Economic developers brought religious right to Colorado Springs in the 1980's

[RandySF]

COLORADO SPRINGS— Stung by a real estate market that left shopping plazas and office buildings empty in the mid-80's, this city began to use its reputation for conservatism to tap a growing field of employment: evangelical Christian organizations.

In the view of economic developers, these were enterprises that could invigorate commerce without fouling the natural splendor here at the foot of Pikes Peak. And the religious groups believed they could fit comfortably in a community that prizes the conservative ethic.

But as Colorado Springs has become a center for the religious right, with more than 40 evangelical groups now based here, many residents are raising fears that the city is becoming a bastion of religious extremism and intolerance. Effect of Anti-Gay Statute

"The old conservatism of Colorado Springs was based on economics, rugged Western individualism, a leave-me-alone attitude," said Jean Matthews, 69, who has long been active in the Republican Party here. "But this is all moral issues. And if you don't agree with them, you're evil."


http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/14/us/rise-of-christian-right-splits-a-city.html

[rpannier]

1. I was stationed at Ft Carson in 91-3

I was amazed at how many little evangelical-fundie churches were in the town. Most had fairly small members, but combined they seemed to only be eclipsed in numbers by Ft Carson, Peterson AFB and the AFA
The Gazette Telegraph was a reichwing, rag back then
CS did have a really great art theater and bookstore near Colorado College - Poor Richards. I saw 'A Brief History of Time' and 'Where the Day Takes You there'

[AllyCat]

9. I saw Last a Temptation of Christ at Poor Richards back then. Turns out, some Church

Last edited Sun Nov 29, 2015, 11:31 AM - Edit history (1)

Owned the property the establishment rented and would not allow them to show the movie. The Unitarian (?) church down the street agreed to let them show it there. We had to buy the tickets there too as the fundie church wouldn't allow tickets for it to be sold at PR's either.

Lines to buy tickets snaked way down the block. Protestors showed up to harass those buying tickets. One guy was walking around lugging a 6-7 foot wooden cross yelling "They're killing our Christ!" I figured if showing a movie was enough to kill his puny Skyfriend, the ectoplasmic being was already done in. When he put his spit-addled face in mine, I told him his god was already dead and he freaked out, dragging all his crazy buddies to taunt me. Freaks.

Like I said down thread, I couldn't wait to leave CS.

On edit: yes, Unitarian. Photo of PP VP speaking there at a vigil yesterday.

[smirkymonkey]

2. My brother went to the Air Force Academy and came out of there as

a bit of christian nut, but I attributed that mainly to his AF academy christian nut girlfriend at the time. He has since come to his senses. Thank dog. Fortunately, no more christian nut cases in our family any more, but the streak runs deep in the AF. Some of his friends really creep me out.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. I was there back in 1985

for a couple weeks and I am still stunned at what I keep hearing has apparently happened to the place since then. The area is beautiful and back then I had heard that the conservative fever had swept Boulder (far to the north near Denver). I guess in order to attract year-round residents (versus the transient tourist and ski crowd), they chose to go full bore, and this article seems to suggest that.

Ironically, the "rugged (Western) individualism, leave-me-alone attitude" could describe rural New England as well.

[CurtEastPoint]

4. No mention of how Rev. (snort) Ted Haggard, preaching against the homo, was once found....

tugging his own pork and snorting meth with a male masseur/friend/whatever.

Goddamn hypocrites.

[Bluenorthwest]

5. The article if from 22 years ago. 1993. It most certainly mentions Haggard in his pre-scandal

days. The article, it is 22 years old. This makes it seem like you are going out of the way to talk about that when the article itself spends a great deal of time on the anti gay sentiments of the town and of Focus on the Family, Dobson's outfit.

Very telling.

[Laser102]

6. During the sixties and seventies my sisters and I used to take drives through Colorado Springs.

Nice little town with Manitou springs near by. Nice people, the Air Force Academy, etc. then it changed. You wouldn't believe religion could be so bat crap crazy. I stopped going there when some crazy right wing cow criticized my little sisters shorts and halter top. All four of us gave her a one finger wave. Place needs to be blown up and restarted.

[AlbertCat]

7. You wouldn't believe religion could be so bat crap crazy.

Why not?

Invisible unsleeping beings, talking animals, magic, genocide, human sacrifices, "us and them".....

[AllyCat]

8. I lived there from 1984-1989 and watched it happen

When I started college as a freshman, we were told by our RA in a dorm meeting that CS had the fourth highest assault rate in the nation. Weekly we would hear or know of someone being attacked. A friend was raped in broad daylight two blocks from my house walking home from class for lunch. I saw my first male victim of rape in the alley on my walk to the 7-11 at the end of my block. No one at the mini-mart would help him or call the police.

I hated living there. I was a conservative in my young voting career. The horrible actions of the people living in that town made me realize conservatives did not have a corner on the good-guy market. After only two months living there, my politics changed and I voted for Mondale in my first Presidential election. The economy was so screwed up when I graduated, we could not wait to leave.