1. The Culture Wars "There is a religious war going on in our country for the soul of America. It is a cultural war, as critical to the kind of nation we will one day be as was the Cold War itself." – Pat Buchanan

2. Liberal Elites vs. Everyone William Bennett's The De-Valuing of America argues that the battle over our culture is being fought between the liberal elite and the rest of society The elite are "found among academics and intellectuals, in the literary world, in journals of political opinion, in Hollywood, in the artistic community, in mainline religious institutions, and in some quarters of the media.“ Bennett argues that these people reject traditional bourgeois emphasis on work, frugality, sexual restraint, and self-control.“ Elites portray a media aristocracy that votes as a block for liberal candidates and on issues like abortion, gay rights, and the environment.

3. Elites vs. Everyone In Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America, Hunter argues that there is an elite on both sides of the culture war: The "orthodox" group is committed to an external, definable, and transcendent authority. From an evangelical perspective this is the God of the Bible, a consistent and unchangeable measure of value, purpose, goodness, and identity. Hunter would also include Jews and others who hold to a definable, unchanging, absolute authority. The "progressives" are defined by the ideals of modernism, rationalism, and subjectivism. Truth is an unfolding reality rather than an unchanging revelation. Progressives often hold on to the religious heritage of the orthodox, but reinterpret its meaning for modern consumption. To love each other seems to mean allowing people do whatever is expedient in their lives.

4. The sides: Orthodox vs. Progressives

5. The Battlefields: Evolution The Big Bang Theory The Age of the Universe Theory of Relativity Women’s Rights, especially Abortion Sexuality Gay Rights Portrayals of Sex and Violence in the Media Judicial Activism School Prayer

6. Evolution The Progressive view - Life started from organic molecules naturally all by itself. Early life forms evolved into more complex forms. Man evolved from apes or monkeys. There no need for a God that created us. God becomes myth or superstition. The Orthodox view - God created life, and God created Man in his own image, with a mind, heart and soul. Man is set above the other animals because of these special traits that God gave us.

7. The Big Bang Theory Progressive View - The Universe started with the Big Bang, from empty space. Orthodox View - God Created the Universe and the unfolding of this creation may have been similar to the Big Bang event as described by science.

8. Theory of Relativity Progressive View – Based on Einstein’s theory, man decides what is wrong or right. What is wrong or right just depends on the society you live in. Conflicts can occur as different societies collide with different notions of right and wrong. Orthodox View - God has made the rules of what is right and wrong and are contained in the Bible and the Ten Commandments. All mankind is to follow these rules as God created everyone on Earth. Not following these rules may cause a harsh judgment to fall on you on Judgment Day, which will condemn you to eternity in Hell.

9. Women’s Rights Progressive View - Pro-Choice: Birth Control is a women's right to control her own life and own body. The secularist will deny that it is taking a life, because life does not begin until birth. Orthodox View - Pro- Life: Abortion is killing a human being as life begins at conception. Killing is condemned by God. Abortions promote an immoral society were sex outside of marriage is the norm. “I am pro choice, but I am not pro-abortion. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.” – Bill Clinton Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. - Pat Robertson

10. Sexuality The Progressive view - Sex is OK outside of marriage, with heterosexual or homosexual partners. The Orthodox Worldview - Sex is only morally correct between a married Man and Woman, as God intended it for procreation. Our society should not legalize sin, or we will feel the strong judgment of God in our country.

11. Gay Rights The Progresssive view - Homosexuality should be accepted and taught as normal. What goes on in privacy between two consulting adults is nobody else’s business, including the government. Gays should have equal rights as other members in society, including Same-Sex Marriage. Discrimination for sexual preference should be un-Constitutional. Sex is OK outside of marriage, with homosexual partners. The Orthodox view - Homosexuality is a sin as declared by God of the Bible. Marriage is only defined as a union between one Man and one Woman. Our society will be in grave danger of collapse if Homosexuality becomes an accepted norm by legalizing Same-Sex Marriage. Legalizing sin well bring the strong judgment of God in our country. “Gay marriage…is really of concern to a relatively small and unrepresentative number of us” Morris Fiorina: author “Culture War?”

12. Violence and Sex in the Media The Progressive View: The media denies its affect public opinion. It believes it lives in a free country and therefore has a first amendment freedom to print and show anything it pleases. The Orthodox View: The media has a strong influence on public opinion. The influence of the mainstream media pushes sex out of marriage, dulls our feelings to violence, and slants political viewpoints to the liberal left. The media often tries to denounce the Moral Majority who promote family values, thus the media push the public away from God and the Bible.

13. Judicial Activism Progressive View - People can use the courts to get the rights they can not get by the ballot box. The ACLU continuously brings cases to court in order to win new rights for certain groups, and to suppress the rights of other groups. They use the courts to make the new rules. Orthodox View - Judges should not legislate from the bench, that is the role of the Congress. Activist Judges step outside of their legal authority, thus upsetting the balance of power within the government. “Because the phrase ‘judicial activism’ is propaganda, it does not have a precise meaning, but is only intended as a criticism of so-called activist judges who allegedly misinterpret the U.S. Constitution.” – Ronald Stanler

14. Prayer in Schools The Progressive View: The first amendment prohibits government endorsement of a religion. Prayer in schools will officially endorse a religion, which could be exclusionary to the beliefs of others. The Orthodox View: Lack of school prayer has caused all sorts of moral lapses, and denies future generations grounded values. The 1 st amendment prohibits government actions, not those of the people. “As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in public schools.” - Radzicki

15. Those are the sides. And just in case you were wondering, each side represents about 20% of the population.