Know Your Foe

The May, 2005, issue of Harper's has two articles well worth reading. They don't put any content online, but I recommend picking up and issue for these:

Inside America's Most Powerful Megachurch, by Jeff Sharlet

Feeling the Hate with the National Religious Broadcasters, by Chris Hedges

The timing is perfect in light of the fundamentalists' recent mobilization to change the face of American government.

From the former article:

"[New Life's founder Pastor Ted] moved the church to a strip mall. The was a bar, a liquor store, New Life Church, a massage parlor. His congregation spilled out and blocked the other businesses. He set up chairs in the alley. He strung up a banner: SIEGE THIS CITY FOR ME, signed JESUS. He assigned everyone in the church names from teh phone book they were to pray for. He sent teams to pray in front of the homes of supposed witches-- in one month, ten out of fifteen of his targets put their houses on the market."

Pastor Ted also boasts of speaking to Bush or an advisor every Monday. Witch hunts in the 21st century-- welcome to the United States.