Book Review
by By Daroid H. Morgan
Blinded by Might
By Cal Thomas and Ed Dobson
"Can the Religious Right Save America?"
Zondervan Publishing House Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1999
Just the mention of these authors should comes as a shock to the readers of Christian Ethics Today These authors are for-met insiders in both the Moral Majority movement of Jerry Falwell and the Religious Right; Christian Coalition as well. For years they epitomized the essence the hard-line Religious Right in America with their highly publicized agenda on abortion, homosexuality, unqualified support for Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party, the school prayer issues, and the voucher approach to the public education problems. And this book shows that their positions on these flammable questions have altered little despite their very public breach with Falwell, James Dobson, and others still active in the Religious Right Movement.
Having said that, I need to go on to say that their book is worth reading for the following reasons:
These authors are by virtue of their past identifications able to say some entirely believable things about Falwell and his fellow "true believers" that need to be said. Falwell`s critics can level the same charges but they are discredited in many circles because of their previously declared opposition. Thomas and Dodson are still part of the Moral Majority fraternity because of their years of service and leadership. Now comes their book of cataloging the failure of these positions. They have not penned their opinions from a vitriolic point of view. Rather these chapters come across as a series of quite sad and disillusioned conclusions because of Falwell and his cohorts having fallen into the ancient heresy related to the illusions of power.
The strength of this book is the repeated statement that it is only in the power of the Christian gospel, applied to the human heart, that transformation of people can take place. Legislation and manipulation of political position and power cannot change lives. The preeminent task of the Church is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Religious Right people have made a fatal mistake in making political power take precedence over the spiritual power latent in the Christian gospel. A refreshing chapter in the book is authored by Ed Dobson, now a pastor in Michigan, whose pilgrimage has been from the pinnacles of power in Falwell`s Lynchburg`s environs to a pastorate where the priorities center in Biblical preaching and ministry.
This volume is a vivid study from a very unusual angle of the entrapments of political power. One will recall for a long time how Reagan embraced and used Falwell. Phone calls from the Oval Office to a pastor`s office have a mesmerizing effect. Secular politics and power-hungry preachers produce a predestined dominance of the secular. The result is an unholy alliance, regardless of how sincere the announced motivations for moral renewal may be. That these authors have been severely chastised and ostracized by the current Religious Right leaders is a given. Basically, this is the primary reason for looking at this book because the only path to moral renewal comes from the spiritual sources of the Christian gospel, not from political might!
This book reveals the flawed thinking of some very angry religious leaders. The anger certainly comes in part from the massive array of moral problems in contemporary American life. But classic fundamentalism tied in with the current American political system) with each side attempting to milk influence and legislation from the other to stem the tide simply will not get the job done.
The book is not just an account of the rapid decline of the Moral Majority and the Religious Right in American life. These painful revelations which confirm the obvious fact that Falwell and Dobson and others have feet of clay makes for interesting journalism. Pettiness, judgmentalism, questionable motives, poor decisions, and jealousy all come to light. Yet despite these sad events, the authors still encourage Christian citizenship and political involvement.
Now after having listed some of the reasons for reading this controversial book, let me say that the lasting impressions from these authors is that they are basically unchanged in their positions from their earliest days in this movement. They have analyzed the perils and poisons of power, but they are just as convinced as ever (especially Thomas) about their opposition to the Democratic Party, the abortion issue, the gay and lesbian struggles, and what they see as the dead-end stance of most moderate and liberal theologians.
In spite of all of this ambivalence, go ahead and read the book. Make it the basis of some needed discussions on these subjects. It will not be dull!.
