Obama Provides A Way for the Evangelicals to Redeem Themselves -- Following the Bush Disaster They Foisted on the Rest Of Us

Having empowered the failed and deadly presidency of George W. Bush evangelicals should be in the market for redemption. So I'll make a prediction: if Senator Obama is the Democratic Party candidate, the 2008 election will provide a watershed moment for the evangelical community, perhaps even a second chance.

According to the polling data from the last 30 years evangelicals have been largely responsible for bringing us the Republican dominance of Congress and the White House. I note this with deep regret because -- along with my late evangelical leader father Francis Schaeffer -- I contributed to the founding the Religious Right. (This was before I left the evangelical movement in the mid 1980s and got honest work as a novelist.)

Leaders of the Religious Right such as Dr. Dobson, have had an outsized influence in keeping Republicans in power. And now that the chickens have come home to roost -- in a failed a failing war, a national war debt that is going to possibly sink the US economy and worldwide Bush-inspired hatred of our country -- evangelicals have to ask themselves if they are up for another round of self-immolation.

How will evangelicals respond to Obama when it comes to race, lies and hate? In 2000 they went along with the Bush people even after the Bush team spread lies about Senator McCain (race-tinged lies about his having an "illegitimate" black child who was actually adopted). Those lies were effective. They helped put Bush in the White House. They also proved that racism still works within the Republican/evangelical base.

Confronted by a racially tinged campaign against Obama, will evangelicals pass by on the other side of the road -- again -- and pretend not to notice as Obama is smeared? Or will they stand up this time?

I don't intend to suggest that evangelicals have to vote for Obama or otherwise they are complicit with racists. I know many evangelicals who admire Obama, some of whom will be voting for him, others not. What I am saying is that evangelicals should be fair and true to a higher call than mere political expediency.

Obama has opened an unusually honest national conversation on race but also, by default--because he suffered from smear-by-association re Reverend Wright -- a conversation on the place of religion in politics. This is uncomfortably familiar territory to evangelicals. They have had their own extremists for which their community of faith has sometimes been blamed. For instance, many evangelicals disagreed with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson when -- in their version of "God damn America!" -- they claimed that 9/11 was an act of God punishing America for the sins of homosexuality, feminism, liberalism and abortion. Some people called all evangelicals "intolerant" because of the Falwell/Robertson remarks.

The Obama candidacy is smoking out the right wing bigots, cretins, thugs and racists that too many evangelicals have been cozying up to in order to keep Republicans in power at any cost. I have a little personal and very minor unscientific evidence, that this is still happening.

Ever since I've been writing about my support for Obama and ever since my memoire was published -- critiquing the evangelical right, as well as my and my father's role in the Religious Right -- I've received my share of hate email. The point here isn't the hate mail. Big deal. No harm done. The point is the interesting timing.

The hate mail always "coincidentally" shows up moments after an evangelical and/or right wing publication or website just happens to publish a scathing attack on my Obama support and/or my memoir. Here are just a few recent little screeds mixing weirdly cloying feigned piety and outright thuggish stupidity:

Congrats on your conversion to the faggot loving...You choose to look away for popularity among easy prey. Mindless non-thinking faggot loving, abortion loving, America hating anarchists. Now you are one with them.

And this:

[F]urthermore [in] your obvious desire to please Barbara Streisand, Rob Reiner, Barbara Boxer, The NYT and the rest of the ad nauseum hate America bunch... You have become a useful idiot for darkness. But I am sorry this has happened to you and I will pray for you and your family who must be terribly confused and conflicted.

And this:

I have learned in 30 years that no child of God gets out of here without the proper discipline... If Os Guinness had it right and you fit the profile of a spoiled and undisciplined brat, yours will come. (The writer is referencing one of my many evangelical critics who wrote a piece that originally appeared in a Christianity Today book review and was then quoted widely and approvingly on several right wing hate sites).

And this:

Well, massah, you got the wrong whitey with me.

My little taste of hate mail is a minor footnote that points to the spirit behind -- and the flavor of -- the very real hate and much more serious, smear campaign against Obama. Consider Pat Buchanan's disgusting post on his website. This was his "answer" to Obama's elegant March 18 speech on race. Buchanan's best shot? Quote statistics about black on white crime and especially how many white women are raped by black men. Buchanan writes:

Is Barack Obama aware that while white criminals choose black victims 3 percent of the time, black criminals choose white victims 45 percent of the time? Is Barack aware that black-on-white rapes are 100 times more common than the reverse... (3/ 21/08 "A Brief for Whitey")

Subtle!

I'm concerned for my evangelical friends. The American right has become even more ugly in response to the Obama presidential run than they were when they tried to derail the first McCain bid for the presidency. This time race is involved. If the evangelicals are perceived to go along with the smearing of Obama their reputation will live in infamy for generations.

The lies are multiplying. For instance, borrowing "facts" from a right wing hate site, Fox commentator William Kristol (the man who worked so hard to encourage the Iraq war) goofed in his NY Times column (3/17/08) by saying Obama had lied about not attending the most controversial Reverend Wright church service. But Obama had told the truth, he hadn't been there. The Times forced Kristol make a retraction.

There have been a slew of similar "Fox facts" going around. On 1/19/08 Fox News said that Obama attended a "madrassa." Host Doocy noted that madrassas are "financed by Saudis" and "teach this Wahhabism which pretty much hates us," then said, "The big question is: was that on the curriculum back then?" A caller to the show questioned if that meant that "maybe Obama doesn't consider terrorists the enemy." Fox anchor Brian Kilmeade responded, "Well, we'll see about that." Hannity & Colmes spent the 3/21/08 show attacking Obama. Hannity was trying to make Obama out to be a racist. McCain spokesman Jack Kemp (on the show) wound up defending Obama. The right wing radio shows are literally clogged with anti-Obama name calling, hysteria, and outright lies.

The right will destroy the reputation of anyone and any group associated with them. Is this what evangelicals want to be identified with? Do they really buy into the FOX/Buchanan/Kristol/Limbaugh-type lies that can be summed up as: Obama hates America! Michelle Obama hates America! Obama's pastor hates all white people! If Obama wins, the terrorists win! Al Qaeda loves Obama! Obama is a Muslim! Okay, he's not a Muslim, he's a Christian, but the wrong kind! His pastor hates America! Blacks rape more white women!

A few evangelicals (unlike the "progressive" Clintons!) have distanced themselves from the hate mongers. For instance, vice president of the National Association of Evangelicals, Richard Cizik and I were on a PRI radio show the other day and he defended Obama. Mike Huckabee did the same on MSNBC, and went out of his way to also defend Obama's pastor. Recently evangelical Jack Kemp, a Republican leader and McCain backer, also defended Obama.

On PBS's Religion & Ethics Newsweekly Cizik warned that evangelicals, like other Americans, let their partisan feelings take precedence over their faith and better selves. He said:

One is inclined, I think, to put your politics in front of your faith and let that dictate your response rather than see in [Obama's] speech [on race] what we all need to see, which is that America has to come together... And because we don't worship together, we don't know this language of Jeremiah Wright. And yet, we have a history ourselves as evangelicals of preaching against the government. Saying things that Wright has said in another era, we've said before.

Cizik is a representative of a new and better direction in the evangelical movement, someone who has run afoul of the right wing within the evangelical establishment in the person of Dr. Dobson who tried to get him fired because of Cizik speaking out about global warming. Dobson saw this as disloyal to Bush and as a distraction from the far right's "core issues." But Dobson failed in his politicized power play and in that failure I see hope for the future for the evangelical movement.

It's time for all Americans -- including evangelicals -- to actually listen to Obama and not just to his detractors and/or talking head gatekeepers and/or sound bites of his pastor's remarks! A good place to start is a magnificent talk Obama gave in 2006 on his Christian faith and how he views the interaction of faith and politics. Obama said:

"Democracy demands that the religiously motivated translate their concerns into universal, rather than religion-specific, values. It requires that their proposals be subject to argument, and amenable to reason... But a sense of proportion should also guide those who police the boundaries between church and state. "

Here's the link to the video of Obama's talk and here's the link to the transcript and/or audio.

No matter who individual evangelicals vote for all evangelicals would be well advised to begin to salvage what little remains of their tattered post-Bush political credibility. The least evangelicals can do is denounce the hate mongers and liars and demand that Obama is given the courtesy of a fair shake.

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 Back

Comments

[konastephen]

You complain of hate mail... What goes around comes around, Franky. You've been spewing contempt for people like myself and my family for the past decade and and a half (roughly) and your presumptuous self-absorbed arrogance gets ever greater. (You FOUNDED the Religious Right??? How preposterous.)
Your writing and your opinions lack kindness. In the words of Goethe, "Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together" and you've been adding to the vitriol of public debate and hence to society's polarization and alienation ever since you were old enough to wield your own pen. It was and remains the principle difference between you and your father. He was always exceedingly civil and kind.
I say the principle difference because there are others and among them is the difference that he was keenly and prophetically perceptive whereas you are prone to enormous willful blind spots. For example, you surely can't truly believe that Obama is anything other than another pretty face behind which the DNC can hide its agenda of creeping tyranny. And yet you choose to support the man. That is willful blindnes in the first degree. But this is becoming your trademark. You toy malevolantly with issues of the utmost seriousness. And it is so like you to use even your hate mail to try and position yourself as the ultimate innocent victim...

[charlesrfd2003]

I kept a copy of Obama's speech about his pastor. I think it will become a very historical speech that many will read in the future. Obama not only addressed the present and the past but gave us window to the future. Even if some refuse to look into the window, we will always be pointing to it. It is the way to the future.

[MyUserName]

I really don't feel the need to redeem myself for voting for Bush.
Although, I have most certainly been disappointed in many of his decisions and policies.
As far as several of my reasons for voting for him, he delivered as promised, or at least tried.
He did appoint Conservative judges that will be deciding factors in future cases before the Supreme Court for their life. The horrendous act of Partial birth abortion was stopped etc...etc...
These being a few of my main reasons for voting for him; I feel no need of redemption.

The same line of reasoning will keep me from voting for Obama or Clinton.

[portwes]

Happy with an unprovoked invasion of Iraq costing trillions of dollars and 500,000 lives, are you?
Happy with the largest national debt this country has ever seen, are you?
Happy with 60 million people with no health care, are you?
Happy with the negative image of the US that most of the rest of the world has now, are you?

But it's all OK with you, because we now have a ban on partial birth abortion! Whoopee!!

[KELLI2L]

Your article is very wordy. I am more a leader than a follower and I chose to not follow a liar like Obama. He may or may not be good at manipulating the masses who may have little common sense but to a thinker of facts, the facts show he is not to be trusted, in my opinion (IMO). Sorry, I don't agree with you on Obama.

[portwes]

Kelli2L, if you are a thinker, then next time you leave a comment, you should reply to the Schaeffer article, NOT reply to one of the comments ON the article. Your comment was about the main article, but you posted it as a reply to "MyUserName". If you are leader, I would be afraid to follow you, as you seem to go in the wrong direction!

[DoninJoisey]

Curious why you label Obama a liar. I'm not aware of any falsehood he's said.

Hillary - Bosnia, NAFTA, N. Ireland, SCHIPS.... all lies. The best "I'll fight to take government from the special interests" Right.... They OWN her.

McCain - "we're winning in Iraq", The Bush tax cuts.

SO, who are you supporting?

[DoninJoisey]

Excuse me. I believe the ban on partial birth abortions was a law passed by Congress, having nothing to do with neo-Nazis appointed to the Supreme court.

You call your position a "line of reasoning"? Figures you like Bush, he denies reality, too.

[irishgawdess]

Thought provoking post Frank, thank you.

It was transparent to many that Bush was pandering to the evangelicals back in 2000. Do you think that evangelicals understand that now? What has the Bush presidency done for them lately? Roe v Wade has withstood far right attacks, and the Marriage Protection Act failed to gain traction in Congress, never making it to the president's desk. Bush has paid more attention to military issues (planning preemptive strikes, killing, overspending, etc.) which I would like to think is more offensive to true Christians.

The "the right wing bigots, cretins, thugs and racists" need to be shut down by shunning or public ostracization. I'm glad that Obama brought the "race card" out of its dark hole. It's always been there and it needed to be aired out. Now we all have the opportunity to examine our own beliefs and prejudices, and I hope the conversation continues.

The "separation of church and state" was meant to protect the state from church influence, and to give religious institutions freedom to practice their faiths. Where is the line drawn tho, really? Often I sense that churches are overstepping the boundary between non-secular and secular territory. Church leaders may not be overtly preaching politics from the pulpits, nor telling congregants how to vote, yet it seems that people are coming away from church with politicized ideas.

I hope you're posting this to evangelical and right wing websites, otherwise you are "preachin' to the choir!"

[dukeitout]

The author says "the Obama candidacy is smoking out the right wing bigots, cretins, thugs and racists that too many evangelicals have been cozying up to in order to keep Republicans in power at any cost. " Baloney. Many of the right wing bigots, cretins, thugs and racists are the evangelicals. You don't cozy up to yourself. Too many of the black haters are the old democratic conservative segregationists and their sons and grandsons who now call themselves conservatinve republicans. Too many believe the worst day in American history was the day the civil rights act was passed in the 60's. They've been harboring pent -up racial hatred ever since. Hope I haven't been too harsh but I truly believe this.

[DoninJoisey]

I have to agree with you. Bush claims to be "born again", yet he lies, ignores the needy, is intolerant,.. in short, exhibits none of Christ's teachings. the Falwells, Roberstons, etc., spew hate against homosexuals. I'm straight, but not homo-phobic.

The "religious right" is wrong for America.

[ProudNeoCon]

I assume it is still OK not to vote for Obama because one disagrees with his political views? Or Obama cult forbids that as well..

[portwes]

You've just verified that "NeoCons" do not have a very strong grasp of logic and rational thought!

Last time I checked there were two other politicians running for president, with each having a sizeable following, and I presume they follow their candidate with a free will, and that Obama fans do not have police force out there coercing people to like him and vote for him.

So, ProudNeoCon, what makes you people say SUCH STUPID THINGS?? Typical neocon thinking: "you don't agree with me, so you hate America and want the terrorists to win!"

Quit being so jealous of Obama's enthusiastic supporters, go hide in a cave till, say, 2016, and hope the citizens have forgotten by then, the unbelievably gigantic mess you guys have made both here at home and around the world in the last 8 years!

[MyUserName]

Obama hasn't really put forth any political views of any substance.
His voting record leaves much to be desired, I especially could never vote for a President who has voted against a parents right to give permission for her twelve year old to receive an abortion.
He and Hillery both believe that right should be taken from parents!
One thing that seems apparent is his personal choice of close friends and confidants.
It would seem he is a product of his environment, Obama has always surrounded himself with those who hold strong anti-American views. Although not a choice, it started with his own mother. He has now chose a wife and spiritual leader that further that view.
His early schooling during impressionable years were in Anti American environments. It all fits together perfectly with his choice of a spiritual leader and several of his wife's comments.
Obama is an excellent politician with great oratory talent, as well, an uncanny ability to pick up on what the the people want to hear...
Further, I am simply amazed that it is our most intelligent citizens of this nation that are falling for this three ring circus--hook, line and sinker.....as they are reeled on in.

[KELLI2L]

I've heard many people say that if Obama is shoved down their throats, they will not vote for him - no matter what. The Democratic Party needs to believe this (and not keep making light of it) or they will most certainly loose the presidency. I guarantee that my circle of family and friends will not vote for Obama. It's not racism - it's distrust.

[DoninJoisey]

I wonder how you can be proud to be a neo con. Nothing like a war of aggression to wave the flag, eh?

[Hosshi]

I agree with everything that Franky, Jr. says here, but I am always puzzled by him whenever he mentions once having been an evangelical but having left for -- well, that's just it! Why does he not mention that he became an Orthodox Christian? Has he now put aside Holy Orthodoxy also? It's disingenuous for him to say he left the evangelicals to become a novelist and is happy being a novelist now. Is he not happy being an Orthodox Christian? If his religion has no relevance in what he has written about in writing about the flacks and hacks who oppose Obama, then neither does being a novelist.

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti!

[Suprshrink]

I am not an evangelical and I am not republican but I have an issue with Obama. It is my sense that Obama has dished out as much dirt as he has gotten while he has claimed to be above it all. He did not give the "race speech" when it might have taken race out of the discussion. Instead, he waited until the race issue might hurt his campaign. Race will remain an issue in this election because he let it fester by claiming that the Clintons were racists. Now, there is no going back.

[DoninJoisey]

You're joking, right? What dirt has Obama dished out? The Clintons said Hillary and McCain have experience, Obama doesn't. That Hillary and McCain are patriotic, Obama isn't. Yeah, those are as believable as sniper fire when Hillary went to Bosnia with Chelsea...

The Clintons did the Rove-like "fear ad". He was trying NOT to make this a "race" race, but the smear couldn't ignored. How is that his fault?

Hillary plays the sexist card - that's okay? I don't like her because she's paid for by lobbyists and is a liar, not because she's a woman.

[rikyrah]

Evangelicals 'missed' the Civil Rights Movement. They ' missed' Apartheid in South Africa. Now, the Black Church is under attack and they are 'missing' again.

[KELLI2L]

Seems like some black churches need to be taken to task for their preachings against America and other races. I would vote to stop their tax exemption. Why should America allow this kind of hate organization to claim a tax exemption? We wouldn't allow hatful terrorist organizations to practice in America, would we, this is no different. Take the tax exemption from them for one year and don't re-instate it until they can prove they don't teach hate anymore. Free speech is great but this type of hate teaching is dangerous to America and can be compared to traitorism, doesn't it. . . . . . ..

[DoninJoisey]

Fine. Take the tax exemption from Falwell and Robertson - they blamed 9/11 on homosexuals and preach hate, too.

[StephieL]

The true meaning of "Christianity" is following the principles which Jesus taught, and there were many instances -- for example, when He took a cat o'nine tails and chased the moneychangers and merchants from the Temple -- when He was anything BUT "Gentle Jesus, meek and mild". Jesus openly challenged and questioned the religious "fundamentalists" of His time, and those who follow in His footsteps must be willing to openly challenge and question those in the seats of power (as well as ourselves) who refuse to adopt a sense of responsibility for their fellow human beings.

Excellent article, Mr. Schaeffer. So heartening to read an honest and truthful examination of faith and politics.

[UrsaMajority]

Why is it that many American democrats and most evangelicals are unwilling to give credit to Obama for being so tied to his faith that he's willing to overlook the faults of another person, his pastor, in deciding to continue to worship in that community. I suggest people learn a little more about the church and its support from the largely white United Church of Christ of which it is a part. Http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/26/video-disputes-black-sep_n_93535.html Many of those who even look at the issue have so little faith in their fellow man that they find some nefarious purpose behind his faith. Maybe he's just as devoted to his faith as the millions of evangelicals who support Huckabee and other avowedly religious politicians.

[janellrcarter1]

How about an expose on the continuing overt racism and double standard in this country? Sen. Obama gets reviled over a few soundbites from Jeremiah Wright's 30-year career, yet:

John McCain doesn"t disavow the rantings of his "spiritual advisor," Rod Parsley, who claims America was founded to destroy Islam.

Neither public opinion nor McCain's conscience compels him to denounce John Hagee or his rantings, which include calling the Catholic church the "Great Whore" and vilifying all Muslims. Instead, McCain stands with Hagee and announces that he's proud to get Hagee's endorsement.

Rather than shun Jerry Falwell and his bigotry which included saying America deserved 9/11 because of its tolerance of homosexuals, feminists and liberals, McCain travels to his "Liberty University" and embraces Falwell's support.

Mitt Romney, despite his "faith" speech, isn"t held accountable for belonging to a church " in fact, an entire denomination " with a history of racial discrimination. Where was the outrage over the fact that he remained with that church?

And even though Rudy Guilani"s priest had been accused of child molestation and covering up the crime of fellow priests, Guilani refused to denounce him.

Why is this? One reason is because society clearly accepts open bigotry against Muslims, black, gays and strong women. Another is because people are afraid to speak out against this powerful force (bigotry in Christian clothing) with powerful people, who have succeeded in driving this country"s political agenda.

[greginsocal]

Listen to the Obamaessiah? Ah, no.

[portwes]

Hey, mainstream media! You're so diligent at showing us the Wright sermons, why can't you give us:

1) McCain endorser John Hagee outrageous sermon videos?
2) McCain's pastor Rod Parsley outrageous sermon videos?
3) Info about the "Fellowship" (or "Family") that Hillary studies the Bible with?

So Wright deserves your saturation coverage, but the other three hardly get a mention?? Here's a start: there are a lot of them on YouTube . . .

[richw23]

You're right on about smoking out the hate-mongers. I was a reluctant conservative up until Bush, and even then it wasn't until I heard every pundit you mentioned and more on the right say the most ridiculous things to justify Bush. One Kristol blog I stumbled on openly advised how to spin a blunder rather than how to do the right thing.

That's when I realized conservatism is a sham pure and simple. No one comes out and repudiates the lies of these "meat with eyes" pundits.

And since nobody cares what I say - everyone who still identifies themselves as a coservative is complicit with racists, whether they realize it or not. For the record I'm a 61 year old white man born in Arkansas and now living in Southern Califonia. However, I was lucky in my parents and never exposed to racism at home. But it was a shock to realize how much implicit racism there was until we moved away and then I went back for a year of high school. Worked in a machine shop in Arkansas in 1965 that sitll had separate drinking fountains.