Christian Coalition Shrinks as Debt Grows

[cynatnite]

In an era when conservative Christians enjoy access and influence throughout the federal government, the organization that fueled their rise has fallen on hard times.

The once-mighty Christian Coalition, founded 17 years ago by the Rev. Pat Robertson as the political fundraising and lobbying engine of the Christian right, is more than $2 million in debt, beset by creditors' lawsuits and struggling to hold on to some of its state chapters.

In March, one of its most effective chapters, the Christian Coalition of Iowa, cut ties with the national organization and reincorporated itself as the Iowa Christian Alliance, saying it "found it impossible to continue to carry a name that in any way associated us with this national organization."

"The credibility is just not there like it once was," said Stephen L. Scheffler, president of the Iowa affiliate since 2000. "The budget has shrunk from $26 million to $1 million. There's a trail of debt. . . . We believe, our board believes, any Christian organization has an obligation to pay its debts in a timely fashion."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/09/AR2006040901063.html

:rofl:

[shenmue]

1. Hooray!

:7

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Praise the Lord!

[K8-EEE]

3. Thank You JESUS!!

Jesus please strike down the pharasees among us, AMEN!

[regnaD kciN]

4. SSDN...

In March, one of its most effective chapters, the Christian Coalition of Iowa, cut ties with the national organization and reincorporated itself as the Iowa Christian Alliance, saying it "found it impossible to continue to carry a name that in any way associated us with this national organization."

...Same Sh*t, Different Name.

Even if they're no longer affiliated with the national organization, you can bet that the "Iowa Christian Alliance," will still be just as busy promoting the same agenda. :grr:

[David in Canada]

5. Victim of it's own success...

The demise in influence of the Christian Coalition is a result of it's own success.

Clinton is gone. They got the GOP control of the White House, House and Senate. There is no bogeyman for them to point a stick at anymore. They are useless. A vestige of 1990's right-wing Americana.

[physioex]

6. So True.....

Same with the likes of El Drugbo. Who wants to pay money hear that nut spew his crap....

[NEOBuckeye]

9. Now, all we have to do is throw all of these bums out.

And they can spend the next 30 years again trying to regain what they have supposedly lost.

[Peter Frank]

7. The more the fix is in on elections -- the less money they need...

No time to celebrate. Time to form coalitions across the board. Don't forget that many Republican groups are as fed up with Bu$h as any other.

Want a grass root effort? -- ignore no root.

[cyclezealot]

8. Dont' give up prematurely

They are sixty million strong. They have lots of financial resources and fanatical members. It is easy to be re-born again with new leaders. After all McCain is preaching to them now. that says something. then they have Brownback and Sen. George Allen.
Pat Robertson can morph himself himself into someone else.
A real test will be the South Dakota abortion refenderum, that appears to be on. Should they loose that, might they be discouraged. ? Will it be enough to send a message to the likes of Scalia or Clarence Thomas? Doubt it.

[ClintonTyree]

10. Heh,heh,heh...(evil laugh)

our "war on christianity" is working perfectly. :evilgrin: Today Iowa, tomorrow....THE WORLD! :sarcasm:

All kidding aside, it should come as no surprise to these people. The hate and intolerance they spread has a way of devouring itself after a while. Like a snake eating it's own tail. Hopefully the crest of this vile wave has broken and will become nothing more than a ripple lapping at the shore of freedom and justice for all. Couldn't happen to a nicer group of folks. :)

[zbdent]

11. Looking for a government bailout?

That why they keep renaming forcing Religion indoctrination into the public school system?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

12. I knew it wouldn't last!

Excess always backs down to moderation. This is the beginning of the political end for these folks. No money, no power. End of story.

[cynatnite]

14. I think more and more are seeing what they're all about...

especially with someone like Pat who advocates assassination of world leaders and so on. Add the corruption of the repukes they aligned themselves with and other tactics to push their agenda, I think many got turned off.

Maybe this is a sign the evangelical movement is dying off with the exception of a few nutjobs.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. I couldn't agree more

I wonder now about that absolutely HUGE church they are building down on the corner. It's an established Baptist congregation, so it will probably do okay, but it looks like a cathedral from the outside. You just KNOW if you went there you'd be hit for the capital building fund once or twice a week.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. !

:bounce:

[Squeech]

16. No, I think this is how it works

Competition. Creative destruction. Doctrinal Darwinism, to stretch a point.

They opened up a whole new market niche, and were so obviously successful at it that a whole bunch of young and hungry entrepreneurs started newer, more aggressive, more precisely targeted versions. And now they're where the money is, literally. Compared to Dobson, Phelps, and the more streamlined hatemongers-for-Jesus, Robertson is a veritable dinosaur.

So the demise of the Christian Coalition by no means suggests that pietistic wingnuttery in politics is no longer a problem. It really means that now they're attacking us with cluster bombs instead of bunker busters.

[ClassWarrior]

17. The GOP Culture of Corruption at work once again.

NGU.

[BR_Parkway]

19. All those 'fiscal conservatives'...

[Cassandra]

23. Isn't it just like conservatives...

to run away from a debt.

[zbdent]

18. Maybe we should buy up the Christian Coalition's debt

and foreclose on them, seizing all their properties . . . hmmm . . .

[cynatnite]

21. Naw, let's wait until the rapture...

we can take it for free then :evilgrin:

[BlooInBloo]

20. IF ONLY we could pile the pain on even more...

... by revoking their tax-exempt status in virtue of campaigning for republicans... They'd be outta business before you could say "I say we should take him out"

:rofl:

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. Won't be long before they're advocating the Jubiliee!

Nah. More like Jonestown on a global scale.

[Initech]

24. Hallelujah!!! Things are starting to change for the better!

First, Pat Robertson gets kicked out of the Christian Broadcaster's Association. Now, the Christian Coalition is going bankrupt and the fundies in Congress are dropping like flies on a windshield. Who woulda figured?