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Christians look to form 'new nation' within U.S.
World Net Daily ^ | 4/24/04 | Joe Kovacs

Posted on 05/23/2004 11:54:30 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

Calling the approval of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts "the straw that broke the camel's back," a group of Christian activists is in the beginning stages of an effort to have one state secede from the United States to become its own sovereign nation.

"Our Christian republic has declined into a pagan democracy," says Cory Burnell, president of ChristianExodus.org, a non-profit corporation based in Tyler, Texas. "There are some issues people just can't take anymore, and [same-sex marriage] might finally wake up the complacent Christians."

Burnell is leading the charge for a peaceful secession of one state from the union, and after originally considering Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina due to their relatively small populations, coastal access, and the Christian nature of the electorate, Burnell says South Carolina has been selected as the target location.

The plan initially calls for at least 12,000 Christians willing to be active in political campaigns to move to the Palmetto State.

"We're not an invading force, we're reinforcements," Burnell tells WorldNetDaily, saying it would be a waste to move to liberal-minded states such as Massachusetts, New York or California where conservative votes would be diluted.

According to the ChristianExodus website, which is slated for a major relaunch next month, "Christians have actively tried to return our entire land to its moral foundation for more than 20 years. We can categorically say that absolutely nothing has been achieved. If you disagree, consider this:

* Abortion continues against the wishes of many states * Children may not pray in our schools * The Bible is not welcome in schools except under strict federal guidelines

* The 10 Commandments remain banned from public display * Sodomy is now legal and celebrated as 'diversity' rather than perversion

* Preaching Christianity will soon be outlawed as 'hate speech' * Gay marriage will be foisted upon us in the very near future

"All these atrocities continue in spite of the fact that we now have the 'right' people in places of power. Indeed, the occupant of the White House is a professing Christian. The U.S. attorney general is believed to be a devout Christian. 'Conservatives' control both Houses of Congress, and Republican presidents appointed seven of the nine Supreme Court justices."

The idea of moving thousands of people to affect the voting in one state is not new. As WorldNetDaily has previously reported, the Free State Project has goals of restoring certain personal liberties and limited government – but without seceding from the union. Last year, a group of 4,500 libertarians decided New Hampshire would be the best state.

S. Carolina state flag

Burnell, a math teacher and cell-phone dealer, stresses he's not looking for bloody battles that took place in the American Revolution and the Civil War, but is rather seeking a "political divorce."

"It's got to be different today," he says. "It has to be peaceful, brokered."

But he admits if the federal government decides to use military force to stop the effort, "Then it can't happen."

Already a dozen people are actively working on the project, and some 1,500 by e-mails of support have been received.

If all goes according to plan, Burnell is hoping to have a constitutional convention by 2014, with a president of the new nation – still to be known as South Carolina – elected in 2016, which is also a presidential election year in the U.S.

He says the nation would be founded on Christian principles, and the people writing its constitution would have to hash out details to safeguard it as a Christian republic.

For now, Burnell prefers to shy away from specifics on the precise laws governing the country.

"Independence first, details later," he says.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts; US: South Carolina
KEYWORDS: catholiclist; christianexodus; christianity; freestateproject; reaction; secession; separatism; whackoalert
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To: RightWhale
How goes the campaign to move all the--I forget which group, Libertarians?-- to New Hampshire or Montana to dominate the state's politics? Hope the Christians pick a different state than the Libertarians or whatever because they would destroy each other. There wouldn't be anything left but a few scattered copies of Atlas Shrugged and cartoon pamphlets blowing around the wilderness.

Destroy each other? Hardly. Many of the people participating in the Free State Project are Christians. At their "Porcupine Fest" scheduled for late June in New Hampshire, there is a non-denominational church service on the schedule for all the Christians in attendance. Funny...even some CHRISTIANS can appreciate the concept of freedom.

181 posted on 05/25/2004 11:48:40 AM PDT by who knows what evil? (Under the personal care of the Great Physician...full coverage.)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle

As soon as they all get there, they'll start fighting amongst themselves regarding who will be in charge. Ha! It'll never work.


182 posted on 05/25/2004 11:52:23 AM PDT by Saundra Duffy (Save Terri Schiavo!!!)
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To: JusPasenThru
Anyway, seems like I recall Nehemiah being willing to go back to the ruins of Jerusalem to rebuild the walls. I guess he thought relocating Judiasm to a nice peaceful spot in Persia wasn't much of an option

You have to remember, though, that when judgement fell, it was God's will for them to go to Persia for a season. Eventually, they got to retkake their homeland.

183 posted on 05/25/2004 11:56:13 AM PDT by Rytwyng (we're here, we're Huguenots, get used to us)
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To: tpaine
Yep, as long as all the rules were clearly disclosed, and everyone legally agreed to abide by them, such a totalitarian 'town' would be legal...{It could also be a hell on earth.}

I won't move there unless they amend their constitution to outlaw community associations.

184 posted on 05/25/2004 11:57:56 AM PDT by Rytwyng (we're here, we're Huguenots, get used to us)
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

Count me in. I am getting sick and tired of the United Sodoms of Gomorah!


185 posted on 05/25/2004 12:08:18 PM PDT by broadsword (Liberalism is the societal AIDS virus, that helps our enemies to kill us.)
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To: Rytwyng; yall

I think rational people should form associations to build gated communities of this sort, and give fanatics special deals to move into them..
-- Then the rest of us could get on with living in liberty.


186 posted on 05/25/2004 12:28:04 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: tpaine
Take a look at Kiryas Joel in NY. The entire TOWN (not just a mere condo association) is Hassidic Jews.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiryas_Joel,_New_York

There are 2,229 households out of which 79.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 93.2% are married couples living together, 1.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 4.1% are non-families. 2.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 2.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 5.74 and the average family size is 5.84.

Yup, that's right -- an entire town with over 93% of households being married couples.

Since they run the town, they also run the police. That doesn't mean they can pass unconstitutional laws. It does, however, mean two things:

1)Through constitutional means (i.e. zoning laws) they wield a tremendous amount of power.

2) Because of the total domination of the town by Hassidic Jews, no one wants to live there -- so they can be basically undisturbed and raise their children without any outside influence, for better or for worse.

187 posted on 05/25/2004 4:46:53 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
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To: ChicagoHebrew
--- if a developer says "This town of 5,000 people is for God-fearing Christians. Our police will enforce strict blue laws, morality codes etc." I highly doubt non-Christians would choose to live in that town. Once secluded in such a town, would it really matter if the state the town was located in permitted abortion or pornography or homosexual marriage... 50 miles away?? I highly doubt it would impact residents of such a town, or their children, at all.

My point was that a town couldn't pass unconstitutional 'blue laws' or restrict abortion, etc, whereas a condo asso could have such 'rules'.

Since they run the town, they also run the police.
That doesn't mean they can pass unconstitutional laws.

Correct, -- but the Christians in the article ~demand~ that they can pass restrictive laws infringing on rights to life, liberty or property, and enforce them with the police power of a state, county or town.
-- No dice, under the US Constitution.

188 posted on 05/25/2004 5:15:34 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: tpaine

You'd be surprised how much you can do constitutionally with zoning and regulatory laws (btw, most blue laws ARE constitutional -- despite having their origin in religion).


189 posted on 05/25/2004 5:25:04 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
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To: tpaine

Either way, one or the other, or both, it is moot. It will not happen and the idea is bogus.


190 posted on 05/25/2004 6:18:52 PM PDT by wingnuts'nbolts (Keep your eye on the donut not on the hole!!!)
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To: ChicagoHebrew; yall
You'd be surprised how much you can do constitutionally with zoning and regulatory laws

No, I wouldn't, seeing I wasted a lot of my life as a building contractor playing the game of getting around them. I was happy to retire and let someone else fight against the petty bureaucrats.

(btw, most blue laws ARE constitutional -- despite having their origin in religion).

Only those that regulate public displays of 'sin', imo.
Criminalizing what we do in private with other consenting adults is not a power granted to any level of government that I've ever seen. -- And prohibiting the possession of 'evil' objects is an even more insane bluenose activity.
Can you agree?

191 posted on 05/25/2004 6:30:53 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: wingnuts'nbolts

Why is the idea of restortion of a 'free state' ~bogus~?

Strange word to use. Do you consider a states powers under the 10th to be "bogus"? `


192 posted on 05/25/2004 6:36:07 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: tpaine

I agree that I hate the government meddling with the private market and people's private lives. I think most of that meddling is constitutional -- but not advisable. I, for one, would hate to live where the government regulates what I can and can't do.


193 posted on 05/25/2004 6:45:29 PM PDT by ChicagoHebrew
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To: ChicagoHebrew

ChicagoHebrew wrote:
I, for one, would hate to live where the government regulates what I can and can't do.

_____________________________________


You presently live in some utopia?

How do I get there?


194 posted on 05/25/2004 7:03:53 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: tpaine; ChicagoHebrew; yall
A "condo" city within the U.S. missis the whole point. I assume the citizens would still be taxed by the federal government and those tax dollars would be used to support anti-Christian beliefs. Also, it would be naive to think that some A.C.L.U. fans would not try to gain access, then sue when they are denied or "banished" in order to change the laws.

Sorry, the little "condo" community would still have to exist and operate aacording to the laws of the state and federal government.

195 posted on 05/25/2004 7:04:41 PM PDT by tame (Are you willing to do for the truth what leftists are willing to do for a lie?)
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To: BSunday; Rytwyng
Nobody is forcing you to agree with anything. If you don't like what is being taught in schools, then either be more active, use the legislative process, or homeschool.

I assume you would give the same advice to the Jews in Nazi Germany.

That's a very naive statement you made, BSunday. Yes, the radical left are attempting to force us to agree with their positions. That's one of the problems with "hate crimes" legislation, "discrimination" laws pertaining to the gay agenda, etc.

Gee, I'll tell you what, why don't you come live here in California for a change. That might give you some perspective.

Not too long ago, if I remember correctly, our radical leftist legislators was working on legislation that would make it illegal for a church to refuse to hire practicing gays to certain positions (so much for religious liberty).

If I remember correctly, these leftist legislators also thought that transgender/transexuals/transvestites are a protected class, and that a Christian book store, therefore, should be required to hire them (I 'm sure you always expect you and your children to see a transexual at the cashier of your local Christian book store).

196 posted on 05/25/2004 7:24:01 PM PDT by tame (Are you willing to do for the truth what leftists are willing to do for a lie?)
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To: Saundra Duffy
As soon as they all get there, they'll start fighting amongst themselves regarding who will be in charge. Ha! It'll never work.

That happens in every new form of Government, Saundra. But I think it would definitely work. Sure, there will be some battling going on over beliefs, power, etc., but at least the battle will be over differing conservative beliefs, for the most part.

197 posted on 05/25/2004 7:29:42 PM PDT by tame (Are you willing to do for the truth what leftists are willing to do for a lie?)
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To: tame
-- as long as all the rules were clearly disclosed, and everyone legally agreed to abide by them, such a totalitarian 'town' would be legal, imo.
{It could also be a hell on earth.}

A "condo" city within the U.S. missis the whole point.

Not at all. You want the power to banish your neighbor for 'sinning'? -- You got it in condo city.

I assume the citizens would still be taxed by the federal government and those tax dollars would be used to support anti-Christian beliefs.

Hey, if you want to be free of US taxes, you would ~have~ to leave. That will never change. - Trust me on this.

Also, it would be naive to think that some A.C.L.U. fans would not try to gain access, then sue when they are denied or "banished" in order to change the laws.

Condo 'law' is a pretty cut and dried form of business conract law. The 'aclu' type ploy hasn't won yet in this field.

Sorry, the little "condo" community would still have to exist and operate aacording to the laws of the state and federal government.

Of course it would.
As I said initially, the only power such an association has is eviction. -- And its enough.
Bannishment from the community has worked for thousands of years to establish/keep control over cult & sect members.

198 posted on 05/25/2004 7:34:22 PM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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To: BraveMan

I have actually thought of that. I forget why. But I don't know a great deal about it so it often escapes my review/survey of such options!


199 posted on 05/25/2004 7:45:07 PM PDT by Quix (Choose this day whom U will serve: Shrillery & demonic goons or The King of Kings and Lord of Lords)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle; 2A Patriot; 2nd amendment mama; 4everontheRight; 77Jimmy; ...

SC Ping

FReepmail me if you want on or off this list.

200 posted on 05/25/2004 7:47:17 PM PDT by SC Swamp Fox (Aim small, miss small.)
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