Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right

This pioneering book of investigative reporting and political analysis sits on the shelves of everyone who aspires to a baseline knowledge of the Christian Right and its history.More contemporary books by Rob Boston, Jean Hardisty and certainly Frederick Clarkson's Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy will get you into the subject in a more digestable form. Once having aquired a grasp of the subject, Spiritual Warfare will make alot more sense.

Diamond traces the history of the extreme Religious Right and its forays into international military actions and domestic suppression. The documentation in this book is thorough and reputable. Make no mistake, this book is not for everyone: she's writing for academians and is not aiming for entertainment. However, the book, at times, is riveting in its portrayal of how extreme Right Wing organizations (CBN, Moral Majority, Christian Coalition being examples) are set up with a facade of humanitarian aid while behind the exterior, they funnel massive amounts of money to foces not entirely aligned with Christianity (like the Contras). Admittedly, there are a few times when her opinion squeaks through the content but for the most part, the facts speak for themselves. I found it a great read.

An exhaustively researched and wittily written expose of the American fundamentalism and televangelism. Diamond exposes the crimes and follies of almost every major "Christian" leader, from Pat Robertson to Oral Roberts. Incredible journalism, and a shockingly entertaining read to boot.