CHAPTER 31
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so, and will follow it by suppressing opposition, subverting all education to seize early the minds of the young, and by killing, locking up, or driving underground all heretics.-Robert A. Heinlein
The third convention of the Christian Democratic Republican Party opened in Orlando during the last week of June. Temperatures were unusually pleasant for the beginning of summer, and delegates seemed in a festive mood as they visited the local theme parks- particularly Christian Disney, purchased three years earlier by the Christian Entertainment Network. The totally revamped park now boasted a completely new section called Bible Land and the new owners had pledged to make the park Christian-friendly at all times, meaning that there would be no more “Gay Days” for Mickey, Donald, Goofy and the gang.
As the delegates played and prayed in the Florida sun, they were buoyed by polls showing that the presumed death of the terrorists in the West Virginia mine had given President John McNeal a slight lead against Senator Robert Clay, his likely National Liberty Party opponent. The party-faithful were hopeful that a strong showing by the president could prevent the predicted loss of several seats in both the house and senate. They were also hopeful that the new poll numbers, along with strong speeches by the president and the keynoter, Reverend Jerry Robinson, would galvanize the nation in support of the Christian Republic Amendment. These delegates were clearly on a mission, and that mission was to once and for all make it clear that the United States had been founded as, and would always be, a Christian nation.
With the best and brightest from the world of Christian broadcasting now handling all media and communications strategy for the White House and the CDR Party, it probably should have come as no surprise to anyone that the final report of the Special Terrorism Taskforce had been released just in time to make every newspaper, drive-time radio news broadcast and the morning television news shows on Wednesday, the day the convention was scheduled to nominate the president by acclamation and the Reverend Robinson was scheduled to deliver the keynote address. Whether one loved or hated the evangelical media, very few questioned its effectiveness.
The story in The Washington Herald was similar to that in papers throughout the nation:
CONFIRMED: TERRORISTS KILLED IN WEST VIRGINIA MINE
WASHINGTON- The White House will release this morning the final report of the Special Terrorism Taskforce that was established in March after three bombs were detonated in the nation’s capital. Based on early summaries given to the news media, the report confirms that the terrorists presumed to be in the mine at the time of the explosions were indeed killed by those explosions.
According to Associate Director Carl Drake, the man in charge of the task force, “Our forensics experts have concluded that the three men we had been seeking as suspects in the bombings were in fact in the mine at the time of the explosion and that the explosion was detonated by the terrorists themselves so as to avoid being captured by the law enforcement officials who had them surrounded.
“Although we may never know for certain their identities or their country or countries of origin, it is likely that they were the three men identified after the D.C. Mall bombing and that they came from Iran or Syria. According to some documents they left behind near the West Virginia mine, their motive was to punish the United States for its ongoing crusade against the Islamic people.”
In congratulating Director Drake and the members of his taskforce, President McNeal had this to say: “I want to express my sincere thanks and congratulations to F.B.I. Associate Director Drake and all of the other men and women who worked on this taskforce. Without their dedication and hard work under difficult conditions, there is no telling how long the evil terrorists would have continued to threaten our nation.”
The president continued. “I also want to thank all Americans in all parts of this great country for standing firm and refusing to be intimidated by these horrendous acts of terrorism. Our citizens have shown that terrorism will never be successful against people who cherish democracy and the democratic way of life. And, of course, I want to thank the God who watches over all of us in this blessed land for delivering the terrorists to the justice they deserved.”
It was stories such as this that had dominated the media the entire day as the delegates came together in the convention hall later that evening to nominate by acclamation President McNeal for a second term and then to listen to the prime time address of one of the founders of their party, Reverend Jerry Robinson.
After a wild 10-minute ovation and demonstration, the delegates finally sat down and listened to the spiritual leader of their party as reverently as if they were in church.
Mr. Chairman, delegates and my fellow Americans: It was just 12 years ago that a group of Americans- statesmen, clergy and average citizens- came together in our nation’s capital to reclaim the promise of this special country that we call the United States of America.
The men who founded this party had been Republicans, Democrats and Independents.
They had been Republicans who had labored in the vineyards of their party, some for as many as 30 years, trying in vain to bring an end to the crimes against God known as abortion, euthanasia and homosexuality.
They had been Democrats who had seen their influence in the political process and their dreams of creating a more just society wane year after year. They believed that Christ meant what he said that we will all be judged by how we treat the least fortunate among us. They believed that a just society rehabilitates- not murders- its criminals and that a great society feeds its hungry and provides health care for all who need it.
And they had been independents with no political home, finding both parties corrupt and hypocritical.
They came from different political homes, but with a shared political soul and a shared vision. And they came together to form a new kind of political party- one unlike any other in the history of our nation. This new party was to be based not on meaningless labels such as liberalism, conservatism, states rights, national rights, pro-business or pro-labor, but rather, it was to be based on the only values and principles that matter- those found in the Holy Bible. And it was to be based on the shared belief that government should be an instrument of God on earth.
It was during this meeting just a few years ago that the Christian Democratic Republican Party was born- and just look at what we- with God’s help- have accomplished in the years hence.
First and foremost, we have created a society that is more just- a society that no longer kills other human beings in the womb, in their hospital bed or on a prison gurney.
We have created a society in which the least fortunate among us are treated with dignity and given the assistance they need.
And we have created a society where the sick receive health care based on their needs, rather than on their ability to pay.
And then, after providing nearly 20 additional minutes of his party’s accomplishments, the Reverend reached the heart of his address.
But my fellow delegates- our work; God’s work is far from done. All of what we have accomplished to this point could vanish virtually overnight if we don’t make it more difficult for anti-religious judges to strike down the laws we have been able to pass. So please, join me now in prayer.
The delegates rose, bowed their heads and held one hand in the air as the reverend prayed aloud.
Dear God, we have worked hard these last 12 years to make this country more like we believe You would want it to be. We have tried to make a society that recognizes the sanctity of life and treats all people with dignity.
We have also worked to make You and Your teachings acceptable in all aspects of our life. So we are asking now for Your help. We ask that You come into the hearts of all Americans listening or watching tonight and move them to contact their senators and urge support of the amendment to make this the Christian Republic of the United States of America. If this amendment is adopted, we will be able to make You and Your Word even more important in our government and society.
We ask this in Your Holy Name.
Amen
Watching together at Sullivan’s apartment, Tad and Toby could hardly believe what they had witnessed.
“I would never have thought that we could have reached a point when religion was so ingrained in the political process,” Tad said. “In their minds it is clear that there is no such thing as separation of church and state.”
“Of course there is,” said Toby. “It’s just that they don’t want it to exist much longer.”
And a few miles further up into northwest Washington, a group of men who had gathered to watch the convention, were also reacting to the keynote address.
“Amen,” they said in unison, and then the man known as Matthew turned to three of the men and said, “Mark, Luke and John, welcome our new disciple, Paul.”
And then turning to the fourth man, he said, “You are now one of the chosen- one of the Disciples. Do you understand and accept your mission?”
“Yes, Matthew, I know what Christ wants me to do,” Paul- known to those on the outside as Trey Rawlings- said to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.