The Leader of the Conservative Movement, in the 1950's-60's, Soon Realized the Error of His Ways!!

Barry Goldwater was a senator from Arizona for many years and was a driving force in courting Christians to the Republican Party when he was the Republican nominee for President, in 1964.  He was an extreme conservative and his views were rejected in the 1964 election. However, he had already begun speaking out regarding the danger Christian Nationalists would be, by 1981, as he celebrated Ronald Reagan's Presidential victory.

These are his quotes (all found in the Congressional Record) published in a New York Times article titled, “Excerpts From Goldwater Remarks”, on September 16, 1981.     

IN 1981 !!!! 

HOLY COW!! THIS MOVEMENT HAS BEEN BUILDING FOR A LONG TIME AND IT'S SCARY!!

• Being a conservative in America traditionally has meant that one holds a deep, abiding respect for the Constitution. We conservatives believe sincerely in the integrity of the Constitution. We treasure the freedoms that document protects.
• We believe, as the founding fathers did, that we ''are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' And for 205 years this nation, based on those principles, has endured. Through foreign wars and civil wars, through political scandals and economic disasters, through civil disorders and Presidential assassinations, our flag has flown high. Through it all we've survived every possible attack on our freedom.
• But another force could succeed in dividing our country. The specter of single-issue religious groups is growing over our land.
• One of the great strengths of our political system always has been our tendency to keep religious issues in the background. By maintaining the separation of church and state, the United States has avoided the intolerance which has so divided the rest of the world with religious wars.
• "Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.”
• There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah or whatever one calls his Supreme Being.
• But, like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing in our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their positions 100 percent.
• In the past couple years, I have seen many news items that referred to the Moral Majority, prolife and other religious groups as ‘the new right’ and the 'new conservatism”. Well, I have spent quite a number of years carrying the flag of the 'old conservatism’. And I can say with conviction that the religious issues of these groups have little or nothing to do with conservative or liberal politics.
• The uncompromising position of these groups is a divisive element that could tear apart the very spirit of our representative system, if they gain sufficient strength.
• As it is, they are diverting us away from the vital issues that our Government needs to address. Far too much of the time of members of Congress and officials in the Executive Branch is used up dealing with special-interest groups on issues like abortion, school busing, ERA, prayer in the schools and pornography. While these are important moral issues, they are secondary right now to our national security and economic survival.
• This unrelenting obsession with a particular goal destroys the perspective of many decent people. They have become easy prey to manipulation and misjudgment. *(Fox News / Right Wing Media)
• And the religious factions will go on imposing their will on others unless the decent people connected to them recognize that religion has no place in public policy.
• They must learn to make their views known without trying to make their views the only alternatives. The great decisions of Government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions. 
• I must make it clear that I don't condemn these groups for what they believe. I happen to share many of the values emphasized by these organizations.

* Editorial Addition of SFTM

A New Voice!!

James Dell Talarico is a 36 year old , Presbyterian seminarian, and former public school teacher serving since 2018 as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. He has been called a "rising star" among Texas Democrats.