The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

Prayer protest at graduation: Fighting over God and country, First Amendment Center, May 28, 2006:

When more than 200 students stood up to recite the Lord's Prayer at their high school graduation last week in Russell Springs, Ky., they were rewarded with a standing ovation from the overflowing crowd of family and friends...

What exactly were those students standing up for in Russell Springs? The right of the majority to impose a Christian prayer on the minority? And why did most of the audience cheer them on? To congratulate the kids for using prayer to score political points against a federal judge? To humiliate the student who brought the lawsuit?

Wing and a prayer: religious right got Bush elected - now they are fighting each other, Guardian Unlimited, May 31, 2006

Federal Religious Discrimination Lawyer Criticized, NPR's All Things Considered, May 31, 2006

In 2003, The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division created a position called the Special Counsel for Religious Discrimination. Eric Treene, who has held the job since it was created, identifies religious discrimination cases and brings lawsuits.

But some critics say Treene has gone beyond fighting discrimination into advocating religion in the public sphere. One way Treene finds discrimination cases is through religious nonprofit organizations.

Power to the Pulpit, Talk To Action, May 31, 2006 -- "A plan to keep dominionists in power is outlined recently by Ralph Barker on the website ChristianWorldviewNetwork.com"

Southern Baptists Organizing for Dominion in Europe, Talk To Action, May 31, 2006

Convention Controversy: Maryland OKs Religious Grant For Baptist Gathering, Wall of Separation, May 30, 2006

Taken out of my church by the religious right, Dailykos, May 30, 2006

Another Stumble for Ralph Reed's Beleaguered Campaign, Washington Post, May 29, 2006

Six Flags over Jesus, Dailykos, May 29, 2006

The Purpose Driven Life Takers, Talk To Action, May 29, 2006

Decoding The Da Vinci Code: Causa Merdae Flabellum Incursandae, Talk To Action, May 29, 2006

Documenting the 'Shadow War' on Mainstream Faith, Talk To Action, May 29, 2006

Summer '06 Battles Could Tear Apart Liberal Churches, Dailykos, May 29, 2006

Pat Loves Bobby: Robertson, McDonnell Push Marriage Amendment, Wall of Separation, May 26, 2006 -- Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell is a graduate of Pat Robertson's Regents University.

On May 25, McDonnell appeared on Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network to tout his work on behalf of an anti-gay constitutional amendment and to fawn over the controversial televangelist.

Rabbi's Book Warns of Imminent Christianization, Jews on First -- A review of Rabbi James Rudin's book, The Baptizing of America: The Religious Right's Plans for the Rest of Us

Americans United Helps Texas 'Church Of Freethought' Win Tax-Exempt Status, May 26, 2006

Aid Without Prejudice, TomPaine.com, May 26, 2006

A disaster for abstinence ideology, Talk To Action, May 25, 2006

Pastor Strangelove, The American Prospect, June 06 Issue -- Pastor John Hagee is a very popular evanglical minister from Texas who has the ear of the President. He is head pastor of the 18,000 member Cornerstone Church, and his sermons are broadcast twice a day on TBN. He has written a book claiming that in order to fulfill God's plan for Israel and the West, the Bible calls for a pre-emptive strike on Iran.

To view the ad on stem cell research that DefCon placed in the New York Times: click here.

Top FDA staff say left out of contraceptive ruling, Reuters, May 25, 2006

Faculty leave Patrick Henry College because of severe limits on academic freedom, Jews On First, May 25, 2006

Purge of professors at Patrick Henry College?, Talk To Action, May 26, 2006

Christian Identity Mythology, Talk To Action, May 26, 2006

The Reconstructionist Roots of the War on Christians, Talk To Action, May 25, 2006

Theocrat Buys Philly Inquirer Newspaper. Just in Time to Help Santorum?, Talk To Action, May 25, 2006

State of Belief / Air America "War On Mainline Protestant Churches" show transcript, Talk To Action, May 25, 2006

Salon Magazine article on dominionist child abuse, Talk To Action, May 25, 2006

Armageddon for the Religious Right?, by John Sugg, one of my favorite writers on the Religious Right, for Creative Loafing.com Atlanta, May 24, 2006

Patrick Henry College's Michael Farris, NPR's Fresh Air, May 24, 2006

Michael Farris is the co-founder of Home School Legal Defense Association and the president of Patrick Henry College, the first university in America for Christian home-schooled children. The school, located in Purcellville, Va., grooms its students for leadership.

Reconstructionists and the Tithe, Talk To Action, May 24, 2006

Church Leader Says He Was Lured into Abramoff Web, NPR Morning Edition, May 23, 2006 -- This is a story of how some innocent evangelical leaders were exploited by another evangelical leader in the name of "bringing God into government." The winners were a Russian oil tycoon, an Indian gambling casino, the textile mills of the Mariana islands, and Tom DeLay's PAC.

They Prayed for the United States to "Come Back to God", Talk To Action, May 23, 2006

Methodist Agency speaks truth to power against IRD propaganda, Talk To Action, May 23, 2006

Clergy Group Aims to Block Gay Marriage Amendment, New York Times, May 23, 2006

Ron Luce's "stealth evangelism" guide exposed (part 2), Talk To Action, May 23, 2006

The Catholic Right Part Three: Rev. John McCloskey, the Face of an Opus Dei Agenda. Talk To Action, May 23, 2006

The Da Vinci Code: A Woman's Story? Talk To Action, May 23, 2006

FRC Praises Frist, Brownback On Broadcast Decency Bill, Family Research Council (perhaps the leading organization of the theocratic right), May 22, 2006

Air America Show Exposes WAR on Liberal Churches, Dailykos, May 22, 2006

Merck cancer vaccine faces Christian-right scrutiny, Reuters, May 22, 2006

God, Calvin, and Social Welfare - Part Seven: Born Again Political Activism, Talk To Action, May 22, 2006

The Rove Da Vinci Code, New York Times, May 21, 2006 -- Frank Rich makes some interesting observations about the decline of the Christian Right as a political force:

"The number of Americans who "strongly oppose" same-sex marriage keeps dropping - from 42 percent two years ago to 28 percent today, according to the Pew Research Center - and there will never be the votes to "write discrimination into the Constitution," as Mary Cheney puts it.

"The religious right's hope for taming that culture is also doomed, however much Congress ceremoniously raises indecency fines in an election year. The major media companies, heavy donors to both parties, first get such bills watered down, then challenge the Federal Communications Commission's enforcement in court."

"A Republican retreat on stem-cell research is already under way. If there's electoral fallout from the South Dakota Legislature's Draconian abortion ban - the Republican governor's job-approval rating fell from 72 percent to 58 percent in a single month after he signed it - the pro-life checklist in Congress will suffer as well."

" Like the Bush era, the cynical Rove strategy of exploiting faith-based voters may be nearing its end."

It's Not Just a Movie, It's a Revelation (About the Audience), New York Times, May 21, 2006 -- about signficance of The Da Vinci Code.

Religious Liberals Gain New Visibility, Washington Post, May 20, 2006

Judge Strikes Down Okla. Gay Adoption Law, Associated Press, May 20, 2006

Praise the Lord and Pass a Budget, New York Times, May 20, 2006 -- about the role of religion in Puerto Rican politics

Immigration Policy and the Christian Right, Talk To Action, May 19, 2006

Blurring the line between faith and fighting, Talk To Action, May 19, 2006

Americans United Deplores Senate Committee's Closed-Door Vote For Federal Marriage Amendment, May 18, 2006

Christian Right Arguments for the Federal Marriage Amendment, Talk To Action, May 18, 2006

It's Time to Stop Using the Word "Conservative", Talk To Action, May 18, 2006

Dobson Lists Divorce Risk Factors, Doesn't Mention Gay Marriage, Talk To Action, May 18, 2006

Anatomy of Power, Texas and The Religious Right in 2006, A Report from the Texas Freedom Network Fund

Town Cracks Down On Unwed Couples, CBS News, May 17, 2006

The War On Sex, TomPaine.com, May 17, 2006

Saving Secular Society, In These Times, May 16, 2006

The Catholic Right, Part Two: An Introduction To The Role Of Opus Dei, Talk To Action, May 16, 2006

Evangelicals and U.S. foreign policy by Esther Kaplan, Talk To Action, May 16, 2006

Storm Clouds Rising, Talk To Action, May 16, 2006

Ron Luce's "stealth evangelism" guide exposed (part 3), Talk To Action, May 16, 2006

Don't miss Special Edition on State of Belief, Air America Radio: Religion Run Amok, aired on May 21. The program will feature many of the writers from Talk To Action.

Courting Intolerance: Dean and McCain Pander To Christian Right, Talk To Action, May 15, 2006

Conservative Christians Criticize Republicans, New York Times, May 15, 2006

A Carnival of Theocrats, Dailykos on BattleCry, May 14, 2006

Fear and Loathing at Philadelphia's BattleCry, Sunsara Taylor, May 13, 2006

McCain Reconnects With Liberty University, Washington Post, May 14, 2006

G.O.P. Lawmakers Deal a Setback to Governor Bush in Florida, New York Times, May 13, 2006 -- they opposed his plan for school vouchers

House Injects Prayer Into Defense Bill, Washington Post, May 12, 2006

Faith & Public Education: Rights & Responsibilities, Talk To Action, May 12, 2006

Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, by Michelle Goldberg, Salon.com, May 12, 2006

We Believe Ohio to Challenge Christocrats' Monopoly on Public Space, Jews on First, May 11, 2006

Replacement Theology: "Those Darned Jews" Talk To Action, May 11, 2006

What is Christian nationalism? by Michelle Goldberg, Talk To Action, May 11, 2006

NPR's Fresh Air hosted an interview with journalist Michelle Goldberg, author of new book, Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, May 11, 2006

Meet the Shock Troops of the Christian Youth Battle Cry for Theocracy! Counterpunch, May 11, 2006

Sex, Violence, and the National Day of Prayer, Jeff Sharlet, May 4, 2006

Christian Foes of 'Da Vinci Code' Mull Tactics, New York Times, May 11, 2006

Divide and Conquer: Cell Churches and Hijacks, Talk To Action, May 10, 2006

Prostitution pledge goes up in smoke, Talk To Action, May 9, 2006

Many Youths Disregard Their Virginity Pledges, Harvard Study Says, LA Times, May 7, 2006

This Holy Hand Grenade's a Dud, Talk To Action, May 9, 2006 -- more on the war on contraception

God, Calvin, and Social Welfare - Part Five: Fundamentals, Prophecies, and Conspiracies, Talk To Action, May 8, 2006

The Catholic Right, Talk To Action, May 8, 2006

Air Force to Examine Fundraising E-Mail Sent by a General, Washington Post, May 6, 2006 -- General Catton is fundraising for a Republican writing: "We are certainly in need of Christian men with integrity and military experience in Congress." .

The New York Times magazine has a feature article on "The War on Contraception," May 7, 2006

Episcopalians Reject Gay Candidates, Washington Post, May 7, 2006

Progressive Federalism Under Attack, TomPaine.com, May 6, 2006

Creationism dismissed as 'a kind of paganism' by Vatican's astronomer, The Scotsman, May 5, 2006

Oklahoma's Monument to American Theocracy, Part 3, Talk To Action, May 5, 2006

National Day of Prayer Hijacking Complete, Talk To Action, May 5, 2006

Immigration Policy and the Christian Right, Talk To Action, May 4, 2006

Frist Pushes Senate to Pass Bill on Indecency, Washington Post, May 4, 2006

South Dakota Voters May Decide Abortion Ban, Stateline.org, May 3, 2006

Teachers Seek New Ways to Champion Evolution, NPR, May 3, 2006:

The competition between evolution and intelligent design is not limited to the courtroom. Students who believe that the theory of evolution conflicts with their faith are bringing the battle to the classroom. That's forcing teachers to find new ways to defend their belief in science.

This Race Matters: Ken Blackwell, a Dominionist to The Core, Talk To Action, May 3, 2006 -- about the theocratic implications of Ohio's election

Beyond Chastity Belts, New York Times, May 2, 2006 -- Nicolas Kristof explains the paradox in White House policies that oppose emergency contraception which leads to an increase in teen-age pregnancies which then increases the demand for abortions.

Death of a Conscience Clause, Talk To Action, May 2, 2006

Florida Senate, controlled by Republicans, defeats school vouchers, New York Times National Briefing, May 2, 2006

Florida Vouchers Defeated: Gov. Jeb Bush's Amendment Falls Short, Americans United, May 2, 2006

God, religion and virginity pledges at the FDA, Dailykos, May 1, 2006