Changes

Among strong conservatives, the most consistent voices of opposition have been Evangelical "preachers of righteousness", exhorting repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ. Moral separation from worldly living was enjoined, and some engaged social problems more directly, in actively opposing slavery in America, and evils such as drunkenness. Beginning in the late 1800's and continuing, Christian groups such as the [[Salvation Army]] were more evident, ministering to many of those who directly or indirectly suffered due to immorality.<ref>Gwendolyn Mink, Alice O'Connor, ''Poverty in the United States: an encyclopedia of history, politics ...,'', Volume 2, pp. 645-648</ref>  Around the turn of the 20th century and up until he died, revivalist [[Billy Sunday]] (1862-1935) preached both salvation, as well as against the evil's of drink, etc.  Also during the early 1900's, [[Fundamentalists]] began to become a distinct movement, combating liberal Christianity and it resultant moral laxity. Later, parachurch  ministries, such as [[Focus in the Family]], and [[Jerry Falwell]]'s [[Moral Majority]] arose, seeking to strengthen Christians and oppose an increasingly perverted, persuasive, and pervasive hedonistic culture.  

Among strong conservatives, the most consistent voices of opposition have been Evangelical "preachers of righteousness", exhorting repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ. Moral separation from worldly living was enjoined, and some engaged social problems more directly, in actively opposing slavery in America, and evils such as drunkenness. Beginning in the late 1800's and continuing, Christian groups such as the [[Salvation Army]] were more evident, ministering to many of those who directly or indirectly suffered due to immorality.<ref>Gwendolyn Mink, Alice O'Connor, ''Poverty in the United States: an encyclopedia of history, politics ...,'', Volume 2, pp. 645-648</ref>  Around the turn of the 20th century and up until he died, revivalist [[Billy Sunday]] (1862-1935) preached both salvation, as well as against the evil's of drink, etc.  Also during the early 1900's, [[Fundamentalists]] began to become a distinct movement, combating liberal Christianity and it resultant moral laxity. Later, parachurch  ministries, such as [[Focus in the Family]], and [[Jerry Falwell]]'s [[Moral Majority]] arose, seeking to strengthen Christians and oppose an increasingly perverted, persuasive, and pervasive hedonistic culture.  

Liberalism in general reacted to such opposition by renewed efforts to promote practices such as pre-marital sex and abortion, and later, homosexuality, and often portrayed themselves as victims of repression. Legitimate improvements in society were invoked as means to justify the movement as a whole. Addressing those who cried against those who sought to preserve or restore traditional values, Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Daniel Lapin argued,  

 

Liberalism in general reacted to such opposition by renewed efforts to promote practices such as pre-marital sex and abortion, and later, homosexuality, and often portrayed themselves as victims of repression. The Fairness Doctrine]], once used for a period before to curtail conservatism, was threatened to be brought back. Legitimate improvements in society were invoked as a means to justify the movement as a whole. Addressing those who cried against those who sought to preserve or restore traditional values, Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Daniel Lapin argued,  

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the secular Left has introduced sexual indoctrination and condom distribution to eleven-year-old public school students.  It has made the enjoyment of tobacco the moral equivalent of child molestation.  It has dramatically increased illegitimacy in America.  It has created an entertainment ethos that brings smut and vulgarity into our living rooms.  Take an honest look at the values that the secular Left has already succeeded in forcing down the throats of religious Americans.  How can anyone honestly confront the changes that have been inflicted by the secular Left and worry about the changes that the religious Right might force down our throats.  I contend that the values concerned Christians desire for America are not really changes, but simply the return to an earlier and legitimate status.  If you fling an invader out of your land, back over the border he illegally crossed in the first place, you are not guilty of aggression.  It is called self-defense.  You are worried that the religious Right might succeed in forcing their values onto us?  I am worried they might fail, for they are our values too.  Or at least they ought to be.

the secular Left has introduced sexual indoctrination and condom distribution to eleven-year-old public school students.  It has made the enjoyment of tobacco the moral equivalent of child molestation.  It has dramatically increased illegitimacy in America.  It has created an entertainment ethos that brings smut and vulgarity into our living rooms.  Take an honest look at the values that the secular Left has already succeeded in forcing down the throats of religious Americans.  How can anyone honestly confront the changes that have been inflicted by the secular Left and worry about the changes that the religious Right might force down our throats.  I contend that the values concerned Christians desire for America are not really changes, but simply the return to an earlier and legitimate status.  If you fling an invader out of your land, back over the border he illegally crossed in the first place, you are not guilty of aggression.  It is called self-defense.  You are worried that the religious Right might succeed in forcing their values onto us?  I am worried they might fail, for they are our values too.  Or at least they ought to be.