I caught an episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night and happened to see his interview with Jeff Sharlet who wrote the book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power.
This book is, to quote publisher Harper Collins, "A journalist's penetrating look at the untold story of christian fundamentalism's most elite organization, a self-described invisible network dedicated to a religion of power for the powerful." And definitely reason to be scared. I know I was so I dashed home to Google this new group. ( Wikipedia has a good background article with history.)
My first surprise is that this powerful group is not new. In fact it has been around since 1935 and is responsible for the National Prayer Breakfast at which every United States president, including Barack Obama, must speak when asked. It has been known in the past as The Fellowship and The International Foundation and the C Street Group. It seems to eschew any one name in an effort to not be pinned down and examined. It has even officially changed its name from time to time. The Family generally eschews publicity. Core members and associates have denied that the Family exists. It has been caught in the spotlight lately because of South Carolina's governor Mark Sanford's affair and his declaration of the right to have that affair.
The Family's leader, Douglas Coe, has said that the group aims to create a worldwide "family of friends" by spreading the words of Jesus Christ to powerful men and women. Coe and his followers teach that these elite are chosen by God and must learn to wield power according to the divine plan. They are chosen by the Family and groomed and supported to positions of power.
All sounds rather nice and innocent into you look into their teachings in more depth which Jeff Sharlet did by going undercover in the group. First they believe that women should be subservient to men. And they believe that the New Testament does not speak to the poor and downtrodden but to the powerful. It is a message, they say, to the powerful to pick up the reins of leadership and rule. The tout Hitler, Stalin and Mao as the three world leaders that most understood the TRUE message of the New Testament of the Bible. Even the Christian Fundamentalists are becoming alarmed at this religious right group. And so should we all because they want to change America into a theocracy and control the world through the "teachings of Jesus" as they define them.
The only problems with the word of God is the use to which men put their less than divine interpretations.
That is really scarey Lady J...what WILL they do at the second coming when they hear that Jesus Christ doesn't speak with an American accent?
ReplyDeleteI had heard rumblings of this but had never before now, done any research. Having read what you have written I went to Wikipedia and frightened myself even further. This almost 'underground' organization that people within deny exists, is on a par with the the Mormons, Mob, Mafia, the Moonies, obscure religious sects and God knows what else. I am sure that thousands if not millions of dollars are poured into this organization and having the newly elected President from the year dot speak at a national accepted event, would naturally make it all up front and legit.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the NT being for the powerful??? They cannot be serious. Nobody here read the bit about the money changers in the temple?? If Jesus was about power as is defined here, as wheels had not been invented, He would have ridden a horse and not an ass and would have built a mansion for his parents so that they wouldn't have had to wait until they got to heaven to live in one!!
Now we are going to have a problem with all those American Catholics who believe that God is a Catholic and that Jesus and Mary converted to Catholicism from Judaism! Whatever must they make of "The Family' that you speak of here???
As far as the problem with the word of God is concerned, you got that absolutely right. I wouldn't expect anything less from you.
Good, if somewhat scary reading.
Mmmm...anything but innocent if you ask me...
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