Atlanta, Georgia
T he Buffett Evangelical Centre for Christ could seat fifteen thousand people and tonight it was packed. The choirmaster was warming up the audience with a booming rendition of ‘How Great Thou Art’, while backstage Jerry Buffett was making his final preparations.
Buffett appeared younger than his sixty years. Ruggedly good looking with a tanned face, blue eyes and a square, determined jaw, his personal hairdresser had been tasked with ensuring his dark hair held no hint of grey. His no-nonsense ‘all-American’ approach held wide appeal across the country, especially in the southern Bible belt. September 11 had seen the rise of the religious right in America and over five million Americans, including the President, tuned in to his weekly broadcasts.
The knock on the door of the well-appointed Dressing-room One was soft and respectful.
‘Five minutes, Reverend Buffett.’
‘Thank you.’ Jerry Buffett poured himself a bourbon. The CCN broadcast had unhinged him, momentarily. A triumph of Islam over Christianity would be a disaster for humankind and he would call the President in the morning. In the 2004 election hundreds of pastors from the Buffett Ministry had been instrumental in signing up hundreds of thousands of voters across the country, especially in the swing states of Florida, Ohio and West Virginia. That effort had kept the presidency in Christian hands and, to use the President’s own words, the capital was there to be spent. If the Omega Scroll existed it would be important to quietly retrieve it before the other side used it to their advantage. Jerry Buffett drained his glass and made some hasty amendments to his opening lines.
‘I have just seen a broadcast on CCN this evening,’ he began, in his deep southern drawl, ‘which has predicted the triumph of Islam over Christianity.’ The crowd fell silent, some shifting nervously in their seats. The events of September 11 had frightened many Americans.
‘You and I have kept a Christian President in the White House, and Islam will never triumph!’ Jerry Buffett paused to allow his emphasis to take effect. ‘Islam will never triumph over Christianity!’
The audience cheered wildly, some of them stamping their feet.
‘Islam is an evil religion!’ Buffett thundered. ‘God only withdrew His support from our people on September 11 because we turned our backs on Him! Islamic terrorism is a message from God! It is flourishing because we no longer allow the commandments in our courthouses. Our schools no longer have prayers or Bible readings, that’s why God has given up on America because we’ve given up on Him!’ Many in the audience nodded in agreement.
‘God Almighty is no longer protecting America because Americans are obsessed with wealth, sex and drugs.’ Jerry Buffett began to pace up and down the huge stage. ‘Homosexuality is an abomination in the sight of the Lord, yet some of us want to legalise same sex marriages,’ Buffett stormed.
Back at the lecturn he took his Bible in his right hand. ‘The husband is in charge of his wife,’ he said softly, ‘just as Christ is in charge of his Church. It’s right here in the book. And make no mistake,’ he continued, his voice rising again as he clenched his other hand into a fist, ‘just as the Almighty has sent the plague of AIDS against homosexuals, so there will be more terrorist attacks by the Muslims unless we turn back to the Lord!’
Jerry Buffett was greeted with another round of applause that rumbled loudly into the Atlanta night.