Christian Exodus to SC

[Spartan]

Greenville, Spartanburg, and Pickens county I can somewhat understand, being in the Upstate, but Lexington and Dorchester counties? I don't get it; I don't consider those counties to be any more conservative than any others in the state. Maybe it has to do with numbers in the county, or maybe just not wanting to concentrate in one area of the state--who knows when it comes to these types. 

But I do have the lastest GQ issue, so I'll see what it has to say about that.

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Lexington I know to be one of the more conservative counties around. Probably as much as Greenville or Spartanburg. They also have a large Lutheran population, which is unusual for the Bible belt.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Does anyone want this? A Theocracy? This influx of wackos? I hope they don't spill over into North Carolina.

ChristianExodus.org seeks to include many of our positions in a new constitution in South Carolina.

[Spartan]

No. There hasn't been a succeful Christian Theocracy that I am aware of. Ever. Maybe Rome. But it wasnt into the religion so mcuh as getting taxes.

[krazeeboi]

Lexington I know to be one of the more conservative counties around. Probably as much as Greenville or Spartanburg. They also have a large Lutheran population, which is unusual for the Bible belt.

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Hmmm, that is interesting--especially since Lexington County is right next to Richland County (Columbia being located in both counties), which is considered somewhat liberal, at least for SC.

[krazeeboi]

Does anyone want this? A Theocracy? This influx of wackos? I hope they don't spill over into North Carolina.

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I know I don't want this. But if they do come, I'll give them a few references in NC--one being the church in Waynesville whose (former) pastor threatened to excommunicate anyone that didn't vote for Bush.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

lol, I didn't say there aren't any wackos, I was just saying no more are needed.

[krazeeboi]

[monsoon]

I wonder about any religious group that has to get itself embroiled into local and national politics. Seems to me that is the wrong agenda for it to focus on. Maybe they ought to call up the Clerics in Iran for some tips.

[btoy]

All of these counties are very conservative with a high Republican identification.  There are other couties that fit that description, but not to the extent of the ones listed.  Lexington and Dorchester are more economically conservative than socially conservative, but the Exodus folks probably wanted some geographic diversity.

Lexington County residents in particular, would not look kindly on any "invasion" of there political structure, IMO.

Judging from the most recent posts, these right wingers are a pretty small group, but are pretty adept at getting their message out.

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One other thing the article said, was that they don't intend to elect themselves to office. They want to elect local South Carolinians, not members of their group, to office.

[teshadoh]

But in all honesty - wouldn't they not have that much of a problem finding a right wing republican to support locally? I'm not saying this to suggest it is just a SC issue, certainly in much of Georgia they could find equally radical politicians to support, particularly in the mountains. Additionally - they will likely influence local politics, if they have the resources to 'resettle' they likely have the resources to financially support local politicians.

Here is a worst case scenario - just as pro-Zionist Jews in the US have financially supported Jews that settled in Palestinian territory - theorettically, religious conservatives out of state could consider this a great experiment worth endorsing. Basically to force at least one political body into their way of thinking. I'm not suggesting that is what I think will happen, but just a thought that I would worry of...

[krazeeboi]

OK you guys, just read the article in this month's issue of GQ magazine. Here are the key excerpts (and interesting tidbits):

South Carolina was chosen--after considering other states, such as Alabama and Mississippi--because it has a strong evangelical population and it is small enough to be politically transformed.

Phase one calls for 2500 members of Christian Exodus to be in the state by September 2006, in time for the election cycle. They will run for the political jobs no one wants, the seemingly pissant positions like school board and town council and county judge. Because the offices seems so powerless and thankless, the contests are very often won with tiny tallies. From there they will attempt to start filling seats in the state house and senate with enough people to enact the chages in policy and transform the state.

The mainstream evangelical leadership favored the attack on Iraq, but [some members] oppose the war as unjust and unchristian.

[T]he League of the South [is] an organization sympathetic to Christian Exodus that pines for the antediluvian days of the Confederacy [insert RED FLAG here]. Race always lurks in the corner when I am talking with members of Christian Exodus, usually by way of their denying accusations of racism.

The pilgrim's new home is a five-bedroom stone-and-vinyl house on a 1/3 acre lot in a nice development...Like most Americans, the pilgrim chose suburbia over utopia...He has talked to all of his neighbors, who have been very interested and supportive of the goals of Christian Exodus..."I would have thought there would be some resistance to a lot of outsiders coming in, but it's amazing. I have yet to receive one negative comment."

The founder of this movement says that the "good and godly separate nation of South Carolina" would be a "revolutionary place":

• --No income or property taxes; revenues raised with user fees and tolls

  --No public education (which is "run by the left"); only private schools funded by churches, charities, and tuitions, not public funds (this guy actually said, "I don't want to pooh-pooh literacy, but people functioned and had very good lives in America in the 19th century. To equate literacy with a high standard of living is foolish." )

  --Non-Christians will be "treated fairly"

  --Individual rights protected

  --Business closed on the Sabbath

  --Ten Commandments will be on display

  --No Social Security

  --No food stamps

  --No welfare

The founder gives an example of how things might play out once the CE folks are in power (and they DO intend to run for office). The Right to Life Act, which practically defines life as beginning at conception and if passed, any doctor who performed an abortion would be considered a murderer, passed the house and is before the senate. If the bill becomes law, a sheriff sympathetic to the CE cause would actually go out and arrest doctors providing abortions. Then CE-backed district attorneys would then prosecute these physicians for murder before CE-backed state judges. The doctors would appeal, and the Supreme Court would decide if SC has the right to define life within its borders. If the Court overturned the law, SC must decide whether they would obey the ruling or not. The politicians sympathetic to the CE cause would refuse to comply with the Supreme Court. And then, as the founder says, "You would want to buy a ticket to see [what happens next]."

Now I will say that I am a Christian and not ashamed to say so. I even consider myself to be somewhat conservative, but this.....I don't know what to say. I really don't. I'm like

[Spartan]

These people are crazy. I am a Chritian too, but I would never support such a thing. We may have some hard core Christian right folks in this state, but I think most people would look at this and anyone who shares these views as absurd. I have seen some redical people run for office before in our local elections (it was not at all related to this though). Nobody takes them seriuosly and they rarely get any support. These people have to remember that most people don't want religion forced on them.

Don't forget this is mostly a propaganda page. That blurb about the pilgrim in the nice neighborhood is a key example. You have to read through the BS.

The ONLY reason they chose SC is one that they don't seem to mention- we were the first to seceed.

[jfl25]

I would once again like to state DONT DRINK THE KOOL-AID .These people are nuts I believe that this world would be a better place if everyone would look out for their own intrests and quit trying to force their agendas on everyone else.Thats just my opinion .

[waccamatt]

Can we build a wall around Columbia to keep the kooks out?

[jfl25]

If you build the wall around columbia send greenville the contractor so we can do the same.

[Spartan]

I would once again like to state DONT DRINK THE KOOL-AID .These people are nuts I believe that this world would be a better place if everyone would look out for their own intrests and quit trying to force their agendas on everyone else.Thats just my opinion .

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I completely agree.

[socaguy]

If you build the wall around columbia send greenville the contractor so we can do the same.

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Hmm youll have to throw out half the city before you put the wall up then..lol.,

[krazeeboi]

Can we build a wall around Columbia to keep the kooks out?

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I thought you were against gated communities.

[Spartan]

I thought you were against gated communities. 

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good one

[motonenterprises]

This is trouble guys. I read about this in the Greenville News. I don't have a problem with religion in general, but I have a big problem with extremist who try to make everyone think like they do.

[Greenville]

I am a Christian, but am not sure I want the Christian Exodus people here. I already dislike the negative stereotypes associated with Greenville (most of which are not true), and this thing doesn't help much. It's not that I disagree with all of their stances, but I just don't know if I want it happening in my city.

I think this initial surge of media publicity for the Christian Exodus will eventually fade away. These people moving to SC will probably not have an effect on anything. It will blow over and we will never hear anything about it ever again.

[krazeeboi]

I wonder if these folks know their history well. Every time some sort of "movement" like this was initiated, regardless of place or time, the place wound up worse than it was to begin with.

[Spartan]

I wonder if these folks know their history well. Every time some sort of "movement" like this was initiated, regardless of place or time, the place wound up worse than it was to begin with.

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True... ever hear of the "New World?" that place is really messed up.

[krazeeboi]

^Now Spartan, that's a whole 'nother thread....

[Spartan]

Lol, good point.