?We are not coming up against just human beings to beat them in elections. We?re going to be coming up against spiritual warfare,? Pat Robertson announced in 1994 to the Christian Coalition.

This statement displays two feelings of the Christian Right: victimization and an urge to conquer all that it can for Christ. The latter apparently does not tolerate or even take into account those who disagree. They are not considered.

Nonetheless, the Religious Right has become far more powerful than anyone circa 25 years ago could have imagined and there is something infinitely and inherently disturbing about the entire movement. Perhaps it is the idea of a ?war? against secular society or the self-pitying neoconservatives who weep about how America has become a ?culture in chaos,? in the words of Reverend Rod Parsley. Whatever the reason, the ?spiritual warfare? rhetoric used by the Religious Right has certainly become common.

Also, a group of evangelicals called fundamentalists believe that Biblical scripture is directly inspired by God Himself, is inerrant, and must be read literally. Never mind the ancient anachronisms, metaphors, and moral allegories. The universe was literally created 4,004 years before Christ, Noah?s Ark literally had two of every animal species on board, the Lord literally was describing live dinosaurs to Job and Jesus literally will have giant horsemen come out of the clouds when He comes again.

Literalist interpretations and theocratic plans for government are not the only things they hold dear. God also has strong views on economics. Apparently income tax is ?idolatry? and property tax is ?theft,? as stated in America?s Providential History, a Christian history textbook from the Providence Foundation. After all, why give money to the lazy, undeserving poor when the godly, philanthropic rich will surely lend a hand?

This view may come from the belief, also stated in the textbook, that those who advocate systems such as social security are forcing the poor to see ?the State as provider rather than God.? However, not all conservative Christians see the poor as needing God rather than human assistance. Governor Bob Riley of Alabama believes ?the least among us? need that secular help. I hope many would agree.

These issues should be of particular concern to younger generations, as, I hope, none of them want to be under the rule of a theocratic government. The consequences of the government being overrun by zealots would likely be very great (if you omit the idea that ?theocracy means God is in control, and you are not?). As shown by all nations in history, those in power can take advantage of their status, cloaking this act in false piety. One must hope that will not occur to us.

To summarize: in the name of ?traditional values? the Right has managed to convince many that what America needs most is a theocratic state, an entirely Christian one. Yet certainly God would want people to think for themselves. Certainly, He would not want them to be forced into what they halfheartedly believe or even ignore completely. By pleading for nonbelievers to be pushed and shoved into belief, the Christian Right not only is against a democratic system, but against the very ideals of its own religion.