Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 24, 1994 TAG: 9410250005
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAMES W. WATKINS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In the Christian Coalition, whose national president is Pat Robertson, this carelessness with detail is common; however, it is not the heart of its problem. Its central error can be seen in the lead story of the September issue of "Christian America," the CC's national organ. A banner headline reads: "Assault on Faith." However, the accompanying article is clearly a discussion of partisan political issues. In short, coalition members wrap their sectarian religious faith around their ultraright politics and then claim that disagreement with their politics is actually an attack on their faith.
This new tact in American politics troubles discreet Christians who have trouble speaking up in opposition, while bumfuzzeling the secular political person who doesn't quite know what to make of it.
Having observed the workings of the CC from several pastorates, I have seen all this before: the carelessness with the facts and the presumption on religious faith. But nothing could have prepared me for my visit to the September meeting of our local CC. What disturbed me most was that its members seemed to be more reckless and more politically paranoid than I have ever seen them.
I sat with 45 local residents and watched a video that purported to "expose the full extent of Clinton's criminal background." The video alleged that President Bill Clinton either planned or ordered the planning of murders, plane crashes, burglaries and the torching of houses of his political enemies. In its summary, the video alleged that the major danger of the Clinton administration is his plan to establish, out of the White House, a national drug-running and money-laundering operation.
The video claimed to be true but dealt in guilt by association and innuendo. Through most of the evening, unsubstantiated charges seemed to become true just by being repeated often enough.
After the video, the meeting turned to announcements and general discussion. Dona Kromer, wife of Bernie Kromer, chairman of the Lake County Christian Coalition, told the group, "Clinton wanted United Nations involvement with our military because most American soldiers wouldn't shoot American citizens who wouldn't give up their guns; and, the U.N. troops are here already."
One of the group claimed to be looking into the change of ownership of WWWE radio. It seems that a repulsive shock-jock type has been given a two-hour morning show. "And, guess what," said the speaker. "The new owner is from Florida and obviously tied in with Reno and Clinton."
A couple behind me discussed the real reason that some American military bases are being prepared to house entire families. "It's not the Cuban boat people; it's Clinton preparing detention centers for vast numbers of his political enemies."
After one story regarding a Clinton opponent out West, whose house had been buzzed and narrowly escaped destruction by three black helicopter gunships, another member of the group shot up to add "and I've seen those black helicopters right here in Lake County." The entire evening no one snickered at even the wildest charge. It was all eagerly taken in with a humorless seriousness.
I spent the evening listening to unexamined paranoid speculations, swallowed whole, and validated by bobbing heads and frequent amens. Frankly, the entire thing reminded be of my pastoral visits to a psychiatric unit. Between the video and the general rumor-sharing, Bill Clinton was blamed for everything from the decline of moral fiber to bad breath. I wondered what pernicious effect hundreds of these CC meetings were having across the country.
I recognized very little of the Christian Gospel in the "Christian" meeting. I wondered how these people, who claim to follow the Bible, justified their mantra of salacious charges and the partisan smear tactics I was witnessing? "The end justifies the means" has never been a Christian notion. And, wasn't there something about "not bearing false witness" in that ninth commandment?
As a Christian minister, I felt some sympathy for these people. They seemed to be frightening the pants off each other and enjoying it in a perverse kind of way. One young lady began to pray. She broke into tears over "the state of things in our country." She was no doubt sincere. If what these people believe were true, we would be in real trouble! However, it seems clear that somewhere along the line their theology has been overtaken by some hateful pathology.
I don't know what generates such vilification. Maybe it's the fear of a world changing too fast to understand. I do know that I sense in these people a passionate need to find meaning by crusading against an implacable foe. Perhaps having lost communism as the hub of all the world's evils, those who desperately need a singularity to demonize have found (or created) their true heart's desire in Bill Clinton.
As American citizens, we all have the same right to our political opinions - gonzo or not. We can be politically active if we wish. Whatever opinion you have of Bill Clinton is certainly your own business. But when the CC claims as loudly in public as possible to speak for my Christian community, and when it attempts to seize the floor and set the agenda within my Christian community, and when it claims that its political world view is the only true Christian point of view, and when it seeks to redefine Christianity in terms of ultraright politics, I have to call a halt.
It is making claims to leadership prerogatives in my community that are beginning to crowd my political rights, my religious faith and the life of my church.
My beef with Pat Robertson and his CC is primarily a religious one. By what right do they attempt to redefine the Christian faith as politics? If Pat Robertson had his way, every church in the country would be in a divisive fuss over partisan politics.
For 23 years, I have taken great care not to prostitute my pulpit to passing partisan political winds. In that time, I have known dedicated Christians of almost every political stripe. These Christians worshiped together in the same church and in harmony because they had the good sense to leave their politics at the church door. Were all those quiet believers wrong and the CC somehow right? I hardly think so.
Christianity, as I know it, is about peace, love and joy; about tearing down the walls that separate us; about submitting our wills to a higher will; about learning to trust each other, and trying to build a better, gentler and saner world. What I saw at the local CC meeting was hysteria, hostility, anger, paranoia, hate, innuendo and rumormongering of the worst sort. By what possible standard can any of that be called Christian?
Toward the end of the meeting, the Ohio state director of the CC, Ben Pollice, took the floor. He said that volunteers were needed for a national CC project to distribute voter's guides to churches on the Sunday before the upcoming election. Pollice explained, "We do not endorse candidates, but rather our voter's guide points out which candidate lines up with our thinking." As a voter, I am certain that I want to know which candidates the local CC thinks line up with its thinking. I want to see that voter's guide before I vote in November.
In case you think I may have been unfair in my assessment of the Christian Coalition, members generally meet monthly. Find the meeting in your area. See for yourself.
James W. Watkins is pastor of Old South Church United Church of Christ in Kirtland, Ohio.
by CNB