Senators Sex Scandal Points to Secret Church in Washington, D.C

Senator John Ensign of Nevada, Representative Chip Pickering of Mississippi, Governor John Sanford of South Carolina have the same problem as a lot of others have had in Congress. They got themselves involved in a sex scandal. What makes these guys different is they all retreated to an unassuming house in Washington, D.C. that describes itself as a church. Not a church for the masses but a very special church for a select few who are sworn to secrecy about it. It has been called the home of the Christian Mafia.

The church is alleged to cover up the misdeeds of politicians, make moral decisions for them and take care of the financial necessities of a sensitive problem. In Senator Ensigns case, it was paying off Cindy Hampton his mistress. The membership is almost all Republican with a few very right wing Democrats. The philosophy of the church is convoluted but essentially it is that the members are the "new chosen" who are destined to be the leaders in government and religion. It has been described as one of the most well connected fundamentalist groups in this country.

Unfortunately for Ensign and Sanford, their affairs brought the spotlight of the media upon the church and raised many questions as a result. Their philosophy of the leadership of the church is explained by saying a member must have a personal commitment to Jesus just like Hitler, Mao and Lenin required of their followers. There is only one way to get into this church, you have to be invited. They consider themselves "the new chosen" a secret, powerful religious group that wants to take over government and run it according to God. The church is comprised of many government officials, generals, foreign government leaders and even some pretty despicable dictators, all planning to rule according to the church. However, this church is not for the masses say leaders of the church. The Bible is for the masses, we operate by a different set of rules.

The members of this church truly believe they are the new chosen. They don't practice their religion like the rest of us, they believe they must practice their religious beliefs with those elitists of equal power. Members are expected to fully support their fellow members in all things. The problem is that voters expect their politicians to vote like their constituents want but the fundamental beliefs of the church is that the New Testament is about power. That power rests in the new chosen. Doug Coe, a church leader and former assistant to George Bush said the reference to Hitler was a metaphor for how he believe members should have a commitment to the church. He said that Christianity has it all wrong. Christianity should not focus on the poor, the weak and the oppressed, it should focus on the powerful and the elite. He said Osama Bin Laden wields tremendous power and we should too.

The church particularly dislikes groups like the Teamsters and Longshoremen. The would like to break all organized union activities and replace it with biblical based capitalism. Totally in secret, of course. While Senator Ensign and others have tried to keep their indiscretions quiet and new book about "The Family, The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power," by Jeff Sharlet has recently come out and exposes the inner workings of "the family" much to their dislike.