Sen. Ted Cruz, papa pastor Rafael, and Dominionism

A previous post "Tea Party racism, Dominionism, tear at fabric of democracy" discussed the pernicious trend in the extreme right to rip apart our cherished secular republic with Dominionism, an Evangelical belief system designed to replace secular Constitutionalism with Christian orthodoxy. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was called out as a Dominionist based on his statements and close connection with his Dominionist pastor father Rafael Cruz, who heads up a Texas based Dominionist cult known as the Purifying Fire Ministries.

Pastor Cruz is a charismatic firebrand preacher who asserted to an Irving, TX mega-church last year that Christian believers are "anointed by God to take dominion of the world in every area: society, government, education and economics". He's also endorsed "end-time transfer of wealth" in which, as a prelude to the second coming of Christ, God will seize the wealth of the wicked (non-believers) and redistribute it to believers (Cruz & Company). Christian Zionist pastor Larry Huch introduced Pastor Cruz with this political insight: "God will begin to rule and reign... not Wall Street, not Washington, but God's people. I know that's why God got Rafael's son Ted Cruz, elected the next senator." Then  at an Iowa Dominionist gathering, Dominionist pastors  blessed Sen. Cruz, calling him, a "king" who would help "usher in the Kingdom of Christ".

If Sen. Cruz was not a Dominionist one would expect him to renounce this anti secular democratic lunacy from his daddy and his fellow Dominionists. The reverse is true. Cruz the Son rose to power in Texas employing Pastor Cruz as a political asset, routinely campaigning with him. Pastor Cruz has bragged how he shaped Ted's development by having him indoctrinated in extreme political philosophy while in middle school.

One viewing of a Pastor Cruz Dominionist speech easily gives any patriotic American the creeps and instant dismissal of an utter crackpot. But look again at the movie star handsome, silver tongued Harvard educated son in the Brooks Brothers suits who essentially believes the same evil and destructive philosophy. Sen. Cruz's background explains the callousness in which he bragged about shutting down the government he considers evil and illegitimate. All that $24 billion in economic damage is nothing compared to the furtherance of a fanatical religious cause and the millions it brought into his Dominionist coffers from his True Believers.

Back in 1954, I watched another out of control demagogic senator try to hijack the American political process. It took four years for Wisconsin Sen. Joe McCarthy to self destruct before our eyes on national TV. Let's pray it doesn't take that long for his 21st century version to do the same. 

Illinois is for lovers...gay as well as straight

Every once in awhile a good thing happens in the body politic. One of those occasional events happened today when the Illinois House, by a slim 61 to 54 margin, voted to make Illinois the 15th state to legalize gay marriage. A couple of procedural matters remain; Senate reconciliation of the House vote with their Valentine's Day vote to legalize gay marriage, and Governor Quinn's momentous bill signing which will give Illinois' approximately half million gays full citizenship that the other twelve and a half million already enjoy.  The wheels of progress may turn slowly but with relentless effort by many dedicated, decent, caring people, the long overdue cleansing of the discriminatory stain of homophobia regarding marriage has been achieved in Illinois. And in Oakridge Cemetery, the remains of Honest Abe, champion of ALL the people during his brief but meteoric public career, can rest a little easier. He'd have preferred Illinois be No. 1 in granting full citizenship to all its citizens. Number 15 will do.

Also published in the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times, November 7, 2013

Music Pick: Johnnie Ray

The first pop signer who caught my attention as a 7 year old in 1952 was Johnnie Ray (1927-1990). Ray came out of rhythm and blues obscurity to change the face of popular music dominated by Sinatra and Crosby by injecting emotive singing with theatrics such as contorting his face. pulling his hair, falling to the floor and crying. His double sided smash, the featured "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried", sold 2 million records and drove the teen girls nuts. Ray foreshadowed the rise of Elvis and his legion of imitators four years later. By 1957, Ray's US career hit the skids. He soldiered on for another 33 years mainly touring the UK and Australia where his popularity never waned. Side note: the back up singing group is none other than the Four Lads, who went on to a huge pre Rock N Roll career with such hits as "Moments To Remember" and "Standing On The Corner".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWGKR--p2fw