BYLINE: Ken Brooker Langston

INTEREST ON TOP OF PRINCIPLE. Ralph Reed, executive director of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, is busy lately promoting himself as a political pundit. Here's his assessment of the Republican presidential frontrunner, Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole (R-KS): "Dole, by his leadership style, has turned the spinnaker sail towards the populist political winds. He has in a sense accomodated himself to ride the new [GOP] wave." Does this sudden rightward shift by Senator Dole cause Reed any discomfort or second thoughts? Evidently not. According to Reed, "It is less important what his intellectual convictions are than that he continue to deliver on the threshold demands of the new party." So much for the character issue! (Source: Eric Pianin, The Washington Post, August 6, 1995)

THE LOUD SPEAKER ON "FAMILY VALUES." After Susan Smith murdered her two children in Union, South Carolina, Speaker-to-be Newt Gingrich declared: "I think that the mother killing two children in South Carolina reminds every American how sick the society is getting. . . . The only way you get change is to vote Republican." The clear inference of this outrageous remark was that the Democrats were somehow to blame for this tragedy, and that electing Republicans would somehow prevent such things from happening. But now the public learns that when she was only 15 years old, Mrs. Smith was molested by her stepfather, a local Republican leader active in the Christian Coalition! According to the New York Times (July 19, 1995), the court record shows that one of the instances of molestation occurred after Mr. Russell had "returned from putting up posters for Pat Robertson." Obviously, Mr. Gingrich has had little to say about this new information. Depravity knows no party boundaries, and, in the Speaker's case, hypocrisy knows no bounds.

RIGHT UP FRONT. While touring the South and visiting local churches, Operation Rescue leader Randall Terry took time out from "Clinton-bashing" to criticize the Christian Coalition. In a speech called "The Sell-Out of the Christian Right," he publicly accused the Christian Coalition of becoming "the mistress of the Republican Party." According to Mr. Terry, the Christian Coalition was guilty of trying to "sell out the law of heaven for short-term political gain." (Source: Christianity Today)

THIRD . . . AND GOAL? Many ultra-conservatives are beginning to call openly for the formation of a third party, especially if the GOP continues to take them for granted. One of the deciding factors will be whether or not the Republican Party nominates a pro-choice candidate for either president or vice-president. Ralph Reed, Phyllis Schlafly, James Dobson, and other leaders of the radical religious right have declared such a possibility "unacceptable." According to Dr. Dobson, "There are millions of voters who will look elsewhere for candidates if the party abandons the unborn child." Where, then, will they turn? One possibility is Howard Phillips' US Taxpayers Party, which is presently trying to get on the ballot in all 50 states. Its favorite candidates, besides Phillips, are Pat Buchanan, Bob Dornan, and Alan Keyes. (Source: Freedom Writer, newspaper of the Institute for First Amendment Studies).

REED AND RIGHT . . . AND 'RITHMETIC. According to R. J. Rushdooney, the guru of the Christian Reconstructionist Movement, "Ralph Reed does not stand for all members of the Christian Coalition. Many of its leaders on the grass roots are, in fact, reconstructionists." In other words, they are theocratic "reformers" who wish to see America adopt "Biblical law" as the law of the land. As understood by Rushdooney and his disciples, "Biblical law" would require the execution of homosexuals and persons involved in the performance of abortions. It would also require that all full citizens be members of the Christian religion. Rushdooney claims that because the number of reconstructionists within the Christian Coalition is large and ever-increasing, both Reed and Robertson will eventually see the light and fully embrace his approach to a "Christian America." (Source: Freedom Writer, newspaper of the Institute for First Amendment Studies)

WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS. In a recent article in Christianity Today, John D. Woodbridge (who teaches church history at Trinity International University in Deerfield, IL) expressed his concern that "warfare rhetoric is hurting the work of the church." According to Woodbridge, talk of "culture wars" and "ideological battles" contributes to a situation in which "unsubstantiated charges, fearmongering, global denunciations, and the 'demonization' of opponents" take the place of reasoned dialogue and Christian compassion. Such language, he argues, "may raise money, but it does not raise the moral tone of the debate." In response to this concern, Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family said, "I don't understand Christianity Today's decision to devote a cover story to so trivial an issue. . . ."

GOD, GUNS, AND. . . . Norm Olson owns a store in Alanson, Michigan, which sells only two items: guns and King James Bibles. Until recently, this self-described "pistol- packin' preacher" was head of the Michigan Militia and pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. But due to the extreme views he expressed following the Oklahoma City bombing, Mr. Olson was removed from both positions. Nevertheless, this well-armed dispensationalist continues to be involved in both the pulpit and militia activities. According to Olson, "I am a military man and God raised me up as a warrior for the Lord." Furthermore, "Our Lord told us to contend for the faith and occupy until he comes." To this end, Norm Olson continues to preach his message of end-time resistance to any and all militia members who are willing to listen. As Olson explains, "Hey, they need the Lord Jesus Christ." (Source: Joe Maxwell and Andres Tapia, Christianity Today).

The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of TIA or of TIA's Board of Directors.