The Theocon Agenda
TimeWatch Editorial
October 17, 2016
According to his biography, Damon Linker is a senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also a consulting editor at the University of Pennsylvania Press, a former contributing editor at The New Republic, and the author of The Theocons and The Religious Test . In the Preface of his book, “The Theocons,” he says the following.
"This is a book about a vitally important (and unjustly neglected) aspect of this transformation. It tells the story of how a small group of “theoconservative” intellectuals has decisively contributed to the unprecedented rise of public religiosity in our time. As the story begins in the mid-1960s, the men who would become the “Theocons” march for civil rights and against Vietnam—and ponder the morality of advocating the violent overthrow of the American government in the name of divine justice. Searching for a new ideological orientation during the tumult and uncertainty of the 1970s, they end up rallying to the side of Ronald Reagan during the 1980s and propose to inject conservative Christianity—and conservative Catholicism, in particular—into the nation’s politics.” Damon Linker, “The Theocons” Preface
Damon Linker begins his story in the mid 1960s, but the agenda to turn the United States of America into a “theocracy” began many years before. In the book entitled “The National Sunday Law, Argument Of Alonzo T. Jones Before The United States Senate Committee on Education and Labor,” which took place in Washington, D. C., Dec. 13, 1888, the following is recorded.
"In the Senate of the United States, May 21, 1888, Mr. Blair introduced the following bill, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on Education and Labor: --
"A bill to secure to the people the enjoyment of the first day of the week, commonly known as the Lord's day, as a day of rest, and to promote its observance as a day of religious worship.
"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no person, or corporation, or the agent, servant, or employee of any person or corporation, shall perform or authorize to be performed any secular work, labor, or business to the disturbance of others, works of necessity, mercy, and humanity excepted; nor shall any person engage in any play, game, or amusement, or recreation, to the disturbance of others, on the first day of the week, commonly known as the Lord's day, or during any part thereof, in any territory, district, vessel, or place subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States; nor shall it be lawful for any person or corporation to receive pay for labor or service performed or rendered in violation of this section.” “The National Sunday Law; Argument Of Alonzo T. Jones Before The United States Senate Committee on Education and Labor,” page 3.
In fact the effort was pursued prior to the 1888 attempt. Alonzo Jones’ book entitled “The Two Republics, or Rome and the United States of America, on page 436 the following is found.
The official organ of the Association is the Christian Statesman, established in 1867, and published in Philadelphia. In the latest official manual of the association, Article II of the constitution of their association reads as follows: --
"The object of this society shall be to maintain existing Christian features in the American government; to promote needed reforms in the action of the government touching the Sabbath, the institution of the family, the religious element in education, the oath, and public morality as affected by the liquor traffic and other kindred evils; and to secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as will declare the nation's allegiance to Jesus Christ, and its acceptance of the moral laws of the Christian religion, and so indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Christian laws, institutions, and usages of our government on an undeniable legal basis in the fundamental law of the land." The Two Republics, or Rome and the United States of America, PAGE 436
Those of us who are aware of the 1888 attempt to enact a Sunday Law in this country, sometimes do not recognize the seriousness of the matter, and the fact that it was God’s restraining hand that prevented the passage of that law at that time. Because of His mercy, he granted mankind an extension of the time to be ready for the trials to come, for there is no doubt that the passage of such a law will be followed by a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation. But those who seek to establish a theocracy remain determined.
“Facing various political and cultural setbacks during the 1990s, they recapitulate their youthful radicalism on the far right, stopping just short of advocating a religious revolution against the godless American “regime.” With the election of 2000, the Theocons rise to the peak of political power and influence in Washington, where their ideas inspire the most controversial and divisive policies of the Bush administration. The story ends with an examination of the Theocons’ deeply troubling vision of the nation’s future—a future in which the country is thoroughly permeated by orthodox Christian piety and secular politics are driven out in favor of an explicitly theological approach to ordering the nation’s public life.” Damon Linker, “The Theocons” Preface
Apparently Damon Linker’s effort to awaken the American public to the threat that hovers has failed. As least until now. In this present election of 2016 the see the dragon’s rising head once more clearly defined amidst the attempted delusionary distractions. Hopefully, this time there will be an awakening and a loud and distinct cry that goes forth to the nation and to the world. If not, then again Damon Linker’s cry would have gone unnoticed. Listen to how he ends the Preface of his book.
“I have written this book to alert Americans—and especially those who cherish our nation’s tradition of secular politics—to the threat that the Theocons pose to the country. Until now, their aims and influence have been largely ignored by the mainstream media and even by scholars of recent political and religious history. For the past three decades the Theocons have devoted their considerable polemical and analytical talents to analyzing and assaulting every conceivable aspect of secular liberalism, but the attention hasn’t been returned. It is long overdue. Before political secularists can hope to triumph at the voting booth, they will have to begin to defend themselves on the battlefield of ideas. And before they can do that, they must familiarize themselves with the men who have placed them in the dock and charged them with treason against the American experiment in constitutional democracy.” Damon Linker, “The Theocons” Preface
Be warned!
Cameron A. Bowen
