American Taliban

 "I have seen the enemy, and he is us." (or something like that).  Who originally said that?  I suppose I could look it up...

So, in light of the past few days events -- the anniversary of 9/11, and the rioting/killing of an American diplomat and three others in Libya -- I made the mistake of engaging in a conversation with a conservative friend on facebook.  My "friend" is someone that I really don't know all that well -- we did a show together many moons ago -- but from what I know of him, he is a good guy with a big heart.  I often disagree with his posts, but he generally states his thoughts/opinions very respectfully, and I try to do the same.

His friends, on the other hand, are an entirely different breed.  Before the internet, I really had no idea that such people actually existed.  The following exchange is in response to a post my friend made about 9/11 (you know, the general conservative line about the Obama administration being weak on Islam/Muslims).  The italicized lines are as written by a friend of my conservative friend.  I've deleted his name, obviously.

We need a leader that has a pair of brass balls. We need a leader that is Christian..... We need a leader that is not afraid to call upon the christian soldiers to rise up and fight for god's biding on this earth............. God destroyed on city that was a hot bed of sin... maybe he needs to do the same in Washington DC.. is there not one good man amoung them to save that City ? ?

I then responded:
  
--thanks for demonstrating true Christian virtue. I believe in God -- I believe in a God of love -- I can't believe in a petty creator who is jealous and angry and destroys his creations. And I can't believe in any religion where believers talk about "fighting for god's bidding on this earth" (how does that kind of talk make you any different from radical Muslims?) I've seen religion do much good in the world -- I am not as adamantly against it as my partner {Onion, who is an atheist, had also responded to the post} -- but folks like you remind me all of the time why I just can't be a part of any church. My church is love. If you were truly a Christian, as you claim to be, your doctrine would be love. Just love. Let God take care of the rest. Peace to you.

.....Radical Islamist........sometimes it is necessary to kill off a group of people in order to save lives ....I believe in being a good neighbor an all that goes with it... and also the ten commandants....but when it comes to eye for an eye... I believe in if you toss a rock at me I will drop a house on you.....Back in the day if you miss behaved you were set outside of the camp or the tribe....you had your chance and then you were tossed to the wind.....today there is no moral hazard... just do as you wish and the hell with everything else..... do we really want to live this way ? ? I have given people chances and then I set them outside my camp.... I believe in being strict and swift....We are seeing a problem in the mid-east now because of our weak leadership in this government....we have a leader that is dead set on bringing this country down and is a so called Muslim extremist himself....................................... We live in rough times and in these time it calls for swift action and we have to close the camp or the borders and circle the wagons....we might have to kill our aggressors and I would do so in a heart beat....... now don't give me this holier than thou act like some brainless person that is a good follower and not a good leader..... Christians have fought for human rights and have promoted God's will on earth....for a bunch of years.... and good follower's will do so in the future.... We are in our declining years.. we must set the example for the next group of Christian leader to follow....it must include being strict and demanding respect for the elders and also follow bring the children up an teach respect....Example... children in some case's should be seen but no heard while the adults are having conversation.... speak only when spoken to............................................I could go on with this but I think I have given you enough to go on...I could go into the sins of women in marriage and how these aggressive women in society break up the homes.. the wife and I have been married for 42 years.... so we must be doing something right.... women of today are taught to be aggressive and no listen to their husbands.... there can only be one captain of the ship....and marriage was meant to be a patriarch type house hold... it has worked to 100's of years....when you marry you must take on your roll in the marriage ...just like our parents did and their parents did before.... my parents got married in 1935 and were together till mom passed in 2002.... so do the math.....it is high time to restore the old values and then stop the madness.....Weakness is not a option...action speaks a thousand words.... Love and peace and joy only go so far.... so I don't want to hear your BS on that.... when you start preaching that it shows you have no backbone... so grow and backbone and learn to stand up and let people know wher you draw the line in the sand.  

******************************************
I essentially responded to this by saying that I'm sure he's a fine husband, neighbor and friend, but if he's an example of a modern Christian, then God help us all.

Honestly, how does one respond to this kind of thinking?  How is his thinking (and I'm not saying "actions" -- not yet, anyway) any different from that of the Taliban?  

Let me be clear -- I KNOW that this guy does not speak for all Christians.  I know too many who are loving and kind, and would totally condemn this kind of thinking.  But here's the thing -- this guy is one of MANY.  He's not the first such person I've encountered through this wonderful thing called "facebook" (he's just the scariest -- I'd post his picture, but that wouldn't be right or fair).  So I can't just write this guy off as some looney living back in a cave somewhere. 

He lives right here in Ohio.  Lucky us.