Oh no, it's the return of the Moral Majority!

World Magazine tells us that Jerry Falwell is bringing back the moral majority.

Jerry Falwell announced yesterday that he plans to lead an “evangelical revolution” over the next four years. Falwell will step down from the day-to-day operations of Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church to form the Faith and Values Coalition, an evangelical lobbying group. The coalition plans to lobby for pro-life justices, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, and the election of another “George-Bush-type conservative” in 2008. Matthew Staver, founder of the Liberty Counsel, will serve as vice chairman, and Left Behind co-author Tim LaHaye will be board chairman. Falwell said the new group will be a “21st century resurrection of the Moral Majority,” the organization he founded in 1979.

To say that I am against this is a massive understatement.  Here is my the comment I left on the WorldMag Blog

This is not good at all. To quote Hugh Hewitt in his book In, But Not Of:

"Generally, you can choose to rise within the world of the church or within the world of the world. But not both. It will confuse the faithful. And it will be singularly ineffective in influencing the world.

The most spectacular failure at playing both ways is Reverend Jerry Falwell. I and most other evangelicals I know cringe when we see him appear on any of the many television shows that gladly book him as a spokesman for the evangelical community."

Hugh goes on to talk about the loss of influence of pastor's influence in society, a point which I don't like, but which has some merit. Then he says that when Falwell goes on a switch goes off in the minds of the viewers. He can be quite entertaining in the same way that Geraldo Rivera is entertaining, but the general public will not listen to his views.

This will also further the perception in the minds of the general public that evangelical Christians are nothing more than a partisan political party and an arm of the Republican party. Once more the gospel will be the casualty in all of this.

Hat tip - Palmtree Pundit

Comments

[Diane R]

I quite agree with you. A friend emailed me the awful news a few days ago and I almost banged my head against the computer monitor.

I sure wish Fallwell would read "Blinded By Might" by Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson. Well, maybe not since it isn't too flattering about him and is written by the two who helped him found the Moral Majority in the 70's but now see the light.

[David Wayne]

Diane - I'm quite sure ol' Jerr knows all about Blinded by Might. And I'm quite sure he has completely ignored it the way Dobson did. But I'm with you - I thought it was an excellent book. Not perfect, but excellent.

[Mark O]

People have to change before the laws (or at least at the same time). I don't think Falwells' bully pulpit is influential enough to do that. Changing the law before he gets the cultural swing, will cause more problems than good, IMHO.

[Bob]

Couldn't agree more, and it's something that needs to be said. As you note, the media will go out of its way to define evangelical Christians as Falwellians. I wonder how we Christians who are not in his camp may effectively foster an alternative view, so that the generalization will not set in and become accepted as "gospel truth." I kind of doubt that the media can be prevented from making these facile generalizations (note, recently, the ease with which they slipped into the idea that the election was decided by moral-issues voters). So I guess my question is: how do we present the Falwellian alternative?

[Ben]

I almost banged my head against the computer monitor.

Yep, that says it for me too.
It's taken 20 years to get over it and here it s again. He's like a bad fashion statement.

[harris]

Bob writes:
how do we present the Falwellian alternative?

To piggyback on Diane's earlier post, look at Ed Dobson. The alternative is to focus on a clear, evangelical ministry that also engages the community. Our community (Grand Rapids) is privileged to have Rev. Dobson. At Calvary Church (nondenom, with Reformed roots), he has helped the church work on AIDS and help with the black churches. The approach has been respectful rather than triumphal: volunteering, listening.

No one would think that Calvary is at all wishy on the Gospel, or that it particularly leans away from certain political convictions. What everyone also knows, is that for that church the Gospel comes first.

[David Wayne]

Harris - thanks for the comment. I think Ed Dobson is one of the best examples of the Falwellian alternative. Unfortunately he's got some big guns lined up against him in the persons of Falwell and the other Dobson.
I heard a few years ago that he was having some health problems. Is he doing ok now?

[Totem to Temple]

What's next, re-writing the triumphal entry to Jerusalem in the Bible to have Jesus ride on an elephant because riding on a donkey may lead to an endorsement of the Democrats that 'real Christians' can not do???

Boy, didn't Falwell learn from the damage he did the first time?

[David Wayne]

That's just the trouble - Falwell doesn't think he did any damage the first time - go figure.

[Matt]

Thank you for some sanity. I address this point in my own blog today.

[Messy Christian]

Man.... this sounds frightening.