With a White House administration that embraces wild conspiracy theories as the source of its policies at home and abroad, it is seemingly hypocritical to proffer what sounds like a conspiracy theory to warn Americans their government is being hijacked. This isn’t about Vladimir Putin inserting himself in the White House, but it is every bit as dangerous as a hostile foreign power dismantling America’s government. Some Americans are skeptical when they hear there is a concerted effort to create a theocracy to replace the democratically-elected government and replace the Constitution with the Christian bible, but they are wrong to be skeptical; they should be absolutely terrified.
It has always been a mystery as to why the Attorney General of the United States said the Separation Clause in the U.S. Constitution’s 1st Amendment is “unconstitutional and unhistorical” when his job is to know what the Constitution entails. After all, he has taken the oath of office swearing to uphold the Constitution. But a recent revelation makes his statement a tad easier to understand; not accept, just understand.
In a report in Raw Story citing Fusion.net about weekly prayer meetings and Bible study held to proselytize Trump’s cabinet into evangelical fundamentalists’ worldview, it turns out that Jeff Sessions is a close and devoted friend to a fanatical Christian preacher responsible for the indoctrination. The man who was disavowed by his own congregation for being too bigoted and extreme is Pastor Ralph Drollinger. Drollinger runs the website Capitol Ministries whose stated purpose is making disciples of Christ in the Capitol and spreading Christian fundamentalism among the people leading the U.S. government.
For an idea of the nefarious plot behind the weekly Bible and prayer lessons for the Cabinet, Drollinger’s favorite politician is an evangelical fanatic, Michele Bachmann. In fact, Drollinger claims his dream is setting up a factory to pump out more right wing Christian politicians like Bachmann. Bachmann serves on Drollinger’s Capitol Ministries board because he admires her “unerring instincts” in applying her Christian faith to the law.
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“She thinks Biblically, She doesn’t need a whole lot of time to figure out how to vote because she sees the world through a scriptural lens. We need more men and women like her in office.”
To achieve that end, Drollinger convinced Trump or somebody in his administration that his Cabinet needs weekly prayer meetings and bible lessons. According to the Fusion.net article, preacher Drollinger holds three weekly prayer and Bible study groups each week. The meetings include one for Cabinet members, one for the Senate, and one for members of the House. The bible and prayer meetings are held at various locations including rotating Senator’s offices and the Capitol; the Trump Cabinet members religious indoctrination location is undisclosed.
Assisting Drollinger through Capitol Ministries sponsorships are powerful Trump acolytes CIA Director Mike Pompeo, Vice President Mike Pence, HUD Secretary Ben Carson, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, nominee for Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, HHS Secretary Tom Price, E.P.A. chief Scott Pruitt, and Rep. Mike Conaway (R-TX). The ministry’s website proclaims it “plants and develops biblical ministries of evangelism and discipleship to public servants.” It also boasts having “birthed ongoing outposts for Christ in more than 60 capitals throughout the world … since 1996.” Now America’s capital is infested with the Christian fundamentalists wielding unchecked power and a view towards installing an evangelical Christian theocracy.
Drollinger, besides being a loyal friend of A.G. Jeff Session said in January that it was his scriptural teachings that developed Sessions’ radical anti-immigrant views. Those views were evident during Sessions’ confirmation hearings leading Drollinger to boast:
“I’ve had the distinct honor of teaching him on this subject, and many others. There’s nothing more exciting, when you’re a Bible teacher, to see one of the guys you’re working with — to see him or her articulate something you’ve taught them when they’re under the gun.”
Obviously, that teaching includes convincing Sessions that the Separation Clause is unconstitutional and that should concern every American; especially when this religious extremist is holding three weekly Bible and prayer lessons for Trump’s cabinet as well as members of the House and Senate. Remember, Drollinger’s stated goal is spreading Christian fundamentalism to America’s leaders.
Although there have been, and still are, predictions that religion is declining around the world, including in America, nothing could be farther from the truth. It is true that the numbers of newly indoctrinated are not exploding and are instead declining, but declining numbers or not – evangelical fundamentalists now control the United States government. And yes, it is also true that not all Christians are maniacal Christofascists, but history proves that religious fervor is a very deadly, and extremely virulent thing that will rampage through a nation. The Jewish Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, the Crusades and even ISIS caught up what were probably decent human beings and transformed them into murderous monsters in the name of religion.
This is already happening in America with an Education Secretary intent on using public schools and taxpayer dollars to advance god’s kingdom. The Supreme Court just heard arguments intended to tear down the barriers between church and state, and Trump is panting to give churches more political power by repealing the Johnson Amendment.
Any one of these abominations are frightening in and of themselves, and yet there is nothing anyone can do to stop them; the media is as guilty as the religious fanatics. But combined with a concerted effort, apparently with Trump’s blessing, to spread Christian fundamentalism throughout the halls of power and Trump’s Cabinet, Americans should be terrified, not skeptical because this is real and it is happening now.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
