Rudy the Strongman and the Religious Right

GOP Evangelicals face a dilemma -- the most "evangelical" candidate is Mike Huckabee and he's shown little life, has little money, and little Internet presence. As one pundit said, Sam Brownback is doing little more than tearing down similar opponents and should get out of the race -- but he's the other Religious Right candidate.

Politically conservative Evangelicals aren't comfortable with Rudy Giuliani, whose views on abortion and gay rights, plus a less than stellar family life, stand at odds with their typical litmus tests. But the issue that draws them to Rudy is fear -- specifically fear of Islam and Islamic based terrorism. Rudy talks like an old style strongman. He's a "Decider" like the current president (and as I've heard -- if you like GW you'll love Rudy). In this age of anxiety, many Americans are willing to give up their freedoms for a sense of security and Rudy promises to provide that. I think that one reason why conservative Evangelicals are attracted to GW and Rudy is that there is built into many of the recent conservative churches a hierarchical sensibility.

Back in my Pentecostal Days I heard the message constantly: "Submit the Pastor;" "submit the the governing authorities." "Touch not God's anointed." That message makes one passive and receptive to those who pledge to be strongmen.

That is coupled with the "Crusade-like" belief that Islam is our enemy. Religious Right pundit Marvin Olasky, an important influence on GW, makes this clear:

But he said the war on terrorism also resonates as a values issue, especially for Christian evangelicals.

"Among evangelical voters, there is a strong sense that Islam is evil," said Olasky. "They are going to see it more as a major struggle of our era. So there is the secret of Giuliani's appeal to evangelicals.

"It's not that evangelicals are more frightened by terrorism than other people. But they are much more likely to look upon Islam as a long-term enemy," he said.

This fear of Islam, of course, is fed by End Times teachings that see Islam in apocalyptic terms, especially now that the USSR no longer exists.

So it really does make sense that when push comes to shove the Religious Right will give up their "values" for security.

For more on this topic, check this article in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.