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link > The "Stop the ACLU Coalition" Shaming Project
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 'Left Behind' video game imageThe Shaming Project

does the violence of "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" bother you ? If so, what can you do ? Well, to begin with you can email Jonathan Hutson's stories to people you know. That will help to bring more public scrutiny of the game. Public shaming really works ! Just click on the "email" icon and link at the top or bottom of the story and you'll be taken to a form that will allow you email the first story, The Purpose Driven Life Takers or the latest installment without leaving this site. Thanks. 'Left Behind' video game image




The Financial Crisis was Caused by Sex
By Frederick Clarkson Thu Oct 02, 2008 at 02:04:47 PM EST printable version print story
Michael Heath thinks God gave us the crisis on Wall Street because he doesn't like America's approach to sex. While Heath is probably not alone in this view, his articulation is worth noting for two reasons. One is that it is a helpfully simple example of a widely held view. And he is also a Religious Right leader of some consequence, as executive director of the Maine affiliate of Focus on the Family Action, the political arm of James Dobson's Focus on the Family; and as chair of the board of one of most virulently antigay organizations in the U.S., Americans for Truth, headed by Peter LaBarbara, former head of the FOFA affiliate, Illinois Family Institute.

Heath's Maine Civic League is one of 35 Dobson affilated groups around the country that have often been the leaders in waging anti-gay, and especially anti-marriage equality initiatives. To understand the worldview of such folks -- even to get a handle on one or two key concepts -- is to understand why "the religious right is dead" meme, and its variant, "the culture wars are over" -- are wrong and counter productive, and end up being poor excuses for us not to do our homework to face some of the tougher issues, and more powerful political movements of our time.  

First lets' note that it is at the state level where much of the political strength of the Religious Right has been for many years. It is part of the long term strategy of the right in building a lasting political infrastructure.

(BTW: The group recently changed its name to the Maine Family Policy Council, consistent with its affiliation with FOFA.

At his personal blog, Heath gives us an important glimpse into his worldview:

The nation will right itself if it fixes sex

We are all rightly concerned about the nation's financial situation today. Our crisis is a symptom, not the cause.

Ruth Graham told her husband Billy years ago that God would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah if He doesn't judge America. They were reflecting on a list of sinful conditions existing in our nation in the 1960s. Things have only deteriorated since then.

I am not saying I know whether this financial crisis is God's judgment or not. It is not for me to know that definitively. Graham's observations are instructive, however.

If Maine's politicians really want to get serious about making Maine strong in light of this national crisis they will do the following immediately:

Put Maine on record as being against abortion the nanosecond the Supreme Court releases the Roe shackle.

Defund the Family Planning Association of Maine.

Amend Maine's Constitution to define Marriage.
Eliminate domestic partnerships and ignore pleas to create civil unions.
Unleash Maine's private sector to make Maine energy independent.
End discrimination against private religious schools and homeschools.
If we did that in 2009 I think God would crack a smile.

The worldview behind these statements is consistent with a wide swath of conservative evangelicalism, and some elements of conservative Catholicism, that believes that God punishes those -- inlcuding nations -- who do not conform to his laws (or at least, certain interpretations of God's laws as found in certain translations of the Bible). Such views were on spectacular display in the infamous episode in which Rev. Jerry Falwell explained the 9/11 attacks on Robertson's 700 Club cable TV show: "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'"  Robertson unhesitatingly concurred.

Similarly, we have had John Hagee telling NPR talk show host Terry Gross:  "Hurricane Katrina was, in fact, the judgment of God against the city of New Orleans." "New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God," Hagee said, because "there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came."

It is a false, manichean, anti-pluralist, and ultimately theocratic framing of life and public affairs in America.  This manifests itself most strongly in times of crisis, whether it is 9/1l, hurricane Katrina, or the crisis on Wall Street.  But it is worth absorbing the idea that variations on this worldview have been part of our culture throughout our history -- and it will likely always be so. What is different at this point in our history is that such views have grown tremendously in influence in recent decades and thanks to the political power of the Religious Right -- are front and center in American public life. This will probably continue to be so for the forseeable future.  There is much to be done in becoming conversant about such views and the destructiveness they bring to civil discourse, and to efforts to acheive fair and reasonable public policy in America.

It can be strange and complicated stuff. I know. But it really is central, not periferal, to the politics of our time. Fortunately, Chip Berlet recently posted a primer to go along with our intensive reproting on how these matters have played out in the campaign, most recently regarding Sarah Palin.




Display:
The more headlines like "The nation will right itself if it fixes sex" the religious right put out, the weaker they will become.  The biggest trouble they cause is when they act coy and play on the sentiments of the public at large, like the "teach the controversy" meme relating to creationism which is a widely popular, if uninformed, view.

Claiming that "sex killed my 401k" isn't going to fly (unless it was to pay for prostitutes, of course) outside of the religious right's most rabid supporters, and even then it might be a step too far for some.  In the same way, I think their claims that Obama supports infanticide is working against them.  People already accept that Obama is pro-choice, but they're not getting anywhere with over-the-top claims like that, even though Obama himself has provided some of the ammunition with his state government votes.

Another thing that's working against the religious right is the renewed focus on the grassroots Democratic support that Howard Dean and then Obama have done.  It is blunting the work that Karl Rove instigated with the religious right and is building a solid base of actively involved Democrats who can counter the political inroads the conservative Christians have made.   And many of them are young too, which bodes well for the future.

If Obama wins now and in 2012, I think the Republican brand will be in serious trouble.  While they may have stumbled into nominating the most electable Republican candidate in John McCain, assuming he loses, they will likely blame the defeat on his maverick, moderate, RINO ways.  Since there is currently no sign of weakening of the hard right's influence on the Republican party (the neocons, the religious right, the Club for Growth, etc) then the chances are they will continue to pick hard-right candidates for office.  Amazingly, in what is obviously a Democratic year, they even succeeded in dumping a few of the more moderate Republican congressmen during the primaries to put right-wing ideologues in their place!

If the Democrats play their cards right over the next eight years (a big if, I know) then with a combination of a progressive agenda, good government, and continued focus on the grassroots of the party, we may well be looking at the end of the religious right as a political force.

So while I agree they are not dead yet, I believe there are hopeful signs of their eventual demise. An Obama victory is just the start.  There is a lot more work to do in the years ahead.

by tacitus on Thu Oct 02, 2008 at 06:04:45 PM EST


along with many other of these religious right orgs should be declared as un-American and terrorist organizations. They are definably a threat to the Constitution of the United States and anyone who has served in the military knows, your oath on induction covered defending the Constitution against all enemy's foreign and domestic

by Neotheo on Sun Oct 05, 2008 at 04:24:19 PM EST

I'm sure that Mr. Dobson and his ilk will redouble their efforts to convince their base that all the ills that will surely continue, are because of Obama's recalcitrant Christianity, or covert Islam. The Republicans are in trouble, which means that they will do whatever they can to keep the RR in their corner.

I doubt will see the religious right give up anytime soon.



by trog69 on Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 01:22:32 AM EST


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