To what extent need we fear attack from without?

I wonder this often. I really have no objective way of determining the answer. I receive my news from a variety of corporate-financed sources and while much of it is left-leaning, I wonder how much of it offers truly valuable insights.

As my man, George W. Bush, or my other man, Stephen Colbert, might say, I will just go with my gut. My gut tells me that the "terrorist" threat is real. It is not purely a bogeyman created by warmongers. My gut also tells me that the problem is exacerbated by the global war we are waging. Most of all, though, my gut tells me that the biggest threat we face is from within.

Our government has been hijacked by religious fundamentalism. While on the face of it this seems to be more an issue with the evolution of the modern Republican party, it has sent shockwaves through both parties. Just yesterday the three major Democratic candidates gathered for a townhall meeting in which they had to discuss their most deeply held beliefs (in Jesus Christ and a Christian God). Wherein, John Edwards took the opportunity to poor his heart out describing how his son's death brought him back to Christ. Hillary and Obama did a dance around the topic, but certainly left little doubt about their Christian beliefs. How much authenticity can one really ascribe to these testimonials?

Insincerity rules the day. We have a team of lawyers leading the pack for the Democratic nomination who have been trained in the myriad ways one can sell water to drowning men. I do not believe for one moment that most of these candidates have any devotion to anything other than their own political promotion and empowerment. I would be willing to be bet that behind closed doors half of these Democrats are resolute Atheists. This dichotomy between personal and public belief has always been alive and well in politics, but there seems like a particular danger in today's climate from even hinting at belief in something closer to our Founding Fathers' Deism.

Fundamentalism has seized control of the media. Moderate Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, agnostics and moderates of all other denominations and deviations are effectively silenced by too quietly screaming over the din of fundamentalism. We are at a real risk here of turning into something uncomfortably close to the Taliban of the West. As there is no room for Fundamentalism in the Middle East, there is no room for it here. It is dangerous, backwards, and without justification. Moderation is the only hope for liberation and unity in the world.

There is so much more to be said about this and you will certainly read it in later postings. Hopefully those appear far more regularly now.

Your Unfaithful Servant