Conservative Columnist: "Religion Is Killing The Republican Party"

Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, who received piles of hate mail during the Presidential campaign for questioning Sarah Palin's credentials, has written a column for the Washington Post which also seems likely to court internecine criticism. The piece, entitled, "Giving Up on God," makes a sustained argument that the GOP's courting of the religious vote above all has led the party dangerously astray.

As Republicans sort out the reasons for their defeat, they likely will overlook or dismiss the gorilla in the pulpit.

Three little letters, great big problem: G-O-D.

I'm bathing in holy water as I type.

To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh.

Simply put: Armband religion is killing the Republican Party. And, the truth -- as long as we're setting ourselves free -- is that if one were to eavesdrop on private conversations among the party intelligentsia, one would hear precisely that.

Keep reading.

Comments

[Horus45]

These Zealots truly believe that the Rapture WILL happen in their lifetime!
Does not matter how many times and how many people have predicted that the Rapture was immanent in the past.
Entire factions have been born and collapsed in the meantime and still no rapture.
I'm all for believing, but no one should let it rule their life or try to rule others lives with religion.

[Triumphguy]

I agree with Kathleen. I have for many years voted Republican but the party has just abandoned me. For me the party should be focused on physically conservative principles and not God and abortion. I voted for Obama for two reasons. 1. Sarah Palin is a complete idiot and should not be allowed to be in the line for the Presidency of the US. 2. The party has been hijacked by the religious right and is doomed to failure because of this.

[Horus45]

You mean Fiscally Conservative and not Socially Conservative.

[GregJL]

Well, no...simply put, the horrors of the "on your own" and "brook no disobedience or dissent" conservative worldview is what is killing the republican party. Combined with the "take no prisoners", "you're either with us or against us", "the only good regulation is a DE-regulation" attitude, conservatives have managed to completely alienate every segment of society except for very rich white men. The days of not caring for your neighbor are over. The days of caring who your neighbor's spouse is are drawing near to a close also. There WILL be a celebration of love and devotion, of family, of the relationships that connect us all, in this country. So either crawl under a rock, or open your hearts and join us.

[TennysonKpohraror]

Christianity and Politics do not mix. Jesus Christ stayed out of Politics by saying Ceasar should be given what belongs to Ceasar, and God should be given what belongs to God. Of course, all things actually belong to God, so true Christianity will affect Politics not by seeking to directly affect/influence Government policies but by preaching the old time gospel of "repent or be damned" under the powerful influence of the Holy Ghost.

[ohiodem250]

When this campaign began and I was hunkered down in Iowa, Kathleen Parker's columns made me want to pull my hair out. But I slowly warmed to her. The moment I became a Kathleen Parker fan was last week's column, I believe, in which she wrote about being raised by a black nanny in the South. I know on the face of it that article might seems like the pretentious diary of a Southern debutante. It was a really touching piece, however. I would suggest the read.

It has been very interesting to read her columns throughout the campaign. Her columns show the main arc of the majority of disaffected Republicans. It seems, for many moderate conservatives, the picking of Sarah Palin was that cathartic moment that allowed them to express openly what they've been thinking since 2000.

[Tituba]

You cannot be more right if you were more right. I have never being a Republican and have no plans to become one; but I just cannot get what was the goal to achieve by choosing Sarah Palin. I will not call her a "hillbilly", because it would be an insult... for the hillbillies. She's an insult for the female gender. I refuse to believe that th vetting committee didn't notice she can't find Wasillah with a GPS. There are many educated, sophisticated women that could have DONE IT with no problems. Why Palin? Did you guys thought that to reak in females anything in a dress would do? We do not want running OUR country someone we'll never let run our money.

On killing the GOP, I don't think religion is what's killing it. Is more like Julius Caesar's death, all in the room stabbed him to death. Julius "GOP" Caesar" is been stabbed by their obsession with the religious "wrong", the economy handling, the 700B gift to Wall Street, the refusal to help the auto workers, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other knives, lies, disrespect to voters (Palin), lies, Bush and his gang, more lies, etc. Actually, the GOP died on November 4th. I just hope it'll reincarnate in a more open, less elitist, more humble, and less in love with wall street party. Also, more able to feel empathy and compassion. Our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and families are a good start..

[galinha]

She is spot on. Religious fanaticism coupled by hate and intolerance for anything different will slowly bury the Republican party. I wish they don't change and remain an opposition minority forever.

[protagonia]

"Religion Is Killing The Republican Party"??

Good. See? Religion IS doing God's work.

[PatMac]

Amen!

[dessertsfirst]

Republicans need to realize, along with the religious conservatives, that righteousness cannot be, nor should it be, legislated.
Pat Robertson, James Dobson, and all the other "voices" of the Christian conservatives need to get out of politics, and take their religion back to the churches where they can do the most good.
The republicans need to stop being the opposition party, and they need to focus on what is necessary to help get this country back on track. They need to convince us that they really care about the American people, and elevating the reputation of the USA on the world stage, while keeping jobs in this country. Instead, they seem to be more about being in power, and pandering not only to the religious right, but also the 3% richest people of this country, AND the lobbyists who pump millions of dollars into the legislative system to be sure that the lawmakers hear their positions. The common ordinary "joe" they were so fond of, is not heard because he/we have no monetary lobbying power.

[Hirnlego]

"However, on religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being.But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growingthroughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom.They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on aparticular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to bea moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C," and "D." Just who dothey think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism." [Barry Goldwater]

[duchessofbs]

The Assembly of God church in our neighborhood has a sign reading: Give God what is right
Not what is left
i was told it has something to do with tithing, but it certainly seems like a jab to me. Does anybody know?

[dessertsfirst]

What you heard about tithing really is probably what was meant here...
I think the irony about the "right" and the "left" was probably missed by whomever put the sign up.
That would be my best guess.

[tdbach]

It's about tthing. But it's a pretty funny, if inadvertant, pun.

[vjthedj]

This was the best article describing what is inherently wrong with GOP. People are voting because someone goes to church or is anti-abortion as no bearing on how they run the country. It took the country 8 years to realize. The majority of GOPers really need to see Bill Maher's Religilous.

[MagicalPossibilities]

I'm actually starting to like Kathleen. Come on over to the light, sweetie.

[hopefulinflorida]

Tax the churches, that solves the problem

[peacegurl48]

It is the way they "practice religion" : so devoid of love, forgiveness and acceptance. It is a religion with the teachings of Jesus removed so that you're left with fire and brimstone and an angry, narrow, vengeful God. The generic Christianity that belittles the world's other religions and spiritual paths.

Palin's campaign techniques were an example of these "Christian values" at work.