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Commentary Too - Jun 28, 2009 - Printable Version
- Enter Stage Left
by S.K. Eleton - Theocracy Watch
Throughout the past several decades, theocracy has been knocking at the White House door, quietly at first, when Richard Nixon began his Southern strategy designed to win votes in the pious South. Then, it began knocking more insistently. Jimmy Carter was receptive, allowing religion and government to begin dating; then, with Ronald Reagan, the dating got a little more serious, sort of like an “item”. George H. Bush went so far as to plight his troth, declaring that those who didn’t believe in God weren’t really, like, citizens, like, really now, duh. I’m seeing this guy over here, this one, you see, that one with the cross around his neck. During the Clinton years, religion felt a little heat, as Clinton flirted outrageously with the secular portion of the country (and everyone else, too...that Clinton. He was such a big flirt!). In spite of it all, he did manage to make sure to send regular presents to his impatient, beleaguered lover, in the form of “Charitable Choice” programs. In addition, his wife remained forever faithful, showing up regularly for her “prayer circles”, becoming part and parcel of the religious sector that was slowly, inexorably moving into the house that has so recently been vacated by the constitution. The constitution, like many jilted lovers, hasn’t been going quietly or calmly, though…she’s making a fearsome scene, a terrible row that’s gotten the attention of the neighbors and has everyone on the block talking. This isn’t going to be a pretty break up, I can tell. Enter Dubya Bush. Not content to flirt with religion, not content to have religion as an illicit, but cherished, love on the side, he booted the constitution clear out the door, declaring the relationship over for good, and letting her know once and for all that she wasn’t getting anything from him. He wanted her out of town by midnight, and he was getting a restraining order to make sure she couldn’t come within a million miles of him. He tried to make sure she got the death penalty, but she did have a few supporters left who felt that she’d been the wronged party in the relationship, and were prepared to stand up for her in court. Too bad for the constitution – Dubya got to choose the justices who sat on the court. So long, constitution. It was fun while it lasted, but, well, you know how it is sweetie, sometimes when a new love comes along, the old one just has to make room. Kids? What kids? Oh, those citizens? Nope, not MY kids. My kids are over there...the big guys in the expensive suits with the big, gold cross hanging around their neck. So long, get outta here, don’t let the door hit you in the amendments on the way out.
When Barack Obama got elected president, the constitution began packing her bags, somewhere in the far distant regions of the world where she’d been exiled. Obama was making her a lot of promises, sweet talking her, giving her the eye. He was talking like she might be welcome back in her old home. She was ready. She was tired of life in exile, and she wanted to be where the action was again. This was her chance, and she was ready to take it. Eager and hopeful, glowing with the blush of a much younger woman, she landed at the airstrip in Washington, D.C. Stepping out of her plane, she was gratified to be greeted by a welcoming crowd. Wow, this was huge! This inauguration was one for the books, and she was there. She was back in town, and she wouldn’t be leaving again, no sirree. She stepped up to the podium, ready for her big moment, only to find that her rival was right there with her. Obama leaned down, and whispered tenderly in her ear, it really doesn’t mean anything. It’s just tradition, and people expect it. You’re all right, and you’re home now. We’ll take good care of you. It sounded good. She wanted to believe...oh, how she wanted to believe. He talked so sweetly, so gently, and he acted as though he really loved her. She was home.
Unfortunately, things aren’t looking so good for the relationship. It seems that our new president, Barack Obama, has been keeping the other relationship going strong. In fact, it may be stronger than ever before in some ways. The religious intrusions have not been reduced in the new administration; in fact, they appear to be increasing. Faith based charities? Well, we’ll just expand that now, we’ll make it bigger than ever before. We’ll put together an entire committee, 25 people now, to decide how to manage the faith based funding. We’ll put on some rabbis, some evangelical right wing preachers, some left wing preachers, and some secular representatives…but, of course, we’ll make sure the “secular” representatives are all believers. No fair complaining that the “secular” representatives aren’t secular…after all, if we say they’re representing the secular viewpoint, why should the seculars complain? They’re being represented, after all. If we say these “secular” representatives are there to represent the secular point of view, well, trust us. Besides, why would you want to be represented by godless heathens, anyway? Don’t you want good, moral, Christian representation? You don’t? Well, then, you’re insane, and your opinion can’t possibly matter. (In all fairness, I just made that last part up…Obama never actually said any of that. I didn’t make up the part about the “secular” representatives not being secular, however…therefore making the rhetorical license not so far-fetched). Putting aside the purely ridiculous, uber-postmodern concept of giving “faith-based” money to infidels, the whole situation smells like last year’s garbage...and we all remember who was president last year, right? And, in case you want to point out that Obama promised he would end the practice of allowing religious discrimination in hiring when using government money, I’ll just point out that that’s one promise Obama decided not to keep. Discrimination stays…though they did announce they would review complaints. If you think that’s going to help, perhaps you should ask the gray wolf and the polar bear about THEIR complaints…. (See Robin Buckallew’s “Howl” and “A Challenge to President ObamaThere’s also that little thing about elevating the faith-based commission to a policy-making role.
Another expansion that our new president has been doing is expanding the use of prayer at rallies and political meetings. Although in the past few decades it has become common place to include prayer at inaugurations, having prayer opening every public meeting is really an expansion. This hasn’t been the norm, and there are many that are worried and doubtful. Much of the religious right is worried and doubtful, because the prayers are relentlessly non-sectarian, and religious leaders who accept the invitation to pray must get their prayer vetted by the White House before they can deliver it. They feel this is inappropriate, and requires the White House to intervene in theological matters. The White House becomes the national arbiter of what sort of prayer is acceptable, and what sort of theological vision can be expressed...this smacks of religious entanglement to many on the right, who feel they should have the right to pray in whatever manner they wish. I couldn’t agree more. I do feel, however, that they have an option in this situation...simply turn down the invitations to pray at these meetings, and then you can pray in any way you wish, in your own churches and your own rallies, and you can shake the rafters and inspire the faithful. Most of them, however, want to have their cake and eat it, too. They want to be seen at these high profile, public events, and have the government allow them to say their own prayer in their own way…in short, allow them to have the warm glow of governmental endorsement of their own viewpoint.
For those of us on the other side of the coin, there’s also a big worry. Yes, the prayers are non-sectarian. Yes, they are vetted by the White House for appropriateness. And yes, that is indeed an editorial function of the White House, resulting in a governmental endorsement of “correct” thought and “correct” prayer. And this is where the problem comes in…non-sectarian prayer is still prayer. And no matter what you do, it’s going to rub some citizens (in fact, I would suggest most citizens) the wrong way. There simply is no prayer that can be inclusive enough to include those people whose religious traditions (or lack of same) don’t include prayer. The very act of government prayer establishes a sense of elevated status for praying citizens. Not only are atheists and agnostics excluded during governmental prayer, given outsider status, but also any citizen belonging to a religion that doesn’t pray...and there are quite a number of those around the world, and many of them have adherents in this country, though they usually make up minorities even smaller than the Jewish population. Should our government be saying “Let us pray”? No, it most emphatically should not. It’s OK for Obama to pray if he desires, and it’s OK for any of our other government leaders to pray. It’s not OK to have it as a part of a governmental function, with the implicit endorsement of prayer, and the implicit exclusion of the “other”...those who don’t pray. In addition, by their insistence only on a “correct” style of prayer, they’re also excluding those who feel that all prayer should be said in Jesus’s name. So, the policy of accommodation that the new president has adopted is, in reality, accommodating only a small group of people...those who look at religion and prayer the same way he does. Does this pattern sound familiar? (I’ll give you a hint…think back to that long, dark period known as the Bush Years). Once again, the majority of Americans are on the outside, looking in. The best way to respect everyone is to simply leave government business in the government, and church business in the church, where individual Americans are free to embrace or reject the offered prayers based on their own conscience. This is what the First Amendment is intended to do. I see the poor Constitution over in the corner weeping...she didn’t know she was going to have to play second banana. She’s back home, but she’s living in a ménage a trois. This wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.
Of course, at least now we have a president who doesn’t consult his religion when he needs to make a decision. Remember what’s ‘is name? (I’ll NEVER forget what’s ‘is name!) HE talked to GOD. HE consulted with GOD when he wanted to make a decision. He had preachers that were right there whenever he needed, too, preachers that got to give advice on delicate matters to the highest official in the land…referred to (somewhat ironically, these days, it seems) as the leader of the free world. At least we’ve moved past that...or have we? It seems Obama has his own group of “consultants” in the religious world, preachers that he calls “at moments of stress or when making big decisions” (which decisions? I HOPE not foreign policy decisions…). There are, in fact, five pastors he calls for advice. Four of these pastors oppose equal rights for gays, and also are opposed to a woman’s right to choose whether to bear a child or not. A couple of Texas megachurch pastors from Texas preach “wealth theology” – they believe that personal wealth is a sign of godliness. As for the rest of us...well, actually, I don’t mind being called ungodly, but I know some of my friends, equally unwealthy, but a lot more godly, probably would find that quite disgusting. Some of these preachers, I suspect, spell “God” with an added “L” right after the “O”.
For some time now, I’ve suspected that when theocracy finally gets itself fully in the door, it will come from the left. Too many people trust that the Democrats are too “Liberal” to invite the theocrats in. Too many people think that all-inclusiveness of the Democratic rhetoric actually includes all, when in fact, it actually leaves out huge blocks of the population – in fact, I would suggest it leaves out more than half of the entire population of the United States. There are too many people who don’t know much religious history, and don’t realize that there is really not going to be a “kinder, gentler” theocracy, just because you’ve got such a tolerant, kind-hearted dude in charge. John Calvin was also very tolerant, and preached tolerance for all beliefs...until the day he went from being a minority belief to actually having power. Then, heads began to roll and bodies began to burn. Heretics were still severely penalized...it’s just that the heretics were once the orthodox, and the new orthodox were the former heretics. Which side will you be on when the Inquisition comes knocking?
Action alert: The time to defeat a theocracy is BEFORE it becomes a theocracy. We aren’t in theocracy...yet...but the foundations have been laid. We really need to stop it now, before they get to the point of hanging the pictures and plugging in the hair dryer. If you don’t want to live in a theocracy, but want to continue to have the freedom to choose when, where, and how to worship, you can become a part of the team. You can learn more at http://www.au.org/- this is NOT an atheist group. It’s an interfaith group, led by the Reverend Barry Lynn, bringing together people of many different faiths (and, yes, some of no faith at all) in a united front to protect the American way of life as embodied in the First Amendment.
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