Soldiers in the Army of God 5/7

Given the recent tragic shooting of Dr. George Tiller, I feel this documentary is of particular significance in understanding the mindset and actions of those who choose violence as a method to be heard on the issue of Abortion

Points of Note:

The Army of God is a militant anti-abortionist organization whose operational method is one of Leaderless Resistance[1], a type of cell structured organizing that is designed to be highly difficult to trace and monitor. This structure also makes coordination and cooperation between cells very difficult, minimalizing its ability to plan large operations. The Army of God coordinates communication between groups and those incarcerated for crimes against the government and medical facilities, so called 'Prisoners for Christ'

The group promotes what they call 'defensive action' as an appropriate means of ending what they, and many others view as the murder or killing of the 'unborn'. This style of linguistic language specific to a group or ideology is common among extremist organizations and cults and special attention should be paid to their terminology and its ability to foster in-group understanding.[2][3]

While primarily religious in nature, this Army of God has strong connections with certain political views, such as the Sovereign Citizen movement (itself an offshoot from Christian Identity teachings) and staunch conservatism.

I would stress however, that the views of those expressed in this documentary are not to be taken as indicative of the entire anti-abortion movement, or Christianity in America. While sharing many of the same basic views regarding the morality and legality of abortion in the US, organizations such as Operation Rescue and the National Right to Life do not support violence as a method of achieving their goals.

The makings of a terrorist are complicated, and as you will see in watching this documentary, it is often the case that those who do make that step into violence do so after feelings of ineffectiveness or weakness.[4] Acts of terror are often the result of perceived increased pressure on the group from their external enemy, in this case the United States government, as well as 'Satan', 'secularism', 'paganism' and other enemies of their extreme version of Christianity.

[1]Leaderless Resistance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaderless_resistance

[2]Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill, by Jessica Stern
[5] Ibid.

[3]Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, by Robert Jay Lifton
http://www.rickross.com/reference/brainwashing/brainwashing19.html#Loading%20...

[4] Sovereign Citizen movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_Citizen

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Terrorism
• Abortion
• Army of God
• Evidence

[gangurobitch]

Why do they hate homosexuals so much? They have less abortions than hetereosexuals. :(

[Sylar3797]

The word of God really means the word of man, so this is about misogynistic control of women and rejection of modernity. It's nothing to do with saving babies, if they cared about human life they wouldn't incite and cause so much violence they just want power over women, the independence of women scares them.

[notransitory1]

This has got to be one of the most sinister documentaries i've ever seen.

[ranchai100]

whoever said christianity isnt dangerous should watch this documentary.Religion in general has no place in a rational,logical,science based society.Its amazing that when these hypocrites are sick they go to a doctor for help using scientifically created medicines instead of having faith in their imaginary god to heal them.And yet these same people go around killing doctors.

[FlyinSpaghettiMnstr7]

0:50 mr/ garrison

[mcgevnm]

3:20 looks like a scene out of "Deliverance."

[subfusc8]

@fileboy2002 Do you live under a rock or something? Anti-abortion terrorism is more effective than Islamic terrorism? Have you been to an airport in the last ten years? Do you think the tourism industry in Pakistan is doing well? There are Islamic attacks all of the time. Just a couple of days ago, the U.S. embassy in Kabul was attacked. When was the last time an abortion clinic was attacked in the United States? The 90's? You're delusional. I'm a pro-choice atheist by the way. Also a realist.

[subfusc8]

@fileboy2002 Do you live under a rock or something? Anti-abortion terrorism is more effective than Islamic terrorism? Have you been to an airport in the last ten years? Do you think the tourism industry in Pakistan is doing well? There are Islamic attacks all of the time. Just a couple of days ago, the U.S. embassy in Kabul was attacked. When was the last time an abortion clinic was attacked in the United States? The 90's? You're delusional. I'm a pro-choice atheist by the way. Also a realist.