The Most Dangerous Man in America?: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition [Paperback]

Rob Boston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

Televangelist Pat Robertson has built one of the most powerful religious-political movements in American history. His Christian Coalition - with its '700 Club' broadcasting fundamentalism tinged with right-wing politics to an audience of millions, its American Center for Law and Justice legal action group attempting to impose far-right Christian ideas via the courts, and the growing number of graduates from its Regents University - wields a mighty sword within the Republican party in at least 25 states while GOP national leaders and presidential hopefuls court its favour. Despite his power, many Americans are not aware of Robertson's extreme political views or his goals for the United States. This book examines the role Robertson plays in contemporary politics and his efforts to influence American society through his various political organisations, businesses, and broadcast empire.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Teflon televangelist" Pat Robertson, target of liberal ridicule, nevertheless has the Republican Party in a headlock, argues the author of this screed. Boston, a staffer at Americans United for Separation of Church and State and an editor at Church and State magazine, has set out to prove that Robertson remains both powerful and dangerous, despite his defeat in the 1988 Republican presidential primary and his apparent retreat from politics to make way for such younger religious-right leaders as Christian Coalition executive director Ralph Reed. Boston largely succeeds at this task, citing extreme Robertson statements along with evidence of campaign-law violations and shady business deals, to create a portrait of a man who holds views on a par with the wildest conspiracy theories of Louis Farrakhan, yet whose power to deliver votes prevents GOP leaders from criticizing him. Boston's writing is energetic, clear and laced with humor-although he sometimes engages in rhetorical overkill rather than let the evidence of Robertson's extremism speak for itself. Faced with a Robertson gem like "What is Hinduism but devil worship, ultimately?" who in Boston's audience really needs him to point out that Hinduism "most assuredly does not advocate worship of Satan"?
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Boston, affiliated with American United for Separation of Church and State, makes no attempt to conceal his animus toward Robertson and the Christian Coalition. He believes that Robertson has rebounded from his unsuccessful 1988 presidential bid and the concurrent TV evangelist scandals to an even more influential position than before. He portrays Robertson as two-faced, presenting himself as reasonable and moderate to the general media but making demagogic statements in his 700 Club broadcasts and books, which the secular media ignore. Boston diligently surveyed the broadcasts and literature, documenting numerous contradictions in Robertson's positions in the two forums. He also surveys the Christian Coalition's impact on the 1994 elections, with dire predictions for 1996. Only time will tell as to the accuracy of these predictions. For both lay and informed readers.?Richard S. Watts, San Bernardino Cty. Lib., Cal.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; First Edition edition (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573920533
• ISBN-13: 978-1573920537
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,330,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A genuine threat to freedom . . . believe it., June 12, 2000

By 

Jon (Casselberry, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Most Dangerous Man in America?: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition (Paperback)

This book brought my worst fears about this sick freak to light. It exposes the hypocrisy, intolerance, rhetoric, and just plain evil inherent in this pathetic excuse for a human being.

Boston's book is well written, and every piece of evidence he provides against Robertson is properly cited. It plainly outlines his goals for America, which include the overturning of vital court descisions like Roe vs. Wade and the 1962 school prayer descision. His main goal, however, is turning this great and free land of ours into a fundamentalist theocracy where most of the freedoms that we take for granted would be nothing more than memories. Robertson has come frighteningly close to realizing these goals. With the political juggernaut that is the "Christian" Coalition, he has been able to become a very powerful behind-the-scenes figure for the GOP and has the abilites to make or break candidates at many levels. All it would take is one or two new radical right-wing justices on the Supreme Court and you can kiss the wall between church and state goodbye.

This man must be stopped. Whether he thinks he is a "Man of God" or not, his goals and views are downright dangerous to this nation and to every person living in it. Do you like the fact that your kids can go to school and not be forced to pray to a God they might not believe in? Do you like the fact you are allowed to practice any religion you see fit without fear of persecution? Do you women who have had abortions appreciate the fact that it was none of the goverment's business? I hope so. Because if this man gets into power, none of freedoms will exist anymore.

Read this book. It is informative, to the point, and peels back the facade of that smiling face which conceals one of the greatest threats to our way of life.

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important Books Never Grow Old, March 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Most Dangerous Man in America?: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition (Paperback)

Pat Robertson remains one of the most important figures in the Republican party. Because this is so, Robert Boston's expose of Robertson and his multifaceted empire is must reading for anyone who aspires to political literacy in the the U.S. It is a logical companion work to Frederick Clarkson's Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy, which sets Robertson and his Christian Coalition in a wider context. Clarkson wrote the original expose of the Christian Coaltion in Church & State magazine, where Boston is an editor. Together thier work makes a powerful case that Robertson and the movement he epitomises is seriously erroding the consitutional separation of church and state. The result, they make clear, will be intereligious conflict as has never been seen on this continent.

69 of 93 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Evil Man in America, July 27, 1998

By 

Bryan Carey "Bryan Carey" (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Most Dangerous Man in America?: Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition (Paperback)

This writing by Rob Boston provides a detailed account of the hypocrisy, distortion, and manipulation used by Pat Robertson and his associates in their effort to take control of America. An important book for all to read, it explains the deceptive tactics used by this group to shove their political agenda on America and the rest of the world.

Mr. Robertson has one clear goal for America: a theocratic, oppressive regime. Anyone who disagrees with his views is labeled in a variety of ways, including communist, liberal, anti- god, anti- family, etc. His followers take extreme, hateful positions against women's rights advocates, affirmative action, and public education.

It is shocking to think that there are so many people out there who support these views. There are some followers of the Christian Coalition who clearly understand their positions on the issues and support them anyway. I think this represents a very small percentage. The majority of the groups follower! s do not really understand what is going on here. They have not heard the reversals on issues, the hypocrisy, the outright lies that are told by Pat Robertson. They assume that a so called "man of God" cannot do wrong. These blind loyalists could be converted against Robertson if only they would seek out the truth. Robertson's record of deception speaks for itself.

Pat Robertsons MUST be stopped now! We can no longer sit back and remain apathetic and naive. This group represents a very real, very dangerous threat to personal liberty and the American Way.

What I would like to personally say to Mr. Robertson is this: the next time you are having thoughts about accusations of satanism, devil worship, and unholiness, stop and come to your senses. The real antichrist is the man in the mirror!