Reddit reviews American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
We found 22 Reddit comments about American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
Chris Hedges (co-founder of Truth Dig and a graduate of Harvard Seminary) has a potent critique of American Dominion Theology (where I first learned the term "Dominionist") called American Fascists.
A fantstic read if you have the time. There is also a pretty funny take-down of a dude named Ken Ham in there (Ken started the creationist museum that seeks to discredit any scientific evidence that human creation did not happen exactly as it says in the Bible, Bill Maher also interviews him in Religulous).
Bonus link to the Audio Book
Bart Ehrman - Jesus Interrupted (2010)
In this deliciously satisfying book, the author, a New Testament scholar, carefully reviews and assesses the New Testament with a detailed and extremely thorough analysis of the figure we call Jesus. This is not a rant, not an attack on Christianity, this is an objective and critical analysis of the New Testament, showing how the entire Jesus myth and indeed, all of Christianity is a purposely-designed fabrication rife with contradictions, inaccuracies, and sometimes outright falsehoods.
John Loftus - Why I Became an Atheist (2008)
If you want a one-stop total critique of Christianity, this is the book you're looking for. The author is a former Christian apologist turned extremely angry and prolific atheist. In this book Loftus attacks the full span of Christianity, addressing the philosophical arguments against theism, the historical incompatibilities and inaccuracies of the Bible, and the contradictions between creationism and modern science, and throughout it all is an undercurrent of personal experience as Loftus explains his own deconversion from devout evangelicalism to enraged atheist.
Concerning atheism.
These are for the people going "Well, I'm an atheist. Now what?" There's more to atheism than eating babies and posting fake facebook conversations on r/atheism. There's much more truth, beauty, and value in a universe without a celestial supervisor, where humans are free to make our own purposes and dictate our own paths. Thinking for yourself and recognizing the natural wonder of the universe is far greater than the false consolation any religion can provide you. These books show how.
Michael Martin - Atheism: A Philosophical Justification (1989)
In this book, Martin attempts a two-pronged defense of atheism: first by attacking theistic arguments regarding the implausibility of morality and purpose without God, second by defending against attacks specifically on atheism. In such a manner he makes a strong case for both negative and positive atheism. Though extremely dated, this book is a classic and a must-read for any atheist.
Erik J. Wielenberg - Value and Virtue in a Godless Universe (2005)
In this book, Wielenberg advances a naturalist philosophy and addresses the problem of nontheistic morality as weakly espoused by the likes of Dostoevsky and C.S. Lewis. First he challenges the claims of theistic morality, next he advances naturalistic ethics and displays how theological justification is unnecessary for a good and moral life. Concepts such as intrinsic morality, inherent human tendencies such as charity and altruism, and the idea of moral obligations are all addressed.
Richard Carrier - Sense and Goodness Without God (2005)
In this book, Richard Carrier, perhaps most well-known as one of the major modern debunkers of the Jesus myth, continues the trend of expanding metaphysical naturalism, but this is a more complex and thorough work covering the full spectrum of a developed worldview, addressing nearly every topic beyond just morality, and presents a complete philosophical outlook on life that is easy to comprehend and evaluate. A solid starting point for the newly atheist.
My personal picks.
Now, since this is my list after all, and after typing up all of that, I think I've earned the right to make my own recommendations. These are books that I think people should read that don't necessarily have anything to do with atheism.
Markos Moulitsas - American Taliban (2010)
This book reads like a collection of loosely-related blog entries, some of them written by angry teenagers, and Moulitsas himself is no philosopher or professor, but is still an important read for those of you who haven't been paying attention. In this book, the founder of Daily Kos draws the extremely obvious and transparent similarities between the religious right of America, and the Islamofascists across the pond, and displays how modern conservatism has largely been hijacked and/or replaced by a complex political machine intent on maintaining the power of a small group of white, male, Christian elite.
Chris Hedges - American Fascists (2007)
Okay, time for a more sophisticated take on the issue than Daily Kos stuff. Those of you who plan on staying and fighting in the US rather than simply getting the fuck out while you still can need this book. With a critical and objective eye, Hedges displays the dark and tumultuous underbelly of America and shows how an extremely powerful and well-organized coalition of dominionists is slowly taking over the country and seeking to transform it into a theocratic state. Those of you who are moderate Christians and similarly despise the lunatic fringe of Christians should also read this book. Hedges analyzes this Christian Right movement, allied with totalitarianism and a denial of reality, that has declared a jihad (or a "teahad", if you're a Tea Partier) on secularism and even on Christianity itself, utilizing religion for its darkest and most sinister purpose - committing cruelty and intolerance upon others in the name of divine supervision.
CJ Werleman - God Hates You, Hate Him Back (2009)
This is one of my favorite books and is a great book to unwind with after a critical look at Christianity. The biggest problem with the Bible is not the contradictions, the outright falsehoods, or even the blatantly made-up and ridiculous bullshit about magic and miracles and supernatural nonsense - it's the fact that, taking it all at face value, the God described in the Bible is the single most despicable and terrifying fictional villain ever imagined by humanity. This is a character that seems to actively despise mankind, and in this book, Werleman shows why with a hilarious and thorough analysis of the Bible. This book reads like Monty Python and is just as funny - not meant to be taken seriously of course unless you're a Biblical literalist, but still a great read.
Well, that's all I got. This list took about half a day to compile and is itself also woefully inadequate, there's quite a bit of books I haven't gotten around to reading yet. But, it should be much more sufficient than the current r/atheism reading lists and I've done my best to include the most recent works. If you have any books to add that you feel are noteworthy, please feel free to post them. I hope this list can help many people in their understanding of philosophy and atheism.
> because we don’t have a mass fascist movement in the US.
Eh... The Evangelical movement lets be real is basically in every way a Fascist movement cloaked in a very thin mask of theology.
Reaction of the middle classes, worshipping the nation as god, worshipping Capitalism, hero narratives and hero idol worship, Class collaboration, extreme reaction against "Degeneracy", very thinly veiled white supremacy. They don't call themselves Fascists, but they're basically a Fascist movement.
"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
-
American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
Chris Hedges, January 8, 2008
“American Fascists, which includes interviews and coverage of events such as pro-life rallies and weeklong classes on conversion techniques, examines the movement's origins, its driving motivations and its dark ideological underpinnings. Hedges argues that the movement currently resembles the young fascist movements in Italy and Germany in the 1920s and '30s, movements that often masked the full extent of their drive for totalitarianism and were willing to make concessions until they achieved unrivaled power. The Christian Right, like these early fascist movements, does not openly call for dictatorship, nor does it use physical violence to suppress opposition. In short, the movement is not yet revolutionary. But the ideological architecture of a Christian fascism is being cemented in place.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
Contemporary Christianity is functionally a fascist movement. Who saw that coming?
Good book on this topic
this isnt a sudden phenomenon- American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
Chomsky in 1989 calling a Trump-like base
There are the things EVERY Christian fundamentalist believes in... and everyone should read American Fascists by Chris Hedges. But things specific to the Organization would be predicting Armageddon, blood transfusions, the literal application of 144,000, the Great Crowd and Other Sheep, they surpass any religion in history to the disproportionate amount of child abuse scandals and they go farther than any other religion in keeping it covered up.
Highly recommend reading Chris Hedges' American Fascists. He opens the book with a good overview defining fascism, touching on Eco's, Arendt's and others' definitions.
I certainly agree that the media is using it to shutdown all opposition, but again, it would be foolish to not see the true threat that Christian Right neofascist ideology represents in the country.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
This was a fine piece of reporting from a honest voice out there, who’s able to bring exposure to both the globalists and the fascists.
No actually, it’s a documented fact that the American Christian Right are American fascists, here is the evidence if you want to refute actual documented evidence:
https://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/american-fascists-the-christian-right-and-the-war-on-america_chris-hedges/257126/#isbn=0743284461&idiq=670149
So I just finished this one: It's a non fiction that reads like a dystopian piece. It can be a little heavy at times but I found it a very intriguing and fair window into some of the more extreme viewpoints of political radicals, despite the inflammatory title. My family is very much like the subjects of the book so it was a bit personal for me. If you liked the handmaiden's tale it might spark some interest!
Read Me
http://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
Louis Hartz: The Liberal Tradition in America
Karl Popper's The Open Society and Its Enemies (both volumes)
Eric Fromm's Escape from Freedom
Chalmers Johnson: The Sorrows of Empire: Militarism, Secrecy, and the End of the Republic
Hanah Arendt: Origins of Totalitarianism and On Violence
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers
Capitalism and Slavery
American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America
INSIDE THE COMPANY: CIA DIARY
Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Imperialism
The Underground History of American Education: A School Teacher's Intimate Investigation Into the Problem of Modern Schooling
This is the book for those curious.
There are more, but I forget them at the moment, and I really can't speak highly enough of the ones I've listed already. Nixonland is more a study of the conservative movement in general, and damned thorough one too. The rest are more focused on the religious right proper. I'd start with Eternal Hostility and The Family and work your way from there.
Read this. Its an eye opener. Might be especially helpful for you to read and share with your fellow churchgoers.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
I highly recommend this great book by Rev. Chris Hedges.
I suggest that you read this, and then come back and say the same thing with a straight face:
http://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
US Money versus Corporation Currency (1912) - Alfred Own Crozier.
Peoples History of the United States. - Howard Zinn
Democracy Incorporated: Managed Democracy and the Spectre of Inverted Totalitarianism. - Sheldon S Wolin.
The Nazi Hydra In America -- New America's right wing politicians are plunging the country into a fascist police state - Glen Yeadon & John Hawkins.
American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America - Chris Hedges.
The Spirit and Structure of German Fascism - Robert A Brady
The Comming of the American Behemoth: THe origins of Fascism in the United States, 1920-1940 - Michael Joseph Roberto (2018)
Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became "People" - And How You Can Fight Back - Thom Hartmann (2010)
The Holy Reich - Nazi Conceptions of Christianity 1919-1945 - Richard Steigmann-Gall (2004)
That should give you someplace to start to form your own opinion.
I also STRONGLY recommended memorizing and applying reason against fallacies, especially appeal to prejudice and all of them on http://www.yourlogicalfallacyis.com AND https://yourbias.is
That was a great read and I agree with most of it! Doesn't change the fact that you're repeating fox news rhetoric and trying to convince everyone that you're somehow politically elevated above everyone else (and failing at it).
Also, here another works by that same author you might be interested in.
American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America https://www.amazon.com/dp/0743284461/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_i8-yDbXGFXS14
https://www.amazon.com/American-Fascists-Christian-Right-America/dp/0743284461
https://www.amazon.com/Republican-Brain-Science-Science-Reality/dp/1118094514
https://www.amazon.com/Insane-Clown-President-Dispatches-Circus/dp/0399592466
https://www.amazon.com/Idiot-America-Stupidity-Became-Virtue/dp/0767926153
https://www.amazon.com/Republican-War-Science-Chris-Mooney/dp/0465046762
https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Intellectualism-American-Life-Richard-Hofstadter/dp/0394703170
https://www.amazon.com/Better-Off-Without-Manifesto-Secession/dp/145161666X/
https://www.amazon.com/How-Fight-Conservative-Daniel-Kurtzman/dp/140226576X
It took me less than 2 minutes to find all of these
Chris Hedges
The Communist Party Themselves
Jason Stanley
Eric Zuesse
Although, granted, my statement was more hyperbolic, I was surprised I found as much as I did. I probably could have found more if I kept digging. . However, plenty of the left who are not educated claim any conservative or right of center view is fascist. See: Antifa protests.
Edit: heck, I even spaced on this element, even though I've taught it, but some on the left even called FDR a fascist, though that criticism had a different connotation than it does today.