The Family-Theocracy in America Exposed [part II]

In the book The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, author Jeff Sharlet examines the power wielded by a secretive Christian group known as the Family, or the Fellowship.

Founded in 1935 in opposition to FDR's New Deal, the evangelical group's views on religion and politics are so singular that some other Christian-right organizations consider them heretical

The group also has a connection to a house in Washington, D.C., known as C Street. Owned by a foundation affiliated with the Family, C Street is officially registered as a church; in practice, it serves as a meeting place and residence for politicians like South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn.

The Family, Sharlet writes, is responsible for founding the annual National Prayer Breakfast, a supposedly ecumenical — but implicitly Christian — event attended by the president, members of Congress and dignitaries from around the world. These foreign delegations are often led by top defense personnel, who use it as an opportunity to lobby the most influential people in Washington — and who repay the Family with access to their governments.

The group's approach to religion, Sharlet says, is based on "a sort of trickle-down fundamentalism," which holds that the wealthy and powerful, if they "can get their hearts right with God ... will dispense blessings to those underneath them."

Members of the group ardently support free markets, in which, they believe, God's will operates directly through Adam Smith's "invisible hand."

The Family was founded in 1935 by a minister named Abraham Vereide after, he claimed, he had a vision in which God came to him in the person of the head of the United States Steel Corporation.

The current leader, Doug Coe, shuns publicity but wields considerable political influence as a spiritual adviser. Sharlet says that when Sanford recently compared his struggles to those of the biblical King David — a central figure in Family theology — the author "could almost hear Doug Coe's voice" coming out of the South Carolina governor.

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[quantumofhate]

THE CHRISTEAN RIGHT ARE WHY THE USA WAS INVOLVED IN THE WAR OVER IN IRAQ AND SUPPORTED ISRAIL NO MATER WHAT WETHER RIGHT OR RONG.THEY ARE A BUNCH OF DIRTY FANATIC CREEPS.

[klard]

Ha ha sounds like the Constitution is alive and well. Secret religious Cabals pulling the strings of government is exactly what Thomas Jefferson had in mind.

[articlescholar]

I am around the strange section of Youtube once more.

[ethangirlsmom]

Astonishing the twisting and slipping people are going through, even here, to pretend that this dangerous political force might actually be a nice, godly group.

[teed60]

Some times people leave gifts anonymously,not everybody who follows Christ goes to church.If they profess Jesus as Lord and keep his commandments,these things are not bad or evil,for lack of a better term.

[00red00baron]

"Pray against the demonic stronghold of Buddhism "....? OMFG. These "family" ppl are so deep in the SHAT that it's scary. 

[00red00baron]

@georgealeria Stop your trolling for jesus. That's what jeasus freaks have become, trolls and opportunists at every spectrum of society- this video interview and your spam posts conclude it..

[georgealeria]

i'm playing the thought that Jeff Sharlet might have been an agent of the devil having misinterpreted the values and purpose of The Family. If you have time read "Frat House for Jesus" by Peter J. Boyer of the New Yorker.

[daveme7]

As I began reading this, I am seeing some errors which I have learned happens in books and newspapers as fairly common not intendeing to be erroneous. Yet, to say fundamentalism is about those who feel that faith can be reconciled to evolution when basically-that is wrong because fundamentalism denied evolution as truth. This other one is disputable but I see the book wild at heart as related to emergent postmodernism-but not all will see this

[chapsroc]

Ignore the Old Testament! ?

1) For truly, I (Jesus) say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. ?Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.? (Matthew 5:18-19 RSV) ?Clearly the Old Testament is to be abided by until the end of human existence itself. ?