The Immoral Majority: Why Evangelicals Chose Political Power Over Christian Values

Written by Ben Howe

Narrated by Marc William

Evangelicals are losing the culture war. What if it’s their fault?

In 2016, writer and filmmaker Ben Howe found himself disillusioned with the religious movement he’d always called home. In the pursuit of electoral victory, many American evangelicals embraced moral relativism and toxic partisanship.

Whatever happened to the Moral Majority, who headed to Washington in the ’80s to plant the flag of Christian values? Where were the Christian leaders that emerged from that movement and led the charge against Bill Clinton for his deception and unfaithfulness? Was all that a sham? Or have they just lost sight of why they wanted to win in the first place? From the 1980s scandals till today, evangelicals have often been caricatured as a congregation of judgmental and prudish rubes taken in by thundering pastors consumed with greed and lust for power. Did the critics have a point?

In The Immoral Majority, Howe—still a believer and still deeply conservative—analyzes and debunks the intellectual dishonesty and manipulative rhetoric which evangelical leaders use to convince Christians to toe the Republican Party line. He walks us through the history of the Christian Right, as well as the events of the last three decades which led to the current state of the conservative movement at large.

As long as evangelicals prioritize power over persuasion, Howe argues, their pews will be empty and their national influence will dwindle. If evangelicals hope to avoid cultural irrelevance going forward, it will mean valuing the eternal over the ephemeral, humility over ego, and resisting the seduction of political power, no matter the cost. The Immoral Majority demonstrates how the Religious Right is choosing the profits of this world at the cost of its soul—and why it’s not too late to change course.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Aug 13, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062891389

Ben Howe

Ben Howe is a writer, podcaster, and film - maker, as well as the founder of Howe Creative, a video production company. He has appeared as a commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, and has written guest columns for the Atlantic, the Washington Examiner, and the Daily Beast, among other publications. You can follow him on Twitter at @BenHowe

Reviews for The Immoral Majority

[Pam Atkinson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Timely and necessary audiobook regarding a crisis facing the Church at present. Although I don’t agree with everything the author espouses, the main theme is a critical call for Evangelical Christians to wake up to the danger their stand and support of immoral actions to produce “moral” change engenders and what those choices mean to the faith and to the furthering of the Gospel. Although there is a place for a Christian to be involved in politics, Jesus never intended politics to be the primary vehicle for change. If He had, he would have come as a political figure, not a humble servant. Politics have become the lazy man’s way for change rather than the harder but more correct way of sharing the Gospel and making disciples. There has been a grievous price paid for that decision. Anyone who claims this book was written by a Leftist is flat out wrong and despises important correction (although irreverent at times, Ben Howe is a Christian and a former concerned Republican). Highly recommend especially for those who really want to know truth and be challenged by it.

[Richard Mahn · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Giving two stars because even this author doesn't get the Law when it comes to homosexuality and human depravity and how it just as much as any other unholiness needs to be address by Christians without bending.

While this book does have hold some truth, the immorality we are facing is sexual immorality, as well as greed, lying, etc. Yet the beginning of the book normalizes the sexual immorality of homosexual acts, rather than showing such a person who commits homosexual acts needs to go from homosexuality to holy sexuality.

One isn't homosexual, he/she commits acts of homosexuality. One isn't really an adulterer, one commits acts of adultery...acts of fornication, murder, lying etc.

You can't say we must defend God's Law, or absolute morals, and then act as if homosexual acts aren't immoral, perversion against God's design, and hurt that person's eternity and relationship with God. Do we love such a person? Of course. They need the Gospel and to be Born Again and be Holy jus as much as me and the next guy or gal. Do we love Trump? Of course! Yet he is immoral as I assume many would attest to.

Homosexual acts, as well as murderous acts, as well as fornicating (sex outside of marriage) acts are immoral and we should NEVER normalize nor endorse them, as if that is just how a person is. I was a lying, fornicating, adulterous murderous man at heart, but I should never identify as such when in Christ. There is no such thing as a "gay Christian"...you must seek Holy Sexuality.

[Nicholas Thomas · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful examination. Great personal story as well. May God bless us all.

[Joan Lori Thomas Brohawn · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I cannot begin to imagine why suddenly now, with the strongest pro life and pro faith president we have had in this nation in a century, people of “faith“ demand he be exactly the type of Christian they deign him to be! We didn’t care where George Bush went to church. We certainly didn’t care where Ronald Reagan went to church! But now we’re going to denounce and attack a man who is strong with standing up for our religious freedom and everything we hold dear. Sheer stupidity! Having this book on here is a waste of good digital space.

[Angel Rogers · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

BS, bought and paid for propaganda!! Swamp Rats have no proper jobs, no real world usefulness. And thus they have to prostitute themselves out and do the dirty for whoever can pay their bills. The idiot who wrote this book on Christian values just got fired from the Lincoln Project (itself corrupt as hell!!) for, among other things, tweets that referred to his rivals as “twa*s” and “vaginas”!! But way to go Scribe for promoting this BS propaganda trash!!!

[ken Smith · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Written by a typical left who, like all of the liberal leftist mindset chooses to relegate a projected psychosis onto their enemy... They lost the election, they will lose the impeachment, and so they decide to denigrate Christians as the immoral all because of their dual hatred of Christ and Trump. Pathetic writing...

[Dax · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

More of the usual hate dogma. Sad how unselfaware some people are.

[bness2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A refreshing look at the reasons evangelicals have fallen so head over heels for Trump. A most sobering analysis of how they have essentially sold their morality to support an immoral leader simply because he has promised to pass laws and appoint judges that will further the causes evangelicals care most about. Interestingly, according to Howe (and he presents good supporting data) rank and file evangelicals seem to support Trump first for his apparent success with the economy and with the impression that he is making the country safer.

Although I likely disagree with the author on most of his political views, he is a right-wing conservative, I wholeheartedly agree with his assessment that right-wing evangelicals have wrongly become more nasty and less compassionate. In fact, compassion, according to most right-wing evangelicals seems to be viewed as a weakness, not a virtue.

I also disagree with some aspects of his assessment of liberals, although he is less harsh than most right-wing critics. I do think he is right about liberals, in part, and their use of political correctness as a way to silence of the opposition sometimes is a tool they use. I think liberals could learn a little from his assessments, but many of his characterizations of liberals should be taken with a grain of salt. I do appreciate that he recognizes the existence of liberal Christians that have been much more compassionate and often more civil than right-wing evangelicals.

I recommend this book to people from both ends of the political spectrum. It will likely anger many right-wing evangelicals, but it might help them see themselves better and their rampant hypocrisy. Liberal will also likely be angered by some parts of the book, but could likewise gain some insights about themselves if they can tamp down their anger and ponder some of what Howe says. If nothing else, Howe's message might help make a space for civil dialog across the ever deepening political divide.

[sheila1957 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A white male evangelical takes a look at the movement and why they chose to follow Donald Trump. This is a thought provoking book. I liked that Mr. Howe established his credentials then went on to explain the evangelical movement, thought process, and gave a solution. He covers a lot in this book. He is right that it is controversial but his arguments are sound as he leads us from the evangelicals of the 1980's through today. He is right that we all need to look at ourselves, whether evangelical or not, to see where we need to make corrections to the course of our lives to live as Christians in the devisive world of today and to follow the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, not our will.This is worthy reading for everyone.