Shame on us and shame on them too. They have been taken over by the religious right. In a process that took decades, the religious right has become the Republican party. Really and truly a magnificent move by the religious leaders, they could have started a third party and they would have split the vote and neither them nor the republicans would ever win again. Instead they patiently took over and now all they have is their "biblical morals"... in quotations of course because they preach them only when they agree with the conservative economics of the original republicans. In a way, both the religious right and the original republicans both lost their souls in the process. It's a pity really because for our system to work it needs two parties willing to compromise.
I think I saw the start of Barry Goldwater's warning. I was a college undergrad during Jimmy Carter's presidency, and I'll never forget a certain broadcast by Pat Robertson where he attacked Carter, and with Billy Graham and Pat Boone's help, heralded the coming of a deliverer - riding a white horse.
ReplyDeleteFalwell's Moral Majority had recently been founded, and evangelicals and televangelists jumped on the bandwagon. One of the main ones was Pat Robertson.
One fateful day in 1979, Robertson had Billy Graham and Pat Boone were all on lamenting the "Godless state of this Christian country" for at least 10 minutes. They then decided to have a prayer for America, and they all joined hands and prayed to God for deliverance. Suddenly, Pat Boone's eyes rolled upward, and he fell backwards, but was caught by the alert Pat R. and Billy. When Pat B. came to, he said that he had beheld a vision Washington in its wicked state, BUT, he saw a man in a cowboy hat riding a white horse into Washington D.C. to set things right. Pat B. continued, saying that the horse stopped at 1800 Pennsylvania Ave. Pat ejaculated "1800 Pennsylvania Avenue, why, isn't that the address of the White House?!!!" Many "Praise the Lord!" affirmations followed from Pat R.. Billy Graham, and the studio audience, but then one of the program directors walked over to Pat and whispered in his ear. Pat then said that the heavenly vision was correct, but Pat, in his human existence, had made a mistake in accurately recounting that vision. Pat continued, and told the audience that the White House address was really 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
I was roaring with laughter at the time, as were other students in the common room - including two religious studies majors. We all remarked "who could ever be stupid enough to believe that S__t?" We had evidently all overestimated the intelligence of the average American. With interest rates rising, and a failed rescue attempt of hostages in Iran, and then the arms for hostage deal with the October Surprise," Ronald Reagan was elected by a landslide.