Where did the "Christian Right" come from?

Hey guys,

This is moreso a question than it is any type of conspiracy or anything. I was chatting with some friends about how the USA has become very... "Christian", especially in the last 10 years (my opinion). Both political sides seem to be pretty Christian, though there appears to be more Christian hardliners that lean Right.

I'm really curious as to when this shift happened. When did the Republican party become so Christian? I see a lot of stuff about America's "Christian Heritage" but as far as I know, the country was founded on secularism and most of the founding fathers were Deists rather than actual Christians with heavy Christian beliefs.

The Republicans talk about protecting the constitution and the values America was founded on, but few of these have anything to do with Christianity. It's like all of a sudden there was this "shift" towards Christianity and I'm just curious as to when this happened. Hell, I even read somewhere that Lincoln was an atheist, is that true?

This isn't meant to discuss "right versus wrong" or meant to be a religious debate. Please keep it that way. I'm actually just wanting to learn more about the philosophical shift towards hardline Christianity in America on the republican side, when it happened, who introduced it, etc...

Thanks!

It happened when faced with falling Republican voting blocks Reagan adopted Pat Robertson. And for a few decades it worked, until present day. Now after decades of social issues constantly being put on the back burner the Republican Party the religious folks too k the wheel and they aren't planning on giving it back.

Originally posted by KeliOnyx
It happened when faced with falling Republican voting blocks Reagan adopted Pat Robertson. And for a few decades it worked, until present day. Now after decades of social issues constantly being put on the back burner the Republican Party the religious folks too k the wheel and they aren't planning on giving it back.

Agreed, except I thought it was Jerry Falwell? Oh, well, I guess it doesn't really matter. But in reality, the Christians were political all through the 20th century.

There was a time when the Christian element was allied with the Democrats (the Dixiecrats). When the 60's pot-smoking, sex-fueled culture rose, the Christians were afraid of the breakdown of the social fabric. When the Democrats then became pro-choice, that was the last straw. The social conservatives jumped ship for the Republicans.

In a big nutshell, of course. It's more complicated than that.

Religion will be the downfall of the republican party.

If they dont get rid of the schizophrenic jesus freaks soon, they will end up in the history books, and not in current events.

R. Reed's "christian coalition" started to get a lot of talk back when i was in high school in the reagan years..

what was funny then (and it still is) is that many of the "values" of this group were NOT in line with "traditional" christian values...

for example, the american "christian" right, has long been PRO death penalty, and ANTI charity..

Bill Hicks pointed out in the 1980s in a stand-up routine that if JESUS himself came back... Reed's group COULD NOT vote for him

(no foreign wars, no death penalty, lots of charity)

if christ is not electable by the christian right.... then theres probably a lot of manipulation and smoke and mirrors instead of earnest political dialogue...

now if the GOP wants to remain with us in the NOW instead of going the way of the Dodo bird...

maybe its time to remember that in AMERICA we like church and state SEPARATE...

remember Santorums quote from earlier this year (2012)? he seriously told american listeners that anyone who believed that the constitution required a separation of church and state DID NOT UNDERSTAND american history.

one more thing, i might vote for a christain candidate, but a REAL ONE would act more like ghandi, and less like a TV preacher worried about his ratings..

Originally posted by TheAngryFarm
Religion will be the downfall of the republican party.

If they dont get rid of the schizophrenic jesus freaks soon, they will end up in the history books, and not in current events.

You don't need to put down their whole religion to make a point. I agree that religious extremism will be their downfall but I don't believe it is because of religion. They would have found something to control with no matter what. Money, nationalism (disguised as patriotism), hate, xenophobia, etc. What religion does is give them a common banner to wave over all of the otherwise unreasonable policies.

I believe Christianity will evolve and survive as a peaceful religion. Zealots are zealots, regardless of the catalyst.

Interesting website and information

www.theocracywatch.org...

reply to post by DazedDave


Are you seriously asking this question or is this a feeble attempt to stir up more GOD HATERS at ATS?

Oir country was formed specifically on Christain values, which if followed I believe nobody could argue that they are wrong in anyway. However since we have become a nation of special interest groups and once what was called the Moral Majority has become everything is acceptable, respect is something you get from a rap song, and teachers and parents are the scourge of the earth.


Christains have always been on the right, the Bible teaches lessons to followed in every aspect of our lives, financial responsibility, respect for your parents, elders and authority, to be tolerant of others and not to be judgemental of anyone among many other lesson in living a good and honest life. I find it very sad that there are not alot of practicing Christains, certainly alot of them pick and choose which parts they feel are convienent to obey. Mix in the SUPER Churches with multimillion TV ministries and the fact that CHURCH is a big business it IMO is a mockery of what Christains and America represent.

A new Doomsday Preppers is on tonight on Net Geo.

They always have a group that is prepping for a flu pandemic.

WOW, WRONG THREAD...... sorry

reply to post by DazedDave


Puritanical beliefs that go all the way to Plymouth Rock.

BUT, they used to be tolerant of all beliefs, until the PC police waged war against everything religious in the nation. The religious right felt like they were under attack for everything from prayer in schools, to the Christmas Holiday, to the money and Pledge of Allegiance. A very vocal movement began to attack anything and everything religious, and then the normally tolerant religious fundamentalists began to strike back.

It is a dangerous pendulum, and it is currently reaching an apex and switching directions again.

Originally posted by DazedDave
Hey guys,

This is moreso a question than it is any type of conspiracy or anything. I was chatting with some friends about how the USA has become very... "Christian", especially in the last 10 years (my opinion). Both political sides seem to be pretty Christian, though there appears to be more Christian hardliners that lean Right.

I'm really curious as to when this shift happened. When did the Republican party become so Christian? I see a lot of stuff about America's "Christian Heritage" but as far as I know, the country was founded on secularism and most of the founding fathers were Deists rather than actual Christians with heavy Christian beliefs.

The Republicans talk about protecting the constitution and the values America was founded on, but few of these have anything to do with Christianity. It's like all of a sudden there was this "shift" towards Christianity and I'm just curious as to when this happened. Hell, I even read somewhere that Lincoln was an atheist, is that true?

This isn't meant to discuss "right versus wrong" or meant to be a religious debate. Please keep it that way. I'm actually just wanting to learn more about the philosophical shift towards hardline Christianity in America on the republican side, when it happened, who introduced it, etc...

Thanks!

Meh, paritally a media fabrication. You've got hard-line religious kooks on the left too: Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, Reverend Wright. It's just that religious kooks on the left side of the aisle are beyond criticism.

Sir,sir oh pick me sir; I know this one. From the depths of hell, sir.

reply to post by DazedDave

I do not claim to be right on this. Just observations over the last 60yrs. I am a agnostic and not a Christian. I claim the opposite view then most on here. I was a liberal democrat in the late 60's early 70's. I believe I have not changed my views but the left has gone so far left it has turned me standing still into a conservative.

From what I have seen starting in the 60's a attack on the Christian religion started. Those that ARE religious started to be afraid as they saw those in power going after them for things that had been around for decades if not a century with no or little ill effects to the general public. Things like the 10 commandments being in court. Statues of crosses in cemetary's or even the name of the city I live in which has been its name since its exception having people demanding it be changed because it can construed as religion. Remember Obama and his speech about people who hold onto their guns and bible's? When you attack people and their beliefs they try to defend themselves. The Christian religion is held to a different standard now then any other's I have seen. Just stand back and compare them and I think you will see what I mean.

Agree or disagree as you like. That has been my observations.

reply to post by Jerk_Idiot


I think you nailed it. That is exactly what I was thinking.

If you look at Facebook, the posts that are religious are always agressively defensive in nature. Like they are daring someone to take the "Christ" out of Christmas.

For the record, there is nothing wrong or illegal about prayer in school, so long as no one is forced into doing it, or belittled for not doing so. There is nothing wrong with the Christmas holiday, except for the retailers hijacking it.

I get really annoyed at all the Religious stuff being thrown in my face, and I really, really hate the ultimatum type of posts that must be "shared" or otherwise you are a god-hating communist, LOL! BUT, I feel like that particular segment of the population was probably driven back inch by inch by the opposite segment, and now we've reached the point where their backs are against the wall and they are pushing back.

I think the argument is pretty stupid from both sides. But then again, I am a Liberatarian who believes everyone should be allowed to do their thing, and nobody should be forced to do anything.

reply to post by DazedDave


Christians lean ‘right’ because the ‘right’ defends the right to life by opposing legalized infanticide (abortion) and supports the family unit. Most people become more conservative on an variety of issues as they mature. Practicing Christians already have that level of understanding and maturity.

There is some truth to the notion that the ‘right’ is comprised of old white people. IMO it is age and maturity (as well as Christian faith) that allows people to see past the greed, selfishness, and lack of maturity commonly found in most young people. When people grow up they gain a better understanding of right and wrong (a moral compass) and they tend to lean ‘right’ while abandoning the liberal debauchery of their past.

It is what it is….the ‘right’ is RIGHT. Most Christians and mature adults realize this.

All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Daniel 4:28-30

(voice from Heaven) Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” Daniel 4:32

RNC theme: "We built this"

Unfortunately OP, a country full of atheists, agnostics and wayward Christians cannot see that Christian men of real true faith would never have accepted nor chosen that RNC theme. A Christian man would have stood up there and called for national repentance and called out to the Almighty to heal this nation of it's wicked choices. A Christian man would have preached the Word boldly to a nation under judgement.

But none of that happened. We heard "WE built this". Just like the King of Babylon.

Pretty sure it was a lot more christian when it began then it is now.

"God bless America" "In God we trust" "One nation under God"

A better question would be where did all these damn atheists come from?

But yeah this nation was about as Christian as it could get for the 1st few hundred years.

Remember how people though JFK the 1st Catholic president was going to ruin the country.

Silliness, all silliness.

I personally have no idea whats going on, or what I believe, but I do know once you cut god out of the equation and "God given rights" Humans become nothing more than animals to be used as the leaders see fit.

So by that way of thinking we need to get a lot more God into the government. lol

reply to post by HappyBunny


Well your right it was Falwell, but since he and Robertson were more or less conjoined twins until Falwell's death. I just happened to be more aware of Robertson at the time than I was Falwell so he is the first one that I think of. But I do think it is kind of funny someone mentioned the hypocrisy back then and I remember the Keating 5 and the big S&L scandal as they tried to censor Larry Flynt. Same freedom loving folks new generation.

reply to post by DazedDave


For starters, let's not forget that the KKK was very much a radicalized Christian oriented organization involved in politics, but that was a long time ago and it's probably not the more recent change that you're inquiring about. Or then again, is it the same old wolf in new sheep's clothing?

I think the phenomena you're asking about actually began with Karl Rove's dream of creating a "Permanent Republican Majority" in Congress following the election of G.W. Bush. Some of his cohorts in the plan were people like Tom Delay, Ralph Reed, Jack Abramoff, Robert Ney and Grover Norquist, just to name a few. Ralph Reed was the man charged with gathering the Christian coalition together and delivering them to the GOP.

Just google Ralph Reed and follow the money, I mean the trail.

reply to post by seabag


But the "pro-life" stance is a farce. There has to be a level of choice for the doctors and involved parties. You can't legislate something like that. I'd agree with a ban on late-term abortions for no other reason than birth control, but that isn't enough for the religious crowd. Many of them would see a mother languish and die from an Ectopic Pregnancy, rather than save her with a surgery.

Also, the "liberal debauchery" should be a stance from the right! The right believes in small, unintrusive government, so the right should believe in libertarian issues like legalizing certain plants, and how a woman chooses to use her body. If an athlete or model can make money with their body, why can't an average woman? Aren't we all just renting our bodies and minds to our employers anyway?

The problem with this recent emergence of the "religious right" is that they became synonomous, and too many people, such as you, now believe that being religious is equivalent to being conservative. It most certainly is NOT equivalent!