D. James Kennedy Lets Political Organizing Slide

The Miami Herald is reporting that D. James Kennedy, one of the most vocal and visible theocrats in America, has decided to put more emphasis on expanding his media empire than on political organizing.

Here's a quote:

The Center for Reclaiming America, founded in 1996 as the political-action arm of the Rev. D. James Kennedy's Coral Ridge Ministries, once stood at the forefront of the fight to ban same-sex marriage, outlaw abortion and promote religion in schools and public life.

SCHIAVO CASE

The center helped rally Christian activists during the Terri Schiavo controversy, gathered thousands of signatures for a statewide referendum on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and sent 196,422 signatures to the U.S. Supreme Court urging the justices to uphold the ban on what is known as partial-birth abortion, which they did last month.

Advancing a conservative Christian agenda remains central to the ministry's mission, but the organization will deliver its message through its media channels rather than lobbying, said John Aman, a spokesman for Coral Ridge Ministries, which had $38 million in revenue in 2005.

"It is a shift in means but not ends," he said. "It's going back to doing what we're best at, which is creating media."

Kennedy is probably the most politically astute leader in the Religious Right. In my opinion, Kennedy's decision to let political organizing slide is a pragmatic decision regarding the best use of his time, energy and resources in the current political climate.

Unlike the Herald's reporter, I don't think Kennedy gives a hoot about what Joel Hunter and Rick Warren think.