'We're Christians ... we're in your face!'

'We're Christians ...
we're in your face!'
'Crusaders' website ridicules
paranoia over biblical beliefs

A New Jersey school district's depiction of school hostage takers as Christians has prompted the launch of a new campaign – using the name that the school created for its terrorists, "The New Crusaders."

The website was launched even while the furor continued over the "drill" in which school and municipal officials said the "right-wing fundamentalists" were shooting up a school and taking hostages because they didn't believe "in separation of church and state" and they were upset over an issue of prayer at school.

WND reported that Chris Manno, the superintendent of the Burlington, N.J., district, praised the exercise to test the response of the school and police.

"You perform as you practice. We need to practice under conditions as real as possible in order to evaluate our procedures and plans so that they're as effective as possible," he said.

Officials told students the name of the terrorist group was "The New Crusaders."

Now that website proclaims "WE'RE TAKING OVER THE WORLD FOR JESUS," and "We're fierce … we're Christians … and we're in your face!"

The "About Us" page said Christians have been inspired by the drill, and its premise. "After reading [about the drill], we asked ourselves the question why not formulate a more militant strategy for Christians to take over the country and in fact the world? The Great Commission of Jesus to teach and baptize the nations was a nice idea, but desperate times call for desperate measures. This nice-guy strategy has quite frankly failed, and now is the time for action. Christians have tolerated second-class treatment for too long! Therefore we call on all Christians in American to unite under our organization, The New Crusaders."

The founder, who asked not to be identified, said it's important to realize it's satire. "I see numerous [instances of attacks on Christianity]. These people are so paranoid, we're going to make fun of them," he told WND.

"Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye! The New Crusaders call on all Christians and churches to begin implementation of the ten planks of the following Agenda. Our goal is nothing short of taking over the United States of America and then the entire world," the website said.

In a "Preamble," the group demands the "immediate unification of church and state. The church and government must function as a homogenous unit if victory is to be achieved. This would result in the gradual transition of the United States from a constitutional republic to a Christian monarchy…"

The 10 planks begin with the major issues: "We call on all churches to immediately replace Sunday schools and catechism classes with firearms training," and "Forced Bible reading for all citizens is a must. The U.S. government already has a sophisticated surveillance system in place … This tool in the hands of churches would be indispensable in order to enforce compliance."

No. 3 calls for "nationwide quarantine centers for homosexuals" possibly using church gymnasiums that can be converted, and No. 4 is the reinstatement of Old Testament judicial laws for criminal offenses. "This would include stoning penalties for rebellious teenagers, wiccans, adulterers, and blasphemers among others."

Next would be the takeover of the education system from preschool to postgraduate. "The teaching of any ideas or philosphies (sic) contrary to orthodox Christianity would be a capital crime." Deportation would be specified for immigrants to refuse to assimilate "into our Christian culture" and "false religions cannot be tolerated."

U.S. foreign policy would need to be changed to include "Manifest Destiny" with Iraq annexed as the 51st state and Cuba as the 52nd, and rules would be imposed to control the media, so "the only music allowed will be sacred Christian hymns."

Lastly, a "U.S. Christian Enforcement Agency" would be needed to legislate morality. "All weapons and badges issued to agents will be inscribed with the phrase 'Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.'"

A disclaimer is directed to the FBI, Homeland Security, the ACLU, CAIR, and other groups: "This website is satire to demonstrate absurd paranoia."

The Burlington County Times reported the mock gunmen pretended to shoot several students in the hallways before taking 10 students hostage in the district's media center. Organizers of the drill said the "Christian" gunmen had gone to the school "seeking justice because the daughter of one had been expelled for praying before class."

But Bob Pawson, of the Scriptures in School Project, said there obviously was a disconnect between planners and reality, and the whole drill was just an excuse to denigrate Christians.

"So what allegedly real condition was imagineered? A grotesque scenario saturated with Christian-bashing prejudice and bigotry; a scenario which could never possibly occur," he said.

It doesn't even meet the logic test, he said. "As all Burlington school officials know full well: It is perfectly legal for any student or staff member to pray in a public school. They know that no student can ever be expelled for praying before class. Hence, the contrived reason for the mock attack is bogus."

Pawson said it actually was a test for New Jersey Christians, to find out their response "to such a blatant example of anti-Christian animosity."

In a belated statement released on the school's website, officials said there were "concerns" that had been shared regarding the test.

"Any perceived insensitivities to our religious community as a result of the emergency exercise are regrettable," the school said.

"Our schools have respected and supported staff members' and students' right to pray. Students and staff have held morning prayer vigils. There are various prayer groups within the High School as well as an established Bible club," the school said.

In a commentary on Newsbusters.org, a writer lamented the situation.

"This is the root of liberal bias. It starts in the schools and spreads throughout from the children to the town councils and eventually to local newspapers such as the Burlington County Times where staff writer David Levinsky blends the fantasy of the mock scenario with the reality of school shootings through America," the writer said.

"The real story is that it has become acceptable to discriminate against Christians with bigoted characterizations that portray them as gun wielding psycho killers," the writer said.

Said Terry Trippany, editor at Webloggin, on a personal blog, "If the police had portrayed the real life scenario of gay terrorists or abortion rights activists upset for any contrived reason you would read about it in every major paper across the United States; and rightfully so because IT WOULD BE RIDICULOUSLY STUPID."

The local newspaper reported that, "Burlington Township Public Safety Director William Corter said the drill was the first live exercise testing the police and school response plans to a hostage crisis. 'This should really show how well we work together and respond,' Corter said. 'If mistakes are made, we want to know how they should be corrected. The things we do right, we still want to see how we can make them better.'"