Ralph Reed’s true god

July 22, 2006

Guest Post by Morbo

I don’t normally comment on the sincerity of others’ religious beliefs since it’s impossible for me to know what’s really in their hearts. While I disagree with a guy like James Dobson and think his interpretation of the Bible is all wrong, I have to assume he’s sincere in his faith and is not just pretending to be religious to gain public attention and political power. In fact, Dobson’s sincerity is in part what makes him so dangerous. He really is a neo-Puritan, and he wants to slap us all in the stocks.

I’m going to make an exception to my rule of not judging the faith of others for Ralph Reed, however. Now that Reed’s political ambitions have collapsed (I hope), I’d like to pile on by pointing out that the god Reed worships is not the one found in the Bible and is certainly not Jesus Christ. Reed’s true god is Mammon. Reed is, in fact, a vile hypocrite who manipulates religion for his own gain. I am pleased that enough Georgia Republicans were able to see that.

A recent article about Reed in “Gentleman’s Quarterly” noted that the former Christian Coalition director’s political consulting business didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Reed vowed to help “pro-family” candidates get elected, but many who signed on with him lost their races. Managing a string of losing campaigns is not exactly a recipe for success in the political world.

As a result, Reed began looking elsewhere for his livelihood. This led him to contact his old buddy Jack Abramoff, and, in Reed’s charming words, express his desire to begin “humping in” corporate accounts. Here Reed was quite successful. Soon the dough was rolling in — and Reed never bothered to concern himself with the source of some of it.

I want a comfortable lifestyle as much as anyone else — but not at the expense of my soul.

I’ve seen pictures of Reed in the newsmagazines. He wears a Rolex and $1,000 suits. I wear a Timex and get my suits off the rack. I don’t begrudge anyone success and wealth — if it’s come by honestly. I’m sure Ralph’s house is much bigger than mine and his car is fancier. He probably has more electronic gizmos and toys. But look what he had to do to get those things. It’s not worth it.

I don’t have his riches, but I do have something Reed will never possess: I feel good about the way I live my life. My main goal is to accumulate not immense wealth but contentment and a degree of moral integrity that I hope to pass on to my children. When death comes for me, I hope to be surrounded by friends and loved ones, and I want to be able to say to my children (and possibly grandchildren), “Sure, I made some mistakes, but on balance I’m proud of the way I lived my life. Do like I did and you’ll be OK.”

Reed won’t be able to say that and really mean it. This is a man who helped pioneer the slash-and-burn style of modern politics, who once bragged about how much fun it is to leave an opponent in “a body bag.” Reed ripped off Native Americans and misled his fellow Christians by claiming to be opposing legalized gambling when he was in fact fronting for casino interests.

WWJD, Ralph?

For believers, faith can provide a source of strength when times are tough and, through a house of worship, a community of like-minded individuals who offer fellowship. But faith is also supposed to provide a source of ethics and morality. Reed championed an “active faith,” (the title of one of his books) but apparently never bothered to let that faith guide his personal behavior. He is either woefully ignorant of the purpose of religion or an appalling hypocrite. My money is on the latter.

Dead bang on Morbo.

When Ralphie appeared on the political scene, I could not help shake the feeling that we were dealing with a scumbag. Too well dressed. Too smary. Most importantly, he gave off the vibe that he loved power more than Jesus. Not a good combination.

WWJD? He’d probably have heaved Ralphie head first from the temple.

This couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, but all I can say is remember Nixon!

  • When Ralphie appeared on the political scene, I could not help shake the feeling that we were dealing with a scumbag. Too well dressed. Too smary. Most importantly, he gave off the vibe that he loved power more than Jesus. Not a good combination.

    That’s what I think about Pat Robertson.

  • Managing a string of losing campaigns is not exactly a recipe for success in the political world.
    Worked pretty well for James Carville. You only need the one big win and all is forgiven. Don’t count Ralph out yet – the scum always rises.

  • To quote from my favorite comic strip (Bill Griffith’s Zippy, 18 Oct 95): “Entertainment is th’ true “opiate” of th’ masses today! Religion is just another arm of politics!”

  • Don’t most Republicans belong to the First Church of Free Market? After all, they do seem to ascribe perfection and infallibility to the market. There doesn’t seem to be a single issue whether it’s the environment or health care that they don’t claim the market will make work out for the best. Aren’t perfection and infallibility supposed to be characteristics only possessed by God?

  • i’d say you’ve assayed ralph reed’s spiritual mettle quite rightly but i’m not sure you can aver as to what contentments he will or will not know come the end of his tiny life (hurry sundown). he might die as smugly as a cat assured of his triumphs, e.g. the fleecing of the tribes, owning thousand dollar suits, his hobbings with nobs and nabobs. something (his callow self, saliently) tells me he will consider his life well lived.
    reed’s aspirations are certainly not commensurate with his greed. if rolex and thousand dollar suits are one’s ultimate attainments, one is impoverished in taste as well as spirit.

  • I don’t believe that Jerry Falwell actually believes what he preaches either. If he did, he’d hardly be allied with, and accepting money from, self-proclaimed messiah Sun Myung Moon.

  • Reed is a tortured queer whose greed and secret remorse is beyond comprehension. It will not surprise me when I read in the paper about when he blows his own brains out with a shotgun because he can’t take the double-life anymore. May he greatly suffer in hell !!!!!!!

  • I think Ralph Reed is an example of the folly of mixing religion with politics. He is a particularly disguisting man and has always given me the creeps in the same way all of the circuit riding preachers (or TV religious personalities) of today give me the creeps: too smooth, too cute, too slick. I always thought they were in the “religion business” more than they were involved in spreading the gospel. Or if they were preaching a gospel, it was another gospel, that seemed to have very little to do with the teachings of Jesus.

    Ralph Reed is unmasked, but there will be more to take his place. The gossip will die down and the gullible will take up another cause and follow another false prophet. It’s good to see Reed crash and burn, but I’m afraid he’ll pull a Chuck Colson and we will not see the end of him.

  • Matthew Chapter 6:

    [1] Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
    [2] Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
    [3] But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
    [4] That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
    [5] And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
    [6] But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

    Reckon so.

  • Yes, Ralph Reed is a scum. The funny thing is, though, that I kind of feel sorry for him. I can’t help but think that deep down somewhere, at the bottom of the empty hole inside him where his shriveled, shrunken little soul lies, broken and neglected, he must know what he’s doing is wrong. At least I hope so. I hope so because I hope that he, too, someday comes to understand that what he’s built his life upon is empty and worthless. And then maybe he can change. I’d hate to think of anybody dying with his soul in such tatters as his is now. I think even slime like him can be redeemed, if they turn away from selfishness, greed and cruelty, and I hope he someday does turn. I’m not holding my breth, but who knows, weirder, more unlikely things have happened.

  • If it’s only a thousand dollar suit, it probably looks pretty cheesy with the Rolex watch.

    [Only remotely related: in a hotel shop in central China last year, I saw a $5,000 suit. What’s the story? Oh, we only do the measuring here. We outsource the hand finishiing. –To where? –To Paris.

    I have no idea what to make of this. Or, too many ideas. Theories welcome.]

  • I’m as glad as you are to see ol’ Ralphie bite the dust, but I must say this post was rather smarmy.

    Beware spiritual pride, Morbo.

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