in Left Behind series, 186–87, 189–90
nonbelievers’ destruction in, 5, 6–7, 27, 33, 34–36, 37, 44–45, 48, 87, 145, 147, 149, 154, 179, 186, 189, 191, 209
presaging events of, 189
purification by, 7, 34–36, 44, 45, 154, 186
Rapture in, 18, 48, 90–91, 146, 147, 186, 187, 189–90, 191, 192
as sacred, 35
Tribulation in, 90, 186–87, 190
victims of, 34–35
see also Second Coming
Arendt, Hannah, 116, 119, 123
Armageddon, xviii, 188, 189
Army, US., 32
Arthur, Kay, 147
Arthur Blessitt: A Pilgrim, 169–72
Ashcroft, John, 161
Augustine, Saint, xvi, 37
Avanzini, John, 175
Bakker, Jim and Tammy Faye, 133, 173
Barna, George, 19
Barth, Karl, 198
Beckerman, Ray, 25
belief system, non-reality-based, 11, 14, 22, 26–27, 28, 37, 39, 149, 154, 183–84
Adam’s sin in, 117, 120–21
in conversion process, 57–58
Darwinian evolution’s invalidation of, 120–21, 123
environmentalism rejected by, 183, 206
facts manipulated in, 117–19
polls of, 18, 19, 47, 119–20
secular institutions rejected by, 12, 13, 182–83
as sole truth, 130–31
see also creationism; miracles, belief in
Beliles, Mark A., 15–16
Benson, Ralph, 32
Bible, 1, 2, 3–9, 15–16, 54, 62, 72, 112, 119, 152, 155, 197
as book of prophecies, 187, 188–89, 190–92
contradictions in, 3–4
dinosaurs in, 124
distorting textual meaning of, 6, 137, 187
inerrant truth of, 55, 60, 117, 129
literal interpretation of, 2, 4, 6, 8, 18, 19, 20, 55, 118, 120, 125, 188
selective literalists and, 6
subjugation of women in, 4
violence justified by, 3–5, 6–7, 35, 37
writers of, 2, 5–6, 7–8, 210
binary worldview, 83, 84, 90, 91, 154, 157
Biology: God’s Living Creation textbook, 121–22
birth control, 41, 122, 126
Blackwater, 29–31
Blackwell, J. Kenneth, 24–26, 151, 157–61
Blessitt, Arthur, 167–73
Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, 53, 197, 200
Boykin, William, 29
Brinton, Crane, 19–20
broadcasting media, religious, 10, 26, 49, 61, 85, 100, 132–50
“fairness doctrine” opposed by, 142–43
hate-crime legislation opposed by, 142
hate talk on, 36–37, 44, 113
listening audience of, 85, 132
pseudo-reporters of, 155
radio stations, 10, 61, 85, 100, 132, 138, 197
see also National Religious Broadcasters convention; televangelists
Brown, Karen McCarthy, 84
Buddhism, 157
Bush, George W., 23, 24–26, 139, 161, 167, 215n
Bush administration, 25
faith-based organizations funded by, 13, 23–24, 213n–14n, 215n, 216n
science censored by, 126
Calvin, John, 11, 12
Cameron, Paul, 126
Canetti, Elias, 151
capitalism, unrestricted, 21–22, 136–37, 140, 182–84, 201, 202
see also corporations
Catholicism, xv, 6–7, 20, 27, 157, 175, 190, 200, 206
Catton, Jack, 32
Center for Constitutional Rights, 31
Chamberlain, Neville, 153
Chapin, Lauren, 135
Cheney, Dick, 139
Christian Broadcasting Network, 95–97
Christian Coalition of America, 23, 215n
Christian Embassy, 32
Christian empire, 197
Christian nation, 19, 26, 27, 34, 59, 61, 62, 72–73, 89, 90, 92, 108–9, 144, 149–50, 154, 187–88, 194–95
as mandated by God, 11–12, 157, 161, 182–83
as repressive theocracy, 11–18, 21, 23, 37, 39, 175
Christian Reconstructionism, 11, 12
Christian Right:
advocacy groups of, 23
alternative views condemned by, 11, 24, 36, 119
anti-intellectualism of, 13, 144
celebrity culture of, 134–36, 167
closed information systems of, 26, 28, 37, 38
cultural relativism attacked by, 37, 109
discriminatory hiring practices of, 23, 24
distortions and lies promulgated by, 28, 118, 131, 167, 183–84, 202
dominionism of, see dominionism elaborate spectacle employed by, 33–34, 150
“grace” as popular term of, 62
hatred sanctified by, 8, 34, 36–37, 44, 58, 113, 150, 166
hermetic community of, 26, 57–59, 90, 133, 153–54
indoctrination systems of, 26, 36–37
intolerance of, 6, 12, 13, 19, 27, 36–38, 166, 192, 202, 210–11
Jewish defenders of, 146
moral certitude offered by, 9, 39, 44, 51, 58, 90, 121, 127, 133
Nazis’ similarity to, 197–99, 201–4
new oligarchic class of, 132–45, 149
nonbelievers dehumanized by, 153–55
objects of hatred exchanged by, 27–28
“paraprofessional” organizations of, 123
passivity vs. opposition to, 36–38, 154–55, 199–210
personal charity vs. social responsibility of, 48, 136, 150, 183
political crusade of, 151–66
political offices held by, 22–23, 24–26, 47, 141–42
poverty denounced by, 48–49
promises of, 9, 21, 44–45, 51–52, 199–200
racism of, 27, 28, 140
radical Islam’s similarity to, 24
secular humanism demonized by, 15, 17, 26, 27, 44, 62, 83, 95, 123, 130, 140–41, 144, 152, 153–54, 164, 194–95, 211
terrorist acts of, 109–10
true agenda projected by, 200
universities of, 26, 79, 120
uselessness of debate with, 205
white supremacy groups linked to, 139–40
Christians, 1–10, 166, 209, 210–11
faith of, 8–9
as God’s new chosen people, 12–13
justice as goal of, 2–3
liberal churches of, 62–63, 153
loving God of, 6
mainstream churches of, 36, 37
morality of, 3
opposing Christian Right as duty of, 36–38, 199
repudiating apocalyptic scripture as duty of, 6–7
sin as defined by, 70
values of, 10
Christian Zionists, 147–48
civil rights, 12
of homosexuals, 19, 100, 110, 113, 114, 204
civil-rights movement, 2, 27, 28, 140, 151
Clinton, Hillary, 142
Coburn, Tom, 23
Coffin, William Sloane, 6, 7
communism, 19, 27, 56, 61, 122, 157, 200, 209
Congress, U.S., 21, 113, 183, 215n
evangelizers of, 61
hate-crime legislation of, 37, 142–43, 206
lobbying of, 61, 126, 138, 141, 142–43
see also House of Representatives, U.S.; Senate, U.S.
Conrad, Jeff, 105
conscience, suppression of, 34, 71, 83, 95, 130
Constitution, U.S., 19, 29, 202, 204–5
conversion process, 36, 53–75, 76–81, 83, 133, 168, 195–97
absorption into hermetic community in, 57–59, 77–78, 89
backsliders in, 57, 58
belief system instilled in, 57–58
central message of, 55
deception and lies in, 55, 57, 59, 62, 63–64
discipler in, 56, 57
of elderly population, 73–74
eternal life promised by, 14, 55, 63, 64–67, 68, 71, 72, 73, 74
families divided by, 58, 91
as fear-based model, 77–78, 80, 89
fear of death banished by, 55, 63–67, 68, 73
as “free gift,” 55, 62, 74
goal of, 59
love-bombing in, 56–57
making friends in, 53–54, 55, 68
Miss America Pageant as platform for, 79–81
mixed image of God in, 55–56
new standards established by, 58, 77, 80
people in crisis targeted by, 59; see also culture of despair
persecution rhetoric in, 57–58
personal conversion testimonies in, 55, 63–68
political goal of, 72–73
religious jargon and clichés in, 57, 78, 132
ritual prayer in, 72, 79
Satan blamed for resistance to, 74–75
sin in, 57, 68, 69–72, 77
terminology of, 68
total doctrinal submission required in, 58, 81
two questions asked in, 68–69, 78
converts, 14, 21, 26, 36, 39, 40–45, 47, 49–52, 56, 59, 76–81, 83, 127–29, 167, 194
abortions of, 42, 43–44, 137
changes sought by, 51–52
personal rewards of, 58–59
personal tragedies solved by, 68
post-Rapture, 187, 190
prayers for unsaved relatives of, 58
self-measurement against impossible ideal by, 63–64, 77–78, 80
well-intended earnestness of, 94–95
Cooper, Dan, 32
Coors, Joseph, 139
Copeland, Kenneth, 175
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, 53, 59–60, 76–81
corporations, 114, 140, 183–84, 201, 206–7
dominionism backed by, 22, 135
workers abandoned by, 45–49
Council for National Policy (CNP), 139–40, 188, 205
creationism, 12, 23, 26, 116–31
academic discrimination against, 130
creation date in, 120
Darwinian evolution vs., 117, 118, 119–22, 123–26, 127, 128–30; see also dinosaurs
fossil record as viewed by, 124–25
as intelligent design, 118, 119, 120
judicial ban on, 119
pseudoscience of, 117, 122–31
publications of, 121–22, 127
in school curricula, 26, 119, 120, 121–22, 206
selectivity of data in, 117–18
seminars on, 128–30
sun worship and, 128
Creation Museum, 116–19, 123–27, 129, 131
Cross and the Flag, 140
Crouch, Paul, Jr., 167–73
Crouch, Paul and Jan, 167–84
critics threatened by, 175–76
scandals of, 176
wealth of, 173–74, 176, 177, 182, 184
see also Trinity Broadcasting Network
Crouse, Tom, 100–101
Crowds and Power (Canetti), 151
Cults in Our Midst (Singer), 56–57
cultural relativism, 37–38, 109
culture of despair, 14, 21, 36, 38, 40–52, 56, 59, 83, 121, 144, 174, 185–86, 189, 202–3
anger in, 44, 46–47, 49, 202
converts as seeking escape from, 51–52
curtailed government assistance programs in, 46–47, 48, 206, 217n
desire for suicide in, 41–42, 49
destruction of community in, 38, 44, 133, 186, 202
fragmented families in, 38, 41–43, 44, 47, 49–51, 89
frustrated middle class in, 45–46, 49, 202
lost manufacturing jobs in, 45–47, 186, 202, 206
poverty in, 45–49
Daniel, Books of, 27, 190–91
Danziger, Sheldon, 45
Dare to Discipline (Dobson), 84–85
Darwin, Charles, 118, 120–22, 123
modern genocides blamed on, 121–22
as suffering divine wrath, 122
see also evolution, Darwin’s theory of
Davis, Ann B., 134–35
death, 14, 22, 28, 36, 39, 82, 149, 174
fear of, 55, 63–67, 68, 73
Garden of Eden and, 120–21
heroic, xviii–xix
see also apocalyptic violence
death penalty, 13, 21, 23, 85, 155
dementia, 73, 74
DeMint, Jim, 23
democracy, xix, xx, 23, 34, 37, 38, 113, 194–95, 198, 202, 210, 211
“dangerous promotion” of, 183
dominionist redefinition of, 10, 14–18
love in, 199–200
values of, 10, 119, 199
vulnerability of, 197–204
Democratic party, 25, 36, 207
attacks on, 138, 195
in blue states, 46
depersonalization, rhetoric of, 153–55
despair, see culture of despair
Deuteronomy, Book of, 3
DeVos, Richard, Sr., 139
DeVos Foundation, Richard and Helen, 73
dinosaurs, 123–24, 125–26
carnivorous, as originally vegetarian, 116–17, 129–30
extinction of, 123, 124
in Noah’s ark, 116, 124, 125
divorce rates, 46, 89
Dobson, James, 9, 84–86, 93–94, 95, 98, 106, 108, 138–39
Dollar, Creflo, 175
dominionism, 10–36, 60, 186–210
appeal of, 21
Book of Genesis and, 10, 182–83
corporate backers of, 22, 139
death penalty in, 13, 21, 23, 85, 155
democratic concepts redefined by, 10, 14–18
education system of, 12, 13, 21, 23, 85, 149
fascist characteristics of, 10–11
fascist symbolism of, 18, 151, 152
federal government funding of, 13, 23–24
language hijacked by, 11, 14–18
legal system advocated by, 12, 13, 16, 17
national crisis awaited by, 21, 198, 204–5, 211
opponents of, 197–210
political agenda of, 10–20, 21, 24, 87, 136–45, 194–95, 205, 211; see also Christian nation
propaganda of, 17–18, 19, 188
racism of, 12, 13, 27
religious legitimacy lacked by, 38
sin as defined by, 69–70, 71
small core of fanatics in, 19–20, 21
subjugation of women in, 12, 13, 24
as totalitarian movement, 11, 16–18, 19–20, 34–35, 38, 59, 150
unrestricted capitalism sanctified by, 21–22, 136–37, 140, 182–84, 201, 202
see also apocalyptic violence
Douglas, Donna, 134
Duke, David, 140
Eco, Umberto, xv–xx
Edmundson, Mark, 87, 88
education system, 12, 13, 21, 23, 46, 48, 85, 140, 149, 217n
see also schools
Edwards v. Aguillard, 119
elections, U.S., 47
of 1996, 140
of 2000, 200
of 2004, 23, 24–26, 110, 151–52, 161
of 2006, 110
End Times movement, 179, 185–97
enemies, xvii–xviii, 27–28, 29, 90, 110, 122, 130, 141, 142, 152–55, 199
in fascism, xvii–xviii
of God, 6, 27, 35, 82, 176
Jesus on, 4
kindness toward, 8
Enlightenment, xvi, 22, 38, 61, 137
environmentalism, rejection of, 183, 206
eugenics, 13
European Union, 190, 191–92
evangelicalism, evangelicals, 6, 26, 60
divergent groups within, 20
dominionism vs., 10
left-wing, 20
military rhetoric of, 29
number of believers in, 18
as percentage of voters, 23
in red states, 46
traditional, 10, 18–19, 20, 38, 143–45
Evangelism Explosion program, 53–75, 78
evolution, Darwin’s theory of, 117, 118, 119–22, 123–26, 127, 128–30, 152
belief system invalidated by, 120–21, 123
condemnation of, 61
fossil record of, 124–25
in Gallup poll, 119–20
modern evils as spawned by, 121–22
in school curricula, 26, 119
see also dinosaurs
Exodus, Book of, 3–4
“fairness doctrine,” 142–43
faith-based organizations, federal funding of, 13, 23–24, 213n–14n, 215n, 216n
Falwell, Jerry, 9, 26, 35–36, 82, 109, 113, 139, 205
marital joke of, 88
racist sermons recalled by, 28
Family Research Council, 93, 138–39, 141
fascism, xv–xx, 18, 39, 61, 76, 197–210
contradictory beliefs of, 11
in Depression, 140
Paxton’s definition of, 10–11
small core of fanatics in, 19–20
“State of Character” movement and, 158–61
symbolism of, 18, 151, 152
see also dominionism
Fenn, Richard, 6
Finn, Huckleberry, 207–9
Fleming, Rhonda, 134
Focus on the Family, 85, 98, 101, 106, 138
Ford, Lonnie, 176
Foreman, Matt, 115
fossil record, 124–25
Frazier, Gary, 188, 190–97
Freud, Sigmund, 86–88, 210
on “love thy neighbor” commandment, 153
Frist, Bill, 138
Fryrear, Melissa, 107
fundamentalism, 6, 13–14, 22–23, 26–27, 84, 140
strict, 18, 20, 59–60
traditional, 11, 13, 18–19
fundamentalist science, 123
Garden of Eden:
as deathless paradise, 120–21
dinosaurs in, 116–17, 129–30
gay marriage, see same-sex marriage
gay-rights movement, 2–3, 108, 144
gays, see homosexuality, homosexuals
“Gender Gap?” (Dobson), 85
Genesis, Book of, 85, 148
creation story in, 7–8, 17, 116–17, 123–24, 128, 129–30; see also creationism
dominionism and, 10, 182–83
Genesis Flood, The (Morris and Whitcomb), 127
Gibson, Mel, 82, 146
globalization, 136–37, 206
global warming, denial of, 122, 126, 183, 189
Glorious Appearing (LaHaye), 157–58
God:
Christian nation as mandate of, 11–12, 157, 161, 182–83
Christians as new chosen people of, 12–13
as compassionate and loving, 6, 55–56
Darwin as punished by, 122
enemies of, 6, 27, 35, 82, 176
environmentalism and, 183, 206
evolution as guided by, 119–20
genocidal actions of, 3–4, 5
guiding and protective intervention of, 55, 120, 121
male church leaders as speaking for, 2, 9, 13, 14, 78, 79–80, 93, 183–84