The Religious Right May Be More Powerful Than Ever In 2008

[RiverStone]

Posted originally at CommonDreams.org


October 15 – Is the Religious Right dead? To read some news media accounts, you might think it is.

In fact, a church-state watchdog group says the conservative Christian political movement has raised more money than ever, is quietly trying to organize churches into a political machine and is ready to line up behind a presidential candidate who makes the right promises.

“I wish I could say the Religious Right is dead,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “In fact, it may be more powerful than ever.

“The top Religious Right groups are taking in huge amounts of money,” he continued. “They are also quietly organizing churches into a partisan political machine. Now they just have to find a presidential candidate who will carry out their agenda.

“They know they are on the verge of full control over the Supreme Court,” Lynn continued, “and one more appointment could lead to a high court reversal on church-state separation, reproductive rights and gay rights.”

more here on the Religious Right's huge war chest:

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/1015-04.htm


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This is scary shit folks. Of greatest concern is they are using the pulpit to distribute political propaganda. Per the story: In a joint letter Oct. 1, the Alliance Defense Fund, Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and two other groups urged churches to distribute voter guides and take other steps to mobilize evangelical voters. They blasted Americans United for alerting churches to IRS rules forbidding partisan politicking by churches.

These are people who chose to remain blind and ignorant; they chose to simply believe from an evangelical perspective that Shrub and his minions have somehow been anointed to their positions of power in the most corrupt administration in the history of these United States.

These religious right wackos breed a hysteria among their followers. A hysteria which includes not ever thinking for themselves and doing everything they are told. They remind me of the Orc army in Lord Of The Rings --- arrogantly marching, marching, marching, onward, no matter the reason.

We need to keep them on the radar!

[NC_Nurse]

1. Most of the stuff I have read recently here on DU says the opposite.

I thought their influence was fading....:shrug:

[RiverStone]

7. maybe fading from plain site...

But their work in the shadows is increasing.

Away from the eye of public opinion, they create fliers to distribute by kids in Sunday School or grey haired old ladies playing the piano at church.

They do not want to give up the power that Shrub has given them. They will be relentless and desperate the more a Dem President seems a possibility.

[NC_Nurse]

13. Another good reason to stay away from church.

;)

[RiverStone]

17. no worries there sister!

I'm as far away as you can get! :hi:

[Maat]

12. When it comes to these matters ...

A.U. knows what is going on better than anyone.

Proud monthly donor to A.U. (Americans United for the Separation of Church & State) here!

:patriot:

Join and get the wonderful "Church & State" report delivered monthly to your mailbox!

[spoony]

40. Lol, yeah it's not like they have a vested financial interest in scaring you

with bogeyman stories about the power of an increasingly irrelevent marginalised people, right? I doubt they'd get many monthly donors if they said, "these guys are toast."

[Maat]

46. Well, the staff at A.U. are really neat people ..

people of a very high integrity level.

Believe what you will - but know that I'm personally witnessing their continued influence - and I'll be out on the front lines fighting them!

;)

[annabanana]

2. Well, they DO have their own armed forces...

and apparently a good chunk of our Air Force as well. . .

[Maat]

24. Now, THAT is true!

Just talk to one of the local military guys. Our county is just north (inland) of San Diego county, and many military members live up here (at one time, the housing was very economical).

[BOSSHOG]

3. Thank You Barry Lynn

He is right to call attention to the virulent cancer which we may have thought has been arrested and is under control. Nothing more vile then radical christian clerics with A TAX EXEMPT STATUS trying to manipulate elections.

Not that it will or that I want it to occur but

Would not doing away with separation of church and state do away with tax exempt status? And is this not an example of the incredible ignorance of a group of evil, hateful constitution hating motherfuckers?

[rurallib]

4. I hope that a democratic president would sit back

and allow the AG to investigate these churches for violating laws pertaining to political activities from the pulpit.
Also hope that miserable fucking 'faith based initiative' is given a loud and painful death.

[damntexdem]

5. But whom will they push?

Will they go third party?

[RiverStone]

11. Worse...

I believe these zealots will do and say anything to win.

They will plant false stories and create lies against the Blue Team. Remember, their followers never -NEVER- question authority. Fucking idiots all....!

[Maat]

15. My in-laws are part of the group that is really focused upon ..

obeying AUTHORITY.

I'll translate, "I'll do anything my pastor tells me to do, and he gets his input from on high ... the Cons at the top of their church's national administrative structure."

[RiverStone]

18. And what could detach you in-laws from the lies

Just wondering Maat...

It is my experience that some folks drank the kool-aid so long ago, that the part of their brain which allows them to think independently has shriveled up.

What would it take for them to say something like: OMG, what the fuck have we been doing??? :banghead: :think:

Probably a long shot eh?

[Maat]

23. We've completely given up.

Heck, we've been sending them FACTS for over five years now, and they haven't budged a bit.

At this point (they're in Oklahoma), my hubby handles the communication duties. We're actually very concerned about sending our daughter back to stay, because they would most certainly take her to their Southern Baptist church and try to indoctrinate her (maybe even baptize her).

There was a weird episode a few years ago. Hubby was downstairs in his office, and I was upstairs in mine (we both work computer cos. out of the house). Well, I heard raucous laughter (on the part of Hubby), something about creationism just before that, and a loud hangup on the OK end (Hubby was using the speakerphone). It turned out that my hubby had been on a rant about the local schools being victims of the drive to put Bible (and, really, creationism) into school courses. Hubby indicated that his kid wouldn't be studying such silliness as science. I guess Papa went off about the necessity of teaching creationism to save the world and stop global communism (I'm exaggerating slightly). Hubby, the atheist, began laughing, and the conversation rather abruptly ended.

I think that they are praying for us (and not in what I'd consider 'the good way').



:banghead:

[RaleighNCDUer]

34. Maybe the Truth and Reconciliation Report,

after the Republic of Giliad is defeated militarily?

[sufrommich]

26. That still wouldn't give them a republican candidate to back.

As much as they hate Democrats,they hate "moderate" republicans even more. They have great power in their own party only because there are enough of them to put the republicans over the top. I would love to see them run a 3rd party candidate,I'm curious to see what their real numbers are.

[cali]

6. Sure we need to keep them on our radar

but Barry Lynn knows how much they've been weakened. And where are they going to dig up a candidate this year?

[PDJane]

8. Every time I think that we're getting civilized,

These folks raise their voices to prove me wrong.

[Odin2005]

9. Nope. Stick a fork in them, they're done.

They are trying to defend against the growing backlash against their BS, and they will fail. I have recently read an article saying that young Americans like myself have fucking had it with the fundies.

[RiverStone]

16. The closer they get to done...

Did not Pat Robertson say some crazy shit like a meteor will hit FLA because of Disney's acceptance of Gays or that some town in small-town-USA will not be protected from disasters because their school board made a ruling NOT allowing Creationist fairy tales to be taught in school?

Expect more wacko stuff like that. They live off the fear they can breed in their followers. Fear is their driving force.

[Odin2005]

48. And those wackos will continue to become more and more marginalized, fortunately.

And they have Ruby Ridge and Waco to remind them of what will happen if they try to get violent.

[T Wolf]

10. Until a stake is driven through their craven hearts, the religious wackos

should not be underestimated. As racism may be decreasing over the generations, it will take a whiile for the scum to die off.

Let them all rapture themselves and leave the rest of us alone.

[cuke]

14. Absurd

They're raising more money because they're angry. They're angry because they're realizing that * and the repukes are tossing them overboard.

That represents a loss of power, not a gain

[aquart]

19. Okay, you still believe in the Miracle of the Religious Bigots

Which is what BushCo invented to cover their lilywhite asses over the stolen votes.

Well, I for one can't wait to see whom they choose: the Mormon or the divorced Catholic. I know these are people they are frothing at the mouth to vote for. Yes, indeedy.

[Mz Pip]

20. "They know they are on

the verge of full control of the Supreme Court." One seat away. Just one.

I hope every Democrat and Independent understands this. Everytime I read a post here that says, "Unless ________ is the Democratic candidate, I'm voting 3rd party or staying home or writing in my dog." :mad:

One seat. Enough of the Eric Cartman mentality of "Screw you guys! I'm going home." when everything isn't exactly what you want. Hopefully the Religious Right will Nader the Republican candidate. I just hope disgruntled Democrats don't do the same to any less than perfect candidate on our side.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Maat]

21. I want to tell everyone a little story.

As I said earlier, I'm a proud monthly donor to A.U. (www.au.org) I also research the RRR (Radical Religious Right) for a little project I'm doing. Additionally, I go to the weekly peace vigil in downtown Murrieta, Ca. This is a VERY CONSERVATIVE community, with many of the residents attending ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE churches, such as Calvary Chapel.

Well, this weekly experience has proven to be most enlightening to me personally. Every week, a group of 20 of us, or so, gather on private property (owned by the local, progressively-minded United Church of Christ), and hold up our signs and educate passersby. Well, about 3-4 individuals gather across the street on PUBLIC property, holding signs such as "Thank You, America!" That sign has a picture of Iraqi children allegedly celebrating America's presence. Well, a few of the "Other-siders" have come over to chat. I wondered how one could be "for" the illegal occupation, but my answer quickly came.

These guys believe in the "absolute authority of the Scripture," and in a society that is very rigidly defined, with different roles for the members of the various socio-economic categories, and different roles for women and men. If one accepts that, and believes that the Earth is only a few thousand years old, then it is easy to set oneself up (and members of the DimSon Administration) as "holy warriors" in one's mind. Then, the person in question justifies unmentionable killing in "the name of the Lord." I wondered what role religion played in these peoples' lives until I saw one hold a sign, "War ends, Hell is forever!" There was my answer. Everything John Dean said in "Conservatives Without Conscience" came to mind, about blind followers who are authoritarians (they're just in the follower category).

I had always focused on the NeoCons as the architects of the warmongering (and they played a key role), but the power of people like Dobson, Chuck Smith (Calvary), Albert Mohler (Southern Baptists) and Richard Land (Southern Baptists) is VITAL to the NeoCons being able to carry out their agenda. Their machine has been incredibly efficient, so efficient it has crept down, in a big way, to my neck of the woods.

Heck, Al Mohler used to have the speech he gave at the Council for National Policy (google it) up on his website (maybe still does).

These guys are very self-righteous, arrogant, and confident. They will never give up their power (or throw it away on a third-party candidate).

Their minions absolutely define blind loyalty.

They are relentless, having patiently spent a great deal of time taking over school districts out here. Heck, they even got their bible course into the local high schools.

Even I, who has researched them for years, am in awe of their incredible reach to so many communities nationwide.

In conclusion, A.U. is correct; they are conflicted about how best to exercise their power right now, but they are very dangerous to liberty, and do not intend to just go away.

Please go over to www.au.org and join!

[RiverStone]

29. thanks for sharing...and here is another cool link!

Appreciate the story Maat.

I wonder if the best advocates for the danger you speak of are people who themselves were formally "under the influence".

I do not jest when I se the folks you describe as no less then following a cult mentality.

Or maybe fitting a diagnosis of Anti-Social Personality Disorder???

Here is another site I frequent - maybe a slightly different approach then A.U. - but I think the end results and goals are closely aligned.

Freedom From Religion Foundation

http://ffrf.org/

[Maat]

45. Oh, yes, I've heard of them.

They file constitutional lawsuits, like A.U. ("friend of the court briefs").

I do have a few friends, including a U.U. minister (www.uua.org), who were raised in that environment. I love it when they take the time to enlighten me about it - I learn a few new things.

[DearAbby]

22. These people know how to bide their time

they have been organizing for at least two decades, I started noticing them back in the late 70s early 80s with Ronnie...They know how to slink back in the shadows. They are not done, they just slipping out of sight.

[Maat]

25. Yes, and, in fact ..

in their training sessions, the RRR-bots (Radical Religious Right Bots) are taught to blend in, and encouraged to forego saying anything that would enable the listener to realize who they really are, and what they are really about. The late D. James Kennedy was an expert at advocating this strategy (converting people to his version of religion, and advocating for a certain kind of society).

[DearAbby]

28. My Ex-Mother in law

was one, tried to get me involved with it. Being from a home where religion was not a major issue. (It was never discussed, agnostic)I saw it as kooky weird. Since had been watching it grow and become very powerful.

At first I was against it because I hated my ex-mother in law...ah youth. Soon became clear to me, the danger these people will become if unchecked, to our freedom. I have been voting against them ever since.

They are powerful, and they have the mind meme attached. Vote for so and so (R) is a vote for God.

[Maat]

43. Yep (n/t).

[Maat]

27. I'd just like to say one more thing ...

in A.U. ( www.au.org ), we all work together. The members are a very diverse lot; there are atheists, liberal Christians, Pagans, and transcendentalists/metaphysical-explorers). We work together without rancor, focused upon informing Americans about the RR (Religious Right) and its machine.

[conscious evolution]

30. Thank you for you efforts

The crazy christians are a menace to society and I for one am glad to see more and more people standing against them.

[Disturbed]

32. The RWing so call "Christians" do not believe in democracy or

a representative Republic. They believe in Theocracy. Their beliefs are grounded in the OT. Their version of "Christianity" is a perversion of what Jesus taught. They are the most dangerous group of people in America.

[Maat]

42. Take care, and thanks for the kind words!

[formercia]

31. There's one here locally.

He's made threats against me and sends his congregation 'faithful' to follow me around.
I had to have police protection while working at the polls .

I called the FBI to complain but they blew me off because he's on Junior's 'Prayer Team.'

Bunch of NAZIs.

[RiverStone]

33. wow - sorry to hear!

You needed police protection?

Geez, mind sharing the nature of what happened that made the wackos go even more crazy on ya?

Hope things have settled down formercia. :hi:

[formercia]

35. I went to a wedding at his 'church' a couple of weeks ago

He saw me in the audience and I stared him down.

Just letting him know that his day in court is coming soon.

These assholes are typical bullies. Challenge them and they turn tail.

[AuntPatsy]

44. I really am shocked that your having to endure such, I cannot believe

the police cannot do more.

[formercia]

49. The FBI usually won't touch a church

unless they are liberal or progressive.

Reich-wing fire and brimstone scams get a free pass.

They return the favor by supplying bodies to do their dirty work.

My father belonged to one of those groups.

he and his buddies used to "beat up suspected commies" back in the '50s.

[Stevepol]

36. The religious right wasn't strong in the 04 election. Why would they suddenly get strong?

Kerry won the 04 election by 6-7 million votes, OH by 500,000.

It's the MSM who settled on the religious right as being the reason for the totally inexplicable election result. Choosing the religious right as the reason had nothing to do with reality (the number of religious right voters was far too small to have had that great an effect), except that there were quite a few religious right folks who invested in the voting machines especially at the beginning.

Probably the reason the MSM settled on the religious right is that no other explanation was even remotely possible and when you're speaking about the religious right you have to take into account miracles like the loaves and fishes. The fundies (at least in the numbers required to satisfy the statistics) somehow just manifested out of nowhere on election day and then de-materialized again afterwards.

[valerief]

37. Oy vey, the Moronocracy will do us in. nt

[Disturbed]

39. There are also these foks.

Controversies about Opus Dei - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From then on, Opus Dei has been associated with ultra-right wing regimes. ... more extreme forms of mortification than those typically practiced by Opus Dei ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controversies_about_Opus_Dei

[Quixote1818]

38. If they are raising so much money why did Focus On The Family cut jobs?

Wasn't there a report out a month or two ago about how the didn't have the funds to support the current staff and so they were letting people go?

On Edit, here is the link: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_20030206/ai_n10014301

[SalmonChantedEvening]

41. Desperately NEEDING to be lied to again, as they were by Dubya

And the GOP has a perfect collection of candidates more than ready and willing to sell these moops snake oil, bread and circuses.

[spoony]

47. I think the ones desperately needing lies

are those who have dedicated their lives and checkbooks to battling an obsolete political movement and now cannot bear the thought of not having their enemy. Rather cold war-ish.