Obama Launching "Joshua Generation Project"

The Brody File has learned that in the next two weeks Barack Obama's campaign will unveil a major new program to attract younger Evangelicals and Catholics to their campaign.

It's called the "Joshua Generation Project." The name is based on the biblical story of how Joshua's generation led the Israelites into the Promised Land.

A source close to the Obama campaign tells The Brody File the following:

"The Joshua Generation project will be the Obama campaign's outreach to young people of faith. There's unprecedented energy and excitement for Obama among young evangelicals and Catholics. The Joshua Generation project will tap into that excitement and provide young people of faith opportunities to stand up for their values and move the campaign forward."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[desertdao]

Dumb Dora strikes again. Stop using all caps you idiot.

[DRaymond]

This isn't just a matter of Obama, There has been a rift forming in the evangelicals for the last several years. The use of the Joshua Generation is clever in that it is kind of insider lingo that does not directly disrespect the old-schoolers, since it is hard to be insulted by being the Moses generation!

But the reality is that Reagan-Bush-Bush was powered by a group of televangelists like Dobson and Robertson that decided that their route to maximum power was to be found in focusing on just a couple of issues they shared with conservative Republicans: Abortion, Gays, etc. The newer crew of evangelicals like Rick Warren sit at the helm of suburban megachurches and cash in on speaking tours and book sales. And their suburban audience is more broadly focused and includes issues of environmental stewardship and economic justice. The younger group of evangelical leaders sees power in not being automatic in their endorsement. They see the old alliance as being one-sided. After all what did the Repubs actually deliver on? How many decades have they been promising a constitutional ammendment on abortion?

[Donkihoti]

As another agnostic(and closet buddhist), but raised LDS, I have to commend Mr. Obama on this. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, he stated very clearly it was Love- and to love each other means not to kill, not to bear false witness(lying) and all the laws and the prophets...This aspect of Christianity is something we could sure use today in our country. It's also an aspect of just about all other religions. I see nothing wrong with using these moral guidelines to live your life, as long as the discipline stops at the end of the nose of the believer. Most sensible people reject the fairy tales of Intelligent Design and the thinly veiled hatred of others who are different that some religions/preachers espouse. Bringing them into the Obama camp is just another example of Obama's practical sensibility of the pluralist nature of our republic- no one should be excluded who respects the rights of others, regardless of their own beliefs.
it's just good common sense to appeal to the better angels in everyone.

[QD]

I am very upset about this. By creating a specifically Christian political coalition to further his campaign Obama makes it very clear that he considers Christians to be a more important voting block than any other religious affiliation. A presidential candidate needs to represent all of his or her constituents.

I guess lobbyists in his his campaign are fine if they are pushing a Christian agenda. Is there a Jewish outreach group? Buddhist? Hindu? Muslim? Pagan? Agnostic? Atheist? Why make a faith based group that is exclusively Christian as part of his campaign. I am very disappointed in him and will not be donating any further to his campaign.

[DebLee]

HuffPost's Pick

Reaching out to Christian youth does not mean they are more important. Outreach programs for specific demographics are a part of any campaign. If he reaches out to women does that mean he shouldn't be supported by men? By reaching out to veterans should he not then receive the support of those who never served in the military?

To give opportunity to become engaged to those who may not realize they are welcome, or may not realize how to engage within the workings of a campaign, should be commended, not criticized.

To use this as an excuse to not donate or support a candidate is saying he can only seek votes and involvement, offer hope and promise to those you personally recognize as valid? We are a nation of broad and vast ethnicity, faith, and heritage. All are welcome here. All. And personally, I want to support a visionary who recognizes that we do have differences, and it is our differences that make us stronger.

If you are an Obama supporter then you know that Barack Obama said "Given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

No one should feel left behind during this turning point in our nation's history. Have some faith in your candidate.

[ohmercy]

i have faith in Democracy, not a leader.
Having faith in a person is antithetical to Democracy and the Constitution.

Are you from the myobama HuffPo quick response team?

[K-Dog76]

QD,
I wouldn't be too upset. Its like having a Gay political coalition, would you be upset because it left out 8 or 9 out of ten people, right?

Its not that Christians are a more important voting block. Just a significant one thaqt actually makes up a substantial part of the Republican base. He's just fighting fire with fire.

I'm sure there are groups out there like Atheists for Obama etc... so contribute on. Or stay at home and not vote, since McCain is definitely going after Christian votes.

[macknn]

"I guess lobbyists in his his campaign are fine if they are pushing a Christian agenda. Is there a Jewish outreach group? Buddhist? Hindu? Muslim? Pagan? Agnostic? Atheist? Why make a faith based group that is exclusively Christian as part of his campaign. I am very disappointed in him and will not be donating any further to his campaign."

You must be one of these groups. Then, which group are you in? If so, don't you think he should reach out to you.

[RJII]

first go to Obama's website. second. if you want to start a certain faith based/non-faith based outreach group for Obama, then do it. the more the merrier, the more diversity the better. Let's keep the focus on noble causes, such as Darfur. Heck, it's an opportunity to get to knoow one another.

I hope people don't press the panic button.

[paganmist]

He has an outreach to just about every under-represented group on earth. Have you even been to his site? Af-Americans, Native Americans, Women, Youth, people of faith, Latinos, etcetera, etcetera. This country is made up of any number of identity groups, and they all ideally deserve representation.

But hey. If this is making you "no longer donate" to him (yeah, whatever), you weren't supportive of his message anyhow. In fact, I'm willing to bet you're either a PUMA member or a Republican.

Either way, you need to get back under your bridge.

[chic111]

I am sorry you feel that way. With all the talk that Obama is a "secret muslim" I think that he HAS to do something like this. I think he will be talking about his Christian faith more as the campaigns goes on. He has to do something to stop the gop slime machine and I think this is a great idea.

[piper1233]

THIS LEAVES NO DOUBT THAT TEAM OBAMA IS SERIOUS ABOUT ACHIEVING THEIR OBJECTIVE. I'M CONSISTENTLY IMPRESSED WITH THE MOVES AXELROD AND TEAM HAVE IMPLEMENTED. I STARTING TO BELIEVE IN THE BIG BLOWOUT THEORY.

[bdl0715]

This is exactly what he should be doing. Democrats should have been doing this for years. The republicans have tried to corner the market on Christians and it's time to let the Christians know, especially the younger ones that they are welcome in the Democratic party.

[merle7]

A conservative Christian activist is planning to sue Barack Obama"s campaign over the name of its ambitious new program aimed at evangelical and Catholic young people.

Michael Farris, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, told CNN his lawyers were sending the Obama campaign a cease-and-desist letter Monday afternoon asking them to stop calling the new effort, which debuts in two weeks, the "Joshua Generation Project."

Farris directs "Generation Joshua," which provided heavy grassroots assistance in key swing states for President Bush"s re-election effort in 2004. He also authored a 2005 book that included the words in its title.

OK OBAMA CAMP WHAT ABOUT "CALEB GENERATION PROJEC"T,EVEN THOUGH JOSHUA WAS THE OFFICIAL LEADER OF THE ISRAELITES, CALEB WAS JUST AS FAITFUL

[Evelyn]

Did Farris get permission from God to use the name Joshua in his campaign?

[HumeSkeptic]

He's probably say "yes".

[HumeSkeptic]

LOL. I just love these religious nuts. Now "Joshua" is copyrighted?

What is more interesting to me is that this idea is not new. Republicans used it to get evangelical vote.

Hmmmm!

[NoLove4HillaryAnymore]

I am excited about this outreach in our party. It might offend some to go all out biblical but if that is the only way to reach out those faith voter, so be it.

[daddydamon]

Wow, he's smart.

[SiberianRat]

I think it's great in one respect in that the underlying principles of Jesus' teachings are completely incompatible with the right-wing agenda--how they've hijacked it is beyond me. However, I do worry about the front/center role religion is playing these days in politics. The Founding Fathers thought it was a bad mix, and I agree.

[bdl0715]

As a Christian democrat, I take some issue with your statement. The Founding Fathers believed government should not get involved in church issues. They said nothing about church getting involved in government issues. This is one thing the democratic party has blown way out of proportion for years.

[paganmist]

It needs to be blown "out of proportion". This nation is no longer one nation under God.

Now it's one nation under God, Allah, Siddardtha, Xenu, Blue Bunnygod (my boyfriend's religion), and that one deity with the noodly appendages. Now it's one nation under whatever the heck you want, which is as it should be - if we're going to exemplify freedoms, we need to accept that people should be free to not be indoctrinated by or held slave to someone else's religion.

I am 100% okay with you living your life according to your religion's rules. If that's how you wish to teach your kids, I'm fine with that too. But my kid and I are kinda digging the whole pagany Earth thing, which doesn't mesh too well with your Christianity. And as a tax-paying citizen, I reserve my right to NOT be forced into your religion.

Church and government should remain far, far separate, to keep everything equal.

[LittleSanityLeft]

Separation of church and state is like the separation between oil and water. You can't very well say the oil is separated from the water but the water is not seperated from the oil. It just doesn't work that way. That being said there is nothing wrong with being guided by a moral compass born from religion. The problem becomes if you insist that moral judgment extends to, and directly effects, individual rights and freedoms or attempts to usurps high school science for dogmatic teachings.

[divemate]

The right wing always uses religion as a platform to gain power. It doesn.t matter what religion or what country. Once they obtain that power they always do things that are contradictory to Jesus's teachings and the religion they are supposed to represent.

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

This was my first thought, too. I am not a Christian. Neither are my two sons. It makes me extremely nervous to see politicians giving voice to a theology that is totally opposite to what I believe. Obama and all of the rest of them need to acknowledge that this country is made up of MANY religions with the belief that they will be free to pursue it without government influence.

[PhillyJack]

Just because Obama wants to include Christians in the movement of a party which for many years has been characterized as "anti-religious" doesn't mean Obama is going to discriminate against non Christians.

[onlinesavant]

I do understand your nervousness. However, I think one needs to understand that in a presidential campaign, you can do one of two things: Appeal to a certain subset to attract it to your side, or, to negate it. In this particular case, I do feel that the Obama campaign is sincere in "re-orienting" the young evangelical vote and co-opting it for this election and beyond to the Democratic side. I think if you pay attention to this project you will see that the Obama campaign will appeal to this group's sense of committment to public service and community involvement .And not by appealing to this group the same way that the Christian Coalition appealed to their parent's sense of moral arrogance.

[loax]

Faith matters to Obama. By continuing to reach out, I have no doubt he can reash millions.

[Camel54]

I'm glad to see throughout the comments there are so many who are willing and even excited to have evangelicals in the tent with us. I basically disagree with everything they hold most dear, but I'm convinced we can find middle-ground enough to make a real difference in the lives of billions. We will never agree on everything, but wouldn't it be great to accept that we need to fix the planet and provide everyone a chance to live a healthy life and then argue about the philosophical issues instead of wasting time while nothing gets done. I hope this project is successful not only as a campaign tactic but to accomplish a much higher purpose.

[KYSmiling]

I agree with you Camel, but I just can't help but to feel nervous. There are many religions and non-religions that each need to be respected by the US government. If this means others will not be forced to be indoctrinated into the Christian faith and is just a means to reach out and find our commonality then OK, but if not then I am truly scared.

[DebLee]

There is nothing to fear. Reaching out to a group does not mean that they will take over and govern the campaign. This is simply an opportunity to reach a group that their "own party" has overlooked. The right wing has twisted faith into something ugly and unrecognizable by most Christians. And... most Christians don't want to change a thing about you and yours. They simply, as you want to live in peace and worship as they choose.

The right has taken the extremists in the Christian ranks and given them a platform that we all should fear. I am a Christian, and I could never align myself with what they stand for.

So don't be afraid of this... Obama's own words "Given the increasing diversity of America's population, the dangers of sectarianism have never been greater. Whatever we once were, we are no longer just a Christian nation; we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers."

[tsloan]

http://www.generationjoshua.org

not sure if this will create a conflict?

Rumor has it that they may sue the Obama Campaign.....

http://cbn.com/CBNnews/389328.aspx

[edwarvir]

Just remove generation from the name of the project and adopt another.
Joshua is a Biblical name that belongs to all of us that believe in Bible

[HopeGirl]

Suing over a name is the Cristian way.