American Ayatollah Chooses Rudy

He was a Republican candidate for president in 1988, winning the Iowa caucus. An influential evangelical guru to the religious fundamentalist movement who espouses the "dominion" mandate.... that Christians are called on by spiritual warfare to "Christianize" the country's social and political institutions.... his fevered vision as laid out in his book The New World Order.

And, that barely scratches the surface of the Old Testament Biblical law agenda of this seemingly grandfatherly founder of the Christian Coalition of America.... Pat Robertson.

Today, Robertson endorsed the candidacy of GOP former mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani.... who, ironically has broken many of the Biblical laws Robertson says are so important to him. But, not as important, evidently, as standing front and center with the perceived Republican nominee for the presidency.... power trumps all.

This pretty much wraps up Robertson's ayatollah-take on governing... "Individual Christians are the only ones really -- and the Jewish people, those who trust God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob -- are the only ones that are qualified to have the reign, because hopefully, they will be governed by God and submit to Him." (Robertson in his address to his American Center for Law and Justice, November, 1993.)

Ah... but not just any Christians.... "You say you're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that and the other thing. Nonsense. I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist." (Robertson on his "The 700 Club" program,January 14, 1991.) He doesn't like Masons either, referring in The New World Order to freemasonry as a Satanic conspiracy.

After the 2004 election, Robertson proclaimed that "George Bush has the favor of heaven." And he recently reaffirmed his belief that judges appointed by Democrats are a greater threat to the United States than Al Qaeda, Nazi Germany, or the Civil War.

And, this from a fundraising letter, 1992.... "The feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism, and become lesbians."

Robertson's take on marriage.... God's pattern is for men to be the leaders, both in the church and in the family.... "Women should listen and learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them." (From his book Bring It On, quoted in the New York Times, February 28, 2004.)

Just in case you're still not scared, here is Robertson's "law" in action regarding what should happen if a Christian blows up an abortion clinic or kills a doctor who performs abortions. In a September 1984 edition of The 700 Club, he suggested that a special church tribunal should be called, and if it could be determined that the perpetrator had received an authentic word from God which compelled him to break the civil law, then the church tribunal would have the civil authority to provide immunity from prosecution.

This is the arguably dangerously-unbalanced religious fanatic who today endorsed Giuliani. Really, Rudy, you have no shame.

The next chapter of this political season's endorsement farce, failed Republican presidential candidate Sam Brownback.... who espouses creationism and champions homophobia.... is slated to endorse GOP candidate John McCain today.

Supporting these wingnut panderers in their crawl toward the presidency will only encourage this theocratic nonsense. We can do better.