"A Christian Looks
At the Religious Right"
Dangerous Extremes
The Religious Right is akin to the far right in America. Strangely enough, where one finds this far right element, you find the Religious Right. The merger of the two is one of the epic historical events of the last twenty years. As is true of all extremist movements, whether from the far left or right, the element of danger becomes a part of the movement. Federal agents, rightly so, have taken up monitoring the activities of the extreme end of this society of fanatics. Understanding this peculiar paranoia helps one to communicate with these types, many of whom are sincere and kind citizens.
TIME magazine chronicles the modern far right U. S. hysteria, claiming it originated in 1945 at the founding of the United Nations. The UN is still a huge boogie man with folks today in Eagle Forum and the Christian Coalition. TIME suggests the organization which kicked off the movement was the John Birch Society, founded in 1958. According to their investigations, in 1983, a martyr was registered in the form of a tax resister by the name of Gordon Kahl. Kahl was killed by federal agents for refusing to pay tribute to a government he found incorporated into scary conspiracies.
The next piece of activity took place in 1992 with the Randy Weaver incident. This incident found a white separatist in an armed stand-off with federal agents which led to his wife and son’s death at the hands of government officials. The Branch Dividian fire in Waco in 1993, and later the Brady Bill, brought about a hysterical paranoia to a growing element in the nation, according to TIME.1
The Anti-Abortion Movement
One of the tendons that helps bind the religious element with the far right is the abortion issue. White supremacists often fear that abortion among Aryans is a cause for the dwindling majority of whites seen in the nation. Amidst the violent part of the anti-abortion crowd are often found cross sections of the most extreme right in the nation.
Author Frederick Clarkson reported that as recently as February 2001, at the presidential inauguration, a White Rose Banquet was held at the capitol. At the banquet, aid was raised for the 14 anti-abortionists currently serving a total of 200 years in prisons for vandalism, arson and murder. Rev. Michael Bray was a host for the event and has written a book that justifies the murder of abortion doctors, a position not foreign to many spokesmen in these elements. Paul Hill’s letter was read to the crowd two years ago at the same meeting. Hill is the man who shot and killed an abortion doctor and is awaiting his execution in prison. The Department of Justice records that these kinds have performed more than a dozen murders, 15 attempted murders, 209 bombings, 72 arsons and 750 death and bomb threats. Clarkson claims that there are even Catholic Priests advocating such violence as justifiable.2 Anti-abortion activist, Randall Terry, has advanced violent proposals as solutions to the issue.
The National Abortion Federation reports a steady ten year increase in violence at abortion clinics. Rev. Matt Trewhella, of the U. S. Taxpayers Party, is quoted in the NAF mail out as saying, "We should be forming militias. This Christmas, I want you to do the most loving thing...buy each of your children a SKS rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition."3
Seldom do Religious Right preachers advocate any form of violence. Their rhetoric might be mixed with extreme statements, but such violence is rare. Others, like Randall Terry, have advocated such positions. Terry does enjoy a following among the more respectable elements of the Religious Right. Terry believes it is a sin for every Christian couple to not have as many children as possible.4 Terry has publicly praised Colorado pastor Pete Peters, who is among the most violent advocates of the movement. Peters prescribes the killing of homosexuals as a splendid Biblical model for today.
Both Terry and Peters adhere to Reconstructionism principles. Gary North, who is one of the leading writers of the Reconstructionst movement in the country said of abortion, "How long do we expect God to withhold His wrath, if by crushing the humanists who promote mass abortion...He might spare the lives of literally millions of innocents?"5
Pastor's Paranoia
An example of the movement’s suspicions about government is provided by preacher Dave Barley of Standpoint, Idaho, who sends out a national newsletter. Barley has his own web site at http://amprom.org and publishes a host of religious right literature. Though not representative of the "lite right", Barley helps to present a profile of the belief systems of the more militant in the element. Idaho is a hotbed for this type of religious fervor. Donna Chenoweth represents the state in the U. S. Congress and is a known link with the state militias.
Rev. Barley adheres to the British Israel position which is a regional favorite.6 This viewpoint believes that Jews of today are not the true genetic descendants of Abraham of the Old Testament. They are mixed breeds of ancient civilizations. The true genetic offspring are the white tribes of Western Europe. Thus, the real chosen people are to be found in the white race in the U. S.
Barley despises Klan basher, Morris Dees, and claims there is a media conspiracy against the white race. He even suggested the Biblical answer for the six year old black child, who killed Kayla White in Detroit, is execution.7 Barley boasts about holding seminars with Pastor Pete Peters and is not shy about his position on modern churches. Barley’s paper says of the typical modern church, "The Churches are NOT Christian and anyone seeking Christianity should not go to ANY church...Jesus said that the churches can’t make you understand the Kingdom of God because its leaders are not a part of it."8
Pastor Dave brags on Southern Baptists for staking out their resolution at a national meeting warning against globalism. On the same page, he shares racial information with his readers that Black people have narrower hips and possess a higher sex drive than white folks.9
Conspiracy theories abound in these elements and the American Promise Newsletter is a dandy in this matter. Where someone in Idaho comes up with such peculiar theories is a question people in other parts of the state must wonder. Many in the state are embarrassed that such elements exist in the outback of the state and insist they do not represent the true nature of the area. Such examples of strange political positions abound. Barley states that Colin Powell is black, but still is not a dummy. Powell is supposedly working secretly with Israel for the protection of Jews...which Barley, if you recall, believes are not really Jews at all! Alan Greenspan, who Barley calls a Zionist Jew, is not to be trusted in his manipulation of the U. S. economy. The pastor believes that Greenspan (who is not a Democrat), is working behind the scenes to seek to make Bill Clinton look good. Barley says that Bill Clinton is secretly illegitimate great grandson of Jay Rockefeller.10 The Rockefellers are often targets of conspiracy theories in these elements. Though such positions might appear humorous to many readers...some take them seriously. If your religious leader is teaching you that the president of your nation is working directly with the devil, some obvious theological conclusions are forth-coming. In my own region, a 39 year old man was caught by federal officials with explosives and making threats against federal property. If Jasper, Texas, and the Federal Building in Oklahoma City have taught us anything, it is how vulnerable we all are to a small element of serious adherents to these belief systems. I am not suggesting we do away with religious liberty. I am suggesting more Christians take seriously the elements who claim to represent them.
Views on Creation
Racial origins, based on theological doctrines, are deeply rooted on the nation’s Religious Right. Segregationists and Bob Jones University types have sought theological ways to devise doctrines on the Biblical origins of different ethnic groups. The White Citizens Council has had a long history of conjuring up recipes for justification of racial segregation.
Christian Identity adherents believe Adam is only the father of the white race. Blacks and Jews are derived from different origins. They even have a theory on Noah’s flood that advises that the flood did not cover the entire world. Thus blacks in Africa escaped the catastrophe and did not share genetic links with Noah’s descendants. White Anglo-Saxons are the true descendants of Abraham and the real chosen people. The literal fathering of the devil of other species of people is prescribed. The United States is the literal fulfillment of Biblical prophecy and God has selected the white citizens here as His chosen seed.11
The doctrine of election is given a new slant through these elements. Chosen peoples are the ones with special blessings from the creator. Entering into this covenant is by Divine selection. The idea of human choice is negatory with the emphasis placed on racial origins in this configuration. The dangerous conclusions from such positions are limitless. Elohim City, an Identity compound, has been called "a bunker in a great battle between the children of darkness (the Jews), and the children of light (the Aryan race)."12
Among the highlights of political positions from such groups is anti semitism, white supremacy, and the fear that a New World Order is being ushered in by the United Nations. Holocaust denial and death penalties for homosexuals is a lighter spin-off of such viewpoints.13
Some Identity writers suggest modern Christians are not bound to obey such an evil empire government as their county supports. I have read their advice that flag burning means nothing to them since they do not support such a wicked Caesar. Jubilee Newspaper, a favorite among the crowd, publishes articles advising Christian they have a mandate to disobey the state.14
Tied unto these belief systems is the concept that true believers are called upon to take over the state.15 This mixture of bullets and beliefs has the potential to be dangerous. Dominionists have provided the ideology and the Militias have the weapons.
Acts of Violence
Randall Terry once spoke of letting a wave of violence come over his anti-abortion crowd. Not only do the pro-life extremists and militia-minded advocate violence, there are other elements hinting at such. Pastor Ted Weiland of Nebraska, is bold enough to state what others only imply. He advocates that the Constitution is a humanistic document beginning with the words, "We the people". Theocracy true believers would have to admit they want to overthrow the U. S. Constitution to replace it with what they consider Biblical law. Ted went on to state that the nation’s police are more a threat to life, limb and property than the common criminal.16
The often cited report about the death of a Denver radio talk show host is just one footnote to violence found amidst these elements. Morris Dees, a man who monitors the American right, has had several attempts on his own life. Dees writes that his office was burned in 1983. In 1984, there was an attempt to shoot him. In 1986, there was a plot to use a military rocket to do away with the lawyer. Dees says that in 1995, a bombing similar to the one in Oklahoma City was being planned. Morris says that 12 men are in prison and 4 await trial at the time he wrote GATHERING STORM.17 Dees reported that bank robberies netted nearly a million dollars to fund acts of terrorism in the United States by these groups.18
Random acts of violence and extreme racial hatred, that is often practiced in the name of the Christian faith, appear to even the casual reader to be a far cry from Biblical Christianity. Jesus told Peter to put up his sword. I assume Biblical literalists would remind us Jesus never told us to put down our rocket launcher. Dangerous extremism appears to be a part of the American Religious Right.
ENDNOTES
1. Jill Smolowe, "Enemies of the State", TIME, May 8, 1995, pgs. 62-63.
2. Frederick Clarkson email, Feb. 22, 2001, 4:22 p.m.