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.
…
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.
…
[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.
…
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.
