which in October 2003 appealed to libertarians to move to New Hampshire for limited government intervention, lower taxes and greater individual rights. By 2006, organizers had hoped to have 20,000 people committed to relocating to New Hampshire; so far, 6,600 have said they intended to make the move, and only 100 have done so.

Christian Exodus, Burnell predicted, will be more successful.

"There are more Christians than libertarians," he said.

After scrutinizing electoral records, demographic trends and property prices, Christian Exodus members identified two upstate South Carolina counties ? they will not officially say which ones ? as prime for a conservative takeover. By September 2006, Burnell hopes to have 2,000 activists in one county and 500 in the other.

Frank and Tammy Janoski have settled into a five-bedroom house with white vinyl siding in a new subdivision in rural Spartanburg County.

"This is where God wants us to be," he said.

Janoski, 38, a self-employed computer engineer, had been contemplating moving from his deadline-oriented lifestyle in Bethlehem, Pa., to a more conservative region with cheaper housing and lower taxes when a church friend handed him a Christian Exodus flier.

"What attracted me to the movement was the idea of calling back the country to a righteous standard," he said.

His first six months in South Carolina have been idyllic, Janoski said. Not only do his neighbors wave as they pass by, but they also share most of his conservative Christian beliefs.

"If you're going to secede, this is the place to do it," he said. "A lot of the locals have that spirit."

Although Christian Exodus members are confident that they can capitalize on evangelical disillusionment with the Republican Party, local observers are skeptical.


James Guth, a professor at Furman University in Greenville who studies the influence of religion on politics, does not think that Christian Exodus will be successful beyond a county level.

"South Carolina is a state that is dominated by Republicans," he said. "Although there are people on the far right edge of the Republican Party ? in general, the population is a big fan of Bush."

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, upstate South Carolina is the most conservative region of a conservative state: Bush won 58% of the South Carolina vote in 2004, and Greenville is home to Bob Jones University, a fundamentalist Christian college that until recently had banned interracial dating.

Cleatus Blackmon, treasurer and director of missions at the Greer Baptist Assn., which oversees 39 Baptist churches in Janoski's town, doubts that Christian Exodus' focus on taking over government bodies will appeal to the majority of the region's Christians.

"You don't find the word 'control' in the scriptures," he said. "The basic mission of the church is to proclaim God's redeeming love through the example of Jesus Christ."

But Christian Exodus activists insist that they will forge ahead, even if they end up polarizing the Christian community.

"We want to separate the wheat from the chaff," DiMartino said. "There's a lot of deception in the church. If the Republican Party says something, a lot of churches say it's gospel."

Despite its cynicism about the Republican Party, Christian Exodus plans to use the party's popularity to its advantage. Rather than running for office themselves, Christian Exodus activists hope to influence which Republican candidates win local primaries.

"All we have to do is put our guy on the ballot with an 'R' sign," Burnell said. "It could be a corpse and they'll vote for him."

Local Republicans, however, point out that they would never sit idly by while Christian Exodus took over.

"He talks about 2,000 activists, but I can easily get 4,000 activists," said Bob Taylor, a Republican Greenville County councilman and a dean at Bob Jones University. "There's incredible dedication to the [Republican] cause."

While many South Carolinians may oppose abortion and gay marriage, Taylor said, few would support secession.

But DiMartino is not worried about the naysayers.

When he explained Christian Exodus to the man who sold him his home in Pickens County, he said, the salesman gave him a high-five. DiMartino looks forward to living alongside Christians who want to put local government back in the hands of what, he believes, America was really founded for.

"Whether it flies or not," he said, "is really in the Lord's hands."

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, upstate South Carolina is the most conservative region of a conservative state: Bush won 58% of the South Carolina vote in 2004, and Greenville is home to Bob Jones University, a fundamentalist Christian college that until recently had banned interracial dating.

Cleatus Blackmon, treasurer and director of missions at the Greer Baptist Assn., which oversees 39 Baptist churches in Janoski's town, doubts that Christian Exodus' focus on taking over government bodies will appeal to the majority of the region's Christians.

"You don't find the word 'control' in the scriptures," he said. "The basic mission of the church is to proclaim God's redeeming love through the example of Jesus Christ."

But Christian Exodus activists insist that they will forge ahead, even if they end up polarizing the Christian community.

"We want to separate the wheat from the chaff," DiMartino said. "There's a lot of deception in the church. If the Republican Party says something, a lot of churches say it's gospel."

Despite its cynicism about the Republican Party, Christian Exodus plans to use the party's popularity to its advantage. Rather than running for office themselves, Christian Exodus activists hope to influence which Republican candidates win local primaries.

"All we have to do is put our guy on the ballot with an 'R' sign," Burnell said. "It could be a corpse and they'll vote for him."

Local Republicans, however, point out that they would never sit idly by while Christian Exodus took over.

"He talks about 2,000 activists, but I can easily get 4,000 activists," said Bob Taylor, a Republican Greenville County councilman and a dean at Bob Jones University. "There's incredible dedication to the [Republican] cause."

While many South Carolinians may oppose abortion and gay marriage, Taylor said, few would support secession.

But DiMartino is not worried about the naysayers.

When he explained Christian Exodus to the man who sold him his home in Pickens County, he said, the salesman gave him a high-five. DiMartino looks forward to living alongside Christians who want to put local government back in the hands of what, he believes, America was really founded for.

"Whether it flies or not," he said, "is really in the Lord's hands."

[not just souLLy now]

It's strange, but 99% of christians i've spoken to in the uk about bush have a very negative opinion of him. the only rational explanation i imagine is that the american media has an incredibly scewed view of what he does and the decisions he makes.

[Syd]

It seems like the american media tries to preach the idea that if you're behind the President 100% on all his decisions, then you're not a true American. They also use words like patriotism to reflect this. Government Propaganda at it's finest, IMO. So are they all supposed to follow Bush blindly to whatever end? The sad part is that it seems that's exactly what many of them are doing. Now I'm not referring to all Americans, just what it seems to be the vast majority.

[mikozero]

actually he only has about a 40% approval rating just now, the lowest since he's been in office. i think those impressions probably have more to do with whoever owns the US news/media and the fact that they apparently have little quams about setting out to present a bais in editorial policy to forward their own political views.

[Rand Linden]

40% is the lowest a president has had in a VERY long time -- I'm not sure if there's been a lower rating, but figured there *had* to be.

FYI, Nixon's approval rating was 44% at the height of Watergate.

http://www.pollingreport.com/national.htm#Bush

http://www.surveyusa.com/50StatePOTUS0805.htm

Not relevant, but this was interesting as well:

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Oc ... h.ssl.html

Rand.

[AgentGreen]

We all know what happened the last couple times South Carolina tried to secede.

[APE]

Apparently they didn't pay attention in history class when it came to the civil war. Although none of them probably paid any attention in school for that matter.

[jaredfogle]

There's something similar going on in New Hampshire, 5,000+ libertarians and freedom-minded folk are supposed to be moving there.

[Sir Savant]

It says that in the artice, jared.

You gotta wonder how stupid some people have to be to follow Bush so religously.

Christians will never learn.

[not just souLLy now]

You gotta wonder how stupid some people have to be to follow Bush so religously.

Christians will never learn.

explain what you mean, 'christians will never learn'. Sounds like a wide-sweeping generalisation of some kind to me. 'All Christians agree with Bush's decisions since being in power'?, 'All Christians follow Bush religiously'? I would like to hear some examples in the past in relation to now where Christians haven't learned when they should have. You seem to have a thorough incite to both the christian religion as well as right-wing modern politics.

[Sir Savant]

Yes. And no. And I apologise for my inexactness.

For christians, I meant those that believe in this Coup d'Etat. As to never learning, I am talking about general stubborness and converting people (not all of them, mind you, some have been there just to help) when they should not have. But you and everyone else can choose to ignore the series of posts I have made in the past few days.

[not just souLLy now]

i don't know about general stubboness, but the whole converting people is kinda what they're called to do. The way it's been explained to me is, if you if you found a really great restaurant, you'd want to tell everyone about it and let everyone else know they should eat there. Less doing something for yourself and more doing everyone else a favour... not that most want a favour, but you catch my drift. It's alse part of the Christian mission, to try and save as many people as you can before you die.

[SuperMegatron]

40% is the lowest a president has had in a VERY long time -- I'm not sure if there's been a lower rating, but figured there *had* to be.

Carter? He had to have a extremely low approval rating. He let the Soviets take Afghanistan, he gave away the panama canal, he really screwed up in Iran, Inflation went through the roof, and he nearly allowed the soviets to win the cold war by being a total puss. History looks at him better now because he has done some great things after office but he was a joke. Reagan creamed him at a time when being a republican was a bad word. Just imagine how bad America had to be for the voters to choose a 60 year old B movie actor over a sitting president.

[jaredfogle]

I would like to hear some examples in the past in relation to now where Christians haven't learned when they should have.

When Christ first opened his mouth through the present. I can't think of any other good examples.

[not just souLLy now]

I would like to hear some examples in the past in relation to now where Christians haven't learned when they should have.

When Christ first opened his mouth through the present. I can't think of any other good examples.

and hilarity ensued. get over yourself.

[jaredfogle]

I would like to hear some examples in the past in relation to now where Christians haven't learned when they should have.

When Christ first opened his mouth through the present. I can't think of any other good examples.

and hilarity ensued. get over yourself.

It wasn't a joke. It was a serious criticism and an expression of my feelings toward the subject under a gentle mask of humor.

Look harder.

[AuroEdge]

40% is the lowest a president has had in a VERY long time -- I'm not sure if there's been a lower rating, but figured there *had* to be.

FYI, Nixon's approval rating was 44% at the height of Watergate.

http://www.pollingreport.com/national.htm#Bush

http://www.surveyusa.com/50StatePOTUS0805.htm

Not relevant, but this was interesting as well:

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/Oc ... h.ssl.html

Rand.

AFAIK, the approval rating for the media is even lower.

[SuperMegatron]

N=1,006 adults nationwide they only polled 1000 people what a great reflection of the 300 million folks who live here.

[BlackAura]

Apparently they didn't pay attention in history class when it came to the civil war. Although none of them probably paid any attention in school for that matter.

School? We don't need any of your godless, heathen schools! We have our bible!

Now if only we could read...

[not just souLLy now]

I would like to hear some examples in the past in relation to now where Christians haven't learned when they should have.

When Christ first opened his mouth through the present. I can't think of any other good examples.

and hilarity ensued. get over yourself.

It wasn't a joke. It was a serious criticism and an expression of my feelings toward the subject under a gentle mask of humor.

Look harder.

As was mine.

Look harder.