4. In 1979, the Moral Majority Was Formed
To help coalesce the growing movement of conservative Protestants and guide them into political action, in 1979, Jerry Falwell, along with others such as Tim LaHaye and Paul Weyrich, formed the Moral Majority. The Moral Majority was a political action committee that advocated political engagement among not only conservative Protestants but any conservatives who were concerned about the moral degradation of America. Its primary concern was ending abortion, but it also advocated legislation against homosexuality, pornography, and drugs. The Moral Majority proved to be remarkably successful; within just a few months of its inception, chapters could be found in all 50 states.
Despite criticisms of the movement, the Moral Majority proved to be influential in not only reshaping the Republican party but in reshaping national politics. For example, in Alaska, within six months of the Moral Majority’s establishment there, candidates supported by the Moral Majority overwhelmed the state’s Republican party. The movement’s state chapters espoused policies that Falwell himself disavowed, such as punishing homosexuals and openly discriminating against them for things like jobs and housing. They also tried to advocate for explicitly religious policies in public institutions, such as public schools and courthouses. However, Falwell tried to maintain that the Moral Majority was not a religious organization.
