UPDATE

The George Grant quote cited below comes from a book he published in 1987 with Dominion Press, entitled The Changing of the Guard. Yes, they have been aiming for this for a very long time. And for a very long time they have worked under the cover of our ignorance. Who could have predicted a few nut cases could ever acquire such influence in our politics and our military? (No apologies to Condoleeza Rice).

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“Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ-to have dominion in the civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness. But it is dominion that we are after. Not just a voice. It is dominion we are after. Not just influence. It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time. It is dominion we are after. World conquest. That’s what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish. We must win the world with the power of the Gospel. And we must never settle for anything less. If Jesus Christ is indeed Lord, as the Bible says, and if our commission is to bring the land into subjection to His Lordship, as the Bible says, then all our activities, all our witnessing, all our preaching, all our craftsmanship, all our stewardship, and all our political action will aim at nothing short of that sacred purpose. Thus, Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land – of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ. It is to reinstitute the authority of God’s Word as supreme over all judgments, over all legislation, over all declarations, constitutions, and confederations.”

After having seen Troutfishing's rec list diary yesterday, I came across the above statement by Dr. George Grant . Grant formerly worked for D. James Kennedy founder of one of the largest Christian Dominionist networks, Coral Ridge Ministries, which is based out of Florida (now "Truth in Action Ministries"). Grant was formerly an Executive Director of Coral Ridge Ministries. He achieved a measure of infamy last year when he endorsed Michele Bachmann's candidacy for President:

Grant, of course is hardly the most well known or influential leader of the Christian Dominionist movement, but his remarks quoted above represent perhaps the most direct and concise statement of what the Christian Right in America is determined to accomplish. And make no mistake, while they are currently supporting the Republican Party, that party is no more than a vehicle for the imposition of their agenda. They may sleep in the same bed as Exxon, ALEC, Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers, but they do so out of convenience, not because they joined at the hip with the proverbial 1%. Indeed, I suspect they largely support ALEC's agenda because it works to their benefit. After all, ALEC works to dismantle all secular institutions to which people in extremis could turn to for support, from local, state and federal governmental agencies to labor unions.

Think for a moment about the conditions that would create an opportunity for a Dominionist political leader to rise to power. First and foremost would be an economic crisis that raised the level of unemployment to double digit levels. Second, monolithic, unregulated and corrupt financial institutions that profit even as millions lose their jobs and life savings. Third, and this is critical, a weakened and ineffectual government unable to act. Fourth, the tacit support of the leaders of a nation's military. Sound familiar?

Since the 2010 election, a small minority in the House, the Tea Party Caucus, has brought most legislation to a standstill, and almost shut down the government and cause the Federal Government to go in default on its debt obligations last year when they refused to vote for raising the debt ceiling absent extreme cuts in social programs. They have also advocated for the privatization of Social Security and Medicare, the elimination of Medicaid, more tax cuts and across the board funding cuts to all federal agencies and departments other than those related to defense and the military. At a time when the world's economy hangs by a thread, they would implement the very austerity measures in the United States that are threatening to dismantle the European Union, crash the world's equity markets and destroy the life savings of millions here at home. I do not believe they are all unaware of the consequences of their actions. Far from it.

Though they wrap themselves in the banner of the "Tea Party" most of them are not libertarians as much as they are fundamentalist Christians, or at least politicians who rely on the support of conservative churches and their members. Indeed, the Tea Party at this point is as much or more a vehicle for the Religious Right as it is for the Grover Norquist/Neo-liberal/Libertarian wing of Conservatism. They want the economy to falter and our economic crisis to deepen. I imagine they would prefer that Obama win re-election rather than Mitt Romney, so long as they retain effective veto power in Congress, because then the coming economic collapse could be laid at his feet. Remember your history: extremists whether from the left or the right always benefit when times are bad.

In addition, don't be surprised a High Ranking Military Officer is "chosen" as the leader of the Dominionist's power grab should the opportunity present itself. For years, Christian Dominionists have been actively infiltrating the military, especially among the officer corps. Read the following from Alternet's "Birth of the Christian Soldier: How Evangelicals infiltrated the American Military."



[T]he NAE [National Association of Evangelicals]and others aggressively lobbied to fill chaplaincies left vacant by other denominations, resulting in a marked shift in the selection process weighted more and more to religious demographics within the military itself, where evangelical numbers continued to swell. This consolidation of power would result, by the late eighties, in the NAE Chaplains Commission's acting as the endorsing agent not only for established denominations but for hundreds of nonaligned individual churches. [...] Evangelical church support organizations began to bring their considerable proselytizing prowess to bear on the armed services, spearheaded by such entrenched outreaches as the Colorado Springs-based Navigators, the Officer's Christian Fellowship, the Overseas Christian Servicemen's Centers, the Christian Military Fellowship, Campus Crusade for Christ, and the Full Gospel Businessmen. [...] It was inevitable, considering the concerted effort by evangelicals to penetrate every echelon of the service, from the lowliest barracks to the loftiest policy-making aerie, that there would eventually emerge a cadre of Christian officers emboldened to openly profess their faith and use the full influence of their rank to bolster the cause.

You may recall that in 2007, the Inspector General for the Department of Defense issued a report regarding a cadre of high ranking defense department officials and military officers who had abused their authority to promote a video for "Christian Embassy." Those officials and officers included, without limitation the following individuals:



Preston Geren, Action Secretary of the Army A senior official in the Army Budget Office Major General Peter Sutton, USAF, Office of Defense Cooperation, Turkey Major General John Catton Jr., USAF, Director of Requirements, Air Combat Command Brigadier General Vincent Brooks, US Army, Deputy Commanding Officer, 1st Calvary Division Brigadier General Robert Caslen Jr., US Army, Commandant of Cadets, US Military Academy Retired Colonel Ralph Benson, Former Chaplain for the Pentagon

Here's where you can watch the video for Christian Embassythat the aforementioned DoD officials and Generals in appeared in and/or promoted and supported while acting in their official capacity. The essential findings of the Inspector General's report are listed below:



The 46-page report dated July 20, 2007 found that: Pentagon Chaplain Colonel Ralph G. Benson obtained limited approval for the non-profit, non-Federal religious organization “Christian Embassy” to film in the Pentagon by mischaracterizing the purpose and proponent of their new, fundraising video. He had stated that the video was to document the Pentagon’s own ministry rather than that of a non-Federal entity, when it was actually intended to attract new supporters.

Benson thus provided “Christian Embassy” a selective benefit, including permission to film and unescorted access to Pentagon areas and personnel that other organizations would not have received.

Seven high-ranking military officers, including major generals and brigadier generals were filmed in interviews with “Christian Embassy” during the duty day with rank clearly displayed in official and often identifiable Pentagon locations.

None of the officers had sought or received approval to participate in official capacity or uniform.

[...]



The officers’ remarks conferred approval of and support to “Christian Embassy”, and some officers’ remarks implied that they spoke for a group of senior military leaders.

Mr. Robert Varney, Executive Director of “Christian Embassy”, testified that the new video was used for his organization’s fundraising; indeed the new video covered exclusively the non-Federal organization, but did not mention the Pentagon’s ministry.

The new, 2004 video updated “Christian Embassy’s” prior promo video of 2001 and included endorsements of the organization and its “services” from supporters working on Capitol Hill, other Federal agencies and embassies, wholly unconnected with the Pentagon’s ministry.

The non-DoD speakers on the video included six congressmen, two ambassadors, two ambassadors’ wives, as well as the Under Secretary of Benefits for Veterans’ Affairs and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, who acknowledged in the video “Christian Embassy’s” international and federal-governmental evangelical outreach.

The report concluded that Major Generals Peter Sutton and John Catton, Brigadier Generals Vincent Brooks and Robert Caslen “improperly endorsed and participated with a non-Federal entity while in uniform”. It recommends that the Air Force and the Army “consider appropriate corrective action…”.

The report also concluded that the Pentagon Chaplain’s office authorized contractor badge status to 34 religiously affiliated volunteers, including “Christian Embassy” employees. Further, it noted that the Inspector General’s office is “unconvinced” that these passes were properly authorized and “suggests that a contractor badge is not appropriate for these individuals”.

"We are a team of people who love what we do. We are passionate, creative and energetic. We come to work every morning knowing that what we do matters. We believe that by caring for people in positions of influence we help make a positive, eternal difference in the lives of those they serve. We are committed to helping world-changers achieve things that will outlast their lives. We are a non-political, multi-denominational ministry that has been caring for, encouraging and equipping our country’s leaders and decision-makers for over 30 years. We were founded by Washington officials, concerned business leaders and Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International.

"Christian Embassy seeks to help diplomats, government leaders and military officers find real and lasting purpose through faith and encouragement."

These seven mountains are business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, the family and religion. There are many subgroups under these main categories. ... In essence, God was telling these three change agents [Bill Bright, Francis Schaeffer and Loren Cunningham] where the battlefield was. It was here where culture would be won or lost. Their assignment was to raise up change agents to scale the mountains and to help a new generation of change agents understand the larger story.

“Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ-to have dominion in the civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness. But it is dominion that we are after. Not just a voice. It is dominion we are after. Not just influence. It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time. It is dominion we are after. World conquest. That’s what Christ has commissioned us to accomplish. We must win the world with the power of the Gospel. And we must never settle for anything less. If Jesus Christ is indeed Lord, as the Bible says, and if our commission is to bring the land into subjection to His Lordship, as the Bible says, then all our activities, all our witnessing, all our preaching, all our craftsmanship, all our stewardship, and all our political action will aim at nothing short of that sacred purpose. Thus, Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land – of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ. It is to reinstitute the authority of God’s Word as supreme over all judgments, over all legislation, over all declarations, constitutions, and confederations.”

Here is the statement on the website of Christian Embassy in which they describe who they are and their mission:Obviously, their weasel words about "caring for" or seeking to "help" military officers "find real and lasting purpose through faith and encouragement" are disingenuous and misleading euphemisms for their real focus: to convert as many members of political leaders, government officials and military members of all ranks to their form of radical Christian Dominionist theology. At this point, it would be remiss of me if I did not note that Bill Bright, of Campus Crusade for Christ and Christian Embassy, was a well known Dominionist leader and the co-founder of the infamous Seven Mountains Initiative which seeks as its goal to implement and promote radical change by creating the means for Dominionist Christians to influence and or assume control over the "Seven Mountains" or "Pillars" of our society:Now let me refer you back to the first quote I cited from George Grant at the beginning of this post to reinforce for you what Christian Dominionists are working to achieve each and every day in "plain language" without of the lies, code words and misleading impressions they employ when they present themselves to the public:Could anything be more clear? In short, their goal is to overturn the Constitution take control of our country at every level. They are working to depose our Federal Government and replace it with a Christian Theocratic state. They would would impose their interpretation of "Biblical Law" on all Americans. We call them the American Taliban, and for good reason. Right now, they (in an alliance of convenience with conservative billionaires, Wall Street and other multinational corporations) are using the Republican party and Republican elected officials to bring this nation to its economic knees.

Dominionist Christians are actively working to create the very crisis that they believe will bring them to power. This election and every election that follows is a fight for the future of our country and our democracy (weak and flawed though it may be). After reading their own words regarding their goals and witnessing their actions to demonize and oppress gays, women, labor unions, Democrats, and any other group that would oppose them, nothing is more certain.