The Southern Baptist Convention wants “to make the will of Christ supreme in public affairs”
October 13, 2007 7:47 am Christian RightThe Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the nation’s largest Protestant denomination whose leadership is a bulwark of far-right fundamentalism, is ratcheting up its political operations.
The Christian Index, Georgia’s state Baptist newspaper, recently carried an interesting and unusually frank report on the SBC’s lobbying outpost in Washington, D.C., just four blocks from the Capitol.
“It is in this environment,” says the newspaper, “that Southern Baptists have a significant presence through the ministry of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Richard Land, president of the ERLC, visits Washington often from his primary office in Nashville and is wielding an ever-increasing influence in his efforts to make the will of Christ supreme in public affairs.”
Land then insists that all he seeks is “a level playing field.”
“Does that mean,” asks Land, “that false religions have the same rights to express their opinions and their beliefs as we do? Sure. Let them come. I never saw Elijah backing away from a confrontation with the prophets of Baal. He just showed them the power of the One True God!”