Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

When I first started referring to the execrable founder of Wallbuilders as The David Barton Traveling Medicine Show, I had no idea how far his act traveled. He had to go all the way to Ukraine to find an audience that wouldn't laugh him off the stage after his publishing debacle and his ignominious flirtation with electoral office. Warren Throckmorton caught Barton telling an audience of Ukrainian pastors that John Locke's Two Treatises of Government cite 1,500 Bible passages on civil government.

Hey, give the guy a break—he was only off by a factor of twelve! And it's not like he told them global warming is God's judgment on the world for abortion.

As I recently wrote in a debate over papal ninjas, there are limits to the overlap between religion and politics; some people seem to find them faster than others.


Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts

Related Articles