Praise the
Lord,
now vote Republican
Commentary
by PAT MURPHY
For weeks
after Sept. 11, furious American politicians and commentators argued aloud
about the correctness of governments such as Saudi Arabia providing direct
support of Islamic religions that produced fanatics.
Now, in the
name of religion, a bloc of U.S. congressmen have fashioned legislation
that would open the door for churches, synagogues and mosques to become
politically active with the blessing of the government and thereby become
tools of party politics.
This is
mostly the dream, not surprisingly, of ultraconservative Republicans who
yearn for a theocracy in which Christian churches are vineyards for
harvesting votes, with clergymen extolling worshippers to vote for
so-and-so, and government in Washington imposing moral codes transcribed
from the Bible.
Although
one cannot imagine American worshippers resorting to barbaric behavior in
the name of God—notwithstanding killings of doctors and torching of
abortion clinics by fanatical anti-abortionists—the role of religion as
an arm of politics and government is precisely what has led to so much
discord and violence now sweeping the world.
The most
prominent bill, drafted by North Carolina Republican congressman Walter B.
Jones and supported by 113 Republicans and three Democrats, would allow
religious groups to engage in virtually unlimited political activities,
including endorsing candidates and lobbying, without losing their tax
exempt status as long as they limited political-related expenditures to a
statutory ceiling.
One of the
guiding hands in this movement is the Rev. Lou Sheldon, the
California-based Traditional Values leader and one of Christianity’s
most unabashedly intolerant figures.
One can
almost read the minds of Republican backers of this legislation if it
passes: use religious groups and their clergy to endorse GOP candidates
for Congress and thereby control both congressional houses, plus ensure
President Bush’s second term.
Thereafter,
a second Bush—Jeb, the governor of Florida—would become the next
dynastic presidential candidate of the GOP and its religious mouthpieces
for eight years, followed by Jeb’s glamorous son, another George, for
eight years. A succession of Bushes and GOP control of the Senate and
House would ensure a U.S. Supreme Court packed with religious conservative
judges.
Meanwhile,
the current attorney general, John Ashcroft, would be elevated by one of
the Bushes to chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he could lead
the Christian transformation of legal doctrine.
All the
while, worshippers attending services might face the spectacle of
clergymen, who’ve become captives of donations and promises from
politicians, promoting political candidates rather than expiating sin.
And wouldn’t
religions become convenient loopholes through which politicians could
collect campaign funds?
But voices
of sanity within the Republican Party are opposed to this dangerous
venture to make politicians and churches partisan partners in shaping
government.
As House
Ways and Means committee member Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., pointed out,
endowing religions with the right to be politically active will invite
increased government oversight of their activities.
"They
might wish they’d never opened this Pandora’s box," Foley said.