The Rise of the Religious Right in the Republican Party

Responding to the 'BattleCry' campaign: Introducing 'Acquire the Evidence', Talk To Action, April 30, 2006

Single-Faith Prison Program Questioned, Washington Post, April 29, 2006:

The Justice Department plans to set aside cellblocks at up to half a dozen federal prisons for an ambitious pilot program to prepare inmates for release. But it has produced an outcry by saying that it wants a private group to counsel the prisoners according to a single faith.

The plans do not specify what that faith must be, but they appear to rule out secular counseling or programs that offer inmates guidance in a variety of faiths.

God's Country? PBS NOW, April 28, 2006:

Evangelical Christians have been preaching politics in Ohio ahead of Tuesday's gubernatorial primaries and face accusations of using the church as a vehicle for political advocacy.

The accusations come from another group of religious leaders who have filed multiple complaints to the IRS against two so-called "mega-churches" in Ohio.

Episcopal Newspaper Exposes Rightwing Agencies, Talk To Action, April 28, 2006

Electing Dominionists or Defenders of Constitutional Democracy?, Talk To Action, April 27, 2006

Evangelical Christians are preaching politics in Ohio. Have they gone
too far? Friday night on PBS NOW:

On April 28 at 8:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings), NOW takes a closer look at the "Ohio Restoration Project," a campaign being criticized for using Evangelical Christianity as a vehicle for political advocacy and for their strong support of conservative gubernatorial candidate J. Kenneth Blackwell.

'National Day Of Prayer' Events Politicize Religion, Divide Country, Americans United,
April 27, 2006

Christian Message, Secular Messengers, New York Times, April 26, 2006:

THE potential client was Teen Mania Ministries, a Christian youth organization devoted to steering teenagers away from drugs, alcohol and premarital sex. For the partners at Tocquigny, an ad agency not well versed in working with Christian groups, the potential drawbacks of taking on the account loomed large.

Americans United Hails Maine Supreme Court Ruling Against Private Religious School Vouchers; Ruling Is Latest In String Of Defeats For Voucher Advocates, April 26, 2006

Ohio Churches' Political Activities Challenged, Washington Post, April 25, 2006

Issue of Tax Abuse by the Christian Right, Heats Up, Talk To Action, April 25, 2006

How Puppy Love Became a Sex Crime, Talk To Action, April 25, 2006

God, Calvin, and Social Welfare - Part Three: Roots of the Social Welfare Debate, Talk To Action, April 24, 2006

Dobson's Agenda for California Public Schools: 'Get Our Kids Out', Talk To Action, April 24, 2006

Thanks to Kevin Phillips, Now We Can Talk about Theocracy, Talk To Action, April 22, 2006

Disorder on the Right - the Traditional Values Coalition, Talk To Action, April 22, 2006

Kiss-and-Tell No More, New York Times, April 22, 2006:

A federal judge in Kansas has dealt another blow to the crusade by the state's attorney general, Phill Kline, to restrict abortions under the phony banner of combating child abuse.

Georgia Abandons Constitution, DefCon, April 21, 2006

'Faith Czar' Takes Parting Shots At AU, Americans United, April 21, 2006

9th Circuit: High school can bar anti-gay T-shirt - for now, The Associated Press, April 21, 2006

The Right to Intolerance, Talk To Action, April 21, 2006 -- about a campaign targeting gay and lesbian youth

One-time ally of Wilson switches loyalty, Albuquerque Tribune, April 20, 2006:

Mikey Weinstein, the Albuquerque businessman who fought evangelism at the Air Force Academy, is opposing his one-time ally, Rep. Heather Wilson, Albuquerque Republican.

Christian group loses campus-funding case, First Amendment Center, April 20, 2006

Ten Commandments can stay on Ohio courthouse lawn, First Amendment Center, April 20, 2006

Presupposing Inerrancy, Talk To Action, April 20, 2006

"Randall (Terry) can avenge Terri's (Schiavo's) death" in FL-State Sen. 8, Dailykos, April 18, 2006

Playing politics with the Bible: Coming to a school near you?, First Amendment Center, April 16, 2006

The Wall Street Journal Wonders If It's Almost Over for Ralph Reed, Talk To Action, April 20, 2006

Don't Extend the Temporary Emergency Voucher Program, Church State Action Center

Jim Towey resigns, Faith Based activities continue, Talk To Action, April 19, 2006

The Christophobic Thugs?, Talk To Action, April 18, 2006

Americans United Applauds 'Faith Czar' Towey's Departure From White House,
April 18, 2006:

AU's Lynn Says 'Faith-Based' Point Man Was First Amendment Foe, Urges President Bush To Shut Down 'Faith-Based' Office

Giulani To Headline Second Fundraiser for Reed, Talk To Action, April 18, 2006

Theocons and Theocrats, Kevin Phillips in The Nation, May 1, 2006

Roy Moore Protege Attacks Legacy of Hugo Black, Talk To Action, April 18, 2006

Bucking Big Tony, Talk To Action, April 18, 2006 -- A good analysis and map showing where states stand on the abortion issue

Mapping Religion in America and a commentary on the maps.

Falwell: Evangelicals Won't Support Democrats, Houston.com, April 16, 2006:

Falwell praised Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., as "pro-life" and "a strong conservative" whose "view on family is just where most conservative Christians' views are."

Outrage at Funeral Protests Pushes Lawmakers to Act, New York Times, April 17, 2006

Conservative Christians and Politics (new web site), Just the facts, ma'am, April 17, 2006

Christianity, the Brand, The New York Times, April 16, 2006 -- about Larry Ross, "arguably the top public relations man for Christian clients."

Social Issues Top GOP Pre-Election Agenda, Yahoo, April 15, 2006

City denies rally permit Christian group searching for alternative spots, NewstimeLive (from Danbury Connecticut), April 14, 2006 -- The group, the Minutemen, is Ohio based and wants to march in Danbury Connecticut to claim that Jefferson didn't really call for a separation of church and state. Danbury Connecticut was home to the Danbury Baptist Society, recipient of the famous letter from then President Thomas Jefferson. The letter coins the words "separation of church and state.":

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man & his god, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between church and state.

Christian Coalition of Alabama Attacks Trial Lawyers -- and Tells a Whopper, Talk To Action, April 14, 2006

On Mercer University's Baptist Studies Bulletin, Talk To Action, April 14, 2006

Life and Death? Just Don't Think About It, Talk To Action, April 11, 2006 - " ... the Religious Right has an increasingly dangerous tendency to confuse medical mortality and morbidity with divine punishment for what they believe to be sexual impurity."

Jimmy Carter Calls Baptists Together, Talk To Action, April 11, 2006

Them Again: Faithful and Welcoming, Talk To Action, April 10, 2006 - About a Renewal group's sublte attack on the UCC. " ... a group known as Faithful and Welcoming isn't, and is built to dismantle a group that is."

Christians Sue for Right Not to Tolerate Policies, Los Angeles Times, April 10, 2006 -- this article discusses a

... a growing campaign to force public schools, state colleges and private workplaces to eliminate policies protecting gays and lesbians from harassment. The religious right aims to overturn a broad range of common tolerance programs: diversity training that promotes acceptance of gays and lesbians, speech codes that ban harsh words against homosexuality, anti-discrimination policies that require college clubs to open their membership to all.

Christian Coalition Shrinks as Debt Grows, The Washington Post, April 10, 2006

Liberal Denomination Fires Salvos at Right, New York Times, April 7, 2006

"Liberal" Church Ad Attacked by Rightwing Agency, Talk To Action, April 6, 2006

The Globalization of an Agenda: The Right Targets the UN with its Anti-Choice Politics, PublicEye.org, Spring issue, 2006

Christian Right's Narrative Incomplete, Talk To Action, April 6, 2006

Evangelicals Rally Their Flocks Behind Israel, by Bill Berkowitz posted on CommonDreams, April 5, 2006

As legislators struggle with ban, Phelps church expands picketing, KansasCity.com, April 5, 2006

And This Guy Wants to Be President? Truthout, April 5, 2006

A Partisan Leaves; Will an Era Follow? New York Times, April 5, 2006

God is Alive and Well in America, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life April 4, 2006

Pentecostal Centennial, Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life April 4, 2006

Blackwell Held Shares In Diebold, Associated Press, April 3, 2006

The Devil Inside, The Nation, April Issue -- good article about Ralph Reed:

Instead of making his triumphant debut as a politician, the man Time magazine called "The Right Hand of God" is fast becoming the new poster boy for Christian-right corruption.

Christian Zionism all juiced up, Talk To Action, April 4, 2006

Gingrich and God, Dispatches from the Culture Wars, April 3, 2006

John and Jerry, New York Times, April 3, 2006 -- Paul Krugman discusses the significance of the fact that Senator John McCain is the Commencement Speaker at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University.

The Abortion-Rights Side Invokes God, Too, New York Times, April 3, 2006

How the GOP Became God's Own Party, Kevin Philips, Washington Post, April 2, 2006

Dominionism and the Rise of Christian Imperialism By Sarah Leslie -- I just discovered this very thoughtful, in-depth article on dominionism by a former Christian Right leader