The Values of a Dysfunctional Family

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/110707S.shtml

The Values of a Dysfunctional Family
By Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
t r u t h o u t | Perspective

Wednesday 07 November 2007

In today's political lexicon, the term family values has been hijacked by the Christian political right as a way to define an ambiguous set of moral beliefs and standards that they use to further a morally defenseless political agenda. In the early 1980's, individuals such as Ralph Reed and Pat Robertson, through The Christian Coalition, began to target the Republican Party as the vehicle through which they could promote their conservative religious agenda and inject that religious agenda into mainstream American politics. They successfully combined their moral conservatism with political conservatism, resulting in a politics that is neither morally nor ethically based.

The agenda of The Christian Coalition of America is to, "offer people of faith the vehicle to be actively involved in shaping their government - from the County Courthouse to the halls of Congress. Today, Christians need to play an active role in government again like never before. We continuously work to identify, educate and mobilize Christians for effective political action."

The late Rev. D. James Kennedy focused his attention on members of Congress and their staffers by founding the Center for Christian Statesmanship. This center was a Capitol Hill outreach group that offered Bible studies to members of Congress and their staffers. Reverend Kennedy believed, "Our job is to reclaim America for Christ, whatever the cost.... We are to exercise godly dominion and influence over our neighborhoods, our schools, our government, our literature and arts, our sports arenas, our entertainment media, our news media, our scientific endeavors - in short, over every aspect and institution of human society."

There are two problems with the injection of ideological Christianity into mainstream American politics. First, the "establishment" clause was written into the First Amendment of the Constitution to prevent the United States government from establishing an official religion for the country as had been done by the Church of England. The "free exercise" clause was written into the First Amendment to allow each American to practice religion as he or she sees fit. It prohibits Congress from preferring one religion over another. What the late Reverend Kennedy worked to accomplish, the reclamation of America for Christ, actually violates what Thomas Jefferson called the separation of church and state. This time-tested and accepted political and legal doctrine states that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent of one another.

The second problem with the injection of ideological Christianity into mainstream American politics is the hypocrisy exhibited by many of its proponents. Too many of these "holier than thou" Christian conservatives just don't practice what they preach. As the Republican Party has anointed itself as the party of ethics, morality and family values, these so-called family values demonstrate a very dysfunctional family.

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Those self-righteous moralistic bible thumpers should remember the Fifth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill."

To the rest of the world, America looks like a morally bankrupt country that will use any pretext and its military power to impose its will upon the unwilling. By allowing ideological Christianity to control American politics and policy, we have compromised the values, concepts and traditions that formed the foundation of our democracy. Those family values are now the values of a dysfunctional family.

Christ never owned America, and the cost is too high.

You know what that's called? "World Domination"

I'd rather not have a church do that. Too many abused alter boys and gold plated churches.

With all the implications of murder aforethought. It also ties in very neatly with all the other commandments when considered this way.