On Dear Conservative Movement: Stop Ruining My Life, by Michael Brendan Dougherty
More than 150 years ago, R.L. Dabney nailed the Godless, secular "conservatism" of his day. What he said is even truer today of today's Godless/secular "conservatism" which has failed, and SHOULD have failed, because it has ignored Christ. Said Dabney:
"Conservatism's history has been that it demurs to each aggression of the progressive party, and aims to save its credit by a respectable amount of growling, but always acquiesces at last in the innovation. What was the resisted novelty of yesterday is today one of the accepted principles of conservatism; it is now conservative only in affecting to resist the next innovation, which will tomorrow be forced upon its timidity and will be succeeded by some third revolution, to be denounced and then adopted in its turn. American conservatism is merely the shadow that follows Radicalism as it moves forward to perdition. It remains behind it, but never retards it, and always advances near its leader. This pretended salt hath utterly lost its savor: wherewith shall it be salted? Its impotency is not hard to explain. It is worthless because it is the conservatism of expediency only, and not of sturdy principle. It tends to risk nothing serious for the sake of truth."
John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com
Communications Director, Institute On The Constitution
Recovering Republican
JLof@aol.com
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On Dear Conservative Movement: Stop Ruining My Life, by Michael Brendan Dougherty
MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH "CONSERVATISM"
"Conservative Movement" Dunghill Rejects -- Good Riddance To Them!
Our preacher this morning (1/17/10) preached on John 5:1-18 which deals with a pool called Bethesda and a certain man there which had an "infirmity" for 38 years. Jesus healed him. He was made whole. He took up his bed and walked.
This Bible passage is particularly significant for me because I, too, had an "infirmity" for 38 years -- the first 38 years of my life -- that "infirmity" being unbelief. But, in 1980, by the grace of God alone, I was saved, born-again.
Now, at the time I was saved, I had been an active observer of and participant in "conservative" politics for about 15 years in the Washington DC area. The Goldwater-LBJ election began my interest in politics and writing. It was immediately apparent to me, watching this contest, that Goldwater made sense; LBJ did not. So, I reasoned, I must be a "conservative" Republican.
In 1968, I worked as a writer at the "National Republican Congressional Committee" which sought to elect Republicans to the House of Representatives. From 1970-73, I worked at the Republican National Committee as Editor of the GOP's national weekly newsletter. My bosses there were, first, Bob Dole, then George H.W. Bush.
In the following years, I was Editor of the American Conservative Union's "Battleline" publication. I was Editor of Richard Viguerie's "Conservative Digest" magazine. I wrote a nationally syndicated column for United Features which at one time was in about 100 newspapers. I ran around with all the Big Name conservative "leaders" -- met with them, ate with them, partied with them, knew them up close and personal.
From 1964 to 1980, I ate, drank, slept, breathed "conservative" politics. To paraphrase Scripture, I lived, moved and had my being in "conservative" politics. As a heathen, I was totally swept up in the temporal-horizontal. I was the complete Bread-Alone Guy. And things were going very well. I was achieving some degree of prominence - getting speaking dates, being on national TV shows, my column was appearing in more newspapers. Yep, things were going fine - except I was headed for Hell.
Then, in 1980, I was saved. It was an actual, physical experience, something I knew had happened to me, something I knew had changed me. I knew I was now a Christian but had no idea what, exactly, this meant much less what I was now to do. My direction was soon to be shaped by a book and its author.
Shortly after being saved, a friend, M. Stanton Evans -- for what reason I do not remember --- gave me a copy of a book titled "The Politics of Pornography" by a Dr. R. J. Rushdoony. Huh? Rushdoony? That's a weird name, I thought -- never heard of this guy.
Long-story-short: Thank God Stan gave me this book causing me to hear of this guy Rushdoony! In the coming years, I came to know him well personally. I read almost all his books (given me at no charge). I listened to hundreds of his tapes (at no charge.) We had many, many hours of personal conversations. He allowed me to write for his newsletter for 11 years. And all of what I read and heard from Rush answered my question -- particularly in the political realm - as to what, as a Christian, I was now to do, to think.
What I learned from Rush was what Rush learned from the Bible, the Word of God. I learned that Jesus Christ is king of Kings and Lord of lords, the One Who has all power in Heaven and on Earth, including power over "politics." I learned that God's Word governs everything, including "politics." I learned that the purpose of civil government is to obey God, administer His Laws, and stay within the limits set by God.
Now, this was a shock! Because almost all those Big Name "conservative leaders" I ran with all those years before I became saved claimed to be Christians. But, in all our meetings, manifestos, platforms, late-night bull sessions re: what to do or not do, nobody ever indicated, even slightly, that Christ or God or the Bible had anything to do with "politics," had anything to do with our work!
In other words, this "conservative movement" I was a part of was, de facto, operationally, atheistic. We were merely "conservative" secular humanists seeking salvation through "politics" -- politics that was "conservative" to be sure but still only "politics."
And after I was saved, and attempted to, at times, inject Christ/God/Bible into our plans, or just raise this issue, I was looked at as if I had lost my mind. The truth, of course, was/is that in being saved, by the grace of God, my mind had been renewed, as in Romans 12:2: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
And that's why the "conservative movement" has been a failure, and should have failed. It has been, and still is, in the political realm, Godless, "conformed to this world." It has been savorless salt and thus unfit for the dunghill (Luke 14:35.)
Unfit for the dunghill! Do you realize what it is to be so worthless you are not fit for a manure pile?!
Dunghill Rejects.
What a perfect name for the Godless, anti-Christian, modern "conservative movement." And I say good riddance to them.
John Lofton, Editor, TheAmericanView.com
Communications Director, Institute On The Constitution
Recovering Republican
JLof@aol.com