The Christian Coalition

The founders of most religions knew that religion and politics don't make great bedfellows. After all, if religion is to bring out the best in its followers, it must remove itself from the boorish and vain concerns of politics so its followers may, in turn, love and forgive all their fellow citizens.

That's why Christ never maintained autocratic control over a $25 million annual budget while fattening himself on dreams of political influence. After all, within any vast political (or even social) organization, there will always exist a dark undercurrent of greed, hierarchy, and personal vanity--in short, the sorts of things that Christ preached against.

Sadly, these points have been lost on the Christian Coalition, whose professed goal of massaging the government has occasionally brought out the worst secular instincts among its leaders.

Most recently, the Coalition has come under fire for treating its black employees like social and economic inferiors. As alleged in two recent lawsuits filed by former Coalition employees, black Coalition employees were routinely excluded from prayer-breakfast meetings, and the Coalition's executive vice president, Roberta Combs, prohibited all black employees from using the kitchen because "they are talkative and waste too much time.." Instead, Combs arranged for a separate and not-too-equal kitchen facility--effectively segregating the black employees. Barred from using the main entrance, black employees were also herded like cattle through back entrances when they had to use the bathroom facilities.

Love thy neighbors--just not in thy kitchen.

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