American Taxpayers Fund the Largest Christian College In America and the World

Rmuse is quite scathing in his write-up concerning Liberty University.  Some of the numbers presented are astounding,,,

"Liberty University is like every church in America and is exempt from paying taxes, but it is not exempt from collecting other Americans’ tax dollars."

As a recent report reveals, and it is a very disturbing revelation, one of the Republicans’ most coveted welfare recipients, Liberty University, the fundamentalist “institution” founded by Baptist scam artist Jerry Falwell has become the largest “private, Christian, tax exempt” conservative candidate mill  in the United States of America. The slap in the face to American taxpayers, and an affront to the Constitution’s Separation Clause, is that taxpayers are furnishing a majority of the funding, and huge profits, to the Christian madrassa in two distinct ways. First, Liberty University, and calling it a legitimate university is an abomination, brings in the majority of its revenue from taxpayer-funded federal aid, and because it is a so-called “charitable religious organization,” the bible school and its substantial staff of clergy are exempt from paying taxes.

As one religion writer noted, “evangelical students find Liberty attractive because they can take courses online and have taxpayer-funded welfare cover their living expenses. Federal aid to Liberty’s students has grown so high that it now exceeds all other revenue collected by the university.” To be clear, federal financial aid, like grants, does not go directly to the ‘university,’ but it does go directly to Christian students to pay for enrollment and tuition at the Baptist bible school. In fact, education experts say one of the reason evangelical conservatives love attending the bible college is that taxpayer money pays for all their school expenses as well as their living expenses while they “profit” from an evangelical educational experience. In return, taxpayers are now suffering from Republicans who were educated in how to legislate “the Christian worldview” as the law of the land.

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One wonders why Americans are not outraged that they are funding a private “bible school” with $800 million of their hard-earned tax dollars; particularly since it teaches “university-level” creationism, evangelical fundamentalism, Republican politics, support for Koch-style capitalism and free enterprise, and theocratic conservatism. In fact, the entire curriculum is centered around indoctrinating into student’s psyche a religious commitment to promote the “Christian worldview;” the same worldview that Republicans in Congress and state legislatures are busy legislating into law.

American Taxpayers Fund the Largest Christian College In America and the World

Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences

Over the course of 2014, I had picked at the political activism of the Duggar family, their role within the Quiverfull movement and some inane PR propaganda they had been involved in. But with the 2016 election cycle already gearing up, it is important to focus in on the influence and power they personally wield.

As a reminder, Libby Anne writing over at Love, Joy, Feminism has this bit of insight to offer, "Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences."

Libby Anne opens with the recent overturning of the Fayetteville, Arkansas ordinance outlawing discrimination against people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity

But what caught my eye is this,

This sort of political involvement is typical for families like the Duggars. The other day I was talking to a friend who grew up in another large Christian homeschooling family, whom I had thought was probably uninvolved politically given the level of dysfunction and abuse was going on, and was surprised when she told me that “most people in [my state's] General Assembly knew of me when I was 15.” This was true in my own family of origin as well._

Many have heard me state, that the bread-and-butter behind the Quiverfull movement is shear numbers. In other words, "warriors" for God - "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:22;8:17;9:1). As originally founded by Mary Pride in her book The Way Home, the movement is based partly on Psalm 127:3–5 (KJV):

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD:
and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man;
so are children of the youth.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:
they shall not be ashamed,
but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

The motivation, a missionary effort to raise up many children as Christians to advance the cause of the Christian religion. This is why it is important to heed Libby Anne's final point, what started out a a novelty show has turned into something much more dangerous:

It’s long past time to see the Duggars as “quaint” or snark fodder. It’s time we fully understood the political influence the Duggars and other families like them wield or seek to wield, and the real world effects of that influence. It’s time we understood the world they aim to create—a world where LGBTQ individuals are marginalized and denied their rights at best, and forced to undergo anti-gay conversion “therapy” at worst. It is a world where gay people will be barred from the teaching profession, stigmatized, and treated as dangerous and depraved. This dystopia may look far fetched at the national level, but it is likely not so far fetched in Fayettville, Arkansas.

Duggar Actions Have Real World Consequences

West Point cadet quits military academy because of pervasive Christian evangelism | The Raw Story

Something isn't sitting right for me in this story,,,

Page, for his part, says he decided to go public with his resignation after learning that he would not receive a commission for the US military. Because of his struggle with depression, he received a medical waiver.

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His next step is to finish his degree at a state university – he’s thinking Georgia or Minnesota. Then he plans to write a book about his experience at West Point, likely focusing on the culture among the corps of cadets.

West Point cadet quits military academy because of pervasive Christian evangelism | The Raw Story