And of course self-styled "conservatives" have a highly effective world wide net work of think tanks and "public relations" firms (that is professional liars) outfits to argue their case. As described by Sharon Beder in her classic book Global Spin, and also in This Little Kiddy went To Market.

By the way anyone who quotes Chesterton as an "authority" on anything, especially in the now quantum world of 2012, is just being intellectually, religiously and morally lazy.

Chesterton is also of course much favored by all of the usual right-wing Christian propagandists that infest the National Review, American Spectator, First Things, etc, etc.

Some people pretend that Chesterton was even in some sense a saint. Such a claim is of course absurd.
What lived example did Chesterton actually represent. In his later years he was a self-indulgent grossly overweight obese GLUTTON, possibly even an alcoholic. Obesity is of course the result of years of consistent self-indulgence. Which is to say he did not even any capacity to exercise the necessary self-discipline or practical intelligence to control what he put in his mouth.

How does one assess the authenticity of anyones religion and thus whether they are worthy of being listened to or taken as an authority on religious and cultural matters? Especially in the case of Chesterton.

What is the lived quality of their existence? What do they actually do in every area of their life? Do they look happy and healthy? Are they sane and balanced? Is their experience real and also profound and extraordinary or are just mumbling the usual true believers nonsense about "Jesus"? If so they must be doing something appropriate to be in such a good state.

But, in the case of both Chesterton, and more importantly, especially his now-time admirers, are they a bunch of crazy fanatical people who obviously have no profound or extraordinary experience, no clarity, no humanity, no love, no ability to inspect and therefore discipline and thus transcend themselves, then you can know with certainty that they are "religious" phonies. Such is of course the case with all of those who write and talk religion-speak at the National review, American Spectator, First Things etc etc.

If you are not bringing order to your life, if you are not becoming balanced and tranquil and more capable of existing in a higher, pleasurable state, then you are not practicing real religion. Because real religion is a Process of literally transforming the body-mind via love-surrender to the Living Divine Reality.

You will not even a smidgin of such evidence at any of the big "religious" talkers/promoters at the above outfits.