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Frank Schaeffer

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A Question For the 73% of White Evangelicals Who Say They're Voting for Romney

Posted: 10/29/2012 8:16 am

According to polls 73 percent of WHITE evangelicals will be voting for Mitt Romney.

If the polls are correct here's the question I'd like to ask evangelicals using their own style of language/concerns/theological thinking as applied to their choice:


What's the explanation for the fact that WHITE American evangelicals made the allegedly philandering lying ignorant braggart lapsed Roman Catholic Dinesh D'Souza their anti-Obama hero, embrace a pro-choice Mormon bishop who promoted abortion and Planned Parenthood in MA, are working to elect a job-destroying tax-avoiding lying flip-flopping-tell-anyone-anything-they-want-to-hear Swiss bank account collecting draft dodger running with a disciple of the God-hating, Jesus-mocking hater-of-the-poor Ayn Rand, for their presidential candidate and look the other way as a crazed ultra-Zionist many Israeli Jews fear billionaire casino owner who is being investigated for allegedly making billions off the dirtiest Chinese gambling Communist Party-controlled outfit in the world funds the enterprise, at the very same time as Franklin Graham sold his ailing father Billy's soul and denied core evangelical theology by taking Mormonism off the Billy Graham organization's list of cults in order to help the Mormon pagan-ritual-performing, Trinity-denying, casino-money-grubbing billionaire-coddling, earth-destroying global-warming denying Mormon bishop win respectability for his dead-Jews-baptizing-polygamy-rooted-reality-denying-interplanetary Masonic lodge-embracing faith in an election against an exemplary modest faithful husband good father compassionate smart BLACK evangelical Christian President who's major accomplishments include saving the economy, ending a war, killing our greatest enemy, giving health care to children and the poor and the "least of these" and who has tried to reduce the number of abortions by helping women escape poverty in a reenactment of the lesson of the parable of the Good Samaritan?

Go figure.

Your thoughts please in the comment section...

Frank Schaeffer is a writer and author of many books including Crazy for God: How I Grew Up as One of the Elect, Helped Found the Religious Right, and Lived to Take All (or Almost All) of It Back .

 
 
 

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03:11 PM on 12/15/2012
Seems your analysis is still primarily skewed by your misopatrist tendencies, Frank. Clearly Romney was unable to marshall the Evangelical vote. Maybe Karl Rove and the other lame stream fat heads will get the message. Maybe not. Your endless rants notwithstanding, the evangelical conservative vote remains the king-making block under the GOP tent.

But let's set that aside and here's a guess at why thinking evangelicals would've supported a Mormon over a Socialist revolutionary. The twentieth century. That's the answer. In the 20th century socialism spawned more slaughter, slavery, suffering, oppression and war-mongering than all religions in all the rest of history combined. It particularly enslaved, imprisoned and executed Christians. Perhaps that history might have caused some Christians some concerns for the future of North America. Mormonism on the other hand arguably coerced (or cajoled) its members into long-lasting, loyal marriages (the one man and one woman kind), and these marriages produced stability, wealth and more than the average number of children. I can see how your new readership would be horrified and incensed by that. How outre. How intolerant. How so last century.

So that's my answer to your question. Here's a question I have for you, dear uncle. Why is it that so many historically Orthodox nations fell prey to oppressive communist totalitarian dictatorships? How does that historical fact impact the Orthodox perspective on public policy and governance today? Is the Orthodox voice not compromised by its collusion with oppression last century?
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12:04 PM on 12/15/2012
It appears that your focus, remains more a product of your hatred of your father than with reality. Most evangelicals I know couldn't vote for Romney in the end because of his Mormonism. I can sympathize but I looked at it differently. Mormon doctrine may be full of Christian heresy and plain untruth but compare the real world records of Mormonism to that of socialism, the soul of the Obama Nation. It doesn't take a whatever-you-called-him D'Souza to understand although I appreciate D'Souza's contributions to the public's grasp of the truth about their world. Socialism slaughters, starves, stirs up violent wars and oppresses (evidence: the entire 20th century with all its bloody socialist wars and dictatorships). Mormonism? let's see. Uh it forces people into loyal, long-lasting marriages that produce stability, wealth, and lots of children with moral fiber and social engagement. Ugh. How horrible. What a demon. We must demonize it.

Oh hey and since we're insulting church affiliations here. I've always wondered why so many historically Orthodox nations fell prey to horrifying communist dictatorships. Do you have any explanation for that? What does that historical fact say about the Orthodox perspective on public policy and government today? Isn't it fatally compromised by it's collaboration with dictatorship last century?
03:49 PM on 11/08/2012
Evangelicals will bemoan the slow death of their religion, not realizing that their political support exposes their lack of true belief. Churches are dwindling in attendance because they lack honesty and relevance in society, and clearly support leaders and ideologies that would make Christ take out his whip and turn over money lending tables. They claim that there is a war on Christianity, not realizing that they are the ones waging the war with their ideology. People chose to leave Christianity, not because of democrats or Atheists or Homosexuals, they leave because of disingenuous Christians.
06:01 PM on 11/07/2012
"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Mahatma Gandhi

It is not "name-calling" for Frank to ACCURATELY describe the behavior and attitudes of the people of whom he wrote. Of course, nobody likes wearing the shoe that fits when it's an ugly shoe.
07:33 AM on 11/07/2012
I fear the nature of evangelism is to believe something that can't be seen or touched. In that sense, I'm an evangelical since I believe and follow the teachings of Jesus. That does not extend however to the bogus run for president I have seen from the Republicans. They seem to have no moral center. I am and have always been an Obama supporter. It is so rare to find a politician of his good, good character and intellect. Keep in mind...the president can do a lot, but he can't control it all, especially when wingnuts run major elements of our semi-disfunctional government.
09:00 PM on 11/05/2012
A couple of months ago, Frank Schaffer vowed to stop the hateful rhetoric. And here, two months later--hateful, inflammatory name-calling. Almost half the country will always vote GOP because they generally hold to a political philosophy of small federal government. Skin color is irrelevant. Almost half the country will always vote Democrat because they generally hold to the opposing view. That's it...

What has discouraged me this election is the hateful and, quite frankly, juvenile rhetoric that has been taken to new lows. Romney is as moderate as they come--to depict him as some "right wing nut" is not only disingenuous, it is stupid.

So, if you think Obama has done a good job, vote for him. If you think Romney could do a better job, vote for him. Be a grown-up and vote on the issues. But if you buy into the mind-numbing, inflammatory, hateful rhetoric coming from the partisan talking-heads, you're no better than the sheep in "Animal Farm" that march in lock-step to the pig leadership and thoughtlessly repeat, "Four legs good! Two legs bad!"
11:34 PM on 11/06/2012
Problem is that Republican *actions* speak much louder than Republican words when it comes to reducing the size of government. They are fine with expanding government when it involves spying on American citizens and interfering with healthcare decisions, but not fine when it involves social spending or actually caring for the least among us.
12:18 AM on 11/07/2012
But that's an actual legitimate argument to make. My problem is the outrageous name-calling (i.e. woman-haters, homophobes, racists, fascists) that has gone on, regrettably, from Frank Schaeffer and others. Just because a candidate doesn't believe the government should force an employer to provide birth control in his insurance doesn't mean that person "hates women." Make the argument against that candidate, but don't descend into inflammatory, juvenile name-calling. That's what Frank does far too often. And that is a shame, because he's very insightful on many things, but I can't respect that kind of hateful rhetoric.
09:30 PM on 11/25/2012
I think Frank meant this in a satirical way.
Quote; I'd like to ask evangelicals using their own style of language/concerns/theological thinking as applied to their choice:

What was said about Romney seems to be pretty accurate from the amount of info one can find on him. Mitt may have change some since he's been Govenor. No I don't think he is a bad man!

From" Obama Wins: So Christians, Will It Be More Hate or Jesus? "

There's no reason that Christians can't distance ourselves from a political movement dedicated to willful ignorance. It's time to put following Jesus ahead of denying other people their basic human rights, their basic humanity and trying to win elections even when it costs your soul.
01:33 AM on 11/04/2012
Dear Mr. Schaeffer,please don't hold back.Say how you really feel.I was raised in the same milieu as you [more or less] and my 92 year old mother believes "they" want to take away our bibles and allow abortion to run rampant. The propaganda really works. Hucksterism is alive and well.Elmer Gantry will never die.
08:55 PM on 11/03/2012
Two Words: Nailed It!
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syrinx14
Grapes of Wrath page252
02:36 PM on 11/03/2012
You are correct Frank. That's the way my Tea Party Evangelical Family thinks and believes and talks to me. They also include sneers and eye rolls when they talk about the President of the United States or anyone who dares to disagree with them.

I love your run-on question.
02:56 PM on 11/02/2012
"an exemplary modest faithful husband good father compassionate smart BLACK evangelical Christian President"

Uh, that is NOT how WHITE evangelicals, in their own "style of language" would describe Obama. Not exemplary, certainly not modest, compassionate when it serves him, smart especially in his own mind and those of his slobbering syncophants, half-black and liberation-theology President, is more like it.
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chicagokt
Not tonight Helen I have a headache
01:14 PM on 11/02/2012
Evangelical is now a dirty word.
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honuart
Let's agree to disagree without the name-calling.
03:07 PM on 11/03/2012
Not as dirty as atheist or agnostic.
10:43 AM on 11/02/2012
Good list of accomplishments for Obama... except he's half black and I am offended to this day by deciding to lean on one half of his ethnicity. The other offensive thing is taking credit for ending the war in Iraq. He did not — he DID NOT — does no one READ? That was "contracted" — CONTRACTED and mandated in 2008! This administration simply didn't rebroker the deal. They left it in place. Was that a BAD decision? I don't think so. But however... quit taking credit! Ugh.

All that said... I really find Romney and Ryan to be about the two greasiest, unsavory characters I have ever seen. Slow-mow through the last debate and see of you want a president who pulls off facial expressions like those... and tell me how many of them don't look sinister.
11:53 PM on 11/01/2012
Evangelicals by their very nature have a distorted view of what is true. There is a tendency toward punitive action, blame, self righteousness, belief in mythology, denial of scientific facts, and often bigotry. The author's take is unfortunately right on.
01:15 AM on 11/06/2012
Sorry but I have never made judgement on any other person...That is GOD'S Job! So you need not worry about us, we have the daily job of keeping ourselves right with GOD! I could care less about all your dirty little empty insults because you have no authority over judgement of me or anyone else here on earth. Again Thats the job of our father in heaven. I Hope & pray for all of you Non believers to Find peace and true JOY in your empty Hearts. I will pray that whom ever wins this race Find GOD the LORD JESUS CHRIST and be Filled with the HOLY SPIRIT in leading our Nation. I'll truely be praying for you and your family as well! God Bless you all and our Country.
11:50 PM on 11/01/2012
Frank Schaeffer: SUPERB!!!
Thank you very much for a GREAT article; 5 STARS!!!
Please keep on writing...

Bravo, Frank!
07:45 PM on 11/01/2012
WOW-----