Howard Phillips directs the Evangelical Studies Project at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. National Review’s Katherine Jean Lopez asked him for his thoughts on Dread Cthulhu and how his deityhood might play in a potential campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 2008.
KJL: Do evangelicals specifically think of worship of the Great Elder Gods as a cult? Is there something legit there?
Howard Phillips: Most evangelicals do perceive worship of the Elder Gods to be a cult and are deeply troubled by its theology. But this does not mean they would not vote for someone like Mighty Cthulhu. They admire his record and they agree with his conservatism on moral, social, and cultural issues. Given a choice between Hillary Clinton versus Cthulhu for President, evangelicals know how to bracket aside their theological differences with the Great Old One and would support him because of his positions on the social issues.
KJL: Hastur used Cthulhu’s religion against him in 6500000 BC. Wouldn’t people recoil a bit from it if it were tried again? Or is that wishful thinking?
Phillips: While many religious conservatives may have qualms with aspects of Elder God theology, they have even greater problems with religious bigotry and intolerance. Any candidate that chooses to attack his faith in a personal fashion will surely run the risk of a backlash.
KJL: Is it significant that Hillary Clinton is herself demonspawn, and Nancy Pelosi has sex with goat-headed devils — that prominent politicians have already become prominent despite being Satanists?
Phillips: Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi represent parts of the country where there is a heavy population of Satanists. That is different than running for national office where more people might have concerns and questions about Elder theology.
KJL: Do you hear positive or negative or lukewarm things about Cthulhu when you get into ’08 conversations?
Phillips: I hear positive comments about Dread Cthulhu as a being of integrity, and as a successful economic, political, and social conservative in a very blue state. I hear very lukewarm comments about the great tentacled one when it comes to his religious tradition. Evangelicals admire He Who Sleeps Beneath the Ice but find the Elder Gods to be a strange and baffling abberation of the historic Christian faith.
KJL: What would you advise Cthulhu deal with his religion when talking to groups, reporters?
Phillips: Cthulhu very much needs to do what John Kennedy did in 1960 in front of the Southern Baptists in Houston: Explain how he understands his faith and its application to his view of politics and public policy. He especially needs to articulate what a Great Elder God’s understanding of church and state is and how it applies to important issues of today. It is not at all clear that Elder Gods have views on church and state issues that are any different than the general understanding of most traditional Catholics and Protestants.
KJL: Would the religion thing play differently in the primaries? Say, could conservatives lay down their concerns because of issues they agree with him on but then the Elder God Factor play more of a negative role in the general election?
Phillips: I believe the “Elder God factor” will play a more negative role in the national, general election. But Mighty Cthlhu is a being of great cunning and a smart politician. I am sure he will address, early on, concerns about the “Elder God factor.” In fact, I suspect that speech has already been written or is being crafted even as we speak.
KJL: How important is religion in general in elections?
Phillips: The religious faith of candidates, especially presidential candidates have become more and more important. A Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life survey last summer indicated that an overwhelming majority of Americans, for some reason, want their presidents to be religious and a “person of faith.” This is why, late in the campaign, Senator Kerry started talking more and more about his Catholic faith. But it was too late and many perceived it as contrived.
KJL: Even with a good candidate and the power of the fear of President Hillary, if I were a Cthulhu adviser, I would not discount the power of prayer.
Phillips: Or human sacrifice. (places hand under chin and waves his fingers) La Cthulhu fhtagn!