The Left looks at its demons

I wrote a blog in this space with this title that was entirely wrong.  I have apologized to Jeff Sharlet a writer whom I horribly maligned in the earlier blog and to whom I have offered a very sincere apology.

There are two articles in the recent online Harper's in the series titled Soldiers of Christ. Jeff Sharlet wrote Soldiers of Christ I, which is a disdainful look at one of hundreds of evangelical mega-churches in the U.S..  This one, New Life, is just outside Colorado Springs, the capital of evangelicism. New Life's pastor is a leader of the largest national evangelical organization. Jeff's article sets up the main premise that the evangelicals are a large vast and growing movement with deep connections to President Bush and the current White House.  (No mention of previous 'born again' presidents tied closely to evangelical clergy.)

Sharlet explains how this particular evangelical mega-church gains strength and appeal by using popular music and a hierarchy of small groups organized around avocations.  He also introduces the reader to the virulent anti-urban sentiment of this particular mega-church.

I personally saw the intriguing tool of popular music move into evangelical churches.  The music came from the black church via a black Methodist in San Francisco.  The black church has always had great, upbeat music; the white church has been mostly depressing music and dirges. Rev. Cecil Williams in the late 1960's brought upbeat popular music into a white church and this powerful tool was carefully studied by almost all the clergy on the planet and has become a vital part of the appeal of evangelicalism.

Anti-urbanism is as old as Christianity. Older.  But not relevant to the general evangelical movement.  There are many mega-churches in Los Angeles, San Jose, Oakland, Chicago, Dallas etc. Anti-urban is writ deep in our cultural history; its not evangelical.  Nearly every state capital in America was located in the tulles to avoid the sinfulness of cities.

Soldiers of Christ II, in the Harper's series is by Chris Hedges who reports on the recent National Religious Broadcasters meeting in Anaheim.  Hedges is straight forward. The 'sky is falling,' evangelicals are growing at a geometric rate and they are the new version of Hitler and Mussolini ...  they have already nearly taken over America.  The worst elements in the evangelical movement have taken over the movement.  (Hedges doesn't understand that taking over the top position in a grass-roots movement doesn't result in the power to change policy.  Schism-ism is the evangelical antidote to power lust. )

Neither of these writers give any sense of history or context in their articles.  America has had Great religious Awakenings before (two of immense importance, one less so) that have shaped the core values, art, politics and beliefs of Americans. We are most likely in another Great Awakening that started with the hippies and new-age folk.  We are witnessing a ground shaking triumph of new American values some of which will be incorporated into our society and have a long-term impact. 

We have also witnessed an abrupt collapse of mainstream churches that became committed to Lefty Fundamentalism in the 1960s and failed to understand why their flocks have steadily abandoned them.

Most importantly, the core anti-hierarchical nature of evangelicism is ignored in both articles, to encourage false fears by Lefties. 

If you know evangelical theology you could never demonize the movement.  There is no theology.  The bible is direct divine information and justifies weekly bible study groups. Very much like Pure Land Buddhism (one version is Nam yoho ringei kyo), you need only say a few (8) words to be guaranteed perpetual happiness, heaven and divine protection.  You can call on the divinity for help anytime (AA, a pioneering evangelical movement, which is the branch President Bush belongs to, calls it a “higher power”.)

Because evangelicals are deeply American and Protestant, there are no churches, there are only charismatic peachers with followers and sham cathedrals. Nearly all these charismatic preachers start in the back of a pool hall outside a trailer park.  Technology has permitted individual charismatic peachers to gain gigantic audiences, with the use of radio, TV, the Internet, TV screens, and public address systems combined with TV screens. I have Billy Graham in mind when I mention the last of these technologies. As the appeal of the charismatic peacher gets greater his/her message gets diluted, ultimately it becomes upbeat,hopeful, personal responsibility, Americanism. Billy G.