In 2005 I linked to a Rolling Stone article on the Domionist movement in America, and James Kennedy, the leader of their evangelical crusade to take over the United States government. I’d remembered liking the article, but I hadn’t remembered, until reading a comment left on Sam’s site just now, that it mentioned Rich DeVos, the father of our Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan. (note: In the original post, I misidentified Rich as the candidate for Governor. They person running is his son, Dick DeVos.) Here’s the clip:

…While the dominionists rely on grass-roots activists to fight their battles, they are backed by some of America’s richest entrepreneurs. Amway founder Rich DeVos, a Kennedy ally who’s the leading Republican contender for governor of Michigan, has tossed more than $5 million into the collection plate…. And Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza, is a major source of cash for Focus on the Family, a megaministry working with Kennedy to eliminate all public schools.

The one-two punch of militant activists and big money has helped make the Dominionists a force in Washington, where a growing number of congressmen owe their elections to the machine. Kennedy has also created the Center for Christian Statesmanship, which trains elected officials to “more effectively share their faith in the public arena.” Speaking to the group, House Majority Whip Tom DeLay — a winner of Kennedy’s Distinguished Christian Statesman Award — called Bush’s faith-based initiatives “a great opportunity to bring God back into the public institutions of our country.”

The most vivid proof of the Christianizing of Capitol Hill comes at the final session of Reclaiming America. Rep. Walter Jones, a lanky congressman from North Carolina, gives a fire-and-brimstone speech that would have gotten him laughed out of Washington thirty years ago. In today’s climate, however, he’s got a chance of passing his pet project, the Houses of Worship Free Speech Restoration Act, which would permit ministers to endorse political candidates from their pulpits, effectively converting their tax-exempt churches into Republican campaign headquarters.

“America is under assault!” Jones thunders as his aides dash around the sanctuary snapping PR photos. “Everyone in America has the right to speak freely, except for those standing in the pulpits of our churches!” The amen chorus reaches a fever pitch. Hands fly heavenward. It’s one thing to hear such words from Dominionist leaders — but to this crowd, there’s nothing more thrilling than getting the gospel from a U.S. congressman. “You cannot have a strong nation that does not follow God,” Jones preaches, working up to a climactic, passionate plea for a biblical republic. “God, please — God, please — God, please — save America!”

So, it’s not just that DeVos runs a shady multi-level marketing operation, or that he’s promising to bring Intelligent Design into our classrooms (as was mentioned here yesterday), or even that he’s using his personal fortune to bankroll the likes of Katherine Harris, he and his father are also members of a fundamentalist sect conspiring to put our country under strictly-interpreted Biblical law… I’m not a huge fan of our incumbent governor, Jennifer Granholm, but I’m feeling pretty damned motivated to start working on her campaign.