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Christian Nationalist Barnstorms Ohio [UPDATED]
By Frederick Clarkson Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 04:03:10 PM EST printable version print story
I am reposting this due to the importance of the update. - fc

David Barton, a leading Christian nationalist, is barnstorming Ohio this week seeking to turn-out Christian Rightists of all sorts in the upcoming mid-term elections. For the past several election cycles, he has been paid by the Republican National Committee to help energize and mobilize conservative evangelicals, and this year is no exception.

Update [2006-10-26 15:46:8 by Frederick Clarkson]:  The schedule calls for Barton to appear solo, mostly at churches. But at his very first stop, who turned up but GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell.   Bloggers from We Unite Ohio were there.   The transparent electioneering, Blackwell's stealth campaign not with standing, may very well threaten the tax-exempt status of the church that hosted the event. It also suggests that bending and breaking the IRS rules proscribing electioneering by tax-exempt organizations, including churches, continues to be a key tactic of the Christian Right in the Republican Party.

topic: All Topics
The tour is sponsored by the Cincinatti-based Christian right group, Citizens for Community Values Action, headed by Phil Burress. All of the events are free and open to the public. Russell Johnson, who heads the Ohio Restoration Project, announced the tour to his statewide e-mail list.

Johnson writes:

Tuesday November 7th, is a critical day in the history of our state and nation.   Christians need to  PRAY  SERVE  ENGAGE with conviction.  The stewardship of our citizenship means that we are ready as informed Christian citizens to vote.  Jesus said that we are to shine a light to a world in need of  faith and hope.   Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, declared "Lift up your voice like a trumpet!"  

There has been a concerted effort from the liberal media to spread fear and intimidation among people of faith.  If the church will stay behind "stained glass windows the left can continue their secular jihad against expressions of faith.  Don't be surprised if you continue to detect an attempt to "demonize" conservative Christians.   Many from the secular and religious left are hoping that conservatives will be so disillusioned with the tsunami of scandals, that we  will stay home by the multitudes and not vote.

I believe that Conservative Christians are beginning to wake up to the fact that many of these concerted efforts to silence the "bride of Christ" are no coincidence.  Will Ohio have leaders who believe in the sanctity of life and the Biblical definition of  marriage?  The verdict is still out.  As I have said in  the past, "the hinges of history are moving on our watch."   I applaud Phil Burress and his team at the Citizens for Community Values to making this opportunity with David Barton a reality.  Take note and take time to bring a friend.

 

Barton's speeches will be on the subject of  "RELIGION & POLITICS: The Myth of Separation of Church and State."

October 25 & 26

Greater Cincinnati

Wednesday, October 25 - 12:30 PM

West Chester Church of the Nazarene

 7951 Tylersville Road in West Chester

Greater Dayton

Wednesday, October 25 - 7:00 PM

Living Word Church

926 E. National Road in Vandalia

Columbus

Thursday, October 26 - 9:00 AM

Potters House Church of God

3220 Lowell Drive (I-70 and Wilson Road)

Chillicothe

Thursday, October 26 - 1:00 PM

Tabernacle Baptist Church

Hickory & East Main Streets

Portsmouth

Thursday, October 26 - 7:00 PM

Shawnee State University

Flohr Hall, Clark Memorial Library

These events are also listed on the web site of Barton's Aledo, Texas-based organization, Wallbuilders.

As Moiv summarized, in a Talk to Action post in July:

The work of both Russell Johnson and [Ohio televangelists and political activist] Rod Parsley has been greatly bolstered by the background support of Texan David Barton, president of Wallbuilders and until recently the second-in-command of the Texas Republican Party. In a symbiotic relationship that blurs the state lines of God's country, Parsley lent his influence to invigorate [Texas governor] Rick Perry's pet get-out-the-vote project, a state constitutional amendment to "protect marriage" as the "union of one man and one woman."  Parsley's video endorsement on the web site of the Texas Marriage Alliance was followed by a personal appearance with Tony Perkins and Rick Perry at a Fort Worth church rally where Perry signed both the Texas Marriage Amendment and a parental consent law that exposes physicians who provide abortion care to the death penalty.  

As revealed in [Bill Moyers'] NOW's report, the cooption of religion in the service of the Republican Party by operatives such as David Barton is a pervasive and ever-widening trend.

   

In the run up to the 2004 election, Barton traveled the country, boldly encouraging pastors to preach politics from the pulpit. In October 2004, Barton told the on-line publication "Beliefnet" that it was okay for pastors to stand in front of church and say, quote, "John Kerry is not fit to be president." Barton went on to say most pastors would be "shocked" to learn how much they could get away with.

    And who was Barton working for all that time? The National Republican Party. As a paid consultant for the Republicans, Barton held nearly 300 meetings with pastors and church groups.

    In Ohio, Pastor Russell Johnson told [PBS NOW] his work has been encouraged by Barton. But Johnson's connections to the Washington political scene don't end there. Johnson is also a member of the "Arlington group." The Arlington group is a coalition of the nation's most powerful conservative Christians, including James Dobson of Focus on the Family, and Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council.

So once again, David Barton, is speaking in churches on behalf of the RNC to stimulate voter turnout in cooperation with key operatives of the Christian Right. And a central part of his message will be the notion that America was founded as a "Christian nation," that somehow, must be restored.




Display:
Anybody know of a way to get a tape or transcript of what Barton is actually saying in his latest "Myth of Separation" presentation?  If its his usual myths and lies, maybe we can find a way to rebut what he's currently spewing out in Ohio.  I have all the information to rebut virtually any of his lies from his books "Original Intent" and "The Myth of Separation," so if we could find out which lies he's using maybe we could do something.

by Chris Rodda on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 04:48:59 PM EST
of Barton's talk. He said in an interview that what he is currently doing for the GOP, and differs little from his standard talk. But I can ask if those who taped would share it with you.

by Frederick Clarkson on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 05:10:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]
If you can get the tape, the next thing would be to figure out where rebutting it could do some good.  I'm thinking letters to the editors of some papers in Ohio, but time is obviously very short.  Nevertheless, if it's possible to do something, I think we should try.

Are there any Ohioans here (I have no idea if that's what people from Ohio are called) who might have any suggestions?

by Chris Rodda on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 05:18:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

or at least a version of it, whatever else you do, it might make a good series right here on Talk to Action. Rebutting his main points.

by Frederick Clarkson on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 05:48:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The reason I'd like to hear the tape of Barton in Ohio is that his lies become more blatant or less blatant depending on how ephemeral the medium or situation is.  For example, in a permanent form like his books, he merely implies things that aren't true about a Bible endorsed by Congress in 1782, giving his readers the impression that Congress printed this Bible, but without actually coming right out and saying that.  In his TV appearances, however, he goes much further, flat out lying that Congress not only printed this Bible, but printed it for the use of schools.  I can only imagine how much worse his lies get at a fleeting event like those he's putting on this week.

by Chris Rodda on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 06:21:11 PM EST
[ Parent ]





When is someone going to tell these clowns that the Biblical definition of marriage was not one man/one woman, but in fact, one man lots and lots of women. . .

And as for sanctity of life, may we please talk about preemptive wars and capital punishment.  Sanctity of life my butt.  

I'm getting so sick and freaking tired of hearing them talk about liberals as being anti-church.  I'm Episcopalian, or as we like to say, "Proud Member of the Religious Left."  Talk to me about anti-church after I spent all day last Saturday sitting in Gresham Hall at Grace Cathedral at the 157th Annual Convention of the Diocese of California.  Talk to me about being anti-church on Sunday when I was an adujlt acolyte and chalice bearer at mass and then went on to the nursing home we have been a regular visitor at for 15 years and did what amounted so a "super" Lay Eucharistic Minister visit for 30 people.      

by SFLady on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 05:56:14 PM EST


But he was introduced by Phil Burress as a "coincidental" speaker.  Phil Heimlich, who is running as an incumbent for County Commissioner was also spotted in the audience. This all ties together, so try to follow me. 

Phil, born Jewish, is a "completed, Jew."  In fact, he is so complete that he brought Christo-cultic leader Bill Gothard's Character Cities Program to Greater Cincinnati.  Both Blackwell and Heimlich have given keynote addresses in '04 and '05, respectively at Gothard's Annual Character Convention. in Oklahoma . (http://youtube.com/watch?v=lKmJpY-iXGs)  

When asked about it during an October 6, 2006 Cincinnati Enquirer online chat, Heimlich responded, "The Character Cities program has been implemented in cities and states throughout the country. It is a civic program that encourages business, education and government employees to focus on a different character quality each month, such as truthfulness or humility. Our local spokesperson has been Anthony Munoz. Our entire Cincinnati Police Department has gone through this program. Mayors and governors throughout the country have declared their cities and states to be "character cities" or "character states". My only reimbursement from the national character cities program was for my flight to Oklahoma City last year when I was the keynote speaker at their national meeting." http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/NEWS 01/310060022 Gothard founded the Institute in Basic Life Principles. http://iblp.org/iblp/

A link to The Character Cities Program can be found on the Cincinnati Police Department's website.  The big question is why are our police officers subscribing to Bill Gothard's 49 (biblical) Principles of Character?  How is this different from Secretary of State Ken Blackwell"s Center for Civic Character, his treatise, Uncommon Sense, with his 20 (biblical/Orwellian) character principles, found on his tax-payer funded website? www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/ How many know that Cincinnati is a "Character City", (biblical,) and that  Ohio, as declared by Concurrent Resolution 28, is a State of Character?(biblical)

When folks like Blackwell, Heimlich, Barton, Gothard, Parsley, Burress, etc.,etc get together, what do you think they talk about?  Dast I suggest power wrapped up in the name of the Holy One?



by Darwin on Thu Oct 26, 2006 at 08:13:48 PM EST
Cincy P.D. has been in perpetual bad odor due to police brutality/ overuse of force against blacks. This rose to national prominence a few years ago. I suspect this Gothard thing is in part an attempt to present the CPD in a better light to middle-of-the-road whites who don't necessarily know Gothard's promotion of child beating and tolerance of wife beating.

by NancyP on Fri Oct 27, 2006 at 08:51:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]



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