Bush's Last Fans -- The Evangelical Right, the Facilitators of War and a Sadly Diminished McCain

President Bush was on my old stomping grounds this week. Back in the early 1980s I was also the keynote speaker at the NRB (National Religious Broadcaster's) convention.

According to the New York Times, (March 12, 2008):

President Bush delivered a rousing defense of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on Tuesday, mixing faith and foreign policy as he told a group of Christian broadcasters that his policies in the region were predicated on the beliefs that, freedom was a God-given right and 'every human being bears the image of our maker...' Calling freedom a 'precious gift,' Mr. Bush said: 'The liberty we value is not ours alone. Freedom is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to all humanity.' His words were punctuated by shouts of 'Amen.'

When I spoke to the NRB I was introduced by Pat Robertson. I delivered a rousing take-back-America-from-the-godless-humanists speech. I was cheered too. I spoke shortly before I quit working as a "Professional Christian." I didn't quit as soon as I should have, because you can lose your faith and still pretend, because there are bills to be paid, because you are booked up for a year, because this is what you do.

I finally got out of the evangelical movement in 1985 when I belatedly outgrew my fundamentalist background. I wanted to be a writer, not of religious propaganda but of actual books. I also quit because I had slowly woken up to the fact that the religious right I was in bed with -- because my late father Francis Schaeffer was one of their leaders, and in the nepotistic evangelical tradition I followed in his footsteps -- were not conservatives. They were anti-American agitators for a thinly disguised theocracy.

On the same day as the NRB/Bush story quoted above was published the Times also happened to report that William J. Fallon, the commander of American forces in the Middle East whose outspoken public statements on Iran and other issues put him at odds with the Bush administration, is retiring early. Admiral Fallon upset the Bush administration with comments that according to the Times; "emphasized diplomacy over conflict in dealing with Iran, that endorsed further troop withdrawals from Iraq beyond those already under way and that suggested the United States had taken its eye off the military mission in Afghanistan." A senior administration official said that Fallon's comments, "left the perception he had a different foreign policy than the president."

As he has for the last eight years Bush disregards the advice of his military leaders when they don't agree with him. (Disclosure: My son volunteered for the Marines in 1999 and served in Bush's wars so this is personal.) As if answering admiral Fallon In his NRB speech Bush said; "The decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision... It is the right decision at this point in my presidency, and it will forever be the right decision."

These days most Americans would have booed Bush's statement, but not the right wing evangelicals at the religious broadcasters convention.

Don't get me wrong, not all evangelicals support Bush. For instance I have plenty of emails from evangelicals glad I'm rooting for Senator Obama. And I could write pages about all the good things evangelicals are doing around the world, often in places no one else will go. But there are still lots of evangelicals willing to believe Bush's lies. The broadcasters greeted him so enthusiastically that he laughed and called them, "kind of a rambunctious crowd."

The rest of us, including many moderate Christians, aren't laughing. We know that we've had eight years of failed Republican/Bush misrule-by-fear that's produced a war in Iraq without end, and that risks losing the war in Afghanistan, and that has given us an American president instigating -- and even defending -- torture.

After he was cheered Bush returned the favor. He praised the broadcasters and promised to veto any legislation that would reinstitute the so-called "fairness doctrine," which once required broadcasters to give air time to opposing views. Bush has also done what he can to slow a congressional investigations into the larceny that typifies the many "successful" religious broadcasters with their "nonprofit" twenty-thousand square foot homes, jets and fleets of luxury cars.

After Bush what next for the Republicans? McCain is also beholden to the right wing evangelicals. In fact he's courting them. He has to in order to win. A big man is becoming as small as his party's base.

Bill Buckley -- who opposed the war in Iraq and called it foolish -- is dead and so is the thoughtful conservative movement he recreated out of the bitter ruins of a bigoted dying 1950s-60s conservatism. Buckley pushed back against the right wing ideologues of his day, such as the John Birch society. By comparison those old Bircher anti-Communists were paragons of reason when juxtaposed to the broadcasters wildly cheering the failed president.

The irony is that the people McCain is appeasing these days in order to "unite" his party, are the same people who in 2000, spread (and believed) the racist nonsense about his black adopted child being illegitimate etc. The people he must suck up to now undid his candidacy then.

The sad truth is that the 2000 election was McCain's moment. The right wing evangelicals (and the Republican establishment) handed the presidency to Bush and the rest is history. Now McCain's moment has past, swept away by a river of needlessly shed blood and by the politics of fear.

Any group that--post-Iraq five years on, and post-our failure to secure Afghanistan six years on -- is still being willingly influenced by the likes of the religious broadcasters such as James Dobson etc., along with their secular fellow travelers such as Rush Limbaugh, William Kristol, Ann Coulter and the rest of the proponents of global war without end, should be beyond the pale. Any candidate that must cater to the fundamentalists (some of whom belong to the National Religious Broadcasters) who are saying that Barack Obama is a Muslim and/or that he might even be the Antichrist! -- should be repudiated. This is the company that McCain now must keep.

Independent voters, moderate evangelicals, other religious believers and nonbelievers, Democratic Party members and authentically conservative Republicans must work to make sure that either McCain stands up to the evangelical right or that he loses. It's long past time that McCain's old enemies and now his new "friends" -- inherited from Bush, and otherwise known as the "Republican base"--are sent packing.

The rest of us have a job to do: undoing the damage done to our country by the born-again president whose miserable presidency was brought into existence by and aided and abetted by the religious right. Barring some unlikely radical reform of the Republican Party before November, the best thing that could happen to the Republican Party is to lose. Then they might have a chance to repent and change.

The lesson is this: 4000 American war dead, 40,000 wounded, countless killed Iraqis and our country in hock to the Chinese (and other lenders) tells us that next time the religious right likes a presidential candidate vote for the other guy. And if you hear those religious broadcasters cheering be afraid, be very afraid.

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of "CRAZY FOR GOD-How I Grew Up As One Of The Elect, Helped Found The Religious Right, And Lived To Take All (Or Almost All) Of It

Comments

[bullseye]

Hey lets face it we have had 8 years of this crap. Now look were we are. We owe every body, houses are being forclosed, depression, gas prices high, with record profits for the oil companies, food prices skyrocketing, a war with no end in sight, and a money black hole drain with it too. A intrastructure that is falling appart and McCain wants to step in to keep this going for another 100 years. The middle class shrinking and tax breaks for the wealthy. Tossing a few bucks in tax rebates will do little to get things moving except to make the hole bigger. A one day shopping spree for some, big deal, thats realy going to turn the economy around. We need to clean house, get out of the desert except to secure our interest with out killing ourselves and others in the process. On top of it all it seemes that we as a country have leased out a large part of Alaska oil reserves to a European country giving up our treasure for a small amount of money compared to the reserves there. Now that was another blunder and who was in charge of that? With all the bad things that we as a country have been through in the last 8 years from surplus to now this, whats next. Time for change, FAST.

[JimReed]

Bullseye,
I think that is the point of this blog. The voting block led to this, now it is too hard to swallow so people have to turn away because looking at the situation might lead them to blame themselves. I think this election is finally showing us how to run presidential politics. To get elected you must be a serious Christian, but it would be dangerous to attend a church.

[Melangell]

"My feelings being, anyone who doesn't believe in God, isn't an American to start with." Hmmmmm, let me start with this.... I am an ex-Captain in the U.S. Army who commanded an armor team in COMBAT during Desert Storm while serving in the 1st Armored Division. I now work as an air traffic controller with the F.A.A. My father was a career Marine officer who flew A-4 Skyhawks during 3 tours in Vietnam. NEITHER one of us were/are a Christian as you, Sir Oldgrapeape, would define that term. You, sir, seem to have had trouble following the laws of this country in the past but now think that your "conversion" to Christianity, or at least the blasphemy that Christ Himself would be dearly tempted to strike you down for, gives you the right to judge others and call their lives and ideas wrong and themselves not, or un-American. That my father and I were willing to give our lives for OUR country and not violate it's laws , I think, makes us FAR more "American" than you ever might hope to be. Freedom of religion, or FROM religion is an American right, enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. In this, you seem more in line with the Taliban, demanding that everyone follow YOUR particular version of religion or be marginalized at the least, or somehow punished at the worst. Had you tried to extend yourself past a seventh grade education (an old and very American idea), you might have known this. That you seem ready to use nuclear weapons to indiscriminately kill thousands of innocent human beings points out your lack of any true knowledge of Jesus Christ. Really? Do you really want thousands of innocents to die for your own vengeance? Do you actually care? I honestly think that you do not and being so I truly think that the Christ you claim to believe in is desperately trying not to hate you. What else??? Oh, your idea that the Israelis are somehow grand and glorious, I guess because of some right-wing BS about them being God's people....­. The State of Israel has been guilty of many acts of terrorism against the Palestinian people, ALONG with attacking a U.S. Navy vessel, killing U.S. sailors, and corrupting American military personnel and civilians into spying against their own country! They demand our aid and demand that our... no, not yours because I'm not sure you really deserve it, MY country subvert its foreign policies to them and their wishes. I'm sure that God just loves them! If Biblical prophesies were to actually come true, I think the current residents of that land are at the most, placeholders. I could go on but your lack of coherent thought, original thought, grammar, and spelling sadden me.

[SShaw490]

Frank Schaeffer has found the truth in Jesus' words, that "what is whispered in private will one day be shouted from the rooftops." Jesus said that you can't keep secrets forever. The Religious Right wanted to keep their political ambitions and financial machinations a secret - but now they're obvious to everyone. And the irony is that the Religious Right is creating more atheists than Madeline Murray O'Hare ever could have dreamed. The Religious Right is turning more people away from religion than they could ever hope to have evangelized. By ignoring Jesus' words and replacing them with their own - words that glorify warfare and conquest; economic oppression; hatred of other races and other cultures; disgust with anyone who doesn't follow their own teaching; denigration of anyone who would dare question their failure of a president - they have done what God casigated the Jews for: "My name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you".

Thank God for Frank Schaeffer. May his tribe increase..­.

[JimReed]

As Americans we have to choose, war or peace. Religious people can choose war because they are following a religion and are not responsible for what happens. Athiests pretty much have to choose peace because they are exposed, and they would have no way to shift responsibility for their actions.

[realpolitic]

That may be a false dichotomy.

[WireDolly]

After 8 years of baby brat Bush and Co., I've not only had it with him, I've had it with Jesus as well. I became an agnostic during his presidency. Atheism is on the rise, thanks to Bush for allowing us all to see the light indeed.

I used to be catholic, but now that there are five catholics on the SCOTUS, I have totally run in the opposite direction. These assholes have had their say, and they suck it all--and no doubt their own lollies behind their desks whilst in their chambers as well. What else are those robes for but to get to it more easily?

And these people "have god on their side"? Not so if they are appealing to government to control their sex lives for them. That flies in the face of their being above the laws of mankind and all that other shite.

This article is right on the bloody money. Anyone courting religious extremists should be shunned at the ballot box. Wake up Americans!

[Dianethegardener]

The conservative Taliban would be an excellent description for anyone of the Evangelical, neoconservative movement.
Or anyone, Catholics or any other religion that is trying to move this country towards a theocracy.

But what struck me more about this article, and it was an excellent article and maybe this was not the time nor the place, but evangelicals if they are truly following their faith are not up in arms about the lying and deceit that has gone on in this administration.
Upset about the war? yes very, but why is not one talking about the lying, cheating and deception that went on to get us into this war. Where is the moral outrage over that?
Or is this Evangelical movement so insistent about getting their message across that they will do anything and I do mean anything to accomplish their goals?
Does anyone else feel this way?

[oldgrapeape]

BUSH does not run the United States anymore than Clinton or even Reagan did. Use your heads People. You are getting ready to receive FREE-BEE Money from the Bush White House, are you going to send it back, bet ya don't---lol. I walk the walk I talk, or I try. I won't be filling out those papers they are wasting money on sending so I and others have to fill out, and I won't be receiving the FREE-BEE Monies because I won't fill them out. Ask Social Security, Congressman Bart Gordan (oh and he's a Dem I always vote for), and even the White House if I didn't tell them I DID NOT want that stupid Social Security increase we received at the first of the year, and it's sure not because I don't need it or I'm trying to help our Government Leaders out with more money to waste on themselves.

THINK. Bush is giving out 140 Billion Dollars this Government don't have in the FREE-BEE Monie coming. As of a couple days ago, the US Tresury, WE DON'T OWN but barrow Money from and pay them to make our paper and coin money for us, anyway, they put 200 Billion Dollars in US Banks to cover Bad Loans. The US Treasury then sells those Notes to other Countries like China, etc.

The facts being the World Bank, the TEN People who own ALL THE MONY in the World and ONE owns over 51% ofd that money. They give the orders to what will be and will not be done my World Leaders. They Play Chess with Countries, not with us their little no-body slaves, though it all effects us. Get the Book titled "The Shadows Of Power" The Council on Foreign Relations And The American Decline. OH, shut my mouth, OBAMA is a member now of the CFR, isn't he. Maybe the best President this Country has had was afriad of them. that being Reagan. So he put over a HUNDRED of the CFR and TL members in his cabnit right off to keep peace and maybe to keep him alive, who knows, look at JFK.

[realpolitic]

In the documentary film "Bible Camp," the leaders of the camp seem like they are training the children to be Christian warriors who fight Muslims more than any kind of peace and justice loving Christians. Most of the kids in the movie have a real interest in Harry Potter. The church elders, of course, tell them Potter is a sorcerer who is going to hell and if they believe in magic they are going to hell too. There is little teaching of the forgiveness taught in the bible. The message was intolerance, believing without understanding or asking questions, and willingness to use your faith a a sword. It was a scary film to watch children going through such brain washing. Non-conformity was really punished.

[oldgrapeape]

I made these cards with double-face tape on the back of them I not only hand out, but I have one on my bathroom mirror where I can see it every morning and many times a day. It say; "I'm looking face to face at my problem"

[realpolitic]

Sounds very depressing!

[oldgrapeape]

I have or had some Dems in my family. They believed in God and therefore were Real Americans Indians, not wash-to-be because they were bron in sin and dropped here to be called Americans.

[Garvagh]

Pathetic as he is these days, John "Bomb Iran" is a dangerous man indeed, if he gets into the White House.

[darker]

the only "fan" Bush has is the one on the ceiling. Nobody else who's sane is a fan.

[breakfast]

Bill Buckley was a conservative. Jimmy Carter is a Christian. The Republicans and right wing Christians are Authoritarians, having more in common with the Taliban than with Jesus.

[SonnyBono]

The only real Christian president we have had in recent memory was Jimmy Carter and the Republicans and others ran him out of town on a rail.

Ronnie Reagan pandered to the Christian right so he could get their votes and run the government for the benefit of big business - the rest of them pretty much the same - although W does take the prize as the most hypocritical and corrupt.

[goodgulf]

I remember one time a reporter asked Bush if he knew that conservatives thought he would bring on Armegeddon. He tried to look surprised and said that was new to him. I remember years ago when Pat Robertson of the 700 club was running for the republican nomination. They showed some of his previous speechs where he's was haranguing the crowd for big donations. He was saying how if he were president he would bring on God's holy fire. His right wing audience is cheering and yelling "end the world, bring it on". His candidacy fell apart after that speech started getting air play. Now the conservatives own so much of the media, that speech would never be mentioned. It seems to me that the "right wing" of all the religions have become dangerous. If right wing christians could, they would perpetrate the same sort of evil that right wing muslims would. They are both capable of the sort of cruelty that hasn't been seen since the middle ages.

[Duncan77]

As a non American I have to ask. Will their ever be an atheist President of the US? All of the candidates seem to have to claim some religious belief to be even vaguely electable. How can there be real separation of church and state if all candidates have to be part of a church and be seen as being religious?

In the UK any mention of a candidates religious beliefs would be the kiss of death to their campaign. British people are very wary of anyone who wears their religion on their sleeve. As Alastair Campbell stated when asked questions about Blair's beliefs in the 1997 election. "We don't do religion."

[Sciguy]

Thanks, Duncan77! I'm an American atheist, and I couldn't agree with you more. Once upon a time, I didn't care about a candidate's religion - as long as s/he kept it to him/herself, and didn't try to replace our Constitution with it, I didn't even want to know. And I'm old enough to remember when JFK's Catholicism made him suspect to many bigots.

That was then, this is now. I don't care about a candidate's religion EXCEPT.... nowadays, they all have to make a huge show of pandering to the religious right-wing nuts. Any candidate who must be seen at a church, or must proclaim a specific religion, or tries to downgrade another candidate by means of tainted-religion ("tainted" = "unpopular in the US") is suspect, at least to me. The majority of the jerks to be pandered to are a particular brand of christian (mainly evangelicals, and those are mainly baptists). Therefore, when I see some candidate trying to be just like that brand, or show him/herself to be in bed with that brand, I want to head for the hills.

Besides, why should any candidate bother proudly displaying some religion? Or bother pandering to some right-wing holier-than-thou types? The "religious" right-wingers are stuck with McCain anyway. The rest of us have a choice - sort of. But manoman, I'd love to go through an entire campaign and see no reference to anyone's religion!

[JimReed]

Duncan,
Good question, glad you asked. We are in an unstable state at the moment, politically and religiously. On the political side this is no big deal. Political parties can change, even 180%, and they will do it every time they lose enough votes. Republicans are taking a hit, but they will change over the next few elections until they get back to roughly 50% of the votes. The situation is less clear on the religious side. Change is not so easy for them because the whole point is to block out any other voice and listen only to themselves. They have been primed though a culture of popular fiction to accept and even welcome any disaster that comes, so it will be a while before things start to even out on that score. They could easily end up killing their golden goose, and the results as of now are unpredictable. In the next generation, America might become even more athestic than the Europeans.

[divadarya]

Duncan,
Think about it: who settled America(at least the US part)? Religious fanatics(e­r..refugee­s) from Europe, Greedy Capitalists, ambitious indentured workers and restless troublemakers of any ilk.
That mix, rich in Attention Deficit Disorder, Superstition and Grandiose thinking is what made us who we are, good and bad. We have a stubborn streak of Puritanism; a group that England couldn't wait to throw out.
Give us time, we're slow..At least we're running a Black man and a Woman(finally), although neither one of them will give you a straight(no pun intended) answer on gay, lesbian or transgender rights because of that stubborn American religious/­superstiti­ous streak.

[WireDolly]

Ay ay, fellow islander here. I couldn't agree more. Same with the Australians. Thankfully there are countries who are less concerned about their invisible friends than with running an actual country, for crying out loud!

[Grit]

No there will never be an atheist president , at least not in my grand children's life time. The brain washing is too complete. Anyone that is not the right brand of Christian is at best strange and at worst evil. To the average American a person can't be good unless they profess the right religion.
The christian religion in the U. S. today is very bigoted, hate filled, mean sprited, ignorance promoting, unforgiving, religion that has nothing to do with the teaching of Jesus Christ. Religion in this country is BIG business. With money, power, politics, all mixed in. By the time people in this country are adults they are conditioned to be ready to be told what to think and how to feel about it. I know I preached a lot as a teenager. when I realized that the people in front of me wanted me to do just that I became real good at it. They want to "just have faith" then they don't have to put any effort into finding out what is real, or true.

[magen]

Evangelism needs more voices like you.

Yeshua was fighting against corruption in the leaders of his religion.

The Huffpost audience is aware of these things you are writing about already.

The lost sheep in Evangelism need to be taught about the REAL teachings of Yeshua.