So, if I'm reading this right, neocons think religion is for chumps...

Which is just why they like it. Anyway, Strauss, their guru, seemed to think so:

http://www.nndb.com/people/423/000048279/

More than anything else, Strauss is known for his elitist views toward governance and culture. He promoted the view that the vast majority of people are simply too unenlightened (read: ignorant) to handle certain crucial political and philosophical truths. And so, these people must be preoccupied with soothing diversions, like organized religion (Strauss himself was an atheist). This way, the enlightened few are free to fully pursue ideas and run the apparatus of the state without serious interference by the hoi polloi.


http://evans-experientialism.freewebspace.com/strauss.htm

So where did Strauss really stand? ''He was an atheist,'' says Stanley Rosen flatly. ''They all are. They are epicureans and atheists.'' (The epicurean comment is perhaps a reference to the late Allan Bloom, who was legendary for his enjoyment of the high life. After his death, Bloom's esoteric life as a closeted gay man turned out to be very different from his outward posture as a proponent of traditional values.)


While some Straussians dispute the idea that the master was a godless cynic, it does seem that Strauss wanted a regime where the elite lived by a code of stoic fortitude while governing over a population that subscribes to superstitious religious beliefs. ''He agreed with Marx that religion was the opium of the masses,'' says Shadia Drury. ''But he believed that the masses need their opium.'' Sociologically, Strauss's approach would seem to work well for the Republican Party, which has a grass-roots base of born-again Christians and a much more secular elite leadership-at least in its foreign-policy wing.


Some traditional and religious conservatives have become deeply wary of Straussians. ''They certainly believe that religion may be a useful thing to take in the suckers with,'' notes Thomas Fleming, editor of the right-wing journal Chronicles.

***

Sounds about right, if you run down the list of PNAC-ers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNAC#Bush_Administration

How many of that bunch are even hypocritically "of faith," (i.e. "Bookie of Virtues" Bennett), let alone genuinely religious/spiritual? Perle? Kristol? Rumsfeld? Cheney? Please. And yet it's under the influence of this bunch that we've been blasted with "faith-based" this and "values" that. No wonder the religious right is feeling snookered these days. All that holding their nose and unequally yoking with folks like these, and in return what do they get? Harriet Miers. Hell, I'd be pissed, too, if I were them.

But I'm not.

Thank the goddess.

Just use it as a way to manipulate those who do. Works well though doesn't it? Not on all, but enough to screw up the country.

A lot of Oil companies use missionarys to go into South America and bring in Christianity to soften the people from resisting Westerners taking their resources and destroying their land.

Have fun trying to stir shit here, Freeperz. Because you is toast!

of Harriet Miers? They use those people to get elected - they din't want to be ruled in any way by them - they were just a tool!

Democracy is a necessary evil to be mitigated by propaganda and manipulation.

Even without reading it, I would have guessed that it would have no problem using religion, just as it uses false patriotism, false dangers and xenophobia.

..."abortion" every couple of years. Gotta have something to entertain the rubes while the con artists are picking their pockets.

These folks are no more "Christians" than Fitz's cat is.

The NEeoCOns are as Machiavellian as they come. They use the fundies to get into the power. but genrally speaking these guys are non-religious and power nongers.

If yuu read fundies on Iraw alot og them have real reservations about the whole thing... the reason is that their patrons are divided on it. ANd the wind ins blowing in another direction.

Falwell has been actually pretty quiet about it for quite some time.

worship is not jesus christ. It's just some sick god of madness riches war and embryos.

just to name two.

They let front-man George handle that department.