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I Am A Conservative Christian, And The Religious Right Scares Me, Too
Chuck Baldwin ^ | 12/15

Posted on 12/18/2004 7:37:17 PM PST by ambrose

I Am A Conservative Christian, And The Religious Right Scares Me, Too

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By Chuck Baldwin

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The Covenant News ~ December 15, 2004 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For those readers who are unfamiliar with my biography, let me here provide a thumbnail sketch of my conservative bona fides:

I attended, graduated, or received degrees from fundamentalist Christian schools such as Midwestern Baptist College in Pontiac, Michigan, Thomas Road Bible Institute (now known as Liberty Bible Institute at Liberty University) in Lynchburg, Virginia, Christian Bible College in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and Trinity Baptist College in Jacksonville, Florida.

I am currently in my thirtieth year as the Senior Pastor of the Crossroad Baptist Church (Independent) in Pensacola, Florida. I was the Executive Director of the Florida Moral Majority in the early 1980's. I was an active member of the local Christian Coalition.

I have marched and protested against abortion clinics. I have led several pro-life rallies and even led our church to construct A Memorial To Aborted Babies. I have conducted small and large (some drawing crowds numbering in the thousands) pro-life, pro-family rallies and meetings in the Pensacola area and in many towns and cities across the state of Florida.

When Ronald Reagan was running for President, I helped Dr. Jerry Falwell register more than fifty thousand new conservative voters in my state. I have attended White House functions with former President Reagan and former Vice President George H.W. Bush.

I supported and defended Chief Justice Roy Moore and his fight to display a Ten Commandments monument at a pro-Ten Commandments rally in Montgomery, Alabama and even on national television.

I am an annual member of the National Rifle Association and a life member of Gun Owners of America. I have been the featured speaker at several pro-Second Amendment rallies.

No one can honestly question my commitment to pro-life, pro-family, conservative causes. That being said, the Religious Right, as it now exists, scares me.

For one reason, on the whole, the Religious Right has obviously and patently become little more than a propaganda machine for the Republican Party in general and for President G.W. Bush in particular. This is in spite of the fact that both Bush and the Republican Party in Washington, D.C., have routinely ignored and even trampled the very principles which the Religious Right claims to represent.

Therefore, no longer does the Religious Right represent conservative, Christian values. Instead, they represent their own self-serving interests at the expense of those values.

It also appears painfully obvious to me that in order to sit at the king's table, the Religious Right is willing to compromise any principle, no matter how sacred. As such, it has become a hollow movement. Sadly, the Religious Right is now a movement without a cause, except the cause of advancing the Republican Party.

Beyond that, the Religious Right is actively assisting those who would destroy our freedoms. On the whole, the Religious Right comports with those within the Bush administration and within the Republican Party who, in the name of "fighting terrorism," are actually terrorizing constitutional protections of our liberties.

The Religious Right offered virtually no resistance to the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, the passage of the Patriot Act, or the recently created position of National Intelligence Director. Neither did the Religious Right offer even a whimper of protest as President Bush and Republicans in Congress created a first-ever national ID card in the new intelligence bill, which eerily has more in common with early Twentieth Century German and Russian intelligence institutions than anything envisioned by America's Founding Fathers.

Another disconcerting feature of today's Religious Right is its attempt to Christianize political entities which it supports and to demonize political entities which it opposes. This trend is especially scary.

When people are told that they are voting "Christian" by voting for Republican Party candidates, it is being intimated that they are voting non-Christian by voting for any other candidate. This is not only silly on its face, it is downright dangerous!

I don't remember anyone saying people voted "Christian" when they elected the outspoken Christian candidate, Jimmy Carter, President. Yet, Carter, in his personal life, demonstrated as much, if not more, Christianity than does George W. Bush. If you recall, Carter even taught Sunday School in a Southern Baptist Church while President.

However, in spite of the fact that President Bush and the Republican Party in Washington, D.C., have repeatedly supported copious unchristian (not to mention unconstitutional) programs and policies, Christians act as if Bush and his fellow Republicans have ushered in the Millennial Kingdom.

More than that, the Religious Right appears to believe that G.W. Bush is the anointed vicar of Christ. But instead of wearing the garb of a religious leader, he wears the shroud of a politico and a military commander-in-chief.

As such, in the minds of the Religious Right, Bush's war in Iraq is a holy crusade. America is fast taking on the shape of the old Holy Roman Empire and President Bush is quickly morphing into a modern day Caesar.

The willingness of the Religious Right to give President Bush king-like subservience is easily seen in the way they demonize anyone who dares to oppose him. This is very unnerving.

Are we heading for a modern day religious inquisition, this one led not by the Catholic Church but by the Religious Right? Are we witnessing the type of marriage between Church and State that America's founders originally feared?

I used to believe that liberals were paranoid for being fearful of conservative Christians gaining political power. Now, I share their trepidation.

Of course, the sad truth is, neither George W. Bush nor the Republican Party in Washington, D.C. represents genuine Christian or even conservative principles. If they did, they would take their oaths to the Constitution seriously and then neither liberals nor conservatives would have anything to fear, for the U.S. Constitution protects the rights and freedoms of all men.

Unfortunately, when the seed of Bush's unconstitutional policies come to fruition, it will produce large scale fallout economically, socially, and politically. And sadder still will be that, instead of blaming Bush's infidelity to constitutional government and conservative principles, people will blame Christianity and conservatism itself. The result of this miscalculation will doubtless be a massive tide of support for more and greater unconstitutional government, but only under a different name.

Chuck Baldwin chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com Chuck Baldwin Live http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: actuallyiamanutcase; barfalert; bitterjonahcrowd; chiponshoulderclub; christianity; christianright; chuckbaldwin; constitutionparty; constitutionpartynut; googoogachoo; iamalittleteapot; iamalwayspissed; iamatotalfool; iamnapoleanbonaparte; iamnotspartacus; iamthewalrus; ihavehairpiece; moralmajority; peroutka; religiousright; sickjoke; usedfoodforthought
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To: Lester Moore

"It is not applicable to anyone alive today"

WHAT ..?? Not applicable ..?? So .. if you don't agree with it then it doesn't apply ..?? Good grief!

Good luck .. you'll need it!!


81 posted on 12/18/2004 8:40:04 PM PST by CyberAnt (Where are the dem supporters? - try the trash cans in back of the abortion clinics.)
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To: jammer
No, we are going in the WRONG direction, just slower than the alternative.

Bush barely got elected. He went as far right as he could and still get elected.

Wouldn't matter how conservative Bush is if JFnK had gotten elected.

82 posted on 12/18/2004 8:40:21 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: ambrose

Chuck, that's me, right behind you...


83 posted on 12/18/2004 8:41:18 PM PST by Libloather (Big Media news anchors are as worthless as male nipples...)
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To: topfile
So that I can better gage your opinions..... tell me please... do believe that followers of Islam are headed to heaven, or that hot place below ?

President Bush says we all worship the same God, and Muslims and Christians both go to heaven.

If President Bush says it...it's good enough for me.

84 posted on 12/18/2004 8:41:30 PM PST by ActionNewsBill ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act")
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To: sauropod

read later


85 posted on 12/18/2004 8:42:23 PM PST by sauropod (Hitlary: "We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good.")
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To: ambrose

Thinking Christians should strive to be independent thinkers and voters. Christianity should cross the lines of political realm and transcend it.

Conservative thinking, in the purest sense, should cross and transcend political thought as well.


86 posted on 12/18/2004 8:42:55 PM PST by sweetjane
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To: ambrose

Where is the ZOT patrol?!


87 posted on 12/18/2004 8:43:13 PM PST by BJungNan (Did you call your congressmen to tell them to stop funding the ACLU? 202 224 3121)
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To: ActionNewsBill
President Bush says we all worship the same God, and Muslims and Christians both go to heaven.
I've never heard him say THAT! When?

Cordually,
GE
88 posted on 12/18/2004 8:43:22 PM PST by GrandEagle
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To: ambrose
President Bush and Republicans in Congress created a first-ever national ID card in the new intelligence bill

Is this true?

89 posted on 12/18/2004 8:43:46 PM PST by Straight Vermonter (Liberalism: The irrational fear of self reliance.)
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To: GrandEagle
I've never heard him say THAT! When?

Shortly before the election, on Good Morning America.

I'll see if I can dig up a transcript.

90 posted on 12/18/2004 8:45:06 PM PST by ActionNewsBill ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act")
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To: ambrose

Not breaking news. Not even news. Baldwin is a nutcase.

91 posted on 12/18/2004 8:45:33 PM PST by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: ambrose

Baldwin. Baaaaaaad last name.


92 posted on 12/18/2004 8:46:01 PM PST by allen56
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To: ambrose
If you recall, Carter even taught Sunday School in a Southern Baptist Church while President.

Going to Church doesn't make you a Christian, teaching Sunday School doesn't make you a Christian, and from what I saw of Jimmy I don't consider him a Christian either, but then again I'll let God be the big judge.

I think maybe he went to the wrong church...... like he was part of the wrong political party too.

93 posted on 12/18/2004 8:47:06 PM PST by ReformedBeckite
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To: ambrose
When people are told that they are voting "Christian" by voting for Republican Party candidates, it is being intimated that they are voting non-Christian by voting for any other candidate.

God is not a Republican. But I'm pretty sure Satan is a Democrat.

94 posted on 12/18/2004 8:48:50 PM PST by ModelBreaker
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To: ambrose
I am suspect of any extremes -- right or left. I have posted that fascism can spring from either side. If you think of the line of left to right curving like the equator, the far extremes meet in the back and end up fascist.

So I was prepared to find something I agreed with in this article. I scanned it and it uses some of leftwing key phrases, so I've dismissed it as horsecrap.

95 posted on 12/18/2004 8:50:03 PM PST by the invisib1e hand (if a man lives long enough, he gets to see the same thing over and over.)
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To: ambrose

I'm not religious--and the only religious right that scares me prays in the direction of Mecca every day for the blessing of their God to kill me because I am not of their faith or culture.

Muslims say that no more than 10% of their numbers are religious extremists. That cheers me up considerably--until I realize that 100,000,000 (that's right-a hundred million) fanatics want to kill me.

Now that's scary, Mr. Baldwin.


96 posted on 12/18/2004 8:52:54 PM PST by wildbill
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To: cfhBAMA; muawiyah

I personally know that he is more Conservative (NOT more Republican) than 99% of the Freepers here.

His Conservatism isn't limited to keyboards and essays; his church has erected crosses for every abortion in the county; he is a fixture at gunshows; he brings in national candidates to speak at his church. His church was where I got to meet and visit with Jesse Lee Peterson. In other words, he is action, not just talk.

You two are using the typical and finely honed tactic here on FR; when you don't agree with something someone writes, smear him personally, attach him personally, call him names, but don't rebut any specifics.

You trying to label him a Liberal or Democrat or Hollywood type simply shows your ignorance.


97 posted on 12/18/2004 8:52:54 PM PST by Eagle Eye ("Yeah? Now imagine that times 30 and in a small room.")
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To: ambrose

Pay no attention to Chuck Baldwin. He remains a thoroughly confused individual.


98 posted on 12/18/2004 8:53:50 PM PST by Reagan Man ("America has spoken")
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To: GrandEagle
In an exclusive interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson, Bush said he believes that both Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

CHARLES GIBSON: Do we all worship the same God, Christian and Muslim?

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: I think we do.

CHARLES GIBSON: Do Christians and non-Christians and Muslims go to heaven in your mind?

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yes, they do. We have different routes of getting there. But I will, I, I want you to understand, I want your listeners to understand, I don't get to decide who goes to heaven. The almighty God decides who goes to heaven.

Link HERE

99 posted on 12/18/2004 8:54:09 PM PST by ActionNewsBill ("In times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act")
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
Pose as a conservative

He's no poser. I know this guy. He LIVES Conservatism, just not Republicanism.

His 'street creds' are true and impeccible.

He just isn't a Party First and that truly bothers a lot of Freepers.

100 posted on 12/18/2004 8:56:16 PM PST by Eagle Eye ("Yeah? Now imagine that times 30 and in a small room.")
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