The Family

By: Jeff Sharlet

Narrated by: Jeremy Guskin

They insist they are just a group of friends, yet they funnel millions of dollars through tax-free corporations. They claim to disdain politics, but congressmen of both parties describe them as the most influential religious organization in Washington. They say they are not Christians, but simply believers.

Behind the scenes at every National Prayer Breakfast since 1953 has been the Family, an elite network dedicated to a religion of power for the powerful. Their goal is ""Jesus plus nothing."" Their method is backroom diplomacy. The Family is the startling story of how their faith—part free-market fundamentalism, part imperial ambition—has come to be interwoven with the affairs of nations around the world.

©2009 Jeff Sharlet; (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Very revealing and interesting.

The book is a must read for any modern day political science student. Excellent work!

Excellent Audiobook

I really enjoyed the entire audiobook and the narrator made the story easy to visualize

Confirms your worst nightmares about the church

If you want to know what's under the hood of America's political love affair with Jesus, you must read this book. Oh my God (pun intended)!

Very informative

I think everyone should give this a listen! It’s very interesting and I hope you don’t see it as a religious attack because that’s not what this is!

This will tell you what's ailing America!

Whew! As a result of this definitive study of fundamentalism I now have a new insight into why there have always been religious wars. Sharlet asserts that American Christian Fundamentalism is the singular most influential religious and political movement in the history of this country. It explains the rise of right wing conservatism in response to the era of the New Deal and the Fair Deal. In an all out war since the conclusion of the FDR/Truman years, Christian fundamentalism has sought to undo the Labor movement, social service networks, intellectualism and what they disdainfully name secular humanism to bring about the Kingdom of God, as defined by the movement. The writer did his homework in tracing the movement of radical fundamentalism from the founding preachers of the twenties/thirties to the modern politicians and mega church pastors who promote wealth and power as evidence of being blessed by their God. In the fundamentalist mind, America is the true promised land where their God will establish the perfect nation. Their concept of the manly Jesus is the lynchpin in all of this religious fervor, and the individual is the primary object of God's intent for His world. The craziness unfolds as the influence of this movement exerts itself — it would be hilarious if it weren't so serious. This is a must for anyone seeking to trace the regressive tendencies of modern conservatism as it seems to have evolved. Not an easy read, this book held me spellbound. The narrator performed spectacularly in his presentation, and after I recover from being shaken up by this work, I will listen to it again!