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Technorati“A genuine reformer. A deeply committed Christian. If I went into the polling booth today, I would pull the lever for John McCain.” — James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, on Gov. Sarah Palin being named the Republican vice-presidential candidate
The Christian Right, despondent at the prospect of losing access to the White House when George W. Bush exits in January 2009, seems to have found itself a new savior in the form of Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate.
But why is the Christian Right so excited about a woman whose name, a few weeks ago, most would have been hard pressed to recognize? Sure, she’s pro-life, pro-war and pro-gun (whatever all that means). Most of all, however, she is a fundamentalist Christian who most likely has been influenced by a strident, apocalyptic form of Pentecostalism. In fact, according to the Associated Press, Palin was baptized in a Pentecostal Assemblies of God church as a teen and attended that church until 2002. There’s no way a person could spend more than 20 years in a church and not be impacted by its theology. And that’s where legitimate questions arise.
Those who subscribe to an apocalyptic vision basically long for the end of the world and all the violence and bloodshed that comes with it so that Jesus will come back. This could prove to be a dangerous tendency in someone with the power to make war.
This isn’t to suggest that voters should write Palin off simply because of her religious affiliation. It does mean that we need to know more about her views, and it’s up to the media to ask the hard questions. That’s their job, but I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for them to do it.
Although many leaders of the Christian Right embrace apocalyptic views, that’s not why they’re throwing their total support behind her. The fact is that Palin is the only hope the Christian Right has of maintaining a presence in the White House—something George W. Bush was all too eager to accommodate.
Their total support, however, shows the inherent manipulation and, thus, danger of politics. And James Dobson is a perfect case in point. Dobson, the Christian Right’s single most influential figure, had declared that he could not—and would not—support John McCain’s nomination. However, with Palin as the Republican nominee, McCain is now assured of the support of the movement that once opposed his candidacy.
The electoral might of the Christian Right cannot be underestimated. Religion has often shown itself to be the best predictor of how people will vote. At stake are approximately 18 million evangelical adults. Moreover, 19% of registered Republicans identify themselves as evangelical Christians.
Determined to use politics to advance their agendas, the leaders of the Christian Right have no qualms about turning churches across the country into political headquarters. But what good has it done? After nearly eight years of the Bush presidency, not only is the country devastated both morally and economically, the leaders of the Christian Right are left groveling for a few last-minute scraps thrown from John McCain’s table. As Frank Schaeffer, one of the founders of the Christian Right who has now renounced it, writes, “In 2000, we elected a president who claimed he believed God created the earth and who, as president, put car manufacturers and oil companies’ interests ahead of caring for that creation. We elected a pro-life Republican Congress that did nothing to actually care for pregnant women and babies. And they took their sincere evangelical followers for granted, and played them for suckers.” Continue »
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