Basic HTML Version
The Plain Truth About the
So-Called
CHRISTIAN RIGHT
by
Jeff Calkins
Groups like the Moral Majority and Christian Voice played a big role in last year's
U.S.
elections.
The rise of this "Christian Right" has caused a near-hysterical reaction in sorne quarters-critics
warn of "goose stepping," and "moral fascism." What is the real meaning behind the increasing
involvement offundamentalist and evangelical religious groups in this world's politics?
A
NEW PRESIDENT and Con–
gress have just been
installed in Washington.
nother of this world's govern–
ments has changed hands. But
there was something dramatically
different
about the 1980 elec–
tion.
Fundamentalist and evangeli–
cal groups got heavily involved
contributing moncy, time and
effort to specific candidates. In at
lcast two races in Bible-belt
states, challengcrs backed by
these groups upset entrenched
incumbents whom almost no one
thought could possibly lose.
The movement-dubbed the
Christian Right by those who
aren't particularly fond of it- is
centered around three activist
groups: Christian Voice, Reli–
gious Round Table, and television
evangelist Jerry Falwell's Moral
Majority. They are essentially
rough alliances of ministers and
individuals from various church–
es, even including Jews and Cath–
olics. They claim to represent
somewhere betwccn 40 and 60
million voters.
An article in
The Wa/1 Streer
Journal
summed up their "party
platform:"
"The newly politically active
Christians stand for propositions
that are the revcrse of those
inherited from the '60s, now
Democratic Party doctrine.
26
These propositions are, first, that
there are moral differences in
the ways people lead their lives,
sorne right and others wrong;
and, second, that American val–
ues are superior to those o f
nations whosc values differ, not–
ably the totalitarian regimes and
religious dictatorships. In partic–
ular the Christ ian activists are
against abortio n , against the
ERA, for school prayer, for thc
traditional family, for capital
punishment, for a balanced bud–
get, for military superiority over
the Soviet Union."
Accordingly, the Christian
Right supportcd politicians who
supported these positions. For
example, they supported Ronald
Reagan over Jimmy Carter. Of
course, four ycars earlier, Mr.
Carter had gained a great deal of
political mileage by publicly
"professi ng Christ." Wbile in
office, on the other hand, he pro–
moted feminist causes, opposcd
legal steps to curb abortion and
established the White H ouse
Conferencc on Fami/ies-delib–
erately called "families" and not
"rhe
family" so as to include
communes and homosexual rela–
tionships. And when candidate
Reagan caused anguished
screams in thc prcss by actually
posing a question about evolu–
tion- Mr. Carter issued a statc–
ment that he believes in evolution
and
God . After the electoral
landslide, first lady Rosalynn
Carter said she felt no bitterness
toward the voters-but she was
bothered by the Moral Majority.
Mr. Carter probably did not
lose the election simply bccause
the Moral Majority was against
him. But the Moral Majority no
doubt helpcd Mr. Reagan 's land–
slide by having many evangelical
Christians
regist~r
to vote- 45
percent of such people usually
•don't vote.
At the outset, we must empha–
size-although
The Plain Trurh
and the Worldwide Church of
God believe in a strong traditional
family life, indeed, the restoration
of proper family life is one of the
directives that God has given his
Church in these last days (Mala–
chi 4:6)- WE ARE NOT PART OF
THE MORAL MAJORITY OR OF
ANY LIKE OR UNLIKE GROUPS.
We take no part in this world's
politics! Churches that are a part
of this world may take part in this
world's politics. God's true
Church must remain "unspottcd"
by political involvement.
But the true s ignificance of the
Christian Right is
not política/:
it
is
prophetic!
Real M e aning Behind Christian
Right
All the hullabaloo about the
Christian Right springs from
The
PLAIN TRUTH