THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 18, 1995 TAG: 9505180786
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A4 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
Ralph Reed, executive director of the Chesapeake-based Christian Coalition, on Wednesday released the group's 10-point ``Contract With the American Family.''
On Monday, British journalist David Frost conducted an hourlong interview with Reed at the Founders Inn in Virginia Beach. Their wide-ranging discussion touched on the contract, laws affecting homosexuals, Reed's ``born-again'' faith experience. ``Talking with David Frost,'' will air at 9 p.m. Friday on WHRO-TV 15.
The following is excerpted from a transcript provided by the show's producers:
Frost: When people ask you about the organization, is it primarily a religious organization with political convictions, or a political organization with religious convictions?
Reed: Well, I don't know that I would do an ``either/or.'' I think it's probably a little bit of both, but at the end of the day, we are not a church. We are not a denomination. We are not a ministry. We do not claim to, nor do we aspire to speak for every person of the Christian faith. There are many liberal Christians out there who are just as good a Christian as we are, who hold different views than us on these issues. . .
On school prayer:
Frost: And in terms of school prayer/meditation, what do you want to happen there?
Reed: Well, I think what we would want is to have student-initiated, student-led prayer that bubbled up from the students rather than down from government officials, and we would want it to occur in non-compulsory settings.
Frost: And if someone doesn't want to participate at a school or one of these occasions, what do they have to do? They're allowed not to participate?
Reed: They're clearly allowed not to participate. They either don't attend the ceremony or participate in the ceremonial affirmation of faith, or they simply wouldn't participate if they were present.
On abortion.
(The coalition's contract calls for eliminating Medicaid funding for abortions and some restrictions on late-term abortions.)
Frost: If you were successful, what would you do with all the tragically unwanted children? How would you pay for them?
Reed: . . . We need to do that through crisis pregnancy centers. We need to do it through homes for unwed mothers. We need to do it through congregate care centers. . . . And that's why we favored a $5,000 tax credit for adoption services so that when a couple adopts a child, they're able to write $5,000 off their tax return.
On Reed's relationship with Pat Robertson, the coalition's founder and president.
Frost: Who's the boss, though, you or him?
Reed: He is.
Frost: He is. And so how often do you talk?
Reed: I'd say we probably talk three or four times a week.
Frost: And in terms of - how often do you say, ``Pat, I think you're wrong about that.''
Reed: Well, I think that's not really how we communicate. I mean, I think our relationship is no different than a senior partner and a junior partner in a law firm. I mean, presumably the senior partner respects and admires you or he wouldn't have elevated you to partner. Presumably, you respect and admire the senior partner because you've learned so much from them. And I've learned an awful lot from Pat.
On long-range vision.
Frost: To those who say. . . that the agenda of the religious right ``has consisted of seeking to restrict and regulate personal life,'' you would say.
Reed: I would say the opposite is true. I think what we want is to limit government. . . . The good thing about what we advocate is we don't have to impose anything on anybody because the values that we hold are held by the vast majority of Americans. The vast majority of Americans believe in God, they believe the Bible is the word of God, and they pray daily. All we need is a culture and a government that reflects the values of middle America and our agenda will be realized. ILLUSTRATION: Ralph Reed executive director of the Christian Coalition.
KEYWORDS: INTERVIEW CHRISTIAN COALITION RALPH REED by CNB