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For those tempted to write off the Religious Right as moribund in light of back-to-back devastating defeats of Republicans in the last two elections and the rise of Barack Obama, keep in mind that such proclamations seem to be issued after every Republican defeat, only to be followed a few years later by a spate of articles proclaiming the surprising re-birth and influence of the movement.

But you don’t just have to take our word for it – here’s Jerry Falwell Jr. declaring that the Religious Right has no intention of ceding its hard-earned place in contemporary politics or laying down to die:

This isn't the first time conservative Christians have been dismissed as dearly departed. Yet we continue to resurface as a political force because God is still at work in the hearts of His people.

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Conservative people of faith who were at the fore of the elections in 1980, 1994 and even 2004 are still around, and they remain equipped for battle. But there have not been enough people on Capitol Hill for us to rally around in recent years. We are hungry for a Ronald Reagan to lead us.

We need in the White House a protector of our historic religious freedoms, an advocate for the unborn, a defender of the traditional American family and a guardian of constitutional principles of law. Some may say that these are old-fashioned ideals that no longer resonate with Americans, particularly young people.

However, such critics need look only as far as Liberty University to see that throngs of young people still live by the ideals Christians have long held dear. Liberty is rebuilding the conservative movement by training these future conservative leaders.

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[W]e must ensure that our government does not make us unwelcome in our own country.

Conservative Christians were largely responsible for Reagan's winning the presidency and changing the course of our nation three decades ago. We must change the political climate again, no matter how many critics are ready to erect our tombstones.

Falwell is scheduled to be on Liberty Live with host Mat Staver and co-host Matt Barber along with Don Wildmon of the American Family Association where they will discuss their confidence that they will soon be able to reverse their current situation and their plans for doing just that:  

Today on Liberty Live, Liberty University Chancellor and CEO, Jerry Falwell Jr., will talk about the conservative movement. His article, "Don't Play Dead," appears in this month's edition of Charisma Magazine. Don Wildmon, the Founder of the American Family Association (AFA), will also join Falwell to discuss rebuilding the conservative movement.

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Like Falwell, Don Wildmon, Founder of AFA, is focused on building the conservative movement. AFA and Liberty are partnering together to organize and train a new generation of world leaders. AFA has the largest grassroots conservative email list in the world. AFA.net, AFR.net, and OneNewsNow.net are some of the most frequently visited web sites in the world.

Mathew Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented, "The future of the conservative movement is brighter than ever. If anyone thinks for a moment that the conservative movement is dead, they must not be living on this planet."

I don’t know that I’d go so far as Staver to declare that their movement’s future is “brighter than ever” … but then again, their current situation is rather grim, so the “future” probably does seem pretty bright in comparison to the gloom that is enveloping the movement at this point in time.  

• Peter LaBarbera weighs in on the decision to include Eugene Robinson in the Inauguration ceremonies, calling it a "tragic departure from America's godly, Judeo-Christian heritage" while Tony Perkins calls Robinson "divisive," saying the move was "designed to placate angry liberals." For his part, Rick Warren applauded the decision.
• Just weeks after passing an anti-discrimination ordinance, the Kalamazoo City Council has rescinded it after an outcry from the American Family Association.
• Speaking of the AFA, they have launched a boycott against Pepsi for its donations to the Human Rights Campaign and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays ... though they had no complaints last month when Pepsi partnered with Liberty University.
• Today's episode of Dr. Phil featured "expert" advice from Focus on the Family's Glenn Stanton and the National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality's Joseph Nicolosi - Good as You and Queerty have more.
• Finally, despite the fact that he passed away last month, Paul Weyrich still seems to be penning columns for Townhall.

Until last week, we had never paid much attention to Rep. Paul Broun ... in fact, when he showed up last week with Rob Schenck and Patrick Mahoney for some pre-inaugural anointing, it was the first time we had ever written about him. 

But I am beginning to suspect that that is about to change:

Congressman Paul Broun has reintroduced legislation that he says would stop abortion and the "clone-and-kill" mentality in the U.S.

Representative Paul Broun (R-Georgia) believes the "greatest moral issue facing our nation" is the killing of unborn children, and that all Americans have a "moral and constitutional obligation" to protect every unborn child. That's why Broun, a medical doctor, has promised that the Sanctity of Human Life Act will be the very first bill he will introduce in every Congress until abortion is banned in the U.S. He notes the bill scientifically defines life as beginning at the point of fertilization with the creation of a human zygote.

"It gives the right of personhood to that one-celled human being," Broun explains. "If you look at Roe vs. Wade, the whole decision was predicated on no definition of the beginning of life being ever established legislatively." Roe v. Wade is the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America.

"[But] this [bill] would define life beginning at fertilization," he continues. "It would give the right of personhood to that one-celled human being -- thus that person should be protected under the law as we are today."

We'll probably have to start trying to keep an eye on Tim Echols, one of Broun's former aides, as well, since he seems to have big plans to resurrect the Religious Right in Georgia:

One of U.S. Rep. Paul Broun's closest advisers is starting a consulting firm to bring religious conservatives back to political prominence and elect the first black Republican to statewide office in Georgia.

Winterville resident Tim Echols, a former spokesman for Mr. Broun, resigned Friday as his campaign treasurer to form Gold Dome Consulting.

One of the firm's goals will be to develop black candidates to run for state and federal office on the Republican ticket, Mr. Echols said. The GOP has neglected black voters, but they often share Republicans' conservative views on social and moral issues, he said.

"When it comes to issues of marriage and family, they're Republicans," he said. "But Republicans haven't reached out to them they way we should have."

Mr. Echols, 48, said he is talking with potential candidates but declined to identify them.

Gold Dome will be selective in choosing politicians to advise, and Mr. Echols will spend at least half his time on nonprofit clients, he said.

One of Gold Dome's first clients is the Christian Coalition of Georgia, which once dominated state politics. It lost influence after scandal-plagued Ralph Reed lost his 2006 bid for lieutenant governor and former head Sadie Fields left to start a rival group, the Georgia Christian Alliance.

"I'm going to come alongside them and bring them back to a place of strong stature," Mr. Echols said.

Yesterday we noted that a gaggle of right-wing powerbrokers had lined up behind Ken Blackwell's candidacy for RNC chair and his performance at yesterday's debate seems to have placed him among the front-runners for the position.

And Tony Perkins, who runs the Family Research Council where Blackwell serves as a senior fellow, is doing his part to help him get elected, issuing press releases endorsing him and touting his qualifications to right-wing news outlets:

"The party is at a turning point right now where its first really open election of a party chairman is taking place," notes Perkins. "And Ken Blackwell is probably the most qualified in terms of his background of being elected to statewide office three times in Ohio, having worked with the U.N. [on] the Human Rights Commission."

And while Blackwell has "done a whole lot in his political career," Perkins emphasizes that the former university administrator and educator is also a solid conservative -- "one who understands the importance of faith and family and freedom, [and] lower taxes," he adds.

Since losing his own bid for Governor of Ohio in 2006, Blackwell has kept a rather low profile and more or less refrained from making bold public proclamations decrying gays like he did during his campaign when he was travelling the state with Rod Parsley - so maybe now would be a good time to remind ourselves of some of the remarks Blackwell made before he decided he wanted to be RNC chair:

In a newspaper interview Sunday, the Republican candidate for Ohio's governorship, J. Kenneth Blackwell, compared gay people to arsonists and kleptomaniacs who can be "changed." The religious conservative and current secretary of state made the controversial remarks in a question-and-answer session with The Columbus Dispatch, Ohio's largest paper.

"I think homosexuality is a lifestyle, it's a choice, and that lifestyle can be changed," Blackwell said in response to the question "Is homosexuality a sin, and can gays be cured?" according to published transcripts. "I think it is a transgression against God's law, God's will."

He continued: "The reality is, again...that I think we make choices all the time. And I think you make good choices and bad choices in terms of lifestyle. Our expectation is that one's genetic makeup might make one more inclined to be an arsonist or might make one more inclined to be a kleptomaniac. Do I think that they can be changed? Yes."

And who could ever forget this gem from 2004:

Ohio's Secretary of State is coming out strong in support of Issue One, the measure that would ban same-sex marriage. Kenneth Blackwell spoke to an energized crowd at the Cathedral of Praise Tuesday night.

Blackwell said it's time for people of God to take a stand. He even drew a comparison between same-sex couples and farm animals. "I don't know how many of you have a farming background but I can tell you right now that notion even defies barnyard logic ... the barnyard knows better," said Blackwell referring to the idea of same-sex marriage.

Blackwell was joined by Pastor Rod Parsley, president of The Center for Moral Clarity. The two men are traveling across the state trying to rally support for Issue One. News 11 contacted Secretary Blackwell's office today for further explanation. His press secretary issued the following statement on Blackwell's behalf: "Part of the function of marriage is to reproduce the human race and same-sex marriage cannot carry out that function."

This man now wants to lead the Republican Party and so it comes as no surprise that the professional anti-gay activists like Perkins, Dobson, and their ilk are lining up to ensure that he does.

There is not really much we can add to these sorts of dire predictions that the end result of Barack Obama's presidency is going to be the hastening of God's judgment on America:

An author and end-times scholar believes Barack Obama will continue the disastrous policy of trying to force Israel to give up more of its covenant land, including the city of Jerusalem, to create a Palestinian state.

Author John McTernan fears Obama's policies will hasten God's judgment on America. He wrote As America Has Done To Israel, which he recently updated to include the current financial meltdown.

McTernan believes that presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush have pursued an Israel policy that has brought on 45 major natural and man-made disasters on the very same days the American government has pressured Israel to divide the land. He contends the situation will only worsen under the new president-elect.

"What may change is the force of American diplomacy and power. [Obama] may try to literally twist the arm of Israel, or he may de facto recognize a Palestinian state," McTernan says. "I think the pressure [on Israel] from America is going to become greater under him. I can see him coming on strong to pressure Israel to divide Jerusalem and to create a Palestinian state, which I believe with all my heart will accelerate God's judgment on America."

Yesterday we noted, without much surprise, that the Religious Right leaders like Tony Perkins and Richard Land did not react favorably to Newsweek's latest cover story, "The Religious Case for Gay Marriage."

To that mix we can now add the American Family Association which, of course, has now launched a letter-writing campaign encouraging its activists to contact Newsweek and cancel their subscriptions:

At least I know where Newsweek now stands on the issue. I ask for accuracy and fairness in your reporting on homosexual marriage in the future. Considering your strong support for homosexual marriage, I very much doubt your ability to be fair and accurate.

Likewise, Al Mohler of the southern Baptist Convention has weighed in to complain that it is just another example of the media carrying water for the gay agenda:

The national news media are collectively embarrassed by the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Gay rights activists are publicly calling on the mainstream media to offer support for gay marriage, arguing that the media let them down in November. It appears that Newsweek intends to do its part to press for same-sex marriage. Many observers believe that the main obstacle to this agenda is a resolute opposition grounded in Christian conviction. Newsweek clearly intends to reduce that opposition.

Newsweek could have offered its readers a careful and balanced review of the crucial issues related to this question. It chose another path -- and published this cover story. The magazine's readers and this controversial issue deserved better.

Nor is Concerned Women for America happy with the article:

Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Director and Senior Fellow of Concerned Women for America’s Beverly LaHaye Institute, said, “The Newsweek article is breathtaking in the audacious ways that it distorts and misinterprets the Bible and traditional Christianity. It is astounding that a news magazine would publish an article on theology that is so far off base in its theological credibility.”

Then, just for good measure, OneNewsNow asked militantly anti-gay activist Matt Barber to share his thoughts on the piece and he was predictably was outraged as well:

"This is biblical relativism on steroids," he contends. "You know, scripture says woe to those who call evil good and good evil, and I say woe to Newsweek for even printing this drivel."

He adds that the notion that the Bible somehow condones or approves homosexuality, much less so-called same-sex marriage, is patently absurd and borders on blasphemy.

This has been yet another installment of our emerging series "What Is The Right Complaining About Now?" 

You have to hand it to the American Life League’s Katy Walker.  Despite the fact that the every one of the anti-choice movements ballot initiatives went down in defeat in the last election by wide margins, Walker says that they are going to press forward, especially with their “personhood” efforts:

With a pro-abortion president soon taking the helm in Washington, the pro-life movement will stay focused while also pursuing new ideas.

Katy Walker of the American Life League (ALL) says old approaches will continue, but a relatively new method will be pursued. "The idea of personhood in this movement is really the only thing, the only option left to us, and it's one of the best options and one of the most beautiful concepts I've heard in a long time," she contends. "We're very excited about it."
 
She defines the term. "Personhood is the idea. It's cultural change and legislative change, working towards defining all human beings as persons," Walker explains. "It's the last frontier of the civil rights movement -- that every human being deserves his rights under the law."

Walker adds that life begins at fertilization and ends at natural death. Colorado's pro-life movement was able to put a personhood amendment on the November 2008 ballot, but it failed to pass. "The fact that they got 27 percent of Colorado, which is historically a liberal state, is very hopeful, I think," she notes.

It seems as if Walker isn’t just being naïve here, but down right delusional.  Seeing the personhood amendment get trounced in Colorado by a 3 to 1 margin is certainly not cause for optimism, and playing that loss off as a victory because Colorado is a “liberal state” is ridiculous, considering that it went for George W. Bush in both 2000 and 2004.

On top of that, as Laura Chapin pointed out, the personhood amendment even lost in El Paso County - which is the home of Colorado Springs, Focus on the Family, and Dr. James Dobson – 65% to 35%.

If the anti-choice movement’s “personhood” efforts can’t even win in Focus on the Family’s backyard and can muster only 27% in a state that twice went for President Bush, there is not much cause for being “hopeful” … especially if, as Walker says, “the idea of personhood … is really the only option left to us.”

There have been several articles in recent days from conservative Republican and Religious Right leaders arguing about how the GOP can re-establish itself as a viable force in American politics after getting thumped in the last two elections.  Immediately after the election, some voices emerged suggesting that the only hope was for the party to throw the right-wing elements overboard, a suggestion that was not surprisingly met with outrage by the leaders of that section of the base.  

Now it seems as if the GOP’s “culture warriors” have found their voice and decided to fight back on their own terms.  Thus, you have Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina arguing that what the party really needs is to establish tighter control over its “franchise” and just who had the right to call themselves a “Republican” because the party’s “tent cannot be so big as to include political franchisees who don’t act on the core tenets of conservatism.” And you have Katon Dawson, chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party and RNC Chairmanship hopeful, calling on the GOP to “renew our commitment to our Party’s timeless principles…by reconfirming our commitment to be the party of smaller government, lower taxes, individual freedom, strong national security, respect for the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, the importance of family and the exceptionalism of America.” 

Along the same lines, you have Rod Dreher arguing not only that the social conservatives were in no way responsible for the GOP’s current plight, but that they offer the only route to political salvation for the party:

[W]as it the religious right that conceived and executed the disastrous Iraq war? Did preachers deregulate Wall Street? Did evangelical leader James Dobson screw up the Federal Emergency Management Agency's response to Hurricane Katrina? Jack Abramoff — did he concoct his crooked lobbying schemes during long protest vigils outside abortion clinics? To be fair, religious conservatives didn't stand up to any of this. We own a share of the GOP's failure. But to scapegoat us for the Republican implosion is preposterous … far from being the demise of the GOP, the coming generation of evangelicals, Catholics and fellow travelers can be the seeds for the conservative movement's intellectual rebirth.

In case they weren’t being clear enough, the Right is making sure that its place in the party is clearly understood:  

"People are trying to rebrand the GOP; they're trying to find a course for the future. They want to get back in power, and many of the voices that the GOP is listening to are telling them we need to be moderate, we need to jettison the social conservative issues, we need to not talk about life or marriage," [David Nammo, executive director of Family Research Council Action] contends. "And if that is what the direction of the GOP is going to be, I think they're going to find themselves in the minority party for many years to come."

Even James Dobson has gotten in on the action, personally penning a response to Kathleen Parker entitled '”We Won’t Be Silenced”:

[W]e don’t need an embossed note from Ms. Parker — or anyone else — to take part in the political dialogue — of either party. Our invitation to engage the process comes straight from our Founders. We will continue to stand up for the sanctity of human life, the sacredness of marriage and the right to have a say in the principles that will continue to guide this nation founded on biblical  principles. Where Ms. Parker gets it most wrong is in writing that socially conservative Christians are an “element that used to be relegated to wooden crates on street corners.”

We’ve never been that marginalized in our culture and government — and won’t be anytime soon, the efforts and epithets of big media notwithstanding.

If the moderate elements in the Republican Party thought they could just re-brand the GOP by dumping the Religious Right base, that base has now made it abundantly clear that any effort to that will result in an all-out war for control of the party that will likely doom it to minority status for years to come.

Last week Secular Coalition for America and Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers held a press conference to release a proposed "set of policy recommendations in a memo to President-elect Obama as he considers staffing and policies regarding the military" because the current regulations fail to adequately accommodate "the hundreds of thousands of atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nontheists currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces."

We all know what this will lead to - the End Times:

Gordon James Klingenschmitt is a former naval chaplain who says, unfortunately, the Secular Coalition for America will eventually get its way. "There is a day coming in the end times when the military will be forced to be atheistic because, in order for the eventual man who is the man of sin -- the Anti-Christ -- as it is describe in the Bible, for him to come to power and to stamp out Christianity around the globe, he's going to need a good strong atheist military," he contends. "That is the first step toward Armageddon, and I'm concerned about that. And I pray that President (elect) Obama is not foolish enough to lead us down that road."