Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Christian Right 
asked by scoobie on November 19, 2006 6:33 AM
The bestselling author of Stranger at the Gate provides an inside exposé of the Christian Right's agenda-and a playbook in how to resist it.
This Fall's midterm elections will see much discussion about the enhanced power of the Christian fundamentalist Right, leaving many people to wonder: just who are these people and what exactly do they want? What are their ultimate goals? The Reverend Mel White, a deeply religious man who sees fundamentalism as "evangelical Christian orthodoxy gone cultic," believes that it is not a stretch to say that the true goal of today's fundamentalists is to break down the wall that separates church and state, superimpose their "moral values" on the U.S. Constitution, replace democracy with theocratic rule, and ultimately create a new "Christian America" in their image. White's new book, Religion Gone Bad, is a wake-up call to all of us to take heed.
White is singularly qualified to write this exposé of the Christian Right because he himself was a true believer who served the evangelical movement as pastor, professor, filmmaker, television producer, author, and ghostwriter for such fundamentalist leaders as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Billy Graham, all of whom he got to know well. As he writes, "These are not just Neocons dressed in religious drag. These men see themselves as gurus called by God to rescue America from unrighteousness. They believe this is a Christian nation that must be returned forcibly to its Christian roots."
He is also a gay man, who made news when he came out more than twelve years ago. White has gained a unique understanding of the fundamentalist agenda because, since the fall of "godless Communism," homosexuality and abortion have become the primary targets through which fundamentalists have created fear, raised money, and mobilized recruits. Religion Gone Bad documents the thirty-year war that fundamentalist Christians have waged against homosexuality and gays and lesbians and offers dramatic, heartbreaking evidence that fundamentalist leaders-Protestant and Catholic alike-are waging nothing less than a "holy war" (jihad) against sexual minorities. By focusing on the current plight of gay people in this country, White addresses the wider issue that fundamentalist Christianity-like fundamentalist Islam-has become a threat not just to gays, but to all Americans who disagree with fundamentalist Christian "values."
This Fall's midterm elections will see much discussion about the enhanced power of the Christian fundamentalist Right, leaving many people to wonder: just who are these people and what exactly do they want? What are their ultimate goals? The Reverend Mel White, a deeply religious man who sees fundamentalism as "evangelical Christian orthodoxy gone cultic," believes that it is not a stretch to say that the true goal of today's fundamentalists is to break down the wall that separates church and state, superimpose their "moral values" on the U.S. Constitution, replace democracy with theocratic rule, and ultimately create a new "Christian America" in their image. White's new book, Religion Gone Bad, is a wake-up call to all of us to take heed.
White is singularly qualified to write this exposé of the Christian Right because he himself was a true believer who served the evangelical movement as pastor, professor, filmmaker, television producer, author, and ghostwriter for such fundamentalist leaders as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, and Billy Graham, all of whom he got to know well. As he writes, "These are not just Neocons dressed in religious drag. These men see themselves as gurus called by God to rescue America from unrighteousness. They believe this is a Christian nation that must be returned forcibly to its Christian roots."
He is also a gay man, who made news when he came out more than twelve years ago. White has gained a unique understanding of the fundamentalist agenda because, since the fall of "godless Communism," homosexuality and abortion have become the primary targets through which fundamentalists have created fear, raised money, and mobilized recruits. Religion Gone Bad documents the thirty-year war that fundamentalist Christians have waged against homosexuality and gays and lesbians and offers dramatic, heartbreaking evidence that fundamentalist leaders-Protestant and Catholic alike-are waging nothing less than a "holy war" (jihad) against sexual minorities. By focusing on the current plight of gay people in this country, White addresses the wider issue that fundamentalist Christianity-like fundamentalist Islam-has become a threat not just to gays, but to all Americans who disagree with fundamentalist Christian "values."
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I have to say I only recently discovered Mel White's website, Soulforce, and his books, but I am very glad I that I did. I am currently reading this book (I'm currently on page 257) and it is very hard to put down. I knew that these people calling themselves "Christians" were dangerous, but I honestly had no idea the extent of it. It's absolutely horrifying, these people are so sick! White bares all in great detail for the reader, as only someone who was once on the inside could do.
I am finding it very hard to wrap my brain around the fact that there are people out there that actually believe the filth that people like Paul Cameron, Fallwell, Dobson, etc spew forth at their congregations. And it's even more digusting to realize that these people are daring to call themselves "Christian." I was just absolutely floored and shocked by the truths about these people that White exposes.
I highly recommend this book, regardless of your political or religious background, the information in this book is VITAL to EVERYONE in understanding these people and how to combat their messages of hate with messages of love. I am a very spiritual person, and I find it absolutely abhorrent that people use religion to hide behind their hateful agendas. It is very sad that so many have been brainwashed. This book is very good, and even those who are familar with or already know a great deal about the "Christian" extremists will find something new that they didn't know prior to reading. I thought I knew a lot about them, I was shocked how much I still had to learn.
Excellent book, highly recommend. Once you've read it, pass it on to family and friends, share it with everyone you know.
I am finding it very hard to wrap my brain around the fact that there are people out there that actually believe the filth that people like Paul Cameron, Fallwell, Dobson, etc spew forth at their congregations. And it's even more digusting to realize that these people are daring to call themselves "Christian." I was just absolutely floored and shocked by the truths about these people that White exposes.
I highly recommend this book, regardless of your political or religious background, the information in this book is VITAL to EVERYONE in understanding these people and how to combat their messages of hate with messages of love. I am a very spiritual person, and I find it absolutely abhorrent that people use religion to hide behind their hateful agendas. It is very sad that so many have been brainwashed. This book is very good, and even those who are familar with or already know a great deal about the "Christian" extremists will find something new that they didn't know prior to reading. I thought I knew a lot about them, I was shocked how much I still had to learn.
Excellent book, highly recommend. Once you've read it, pass it on to family and friends, share it with everyone you know.
reviewed by versed on November 29, 2006 5:36 AM
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Religion Gone Bad: The Hidden Dangers of the Religious Right by Mel White.
Mel White was a ghostwriter for many of the well-known fundamentalist ministers such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Some 25 years or so ago, not only did he became to realize he was gay, but also being gay is something to celebrate. Dr. White gives us some insight into the world of ghostwriting. One example was when he wrote one of Pat Robertson's books. Rev. Robertson never read the book he was supposed to have written. Never.
Today Dr. White is in a 25-year plus relationship with another man, has children from a previous relationship and still considers himself an evangelical Christian. He regularly attends Jerry Falwell's church in silent protest.
I read his first book, Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America, many years ago. He is co-founder of an organization called Soulforce, which is made up of gay and their supporters who are also religious. [...]
His new book, Religion Gone Bad, I could hardly put down. Every page seems to speak exactly how I felt about issues regarding religion, spirituality, gay rights and the people who fight gay rights.
The first section of the book is titled, "My Friends, The Enemy". Since he had been raised as a fundamentalist Christian (his father was a fundamentalist Christian minister), Dr. White knew many of these anti gay ministers on a personal basis. He considers them his friends, but also his enemies for the damage they are doing to gay folks.
Dr. White believes many fundamentalists have perverted and dishonored the teachings of Jesus. They have "emasculated Jesus". "They have broken the covenant of love and grace and tacked up in its place the old covenant of law and order". Jesus hung out with the outcasts not the respected people of the community.
Instead of trying to take the speck out of other's eyes, perhaps they should take the log out of theirs.
What school has more suicides of more gay men than any other religious institution in the country? Brigham Young University (Mormon). What group is more likely to get divorced? Christian "born again" conservatives. They have a higher divorce rate than other faith groups, atheists or agnostics.
However, these folks want to protect the "sanctity" of marriage as it has been for "hundreds of years". However, their concept of traditional marriage is a myth. Originally, marriage was not based on love, but on economic issues. Husbands traded cattle for wives. Marriage to a non-Jew was prohibited. Children of interfaith couple were considered illegitimate. Brides considered not being virgins were stoned to death. The Old Testament talks about polygamous marriage where a man marries and lives with as many women as he can afford. Many men in the Old Testament had many wives any where from two (Jacob and Ashur) to Solomon who had at least 700. Abraham had a wife, a concubine or other wives who either were slaves or purchased. Many women were raped and then forced to marry their attackers. Jewish history tells us when a woman was widowed without giving birth to a son, she was required to marry her brother-in-law. If she did not love this guy, she would have to put up with rape. So much for traditional marriage and so much for taking the Bible literally.
Dr. White finds it very ironic that many of these folks use the King James Version of the Bible, since history indicates James was gay and had a lover who is buried with James at Westminster Abbey chapel.
Fundamentalists want to change American "back to the Christian nation that it once was". However, it never was a Christian nation. Dr. White provides many examples showing many of the Founding Fathers who were worried about many of the ideas that Religious Right folks espouse today. In spite of what they say, there is no mention of God or Jesus in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, nor the Federalist Papers. Our Founding Fathers wanted a clear separation of church and state.
When Dr. White was a high school senior, he was chosen by AFSC (American Friends Service Committee --a Quaker organization) to spend a week with Dr. Martin Luther King. He quotes King, "Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial".
Throughout his book, Dr. White makes several mentions of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Both were my childhood heroes. One of the bits of wisdom he learned from Gandhi is be clear as to what we believe, be totally accepting of people who believe differently, and trust that the Spirit of God "will teach us both in the process". It is not our responsibility to convert others to our way of thinking; our responsibility is to the love others regardless of their views and hope each person will learn from the other.
Dr. White wants to remind us that even these anti gay ministers are Children of God. We must not caricature or condemn them as they do us. They can call us "faggot" and we can them "fascist", but where does that leave us. "Someone has to stop this cycle of fear, anger and violence against one another, because the suffering will not end until we do."
Gary Miller
Bud4jo@yahoo.com
Mel White was a ghostwriter for many of the well-known fundamentalist ministers such as Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell. Some 25 years or so ago, not only did he became to realize he was gay, but also being gay is something to celebrate. Dr. White gives us some insight into the world of ghostwriting. One example was when he wrote one of Pat Robertson's books. Rev. Robertson never read the book he was supposed to have written. Never.
Today Dr. White is in a 25-year plus relationship with another man, has children from a previous relationship and still considers himself an evangelical Christian. He regularly attends Jerry Falwell's church in silent protest.
I read his first book, Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America, many years ago. He is co-founder of an organization called Soulforce, which is made up of gay and their supporters who are also religious. [...]
His new book, Religion Gone Bad, I could hardly put down. Every page seems to speak exactly how I felt about issues regarding religion, spirituality, gay rights and the people who fight gay rights.
The first section of the book is titled, "My Friends, The Enemy". Since he had been raised as a fundamentalist Christian (his father was a fundamentalist Christian minister), Dr. White knew many of these anti gay ministers on a personal basis. He considers them his friends, but also his enemies for the damage they are doing to gay folks.
Dr. White believes many fundamentalists have perverted and dishonored the teachings of Jesus. They have "emasculated Jesus". "They have broken the covenant of love and grace and tacked up in its place the old covenant of law and order". Jesus hung out with the outcasts not the respected people of the community.
Instead of trying to take the speck out of other's eyes, perhaps they should take the log out of theirs.
What school has more suicides of more gay men than any other religious institution in the country? Brigham Young University (Mormon). What group is more likely to get divorced? Christian "born again" conservatives. They have a higher divorce rate than other faith groups, atheists or agnostics.
However, these folks want to protect the "sanctity" of marriage as it has been for "hundreds of years". However, their concept of traditional marriage is a myth. Originally, marriage was not based on love, but on economic issues. Husbands traded cattle for wives. Marriage to a non-Jew was prohibited. Children of interfaith couple were considered illegitimate. Brides considered not being virgins were stoned to death. The Old Testament talks about polygamous marriage where a man marries and lives with as many women as he can afford. Many men in the Old Testament had many wives any where from two (Jacob and Ashur) to Solomon who had at least 700. Abraham had a wife, a concubine or other wives who either were slaves or purchased. Many women were raped and then forced to marry their attackers. Jewish history tells us when a woman was widowed without giving birth to a son, she was required to marry her brother-in-law. If she did not love this guy, she would have to put up with rape. So much for traditional marriage and so much for taking the Bible literally.
Dr. White finds it very ironic that many of these folks use the King James Version of the Bible, since history indicates James was gay and had a lover who is buried with James at Westminster Abbey chapel.
Fundamentalists want to change American "back to the Christian nation that it once was". However, it never was a Christian nation. Dr. White provides many examples showing many of the Founding Fathers who were worried about many of the ideas that Religious Right folks espouse today. In spite of what they say, there is no mention of God or Jesus in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, nor the Federalist Papers. Our Founding Fathers wanted a clear separation of church and state.
When Dr. White was a high school senior, he was chosen by AFSC (American Friends Service Committee --a Quaker organization) to spend a week with Dr. Martin Luther King. He quotes King, "Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and not concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion awaiting burial".
Throughout his book, Dr. White makes several mentions of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Both were my childhood heroes. One of the bits of wisdom he learned from Gandhi is be clear as to what we believe, be totally accepting of people who believe differently, and trust that the Spirit of God "will teach us both in the process". It is not our responsibility to convert others to our way of thinking; our responsibility is to the love others regardless of their views and hope each person will learn from the other.
Dr. White wants to remind us that even these anti gay ministers are Children of God. We must not caricature or condemn them as they do us. They can call us "faggot" and we can them "fascist", but where does that leave us. "Someone has to stop this cycle of fear, anger and violence against one another, because the suffering will not end until we do."
Gary Miller
Bud4jo@yahoo.com
reviewed by potato on November 29, 2006 10:19 AM