It started with an homage to the notorious CNBC ranter Rick Santelli, the lesser god of the tea party movement. But at the values Voter Summit workshop on how to grow tea parties last weekend, the faux-populist Santelli was quickly eclipsed by a higher power.
“We have been put in this country to do this for such a time as this,” exhorted Viviana Hernandez, a self-identified chaplain from Brooklyn, as the microphone was passed around the audience. “This [the tea party movement] is being birthed by the Almighty. Because He started this nation, and He does not want to turn it over to those who are godless, to those who would take our children, and just use them and abuse them and destroy their destiny.”
Whether Hernandez felt moved to address the crowd by divine intervention or the summit organizers looked to her for a divine imprimatur, the symbiosis between the tea party movement and the religious right is coming into sharper relief.
Despite all the attention paid to the religious right’s declining interest in gay marriage as a key issue, it’s clear homosexuality is still a vibrant bogeyman—but the tea party bandwagon is simply more enticing at the moment. Hernandez’s activist roots, for example, are with the National Organization for Marriage, though she is now affiliated with a group called the City Action Coalition International which, she says, trains pastors to be political activists. It is led by Bishop Joseph Mattera, whose son, Jason, is a well-known conservative activist and blogger who led another Values Voter workshop, “Turning the Tide in Your Generation.”
Hernandez does not fit the stereotype of the Anglo, spittle-flicking, where’s-the-birth-certificate, Obama-is-Hitler type of tea partier that has grabbed headlines lately. She sees herself as an intercessory prayer warrior, an Esther saving America from socialism and restoring God’s will.
The continuing influence of “Christian nation” mythology and dominionism is evident in Hernandez’s activist trajectory. She told me that before running (unsuccessfully) for state senate and city council in New York, she attended classes at the Providence Foundation, a small group based in Charlottesville, Virginia that has been described as Christian Reconstructionist.
According to Chip Berlet, senior analyst at Political Research Associates and an expert on right-wing political movements:
Christian Reconstructionism, which calls for Old Testament biblical law to take precedence over civil law, posed a challenge to more traditional conservative Christian evangelicals. While few adopted the Reconstructionist theology wholesale, a number of Christian Right leaders were tantalized by the idea of restoring America to their view of the America as a Christian nation ordained by God and under the leadership of Godly men. The result was a broad tendency that critics call ‘Dominionism’ which comes in both hard and soft varieties in terms of theocratic authoritarianism.
Stephen McDowell, Providence’s co-founder, said in a telephone interview that he would not consider himself a Christian Reconstructionist, “but I do believe that the Bible is the template that we ought to look to to build our life upon and our family and our business and our civil society. That’s where the people who founded America looked.” According to its Web site, “The Scriptures contain a theology of the family, the church, and the state. Principles in God’s written Word that relate to civil government, politics, economics, and education are timeless and universally useful for the benefit of any culture on Earth today.” Through its Biblical Worldview University, Providence aims to ensure that “leaders in the church, education, government, business, law, and the media are equipped to apply biblical principles as they influence others.”
McDowell said he had read Christian Reconstructionist founder R.J. Rushdoony, and agreed with some of his teachings. He wrote (relying on Rushdoony) in a 2003 article that, “In light of the Scriptures, we cannot say that slavery, in a broad and general sense, is sin.”
Other Rushdoony admirers include conservative movement mastermind Howard Phillips, whom journalist Adele Stan reported is pulling the strings behind much of the tea party movement’s messaging, and Star Parker, the self-described “welfare queen” turned conservative activist.
Although it’s a small operation, Providence has the blessing of David Barton, the religious right propagandist and Republican activist who claims the separation of church and state is a myth, and who serves on its board. Barton’s attempts to influence both politics and public education with his “Christian nation” mythology are legion; most recently, right-wing members of the Texas State Board of Education appointed Barton to serve as an “expert” on its social studies curriculum. McDowell serves on the board of Barton’s organization, WallBuilders.
McDowell’s work has been praised in the far-right, conspiracy-mongering tabloid WorldNetDaily, which called his book Liberating the Nations “one of the outstanding resources that describes the basis of our personal, political and religious freedom, as well as economic blessing.” According to WND, McDowell and his co-author Mark Beliles, a Charlottesville pastor, “teach leaders literally all over the world that the basis of our laws, free-enterprise system, educational excellence and political liberty that all once were indeed a ‘shining city on a hill’ to the world, flow directly from Judeo-Christian principles in general and the Bible and Torah in particular.”
McDowell claimed to have reached hundreds of thousands worldwide with the Providence Foundation teaching materials.
Reflecting the “Christian nation” mythology taught by Barton, McDowell, and others, Hernandez told me, “I have found that because God was so permeating our founding documents, he was the one who established our nation… because of that, there was a movement rising up saying we’re not going to let our freedoms be taken away from us… I firmly believe there is a spiritual and biblical component to what we’re doing.”
For Hernandez, socialism is unbiblical because “freedom is usurped.” She offered a jumble of “my husband is from Cuba, that’s how they started there,” “Michael Moore hates our nation,” “Tim Gill is a billionaire” promoting the “homosexual agenda,” and “the government is trying to usurp all the forms of economics, or health care, you have a government that is going out of control, to put over-control over the people.” The “isms” are taking over, she continued, and “clashing” with “good citizens and godly people.”
Whatever the tea party movement is—Dick Armey’s astroturf to kill health care reform, Rupert Murdoch’s marketing plan to boost Glenn Beck’s ratings, a grassroots outlet for right-wing rage and paranoia—the Values Voter Summit made clear the religious right is hitching its wagon to that horse. Sharing a common enemy (Obama, the Democratic Party, liberalism writ large), different participants wrap their rhetoric in red, white, and blue, whether the endgame is a romanticized rebellion of “authentic” patriots, uber-libertarianism—or Biblical law.
Hernandez’s friend Desiree Bernstein, a longtime conservative activist and tea party promoter, said of the September 12 march on the National Mall, “what happened here in DC last week is the start of a Great Awakening.” Added Hernandez, “It’s not our battle, the battle is the Lord’s, and He’s using us as his instruments.”
Tags: bishop joseph mattera, christian reconstructionism, creationism, david barton, dominion theology, jason mattera, national organization for marriage, providence foundation, rj rushdoony, tea party movement, teabaggers, values voter, values voter summit, values voters, values voters summit
The Values Voters believe God is on their side, and they are in a war against wicked people who are fighting against them, and therefore fighting against God. They are not actively using waterboarding or drone assassins, but they are of a war mindset, and war is unpredictable. Our only weapon in this conflict is rational discussion with all topics on the table, kind of like religiondispatches.
We are divided between progressive Christians and non-believers with a small number of friends from other religions. Who do we send to fight the values voter giant? If progressive Christians take the lead, we know they will try to divide us, and make them choose between Christianity as a whole and the non-believers. What progressive Christian could ever stand up to that kind of pressure? If a non-believer is sent, they would never listen, but they may never listen anyway.
Whoever is sent should probably pick 3 smooth topics to fling at them.
Three smooth topics? Let's start with accurate history, and debunk their lies. That lends itself to smooth stone number two: morality. The religious reich is demonstrating a clear lack of it. Smooth stone number three: the Bible is fictional, contradictory, and inaccurate, and therefore is not the inerrant word of a god, and has questionable basis as sound for law, or life, at best.
There is plenty of material already available to be made into stones. So let's field a bunch of people armed with slings and stones, and start killing these giants.
But aim low. The giant size is an apparition.
Good choices.
If I was picking I would first select evolution/creationism because it is something I think is small enough to handle and fling hard enough to make a dent.
I am also deeply concerned about these Far Right demonstrations based and fired by false information. Yet, these demonstrators do believe that their religious leaders, partisan “entertainers,” and FOX news are telling the truth. I am wondering if we should stand by and just be concerned, or should those of us who are concerned about the course of events in our Country, find a way to counteract it with a different plan of action?
There are, presently, several sites and links on the Internet that explain the truth, about false rumors disseminated by the Far Right and “interested” industries, but people who are moved to follow the Far Right philosophies do not, apparently, seek out Web sites that tell the truth. Humana was in the news recently because they sent letters to their medical insurance customers that Medicare plans to cut services. Instead of checking the Web for Humana's interests in writing these letters and then, actually discerning Human’s integrity, these lost and fearful people believed what was not true because FOX and the Religious Far Right said it! They never considered checking the truth that Humana was recently sued by the Government for defrauding Medicare of 14.5 million dollars! In addition, Humana committed other fraudulent practices throughout the years.
Shouldn’t we consider the restoration of Truth in Media? Should we start our own demonstrations, demanding the restoration of truth in media? I honestly don't believe that these demonstrators know that the courts dissolved Truth in Media regulations. How religious are these leaders and newscasters who do know that truth is no longer available, and still feel free to disperse libel and slander on radio, television, in newspapers, and on the Internet without fear of reprisals? How can we even tolerate losing truth in media.? It is one of the most important factors in upholding our democracy! Propaganda is used by dictatorships, and anarchists, and to think we allow this in our beloved Country is more than I (and others) can tolerate. Presently, there are certainly more of “us” than there are of “them.” Has anyone out there in cyberspace a solution to this frightening Far Right phenomena?
I am also deeply concerned about these Far Right demonstrations based and fired by false information. Yet, these demonstrators do believe that their religious leaders, partisan “entertainers,” and FOX news are telling the truth. I am wondering if we should stand by and just be concerned, or should those of us who are concerned about the course of events in our Country, find a way to counteract it with a different plan of action?
There are, presently, several sites and links on the Internet that explain the truth, about false rumors disseminated by the Far Right and “interested” industries, but people who are moved to follow the Far Right philosophies do not, apparently, seek out Web sites that tell the truth. Humana was in the news recently because they sent letters to their medical insurance customers that Medicare plans to cut services. Instead of checking the Web for Humana's interests in writing these letters and then, actually discerning Human’s integrity, these lost and fearful people believed what was not true because FOX and the Religious Far Right said it! They never considered checking the truth that Humana was recently sued by the Government for defrauding Medicare of 14.5 million dollars! In addition, Humana committed other fraudulent practices throughout the years.
Shouldn’t we consider the restoration of Truth in Media? Should we start our own demonstrations, demanding the restoration of truth in media? I honestly don't believe that these demonstrators know that the courts dissolved Truth in Media regulations. How religious are these leaders and newscasters who do know that truth is no longer available, and still feel free to disperse libel and slander on radio, television, in newspapers, and on the Internet without fear of reprisals? How can we even tolerate losing truth in media.? It is one of the most important factors in upholding our democracy! Propaganda is used by dictatorships, and anarchists, and to think we allow this in our beloved Country is more than I (and others) can tolerate. Presently, there are certainly more of “us” than there are of “them.” Has anyone out there in cyberspace a solution to this frightening Far Right phenomena?
Maggie, there are Christians waking up and beginning to speak up on blogs and discussion boards.
Though its not always a pleasant to stand up and point out those in the media, (or the extreme religious-right)who are fanning the flames of fear, anger, hatred, paranoia, and rebellion, for people, even our brothers and sisters in Christ, who believe the lies, can become very defensive and angry.
But nevertheless, we have to keep pointing out the lies and the very real dangers and consequences of following after and giving heed to these folks. Even when it makes others angry. That's the only solution i know of...that and prayer.
Jaunita,
I think one of the key issues to keep pointing out is the evolution/creationism question. Progress can be made here because the science is so well established, and perhaps people will start to understand if their religion is blocking truth here it might also be blocking out other truths.
Thanks for this article! The threat of dominionism and the relentless if not overt dominionist undercurrent within the Religious Right has gone underreported for a very long time. My own supposition is that a large portion of the country ... a much larger one than most of us would find comfortable ... actually sympathize with that movement's goal of making the US into an Old Testament-style Christian theocracy. Certainly outspoken Rightists like Beck and O'Reilly do not object to that idea. We need to be more afraid of this trend than we are ... unfortunately.
The Tea Partiers are republicans. The right wing Christians are republicans. These are the same people who wholeheartedly supported Bush as he betrayed everything he ever said before election. President Obama is doing exactly what he said he would work to do before the election. Republicans could not wait to start raving against our President because he got elected fairly and squarely. You hear time and again how they are just doing what we did when Bush was in office. Well we were doing what we were doing because we were fed up with the way President Clinton was demonized for his entire term by lies and hate. It did not take long to realize that Bush was in there to work for corporate interests and have his war of choice whether we liked it or not. It was not something that we made up or lied about. Republicans are lying now and will continue to work to demonize President Obama. We must fight back against them. Reasonable and sensible people will not fall for this, but too many will.
I know that we can pray and hope, but you know what our Grandmas always said: "God helps those who help themselves!" So, how can we come together as a force to be reckoned with to restore truth in media? Can we start petitions through the Internet, and/or our churches. Could we gain celebrity support (don't laugh; Robert Redford and a Utah college student saved the day by stopping Bush's and Cheney's plan to secretly lease our American wilderness to logging, mining, and oil industries.
Could we gain notice enough for a Senate hearing? Perhaps it is possible that no one in the Senate really wants to heartily agree that lying to their constituents is freedom of speech. Has anyone an idea that could restore truth in media to all of us? It strikes me that those who argue that truth in media results in loss of freedom of speech are also taking away our liberty--those of us who want the truth in government for America. How do we begin?
Make sure Murdock doesn't get control of the internet.
You are so right, Jim Reed!
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