A Must-Watch: "True Origins of the Religious Right"

[markpkessinger]

This is a VERY informative lecture by the Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, distinguished visiting professor at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, concerning his research into the true origins of the Religious Right. Hint: it wasn't, as the Religious Right likes to claim, a response to Roe v. Wade. Don't miss this one! I've included the introduction for the video that appears on YouTube below the embed.

Author, historian and Emmy Award nominee the Rev. Dr. Randall Balmer, distinguished visiting professor at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, reveals groundbreaking research on the real impetus behind the rise of the Religious Right in this April 16, 2009 lecture, Mistaken Identity: Jimmy Carter, the Abortion Myth, and the Rise of the Religious Right.

A scholar, documentary filmmaker, and Episcopal priest, Balmer is professor of American religious history at Barnard College, Columbia University and the 2009 McDonald Family Chair on the Life and Teachings of Jesus and their Impact on Culture at Candler School of Theology. An editor for Christianity Today since 1999, his commentaries on religion in America also have appeared in news publications across the country, including the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Slate. He is the author of a dozen books, including Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America and Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America, now in its fourth edition, which was made into a three-part documentary for PBS.

Read more on Randall Balmer at Emory: http://www.emory.edu/home/news/releases/2009/03/randall-balmer-at-emory.html

[longship]

1. Kind of stands religious right history on its ear.

A worthy view.

Thanks.
R&K

[Major Nikon]

2. Not Roe v Wade, but the Civil Rights Act

Prior to the Civil Rights Act, Religion was more attached to the Democratic Party. When the Civil Rights Act passed, they found their political influence with the party waning from a party that was increasingly resistant to incorporating religious fringe nuts. Eventually they were welcomed with open arms into the GOP who had no such resistance to nutbags if it increased their political power. Prominent Republicans like Goldwater warned against it, but it happened anyway and an unholy alliance was born.

[ReRe]

3. Thank you for posting this

I listened to it twice while cleaning off my desk. A very informative speech explaining the merging of the religious right into the Republican party. I remember well in the 80s and early 90s the many heated discussions I had with my brother-in-law. He was pro merging religion & politics, I was adamantly against. Today, we still adhere to our positions. I don't talk much to BIL anymore. We are cordial to each other at family get-togethers and don't get into knock-down-drag-out (vocal) arguments over politics anymore. If he starts it up, I leave the premises. Anyway, I highly recommend a listen, especially for young democrats.

[markpkessinger]

4. I remember watching a 60 Minutes Segment circa 1977 or '78 . . .

My father, who was a staunch Republican, albeit from a much more sane period in the GOP's history, and I had a Sunday evening ritual of watching 60 MInutes. The segment aired in '77 or '78, and was about the Ronald Reagan's ground organization, which, in the wake of his failure to secure the GOP nomination in '76, was already hard at work across the country, but most particularly in the South, going town to town and meeting with church groups to convince them Reagan was their man. My dad, who was not religious at all and who had no patience whatsoever with those he regarded as "religious nuts," said at the conclusion of the segment, "The Republican Party may live to rue the day it got into bed with religious nuts." Dad passed away in December of 2000, so he missed all of the insanity of the George W. Bush administration, the rise of the Tea Party, etc. But I can imagine him saying, if he were around today, "I knew it would come to this sooner or later."

[ReRe]

5. yeah....

I knew too. I do hope DUers give it a listen. It explains so much and is totally non-offensive.

[BanzaiBonnie]

6. It was never more clear than in this election season...

That the heart of the Religious Right is based in racism.

[Douglas Carpenter]

7. AN ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT LECTURE AND A REAL GRASP OF THE POLITICS OF THE RISE OF THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT

A MUST - MUST - MUST SEE VIDEO

THOUGH UNLIKELY THIS SHOULD GO VIRAL - IT IS THAT IMPORTANT!!!!

[markpkessinger]

11. Agreed -- VERY important! n/t

[trof]

8. K&R from a devout atheist.

[bleedinglib]

9. Very Informative!!

I'v always believed Carter got shafted.

[olegramps]

10. How analogous is this to the current situation with the Catholic Church?

The Catholic Church hierarchy have insisted that since they are oppose to contraceptive birth control that the church is not under the obligation to respect the Affordable Care Act to provide insurance for this coverage. They extend their argument to include Catholic owed businesses whose owners claiming that it violates their religious principles. If this is upheld, business owners who for example are Jehovah Witnesses, since the oppose blood transfusions, could claim the same exemption. Could this be case for the IRS to intervene as was the case in regard to Christian Schools that refused to admit Black students?

[markpkessinger]

12. Kicking ...

...because I think it is important for folks to see this!

[enough]

13. Very interesting and informative, actually inspiring to this old atheist.

His remarks toward the end concerning separation of religion from government are much needed here and now.

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. I cannot over state how insightful this lecture is.

A real, genuine and impartial examination of the origins of the modern religious right. An absolute must see for any student of American politics or American religious history

[fasttense]

15. How sad that they abandoned Jesus' teachings for political power.

The Religious right use and manipulate Evangelicals so much so that these supposedly Christian people have forgotten all the most important teachings of Jesus and have embraced a Machiavellian set of standards that Pontus Pilot could have recognize. The sad part is Evangelicals don't get their pieces of silver.