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Background: News of the Religious Right

Continued from main page, "Background & Analysis" (Go back)

Additional reports on the religious right can be found in the Current News section.

Reports on the religious right's involvement in the Florida race for governor are on the bottom of this page. Click here.

Barkley addresses religion, gay rights and Katrina

Arizona Republic, July 30, 2006

NEW YORK - Charles Barkley was his usual outspoken self during a recent television interview in which he said, among other things, that he advocates gay marriage, believes Republicans have screwed up the country and is "struggling with my idea of what religion is."

The former NBA MVP, who is considering running as a Democratic candidate for governor in his home state of Alabama, also said Democrats have concentrated too much on criticizing President Bush in the last two years instead of focusing on what they can do to improve things in the country. Continue.

Holy Unholy Alliances

Isaiah Poole, TomPaine.com, June 28, 2006

Here is a scene that only a person like Jim Wallis could pull off: Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-S.C., a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and a top lieutenant in the House Democratic leadership, was giving a sermon-like speech Tuesday afternoon to a rainbow-colored crowd in the Hart Senate Office Building. The audience was dominated by casually-dressed people in their 20s and 30s sitting on the floor of a large, open room, giving the space the feel of a rally in a church basement. Sitting behind Clyburn, listening appreciatively and waiting his turn to speak, was Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., an archconservative whose outspoken stands against gay marriage and support for President Bush’s economic policies have put him at or near the top of the progressive movement’s enemies list. Continue

Conservatives Say Senate Must Champion Judicial Nominees

Pete Winn, Focus on the Family June 12, 2006

At the National Press Club today, a coalition of conservative legal activists called on the Senate and Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., to make up-or-down votes for the president's judicial nominees a top priority before the fall elections.

Sean Rushton, executive director of the Committee for Justice, said it's crucial the Senate proceed right away. Continue

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will meet with troubled ABC (USA) in 2007

Gregory Tomlin, Baptist Press, June 26, 2006

The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship will gather for its 2007 annual General Assembly in Washington, D.C., and for the first time will hold a joint meeting with the American Baptist Churches (USA), a denomination deflated by the recent departure of hundreds of churches over the issue of homosexuality.

In May, more than 300 churches from the Pacific Southwest region of the ABC (USA) voted to withdraw from their 1.5-million member parent denomination after its leaders refused to address complaints about the membership of “welcoming and affirming” churches, or churches that accept as members unrepentant homosexuals, in the denomination. Several American Baptist associations, such as the Evergreen Association in Washington, Rochester-Genesee region in New York, and others in Wisconsin, Illinois and Massachusetts grant membership to such churches. Prior to the split, ABC (USA) had 5,800 churches. Continue

Baseball's Rockies seek revival on two levels

By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY, June 1, 2006

DENVER — No copies of Playboy or Penthouse are in the clubhouse of baseball's Colorado Rockies. There's not even a Maxim. The only reading materials are daily newspapers, sports and car magazines and the Bible.

Music filled with obscenities, wildly popular with youth today and in many other clubhouses, is not played. A player will curse occasionally but usually in hushed tones. Quotes from Scripture are posted in the weight room. Chapel service is packed on Sundays. Prayer and fellowship groups each Tuesday are well-attended. It's not unusual for the front office executives to pray together. Continue

Rev. Moon's Conjugal Visitations

By John Gorenfeld, AlterNet, April 17, 2006

This report on the importance to the religious right of Sun Myung Moon, who calls himself a messiah, starts jocularly: "We all know the religious Right wants to tell us what we can't do in the bedroom, but no one asks what they want us to do instead." But then it reminds how Moon has propped up such Christocrats as Jerry Falwell, Richard Viguerie and Tim LaHaye with millions of dollars. And how he has subsidized the Washington Times, a religious right mouthpiece, with $2 billion. There are more laughs when the report veers back to what Moon wants done in the bedroom -- for those who can still laugh after reading Moon quotes like "Women who don't want to have children should cut away their breasts, bottoms and love organ..." Click here for the report

Arguing for God

Christian college debaters hope to change the world—but first to beat the competition

by Sarah Pulliam, Christianity Today, April 21, 2006

Christian colleges -- notably Liberty and Patrick Henry universities -- are investing substantial money and attention to developing their debate teams. Click here

Evangelicals to debate right vs. left

Ministers may show divide in Christianity

By Joe Hallett, The Columbus Dispatch, March 25, 2006

This is a preview report of a debate in Columbus, Ohio between the progressive Rev. Jim Wallis, author of God's Politics, and Christocrat Rev. Russell Johnson, who, along with Rev. Rod Parsley, has been credited with turning out the vote for Bush in 2006. Click here to read the report.

Among Evangelicals, A Kinship With Jews

Some Skeptical of Growing Phenomenon

By Alan Cooperman, Washington Post, January 8, 2006

How do evangelical Christians regard the Jews? This report looks at a Virginia Baptist congregation that supports Jewish immigration to Israel and surveys the current theological views of Jews: Did Christians succeed them as the "chosen people?" Should Jews be targeted for conversion? Click here to read the report

God in the Florida gubernatorial race

Haggard Scandal Puts Gay Spotlight On Florida GOP Contender

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff, November 4, 2006

(Orlando, Florida) The fallout from the Rev. Ted Haggard scandal hit the Florida gubernatorial election campaign Friday and sparked a sharp outburst from outgoing Gov. Jeb Bush.

Earlier on Friday, as Haggard was admitting to an "indiscretion" involving a gay hustler (story) a Florida LGBT rights group called on GOP candidate Charlie Crist (story) to come out of the closet.

Proud of Who We Are President Kyle DeVries released a lettered a letter urging Crist to be honest with Floridians about his sexuality and his relationship with convicted felon and former Katherine Harris staffer Bruce Jordan.

The letter comes after the release of video footage purporting to show a sworn statement in which Dee Dee Hall, who befriended Jordan through Harris's campaign, reveals that Jordan confided in her that he had an ongoing romantic relationship with Crist, who was Attorney General of Florida.Continue.

Sworn Statement Leads to Open Letter to Charlie Crist, Candidate for Florida Governor, Urging Honesty About His Sexuality

News release, Proud of Who We Are-Florida, November 3, 2006

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Proud of Who We Are officially opened its Florida Chapter today as gay rights activist and president of PWWA-FL Kyle DeVries delivered a letter urging Florida gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist to be honest with Floridians about his sexuality and his relationship with convicted felon and former Katherine Harris staffer Bruce Jordan. Continue.

Event reflects political clout of conservative Christians

By Erika Bolstad, The Miami Herald, May 20, 2006

ORLANDO - In a sign of the clout of conservative Christian activists in Florida politics, candidates for nearly every statewide Republican office attended the first-ever Florida Family Policy Council awards dinner in Orlando Friday night. Continue

Pastor: Lord revealed next Florida governor

By Brendan Farrington, The Sacramento Bee, May 22, 2006

MIAMI (AP) - A reverend who introduced Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist during a breakfast with other pastors Monday said the Lord came to him in a dream two years ago and told him Crist would be the state's next governor.

The Rev. O'Neal Dozier said that before the dream he did not know Crist, nor had Crist made known his plans to run for governor. Continue

Event could put Crist in bind

Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist may not go to an Orlando fundraiser for a conservative Christian group whose leader endorsed his Republican opponent in the governor's race.

By Beth Reinard, The Miami Herald, May 18, 2006

Crist may not attend a conservative Christian Republican fundraiser.

Nearly all of Florida's most powerful elected Republicans, including Gov. Jeb Bush, are slated to attend a major fundraiser Friday for a group that tried to ban same-sex marriage and keep Terri Schiavo alive.

The strong attendance by GOP leaders confers political clout upon the Florida Family Policy Council, an offshoot of James Dobson's national Christian conservative group Focus on the Family. Continue