Winter 2008 online edition
Mike Huckabee and Jimmy Carter
Demonstrate the Dangers of Selecting Political Leaders
from the Anti-Intellectual Branch of the Evangelical Christian Tree
by Michael Patrick Leahy
Mike Huckabee (left) and Jimmy Carter (right)
Images courtesy of Wikipedia
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Mike Huckabee, Jimmy Carter, Professor Mark Noll, and Billy Graham have this in common: they're all evangelical Christians. Huckabee and Carter belong to the coercively arrogant, self-righteous, anti-intellectual branch. Noll and Graham belong to the intellectually grounded, spiritually humble branch. While both branches recognize each other as brothers in Christ, followers of the anti-intellectual tradition have proven to be extraodinarily incompetent and disastrous leaders of American foreign policy. Jimmy Carter's Presidency, of course, set the high water mark for foreign policy incompetence, but based on a shared simplistic, selective Biblical literalism as a common basis of world views, we could expect that a Huckabee foreign policy would quickly exceed the Carter Administration's record of incompetence. The anti-intellectual branch is incapable of processing information that does not fit its narrow world view, and as a consequence, any political leader arising from this branch is bound to repeat the fool hardy mistakes that characterized the Carter Administration. Carter and Huckabee both view the world stage as simply an extension of the small faith community in which they grew up. They can only envision that leaders of other nations will behave in ways similar to the ways individuals within their small faith community behave. This brazenly ignorant assumption leads to miscalculation after miscalculation about the true capabilities and intent of the leaders of other nations. Professor Noll, a distinguished scholar now on the faculty at Notre Dame, defines an evangelical Christian as follows: "Evangelicals usually stress conversion to Jesus Christ. Evangelicals stress the authority of the Bible as their chief religious authority. Evangelicals are activists in some area of life, principally in trying to share the good news about Jesus. And evangelicals stress the death of Christ and his resurrection as the key, central Christian teaching." So far, so good. Interestingly, nowhere in Noll's definition do we see that affiliation with any particular political party is a requirement. Noll goes on to observe the diversity within the Evangelical Christian community: "The diversity of evangelical Christianity is extreme. Evangelicals would include people with no time for higher education, and a full roster of Ph.D.s, M.D.s, L.L.D.s. Evangelical Christians would be at home in some urban areas. There would be many concentrations of evangelical Christians in small towns and rural America and main city America. The concentration geographically of evangelicals is in the South and the Midwest, but there remain very strong concentrations of evangelicals also on both coasts and, of course, evangelical Christianity in the United States is related to evangelical-type movements of many sorts that exist around the world." It's true that most Americans who define themselves as "Evangelical Christians" tend to be Republicans, but Jimmy Carter is a Democrat, and by most definitions Barak Obama, John Edwards, Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson could also probably lay claim to the "Evangelical Christian" label. Unlike the other candidates, who have had the good sense to make their campaigns about their policies, and not their faith, Huckabee has draped himself in the mantle of Evangelical Christianity. "Vote for me," he seems to be saying, "because among all the candidates only I am following God's Will for this country, and only I can bring this country back to Christ." The arrogance of such an approach makes all of us evangelical Christians who don't drink from the same fountain of anti-intellectualism cringe. But our discomfort at Huckabee's hubris is surpassed by our fear for the devastating consequences we can anticipate for our national security if he is selected to direct American foreign policy using only the tools of his narrow and uninformed world view. We need only look at the dozens of foreign policy missteps he has already made as a candidate. Here, in Huckabee's own words from his recent article in Foreign Affairs Magazine, we can see why his foreign policies would be disastrous: "The United States, as the world's only superpower, is less vulnerable to military defeat. But it is more vulnerable to the animosity of other countries. Much like a top high school student, if it is modest about its abilities and achievements, if it is generous in helping others, it is loved. But if it attempts to dominate others, it is despised. American foreign policy needs to change its tone and attitude, open up, and reach out. The Bush administration's arrogant bunker mentality has been counterproductive at home and abroad." That Huckabee views the world stage as merely an extension of the small little Christian community in which he grew up is clear from the reference to the "humble top high school student" whose purpose is to be loved, not despised. Huckabee must be reflecting back on his own humility when dealing with his less gifted high school colleagues. While it certainly may have made Huckabee popular and beloved in Hope, Arkansas, population 10,000, in the 1960's, the President of the United States should not form his foreign policy on his desire to be loved. If history shows us anything, it is that great nations must be feared and respected in order to maintain their greatness. The Christian philosophy of "turning the other cheek" may make an ambitious young man from Arkansas beloved and popular, but such a policy, followed in today's dangerous world, would lead to the trampling over such a country's national interest. The Romans had it right. "If you want peace, prepare for war." Ronald Reagan revised that philosophy to modern sensibilities. "Trust, but verify." Huckabee's criticism of the foreign policy of President Bush for "going it alone" shows a failure to develop an even cursory knowledge of the Bush Administration's foreign policy efforts that have been an ongoing effort to include even those allies with whom we are sometimes at odds. He goes on to admonish the administration for not treating our enemies nicely, citing his vast experience of dealing with neighborhood bullies in the small communities in which he grew up. He then "apologizes" for the assassination of Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan, subsequently calling for border guards to be "on the look out" for an increasing number of Pakistanis trying to cross illegally. One can only wait for future foreign policy crises to see the next faux pas he will commit. Huckabee's arrogant ignorance is completely consistent with the Jimmy Carter School of Anti-Intellectual Evangelical Christianity. Lack of space limits us in the listing of his foreign policy blunders, but the two most egregious highlights are more than enough to warn us off a second Carter Administration presided over by Governor Huckabee: (1) He forced the Shah of Iran out of power, citing "human rights abuses", failing to comprehend the capabilities and far greater threats posed by the Islamists waiting in the wings. Carter's simple minded and ill advised destruction of the Shah is probably the single most significant factor in the worldwide rise of the Islamist threat today. (2) He handed over the Panama Canal, a key element of our own national security, first to the Panamanian Government, which in turn gave control to a Chinese company. Governor Huckabee has been criticized recently for his continued acceptance of $25,000 speaking fees while he campaigns. Unlike other candidates, who are already wealthy, Huckabee has to earn his way as he goes. I don't share the critics' view that Huckabee's paid speaking engagements are a bad thing. On the contrary, they demonstrate God's plan for the ex-Governor. He is least dangerous to the country receiving speaking fees to groups in which the content of his speeches can be used for general personal inspiration. He is most dangerous to the country when he is able to act upon those policies he promotes. I say, let's keep Governor Huckabee off the campaign trail, where he can do real damage, and keep him on the paid speaking circuit, where he can inspire and amuse his audience, thereafter to be quickly and mercifully forgotten. Michael Patrick Leahy is the author of Letter to an Atheist, and co-author of the soon to be released Abrahamic Small Groups. He is an at-large delegate candidate in the Tennessee Republican Primary committed to Mitt Romney. Past issues - Print edition - Media Kit - About Christian Faith and Reason ©2007 Christian Faith and Reason
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