"A Christian Looks
At the Religious Right"
Christian Coalition
Observers across the nation are wondering what impact the Christian Coalition will have on the fall elections. Did the snubbing of Buchanan and allowing a pro-choice speaker at the Republican Convention infuriate the group? Will the selection of Kemp help Coalition faithful to back a more moderate Dole? Will Ralph Reed steer the crowd toward a more tolerant view and thus away from founder Pat Robertson? Currently the Coalition is dealing with federal charges that it is involved in partisan politics. This is my third trip to the national rally. It doesn't take long to note the obvious partisan activity.
The NEW YORK TIMES claims the Coalition is dangling some religious freedom legislation regarding church and state in the face of Congress in order to use legislature's positions in fall voter guides. Traditional religious liberty experts view this legislation as a threat to the wall of separation of church and state.
The Coalition claims to be gaining clout with the addition of 737 new chapters over the last eighteen months. Their 1996 Congressional Scorecard carries traditional Christian issues as well as some interesting tabulations. For instance, a congressman supporting the National Endowment for the Arts is pictured as supporting pornography. Legislatures, who voted for unconstitutional laws using tax money for Christian schools, are simply "Putting parents back in charge of education".
Government aid to the needy is termed anti-family legislation. The scorecard implies that real Christians are for more prisons and tougher laws. Supporting government programs that provide funding to reach out to potential criminals is considered unchristian. The July/August issue of CHURCH & STATE says these voter guides are actually a stacked deck manipulating the facts and favoring GOP candidates.
There was a mixed response to speakers at the 1996 Christian Coalition annual rally. Religious Right leader and U.S. Taxpayer Party Presidential candidate Howard Phillips was left off the lineup. Phillips told me the Coalition had denied him an audience due him since he was the country's only Pro-Life candidate.
Ross Perot received a cool response accented with occasional protesters holding up Pro-Life banners. When Perot denied accounts that he had helped Clinton get elected in 1992 by his candidacy, the crowd erupted in a display blaming Ross for Bush's loss. Bob Dole was noticeably absent on the list of speakers. Word had it he was still trying to distance himself from ties with the Coalition. Dole appeared at the last minute to introduce a crowd favorite and running mate--Jack Kemp.
U.S. Republican Congressman, Tom DeLay of Texas, started off the program bragging on Pearland, Texas Baptist Pastor Rick Scarborough. Tom said Rick took over the local school board, city government, county government, and was going to take over the state. Tom told the crowd to "take back America and deliver it to the Lord." Scarborough gave his political activist testimony at the 1996 annual SBC meeting. Pastor Rick's story was also featured in "SBC LIFE" along with Coalition favorite Peter Marshall's interview. Marshall told me he thought Rick was one of the glowing examples for young ministers in the SBC. Rick is currently running for president of the Texas Baptist Convention on the Fundamentalist ticket.
Coalition head Ralph Reed cautioned speakers about not being partisan. Most poked fun at the warning. Reed's group is currently being sued by the
Federal Election Commission for being involved in partisan politics. Reed was not too concerned about the suit and promised to deliver 45 million voter guides in the fall election.
Pat Buchanan's speech was met with sustained applause and shouts of joy. He reminded the crowd it was good to attend a convention where they allowed him to speak! Pat condemned the military dishonorable discharge given to the U.S. soldier who refused to serve under the U.N. flag. Pat said Bill Clinton should be the one discharged. This drew a standing ovation.
Founder Pat Robertson told the crowd there is no room in the Democratic Party for Evangelicals. Before introducing Kemp, Dole told the crowd he welcomed them to this arena which was a Bill Clinton retirement party. This statement also received a standing ovation.
Barry Lynn, of Americans United held a press conference on the Coalition at the same hotel the Coalition was meeting at. Barry claimed the Coalition was losing influence in America contrary to Reed's boasts of increased mailing lists. Lynn is the man who turned in Second Baptist Houston to the IRS for partisan political activity. In response to this action, Pat Robertson got on national TV and said Lynn was lower than a child molester for doing this. Comedian Al Frankan, who wrote a derogatory book about Russ Limbaugh fared little better. The Accuracy in Media booth was selling a book called, AL FRANKAN IS A BUCK TOOTHED MORON.
The concept of separation of church and state didn't receive much welcome by speakers or the forty some booths in the arena. The only group vocalizing support for separation was the folks in the gay parade who demonstrated on the sidewalk on Saturday. Anti-separation leader David Barton explained to the crowd how to impeach judges. Ralph Reed told the people that this election was the most important in our lifetime. Reed's question as to whether Clinton was the example for moral leadership needed for the country received a resounding ... no! He promised the Coalition will be able to stop the appointment of ACLU judges to federal courts. Black Republican J.C. Watts told the audience that it was the government that caused social problems in America by their assistance programs. Jay Sekulow, who heads up what he calls a legal swat team, promised to have organizations in all fifty states by the year 2000. Speakers told us that Jay had saved Second Baptist Houston by his legal maneuvering. Jay is Robertson's legal guide on church/state.
Breakout sessions explained how to organize grassroots organizations that would take possession of the society from the bottom of the pyramid up. These local precincts controlled by Coalition leaders could thus move upward in the pyramid of the government powers in the country. Ralph Reed was quoted as prescribing it was better to have control of 2,000 school boards than the White House.
Oliver North told the crowd that Bill Clinton will be elected if they don't do enough. He then spoke of his children's future and the possibility of Clinton winning. North said, "God knows they deserve better!"