FRANK SCHAEFFER gave me an exclusive interview to post at DU!

[EFerrari]

I sent Mr. Schaeffer a list of questions to follow up on his interview with Amy Goodman this morning:

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/10/13/former_mccain_supporter_accuses_the_senator

And he was gracious enough to get right back to us.

________________________


sf: Your book, Crazy for God, must have upset a lot of people in the evangelical community. Are you considered a “traitor” by them? Can you describe how that community has responded to you “telling tales out of school”? What has been the cost to you as an individual, a member of a family and a member of a community? Can you say something about your relationship to that community to help your readers “locate” you on a cultural map?

FS: It did upset some people. But what surprised me was that most of the email (literally thousands!) is from former evangelicals and not so former either who are also sick of the rightward tilt of evangelicalism in America. There is real change coming.

As for cost; family has been okay. But my book Crazy For God has been attacked but mainly ignored. You have to understand the evangelical movement is really just a series of personality cults. I was a cult figure as was my dad. Once I quit others just moved in and followers move on to the next "hot" person. Today Rick Warren, yesterday my late father Francis Schaeffer, tomorrow, who knows.


sf: Why did John McCain choose Sarah Palin? A lot of us on the left have our own ideas about that but, in your opinion, what does she bring to his ticket?

FS: He is nuts, that's really why. But his "reason" I'm sure was to connect with the fundamentalist power base that put Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 in office. But that fringe is angrier than ever and crazier than ever. So McCain got more than he bargained for and an wingnut Alaska secessionist to boot! This is the fringe of the fringe. It will take him out of the race. Most Americans just aren't this nuts.


sf: How coded is Sarah Palin’s language when she speaks at her rallies? Listeners not in that culture have the sense that more is going on than were hearing. Is there or, are do we just have over active imaginations?

FS: Very coded. Not like us = not white.

sf: It looks right now as if McCain will lose this election. What is your prediction about the reaction of the evangelical far right? How will they respond to this loss?

FS: If Obama was white he'd be 20-25 points ahead now. As it is he will win, but don't discount the actual vote may not add up to the polls. Race, again. If they lose within the next 5 yrs look out for white domestic terror. These people HATE their own governmetn. (So much for patriotism) But I believe Obama will be a great president, one of the greatest, and if he stays safe eventually things will calm down as his achievements mount up. I also think this is the end of the evangelical right. Sure they will still be there by the millions, but Jan 09 marks the beginning of the end of their power.

sf: How do you see our nation, our culture healing up from the divisions inflicted on us by far right evangelical extremists over the last decade or so? What is the way forward?

FS: Again: Obama can do it. He won't convince everyone but 4-5 years from now the more reasonable of the evangelicals will admit they were wrong about him. The rest will just do what all bitter loony groups do: talk to each other in a little enclave in their own private language.

sf: How do we as a culture maintain our respect for the private religious beliefs of individuals and at the same time, repudiate extremism in order to rebuild our sense of community?

FS: By showing better ideas work, better education, better foreign policy, better health care, less crime ... nothing succeeds like success. Obama and a Democratic majority have to really make their programs succeed.

sf: In your opinion, what mistakes has the “left” made when responding to the evangelical far right? Or, what are your favorite mistakes?

FS: The left still doesn't get that Roe v Wade was a defeat regarding tactics (the actual issue asside). No Roe, no Reagan, Bush, etc. If it had gone state by state abortion would be legal today, less polarizing, and the energy would go right out of the right.

Look at me: I've changed sides but the only really furious people who hate me (on the right ie my old friends) are all about abortion. Gay rights and the rest never irritate that kind of anger.

sf: If individuals can make a difference in their daily lives, which gestures would you recommend to counter the profound divisiveness and outright aggressiveness from the far far right that we have witnessed and lived with for all of these years?

FS: Reduce abortion, include all (reasonably sane) voices whenever possible. Things can change Obama understands this.

sf: What is the outcome you'd like to see in November? Do you have goals for the upcoming election that you can share with us? I don’t only mean the presidential race at all and am not pulling for a particular answer really. Overall, what would you like to see happen this round?


FS: We need a big Obama win. The world needs to see America at her finest again. Then at home we need Obama to actually disappoint the most ideologically committed people on the left and the right and do what works best. Then the BIG ONE: energy policy. If we can get off carbon-based energy everything changes for the better in so many ways.

sf: Your book, Crazy for God, is a unique window into a world most Americans will never see but, ironically, a world that influences our politics and our media a great deal. Can you say something about your aims in writing that book at the moment your wrote it?

FS: I'm a writer. To me Crazy For God is the end of a long quest to understand my world. I started with three novels about the subculture I come from: Portofino, Zermatt and Saving Grandma. Now in Crazy for God I go to memoir, that in fact is stranger (and just as funny) as the fiction. I wanted to write a great book and my life was too good as far as material goes to ignore.

__________________

Thank you, Frank Schaeffer. Your viewpoint is unique and I appreciate your generosity in sharing it with us.

DUers who want to read more about Frank, visit his website:



http://www.frankschaeffer.com/

To order Crazy for God:



http://www.amazon.com/Crazy-God-Helped-Religious-Almost/dp/0306817500/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223931869&sr=1-1

[gateley]

1. K&R - and congrats! nt

[nashville_brook]

2. wow -- so cool you did this!

[EFerrari]

3. He's an amazing person. And you know my big mouth.

:blush:

[Ichingcarpenter]

70. Your big mouth and my right foot

LOL!!! Great Job kicked and nominated.

[EFerrari]

72. Thanks.

:blush:

[DeepBlueDem]

141. Best post i've ever read on DU

[EFerrari]

146. Welcome to DU, DeepBlueDem.

:)

[DeepBlueDem]

149. your welcome

[tblue]

4. K&R! What a wise man.

[EFerrari]

30. I think so. That's why I wanted to ask him a few questions.

:)

[pinto]

5. Interesting insight. Kudos for the interview and the post.

:thumbsup:

:thumbsup:

[EFerrari]

6. Please help me KnR so people can see.

It's surprising, isn't it, that if we ask people do respond? :hi:

[BelgianMadCow]

10. gladly

:hi:

[EFerrari]

18. Thank you!

:hi:

[MelissaB]

7. Wonderful interview!

Thanks so much! :hi:


:kick:

[EFerrari]

26. People are very generous. Even on a Monday morning!

:hi:

[KamaAina]

8. One relatively minor quibble: "If it had gone state by state abortion would be legal today..."

In the Northeast, West and Great Lakes, maybe. Not in the South or Plains states ("Jesusland")!

[yardwork]

13. I don't know, really. I wonder.

In any case, it's not the fault of "the left" that people who cared very much about women's rights took this to the Supreme Court. Nor is it the fault of "the left" that the Supreme Court, very reasonably, found that it is unconstitutional to tell half the population what to do with their bodies.

I believe that if it weren't abortion, it would be something else. The right-wing HAD to find a wedge issue to make millions of people vote against their own interests and support Republicans. So if it hadn't been abortion, it would have been something else.

The truth, however, is that the majority of people in most if not all states are in favor of abortion rights. So if Roe v Wade is overturned and it goes state by state, the vast majority of states will not outlaw abortion for any length of time. They might do it for a while, but the people of those states would insist on reversals.

[HillbillyBob]

150. You are correct the right will not be happy unless we all knuckle under

to their brand of madness. I feel we could reduce abortion with proper sex education, on going
std education not scare tactics and punishment for sin.
I am all for a woman having choice what she wants to do with her body.
I have known two women who had abortions, it was the hardest decisions they ever had to deal with they even told me this.
One was because she had reproductive organ disfigurement and would not be able to carry to term
in fact she would have most likely have died in the process it was that the egg had deposited or side of her uterus and she had other ongoing things with her health and was on the pill
The other was too young and shamefully was a victim of a family member rape, close family.
Neither went into the clinic with a happy go lucky as the so called prolifers claim.
I am not pro abortion I am pro choice and pro education, I come from a poor area in WVa,
anyone having children before graduation from high school is in for a hard life.

[HillbillyBob]

151. You are correct the right will not be happy unless we all knuckle under

to their brand of madness. I feel we could reduce abortion with proper sex education, on going
std education not scare tactics and punishment for sin.
I am all for a woman having choice what she wants to do with her body.
I have known two women who had abortions, it was the hardest decisions they ever had to deal with they even told me this.
One was because she had reproductive organ disfigurement and would not be able to carry to term
in fact she would have most likely have died in the process it was that the egg had deposited outside of her uterus and she had other ongoing things with her health and was on the pill
The other was too young and shamefully was a victim of a family member rape, close family.
Neither went into the clinic with a happy go lucky as the so called prolifers claim.
I am not pro abortion I am pro choice and pro education, I come from a poor area in WVa,
anyone having children before graduation from high school is in for a hard life.

[yardwork]

9. This is wonderful! Thank you. I'm going to buy his book and read it.

[EFerrari]

12. Holy cow, my friend.

:wow:

:hi:

[yardwork]

15. Why are you surprised? I can't stand the religious right.

[EFerrari]

17. I'm surprised that someone who knows the media would respond

to an email from me. :)

Schaeffer is an fascinating performer. That he can speak so well to the inside and to the outside of this issue, well, that's a gift we could so use right about now!

[yardwork]

22. I think it's awesome that he responded to your email and let you post it here!

This is one of the reasons I read DU. Real news. Real information.

[EFerrari]

28. I know.

:toast:

[NMDemDist2]

11. I caught DN! this morning and it was great to see this thread

:yourock:

[EFerrari]

44. The thing is, the far right wing brow beats us and discourages us

from asking sort of normal questions of our community -- whether it be our family or our block, our church, our electorate.

It's very good to have a counter-example, no? Because how else do we move forward if we can't ask?

:yourock:

[trof]

14. K&R Thanks

[Wetzelbill]

16. that is awesome!

[EFerrari]

20. Now don't you regret that your handlers blew me off?!

lol

:P

[Wetzelbill]

23. well I am just a puppet.

But yes, I do. :)

[EFerrari]

25. LOL!

:rofl:

:loveya:

[Bozita]

19. Great questions; interesting answers. Thank you, SF.

[EFerrari]

29. What's really cool about Frank Schaeffer is that he has bi-focal vision.

I hope he gets more venues where he can talk.

And, I hope this gives the McBomb's campaign an aneurysm or the political equivalent.

[bbgrunt]

21. great questions and congrats! you done good.

[EFerrari]

24. I think this one man has a lot to say to us going forward!

:hi:

[foxfeet]

27. Well done!

K&R

[pacalo]

31. Woohoo, sfexpat!

I didn't know about this book, but now I want to get a copy.

I have a few members in the family tree who have gone freaky religious on me; I'd like to know the inside story of how seemingly normal people are so easily transformed into religi-bots.

:toast: for a very good interview!

[EFerrari]

34. From the first time I listened to Frank talk in a BookTv segment

I just wanted to hear more. What he had to say was so important to us at this moment in our history.

I'd no idea he was backing Obama!

Thanks to Frank for being so forthcoming!

:toast:

[truedelphi]

143. I didn't know normal people could become fundie extremists

I had a lovely neighbor lady - she helped my family out a lot when we first moved to Lake County California.

But her views are very extreme. And then one day she was talking about her childhood, and it was possibly the most appalling story I had ever heard. Her mom left her daddy when she was like 15 months old. There was a little 2 month old brother as well.

Her alchie father left her in charge of the husehold when she was two years old!

It really made me see why she found such craziness comforting - on a philosophical level, the Fundie movement couldn't have been much different than the weirdness of her circumstances of her upbringing.

[BrklynLiberal]

32. Great post. Thanks so much for this followup.

[tosh]

33. One big grateful K&R!

[EFerrari]

36. Thank you, tosh.

:)

[Blue Gardener]

35. Just finished his book yesterday

And thinks to the DU'er who recommended it, even though I can't remember who it was. :hi:

[EFerrari]

37. I saw his BookTv segment and watched it over and over

and still managed to forget about it. I guess that's how stressed out people can get.

But, I ordered the book this morning. It's nice when a voice like this comes along, at a time like this. :hi:

[Blue Gardener]

45. Hope you enjoy the book

He has certainly had an interesting life. Now that I've finished I can share my copy.

[tanyev]

46. Might have been me. I just finished reading it and have made a couple posts about it.

Very cool interview! I had the chance to hear him speak two years ago. I wish I'd known more about him then. All I knew was that he had some relationship with the right wing.

[EFerrari]

Omg, he was the Prince Charles of the right wing.

That he's writing about that, let alone, that he's publicly supporting Obama is amazing. :wow:

[tanyev]

52. Oh, I know. What I really appreciated about the book is that it filled in for me

where the religious right came from. I grew up and was very active in a Lutheran church, went to a Lutheran college in Austin and never heard any of that crap. My first clue was in my last year of college (1984) I was student teaching in Dallas and overheard a restaurant conversation about the evils of secular humanism. I thought, WTF?

[classof56]

135. Oh, yeah--secular humanism. That was the biggie for my Texas fundie family back then

How awful that humanists valued life and other people and worthy pursuits--they didn't believe in God and accepting Christ as the only way to heaven and so of course were evil and leading our children on the road to perdition. At the time I was pretty well entrenched, as I had been for most of my life, in the evangelical fundamental Southern Baptist theology. But when I started studying it, and hearing more and more of the RW-fundie craziness (my term), I began to look at things in a different way. I was also very aware during my teenage years of Francis Schaeffer, L'Abri, and read his books. I saw Frank Schaeffer on Book TV a couple of years ago, read his book, a real eye-opener for me. After reading it as well as "Misquoting Jesus" and "God's Problem" by Bart Ehrman, I've pretty much closed the door on my previous set of beliefs. The way I look at it, if the Baptists are right, I'm covered. Meanwhile I've quit driving myself nuts trying to please God and feeling guilty about every little thing I do or don't. My emotional health has greatly benefited. Better late than never, I guess.

[glitch]

38. Excellent questions! K & R nt

[EFerrari]

43. Thank you, glitch.

I love that people will mostly talk to you, if you ask. :)

[Hekate]

39. Excellent interview, sf! Thank you! nt

[EFerrari]

41. They all came right out of his interview.

Frank Schaeffer is a very special person and I want to hear more from him. No kidding. His ability to empathize with all sides of this problem amazes me.

:hi:

[ancient_nomad]

40. Thank you for this!

It is great you got to interview him and share it with us. I really want to read his book. My sister-in- law and her husband are evangelicals. It is hard to relate to them. Ah well!

:yourock: as always!


KnR, too!

[EFerrari]

42. Thank you so much! I hope a lot of DUers get to see this.

The funny thing about the left is that we'd rather understand than attack.

lol

:hi:

[ailsagirl]

134. Wow-- how good of him to to share his perspectives!!

I'm impressed, both with his take on things and your ability to get a great interview from him!!
:yourock:

[brer cat]

47. This is what makes DU so special!

Thanks, sfexpat2000.

K&R

[EFerrari]

48. DU is amazing. Without DU, I never would have tried.

:toast:

[Faygo Kid]

49. "If they lose within the next 5 yrs look out for white domestic terror."

Frightening, but likely true. The Palin crowd has been thoroughly brainwashed by Limbaugh/Hannity/Fox News. (Didn't take much detergent to wash those pea brains.)

[lonestarnot]

50. K & R Bookmarking!

[Kaleko]

51. Schaeffer nailed the whole MacCampaign down to the cross with this:

"So McCain got more than he bargained for and an wingnut Alaska secessionist to boot! This is the fringe of the fringe. It will take him out of the race. Most Americans just aren't this nuts."

Right on. Kudos to both, the interviewer and Frank Schaeffer.

[malaise]

53. Impressive sfexpat2000

:yourock:

K & R

[EFerrari]

54. I think this is how hungry we all are to talk to each other

without that wedge of hatred. :hi:

[malaise]

57. Excellent work

:hi:

[EFerrari]

64. This man is giving us the information we need to go forward.

Striking. I hope we're smart enough to listen to what he has to say.

:hi:

[merh]

55. thank you so much for sharing this with us.

Hell of an interview - sista sarah has an agenda, we knew that, its just strange and good to read someone confirm what we knew.

you are one hell of a person, funny and smart :hug: - if you go with this interview serious route, I'll have to give up hopes for our cocktail napkins biz and do something else.

Maybe photography what do you think? :shrug:

[EFerrari]

60. Was it okay?

Damn, Frank was very forthcoming. :hi:

[merh]

61. was it okay?

Yes, it was okay, it was more than okay, it was great. :thumbsup:

:hug:





whatcha think of the photo in the link?

[EFerrari]

62. The link said the link was illegal.

!

[merh]

65. whoops, I gave you a bad link

or a link to a locked album (can't trust folks these days).

[EFerrari]

66. Wow! Did you shoot that? He looks like one of my speech teachers

That's BLUE!

[merh]

75. Yup, I took that photo

:blush: I'm glad you like it.

[EFerrari]

94. It's just lovely.

:hug:

[merh]

109. not as lovely as your interview

:hug:

[EFerrari]

113. No. You got the light right and the color and

the surprise.

I just talked to a nice guy. Anybody can do that. lol

:hug:

[merh]

114. I got lucky - found a great camera on ebay for a great price

and I have great creatures out the back door

[Gregorian]

56. Damn, fantastic interview!

I've got to say that you're very good. Please do more of this.

Also, I just had the most interesting couple of hours. My republican cousin sent yet another right wing nutjob email. One of those "Obama's anti-capitalist", the "liberal media", bla, bla, bla. And I finally, after all of these emails, blew up. I told him that it was highly offensive for someone who has been doing their research. Well, I got a phone call immediately. This guy's a very successful attorney in LA. And I'm just some guy who isn't the best at standing up for himself. But we talked. And here's the part that your interview reminded me of. He just flat out said Obama's going to win, and McCain ought to just stop the process right now, and concede. And he said we're going to have a big majority in Congress.

Good things are happening. Like a massive floodgate has been opened.

What a great forum.

[EFerrari]

63. We are going to win. The way forward needs our attention.

:hi:

[DeepModem Mom]

58. Excellent, sfexpat!!!! Thank you, and a big K&R!

[Batgirl]

59. How cool and interesting, thanks.

Especially your questions about how to counter extremism in a thoughtful way and how to heal divisiveness ... questions I wouldn't have thought to ask but which don't surprise me coming from somebody with an established DU track record of putting aside anger in the interest of building bridges. Nice work!

[horseshoecrab]

67. Thanks sfexpat2000!

This is a fascinating interview.

Well done for sure! :thumbsup:


horseshoecrab

[EFerrari]

68. That was my first one. Don't tell anyone.

lol

[blondie58]

152. are you kidding sfexpat2000!!

we will look forward to so many more if these type of interviews! Thanks for sharing with us.:hi:

[aikoaiko]

69. we need Obama to actually disappoint the most ideologically committed people on the left & the right

awesome.

[tom_paine]

71. Frank Schaeffer...

:yourock:

[EFerrari]

76. When I think about his upbringing and then again about his writing now

I agree. That's courage. Hard won and so valuable.

:yourock: Frank Schaeffer

[tom_paine]

83. Glad to know we have people such as him on our side.

And you, sfexpat2000.

:hi: :toast:

[mzmolly]

73. I just got around to finishing his interview on Democracy Now and very

much enjoyed what he had to say. I also loved your interview Sfexpat. What GREAT questions.

We (as Democrats) can learn a lot from this man and I hope we will.

[mzmolly]

74. Help me Rec this up folks!

:kick:

[EFerrari]

77. Every now and then, a good man.

:hug:

:grouphug:

[mzmolly]

78. He's full of interesting insight.

I very much enjoyed hearing his perspective.

Thank you again sfexpat :hi:

[live love laugh]

79. sfexpat you are the best! Thanks for snagging this for DU. nt

[Waiting For Everyman]

80. Fantastic, sf!!! Both the choice of Schaeffer to interview and the questions.

He writes for HuffPo but I'm so frustrated that he seems to get marginalized for the most part there. At least that's my impression. His voice and views are so important right now - both for insight on the Dems' side, and the credibility and name-recognition he has among evangelicals. His father was truly a super star in 80s. He has seen a lot of strange stuff go down.

Brilliant of you to interview him, and so cool to have it right here! Thank you, so much! So well done!

:applause:

[EFerrari]

82. Frank Schaeffer is a very important voice and it's so cool

that he gave us this interview.

:toast:

[Subdivisions]

81. Fantastic interview and excellent questions, sfexpat2000. Rec #61! n/t

[EFerrari]

84. I'm not anyone in particular and isn't it amazing

how we just need to ask to get the straight story.

We can do that.

:toast:

[rosesaylavee]

85. Was trying to remember this book earlier this month.

Just found out that the fundie church one of my siblings belongs to is an Assembly of God. And (sigh) turns out she does believe in Creationism. Shock doesn't begin to cover my reaction. I hope to get a hold of this book and hopefully get a handle on this.

Thanks for posting!

[EFerrari]

86. I'm not hawking Frank's book and I think it would be helpful.

It's not every day that we get to hear from someone who has been on both sides and that can speak without hatred

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

87. Hey you're good!!

:applause:

[EFerrari]

91. Actually, I think *he's* good. And ain't that great?

:hi:

[proud2BlibKansan]

95. Yes but I am also really proud of you

:hug:

[Overseas]

88. K&R -- Exciting to read. Thank you !! ///

[annabanana]

89. Good for you snagging him for us sfexpat!

(I assume you gave him our addy...)

THANK YOU FRANK SCHAEFFER for talking to us and our sfexpat!

[EFerrari]

92. I sent him this link so he'd know we weren't Amway salespeople

masquerading as Democrats. He trusted me anyway.

I miss that kind of dialogue, you know?

lol

:)

[Ishoutandscream2]

90. You asked some great questions, my favorite lefty!

Very interesting and a wonderful read! I hope his prognostication about January of 09 being the end of the evangelical right's political power comes true.

[EFerrari]

93. You and me, both! What an interesting man Frank is.

Maybe we'll hear from him again. :)

[Laelth]

96. Aren't we cool!

(no irony intended)

Once again I celebrate DU. Nice work, sfexpat2000.

-Laelth

[EFerrari]

99. It is cool to ask a question and get it answered.

No kidding.

:)

[bleever]

97. Wow, what excellent questions you asked!

:yourock: Very illuminating!

If I ever go nuts and advocate a narrow, hate-filled agenda, then regain my senses, you get the first interview.

[EFerrari]

98. My people will call your people.

lol

I'm right now a little in awe of how simple it is to keep moving forward when we have such good people walking point.

:loveya:

[bleever]

101. Gotta get me some people.

Amazing how simple initiative can create big results.

Great job.

[proud patriot]

100. Very Cool

:headbang:

[Octafish]

102. Fascinating story.

That one. Who's he calling "not this nuts"?

From OP

sf: Why did John McCain choose Sarah Palin? A lot of us on the left have our own ideas about that but, in your opinion, what does she bring to his ticket?

FS: He is nuts, that's really why. But his "reason" I'm sure was to connect with the fundamentalist power base that put Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 in office. But that fringe is angrier than ever and crazier than ever. So McCain got more than he bargained for and an wingnut Alaska secessionist to boot! This is the fringe of the fringe. It will take him out of the race. Most Americans just aren't this nuts.


sf: How coded is Sarah Palin’s language when she speaks at her rallies? Listeners not in that culture have the sense that more is going on than were hearing. Is there or, are do we just have over active imaginations?

FS: Very coded. Not like us = not white.

Thank you for an outstanding interview, sfexpat2000. Your questions drew out who Mr. Schaeffer is and what he is about. The guy absolutely pegs the moral depravity of the chimpministration. Thanks also to Mr. Schaeffer, another good Republican who saw what the CIA NAZI Mafia bedwetters have done to America and has stood up, publicly, to call them out and oppose them.

[EFerrari]

103. I am in awe, Octafish.

Frank Schaeffer knows exactly what is happening here. And I admire the kind of courage you have to have to speak as plainly as he speaks.

:toast:

[mod mom]

104. WOW! sfexpat....

:yourock:

[EFerrari]

105. When we hang together, we can make things happen.

We can figure stuff out.

As you well know, our star election protection advocate at DU!

:yourock:

[mod mom]

108. Guess what?

I get to meet my favorite senator from your state on weds. at a friends home. She's in town for Obama. I can't wait to thank her for standing against the seating of the Ohio electorate in Jan '04 and ask her how she feels about Al gore advocating civil disobience against clean coal. Our Gov (Stickland is promoting it). I'm so excited!

[EFerrari]

110. Great! There's not really anyone like her.

:)

[MrMickeysMom]

106. This was great, really important and I'll make sure to read this some time

Thanks

[upi402]

107. Great job SFexpat. Sounds like a great guy too! n/t

rec'd

[Irishonly]

111. K&R

Thank you. I am looking forward to reading his book. Congratulations:toast:

[EFerrari]

112. The world is tiny.

:hi:

[Pastiche423]

115. Kudos and thank you!

[ismnotwasm]

116. How cool!

This cracked me up;


sf: Why did John McCain choose Sarah Palin? A lot of us on the left have our own ideas about that but, in your opinion, what does she bring to his ticket?

FS: He is nuts, that's really why. But his "reason" I'm sure was to connect with the fundamentalist power base that put Reagan, Bush 1 and 2 in office. But that fringe is angrier than ever and crazier than ever. So McCain got more than he bargained for and an wingnut Alaska secessionist to boot! This is the fringe of the fringe. It will take him out of the race. Most Americans just aren't this nuts

LOL--He is NUTS that's really why- So funny, doesn't mince words does he? I have to work in the morning I better go to bed, but a great interview, I've bookmarked the site and will check it out tomorrow. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

[Robeson]

117. Great piece. On one point, in order to reduce abortion, there has to be massive sexual education...

...they go hand-in-hand. The fundies hate sexual education almost as much as they do abortion. That is a huge disconnect in their hard-wired brains.

[EFerrari]

147. That's true! We have to undo the damage of the last 8 years

and leave "abstinence only" for church groups. It doesn't work.

[Raksha]

118. K & R - Thank you for sharing this!

[AntiFascist]

119. K&R, Palin breeds domestic terrorism...

even Frank Schaeffer agrees with that!

[Kiwinet]

120. Thank you for posting!

I cant wait to read his book!

[K Gardner]

121. Wonderful ! Thank you, Frank.. thank you, sfexpat !

[Bryn]

122. Wonderful! K&R

Truly amazing. This gives me hope that my far right wing family will see the light.

[newtothegame]

123. Good interview, and thanks for posting this...

I agree 100% with Frank's assertion that what conservatives are so bitter about when it comes to Roe v Wade is the way it was justified. I am the only liberal in my entire family, and I listen to this constantly from my brothers and my father. I think that state by state would have been much less polarizing than making it a "privacy" issue that really eliminated all public debate and discourse (apologize if I didn't quite get that right, I'm no expert :) ). Btw, I love this interview; just bought the book :)

GoBama.

[grantcart]

124. when you factor what he went through you realize this guy is a very good

and courageous guy

He could have cashed in for millions

[EFerrari]

136. It must be hard to walk away from all that goes with a life like that.

The money, the admiration, interacting with other celebrities.

[Pooka Fey]

125. K&R

[WillyT]

126. Way Cool !!! - K & R !!!

And thank you!

:yourock:

[Historic NY]

127. Great insight. K&R

[Delphinus]

128. Excellent.

Will now have to read the links!

[RedLetterRev]

129. Thanks, SFExPat and Mr Schaeffer

I have to have Crazy for God next in my reading stack. I absolutely believe what FS says is true, that the far right have become so stirred-up by hate-radio and a political party that has actively encouraged the mingling of radical "religion" with radical politics, that most certainly we can expect domestic terrorism.

It has been happening all along -- M$M and law enforcement will just have to admit it. We've read as much documented on DU and other blogs, whilst M$M stood idly by with a thumb in each end waiting for its corporate masters to holler "Switch!". I have a suspicion that law enforcement was hampered from the top, rather than idled or complicit at the lower levels.

I, for one, refuse to be terrorized or to back down to a minority. We've all had about enough of their antics. They've had it all their way for the last nearly 30 years. It hasn't worked out so well. The far right are welcome to throw away their rights and citizenship. They are most certainly not welcome to throw mine away with them.

As for reading, I've just finished Bishop Carlton Pearson's Gospel of Inclusion and am just starting Gulley and Mulholland's If Grace is True. Crazy for God just has to be next.

[jeff30997]

130. Great interview sfexpat2000 !

Very pertinent questions.I loved this part about Palin:

"So McCain got more than he bargained for and a wingnut Alaska secessionist to boot! This is the fringe of the fringe. It will take him out of the race. Most Americans just aren't this nuts."

I'll certainly read this book. Two thumbs up. :yourock:

[hisownpetard]

131. What a terrific job you did, sf. Smart, informed questions. Great interview!

Thanks for bringing that information to us.

I'm gonna buy his book today!

[blm]

132. You're STILL aces with me, sf.

.

[myrna minx]

133. Thank you so much for this interview. K&R n/t

[Ikonoklast]

137. This answer makes more sense than anything I've ever heard

"You have to understand the evangelical movement is really just a series of personality cults. I was a cult figure as was my dad. Once I quit others just moved in and followers move on to the next "hot" person. Today Rick Warren, yesterday my late father Francis Schaeffer, tomorrow, who knows."


I've always felt that the so-called 'mega-churches' are built on the force of the personality of the founder. When that person dies, is discredited, or another flashier con-man shows up, the sheep run bleating in order to be the first ones shorn of there assets by the newest crook. Whoever has the flashiest floor show seems to be winning.


These so-called small 'c' christians don't really believe in Christ, as their small-minded actions speak louder than words.

They believe in the latest person telling them what they want to hear, who can wrap wrap it up as "God's word".

[Maat]

138. Thank you!

I love hearing what this man has to say; I read part of his book, too! I haven't had a chance to read the rest. He's very insightful; we may not always agree; but he's definitely makes dead-on observations.

[Lilicat]

139. I just ordered two copies...

One for my retired Presby minister husband (at his request) and one for our church library!

Lilicat
The subversive librarian

[EFerrari]

142. Welcome to DU, Lilicat.

:)

[lavenderdiva]

158. Welcome to DU, Lilicat-

you'll meet a lot of great people here! :hi:

[Lilicat]

164. Thanks for the warm welcome

I'm a long-time lurker, but I'm shy. I feel as though I know a lot of you already! I delight in the creativity and cerebral discourse here - and it's helped get me thru the last 8 long years. (Yikes! What will we do after Obama is elected?)

Frank Schaeffer's books arrived yesterday (Amazon is amazing. I place the order and the doorbell rings. Practically.) Good reading ahead.

Love and light to all DUers.

Lilicat the subversive librarian

[graywarrior]

140. Great interview, sfexpat2000! You rawk the house!

I love his Obama needs to win to show America at it's finest. I seriously believe that's what a lot of others are feeling too. It's the number one reason I want him to win this.

Thanks for posting. Made my day.

[EFerrari]

145. Yes -- a lot of people want America to regain lost respect

in the world and lost civility at home. :hi:

[fedupinBushcountry]

144. Thanks for this sfexpat2000

I just ordered the book.

:kick:

[LuckyLib]

148. An interview is only as good as the questions. Yours were great!

What an insight into these crazies who have hijacked our government! Thanks! As always, DUers come through with something we can all learn from.

[OwnedByFerrets]

153. Kicked only since its too old to recommend any longer...nt

[EFerrari]

154. Thank you!

:)

[JerseygirlCT]

155. That's terrific, thank you! nt

[KoKo]

156. Thanks for going that "extra step"..."sfexpat2000" ...It is an EXCELLENT READ!

:toast:

[BlooInBloo]

157. I don't know who that guy is, but I like him already!

Nice interview!

And we're gonna WIN, by the way! :P

[EFerrari]

160. His dad was a rock star evangelist who hung out with all of those people

and who was a regular in Republican white houses starting with Ford! And Frank was the heir presumptive.

:hi:

[lavenderdiva]

159. I tried to Rec this thread-- but I'm too late!

Drat- Next best thing: kicking it! Thank you sfexpat2000, for sharing this terrific interview with us! Great questions, and very insightful answers from Mr. Schaeffer. I look forward to reading his book.... :hi:

[lisainmilo]

161. Another K&R, and would vote, but too late count as 136 Favs!

A very wise man, I hope his book takes off!

[Skittles]

162. OOH

that looks like great reading material

[mrreowwr_kittty]

163. K and R! Thanks much, sfexpat! nt