The Changing Politics of Evangelicals
It is increasingly obvious that the unified front that the Religious Right once presented to the world is fractured and has fallen into a variety of pieces. Chuck Colson, one of the most intelligent and effective spokespersons for that powerful bloc of Evangelical voters that so faithfully delivered elections into the hands of the Republican Party, has been claiming otherwise. But with Pat Robertson endorsing Rudy Giuliani; most Southern Baptist leaders find their flag bearer in Mike Huckabee; Bob Jones, Jr. endorsing Matt Romey; and the late Jerry Falwell having blessed John McCain at the last graduation at his Liberty University; it is clear that the Religious Right has become fragmented in its political allegiances. Furthermore, all of Karl Rove's horses and Jim Dobson's men are not likely to be able to put that once unified bloc together again.
Perhaps, if Hillary Clinton gets the nod from the Democratic Party, this dynamic woman, often defined by "Christian radio" as a common enemy of the Religious Right, will bring the increasingly diverse segments of this conservative movement together for the general election. That is, of course, if someone other than Rudy Giuliani gets the nomination for the Republican Party. If Rudy gets the nomination, it is significant that Paul Wyrich, co-founder of the Heritage Foundation, has declared that he is likely to support Hillary, should she be the Democrat's nominee. He has said that Hillary, while not wanting to make abortions illegal, really wants to make them rare; while Rudy has lent support to pro-abortion advocates. Furthermore, while Hillary wants gays and lesbians to have legal rights that go with civil unions, she does not want to legitimate these unions as marriages. Rudy, on the other hand, when mayor of New York, supported legitimating gay marriage. Thus, Wyrich finds Hillary to be the most pro-family of the two.
While the Religious Right is politically fracturing on the one hand, politically progressive Evangelicals, on the other hand, are showing signs of becoming increasingly unified. If we consider Brian McLaren, a primary spokesperson for the Emerging Church movement; Jim Wallis of the Call to Renewal movement; Ron Sider of Evangelicals for Social Action; Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation; and Shane Clairborne of the Simple Way movement; we will find among these politically progressive leaders an increasing oneness. They are formally coming together under the designation of being Red Letter Christians. This is a label that they adopted from a secular Jewish country and western disc jockey in Nashville, Tennessee, who said, "You guys are into those red letters in the Bible."
Moving beyond the "hot button" issues of abortion and gay marriage (neither of which are referred to in the red letters of the New Testament), these politically progressive Evangelicals also advocate concerns for the environment, peace in Iraq, an end to religious persecution, and, especially, a commitment to end world poverty.
These Red Letter Christians are likely to play a significant role in the upcoming 2008 elections. For the most part, they show preferences for Clinton, Obama and Edwards over any of the candidates that the Republicans have to offer. While most Evangelicals will still go for Republican candidates, it is possible that Red Letter Christians will be able to peel away enough Evangelical votes to swing the next election.
Stay on the lookout for this new movement. It has a great appeal to a great many of the younger Evangelicals who, while still pro-life and questioning gay marriage, want to embrace the broader agenda espoused by Red Letter Christians.
These younger evangelicals may not necessarily vote Democratic, but they certainly are no longer safely in the pocket of the Republican Party. Instead, they are prone to declare with Red Letter Christians that Jesus is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. When asked about party affiliation, they are likely to say, "Cite the issue." On some issues they will go with one party and on some issues they will go with the other.
With that kind of flexibility, those Evangelicals who call themselves Red Letter Christians will be increasingly politically unpredictable. It is hard to say what the future holds, but this is probable--it won't be just like the past.
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Evangelicals who use the words of Paul to condemn gays, need to look at the Greek translation one of the earliest,and closest to the years Jesus and his Apostles lived. Greeks have VERY specific words for gay male lovers, they DON'T appear in the Greek scrolls. Greeks had an entire culture which had legally binding
contracts of dowery, and division of property to a surviving gay lover. Those words would have been used, if that's what was meant.
I have to wonder how expediant and shallow are the "VALUES" Pat Robertson expouses and uses to raise funds for his ministry (anti-choice, anti-gay), yet he endorsed Rudy Giuliani pro-choice, pro-gay. Makes it all seem just a lie, it also ruins Giuliani from getting ANY LGBT votes or gay-friendly and pro-choice votes, because it appears he promised Supreme Court Justice choices to BIGOTS.
Ron Paul is would then be the next logical choice for them. Yeah, I know, he has some shortcomings. But at least he isn't an Obama or Hillary, trying to talk tought about Iran and then saying they'd keep military bases in Iraq until who knows when. Dr. Paul is the by far the best option for "Red Letter Christians".
Changing politics of evangelicals is like
CHANGING DIAPERS... because they are so full of sh*t.
ABORTIONS AND GAY MARRIAGES SHOULD NOT BE THE REASONS WILL WE VOTE FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
These are not political issues but more social and moral.
We should be discussing:
HEALTHCARE
EDUCTION
THE ECONOMY
SOCIAL SECURITY
NATIONAL SECURITY
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
ADHERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
CLIMATE CHANGE
These are the issues we should be discussing.
The Christian right needs to focus on these issues so that all Americans vote for the best candidate and stop worrying about who snorted coke in high school!
Check out the documentary MARJOE made in 1972. Nothing has changed. These evangelicals have always been and will always be the dupes of cynical manipulators. When they surrender to God, they surrender their intuitions as well. They believe God is with them, so how could anything go wrong if they stick with their own? There is no other legacy for such credulousness except disappointment.
isnt it reasonable, regardless of party or church affiliation to use the response "cite the issue'?
The message I get from this:
Go Rudy!
Rudy for President!
(Never thought I'd be saying THAT!)
It's scary that the people who most need to get a grip on the concept of self fulfilling prophecy can't. They're trained to see the power and cause as outside themselves. They subject themselves to the LaHayes and the Haggards and the Bushes and the other snake oil salesmen who make them afraid and pose well as "daddy".
I wish today's fundamentalist Christian would pay more attention to Jesus' sermon on the Mount than he does a few, select passages in Leviticus
I wish today's Evangelical Christian would pray with all their hearts on this:
"The Kingdom of Heaven is within thee. His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be not anxious. Seek ye first His Kingdom. Everything will be added unto thee"
-Jesus Christ
and realize that Heaven and Hell are within themselves.
Until they do, they'll follow madmen, idiots and thieves over cliffs in search of miracles or self fulfilled Armageddons on earth.
The Republicans have shown that they will never repeal Roe vs Wade. The abortion issue brings out a couple of million voters and so they use it every election year and they don't want to lose it and the law will never change. So who profits from abortion? Be honest. The Republicans are far more in favor of abortion than the Democrats.
By their fruits you shall know them.
When we allow the Rhetoric to taint the conversation- we effectively allow them to dominate the conversation.
PRO LIFE
Should not end at birth. Life is the kids, the poor, the elderly, the terminal, the disabled, the economic stability of the family (worker). It's helping in poor countries, normally and increasing during times of hardship ( environ, politiacl, economic..
PRO FAMILY VALUES
Every kid has parents who love and care for them. Every child has the opportunity to reach theri potential. Every family can afford a home, and the needs to sustain themselves. the elderly have a support system they can depend on as they age and become less abel to participate in the work force. they are given proper health care to assure they may stay as independent as possible for as long as possible. All medical advices are available for illness, diseases and disabilities. When the time comes, the persons wishes will be follow through with to reduce suffering and continued dignity.
We need to remind not only the Religious Right but people in general- We are the Shepherds of the World ordained by a god, but even more poignantly- Nature. Like it or not WE are in charge. and we have been given a gift that is meant to be passed on,in the best condition possible, so that it is passed on again and again and again.
Pro choice is not advocating abortion. We would rather encourage responsible parenthood. Using all birth control methods available- and making them available-free. Reduce unwanted pregancies and you reduce abortion.
Any responsible loving caring adult should have the chance to improve a childs life and future- married, single, gay, straight, asexual, trans .... there are sooo many children staving, living in poverty, dying of conditions that can be treated. We must give these children the chance to be all that they can be.
Let's face the truth, like it or not, religion and politics will always mix not only in this country but throughout the world as well. People who live and breathe religion cannot segregrate themselves from making a rational choice without conffering to their religion. Politicans will take advantage of religion sentiments to garner extra votes. It isn't a bad thing if all the religions seek common ground on good morals and judge their candidates by the same standard. It will be a big mistake if a person vote for the candidate because of his or her religion affiliation to the same religion. In such case a voter forfeit his right to use his brain but not the right to choose.
Evangelical "reverends" will vote for whichever politician they can MAKE A DEAL with. They are CORRUPT.
Yeah, well as far as I'm concerned, they can
all go evangelize themselves, Armageddon's
CANCELLED. I've read/seen about enough of
this right-wing Biblejesus stuff, there's
people in the good ol US of Ayyyyy who never
set foot in a Church, and that's with Good
Reason. If your life sucks, sure, you can
lie to yourself about it, and bask in the glory
of the religious propaganda you've been feeding
yourself, and let yourself get led around by
the nose, but bluntly spoken, you're bullshitting yourself, and that's putting it
nicely. When you die, and your pulse stops and
stuff, well, then they process you for burial,
they put you in a box, and everybody gathers
'round, then they drop the box, and dump a
couple yards of dirt on it, put a rock with
your name on it by the hole, then everyone
else goes home. No 'magic'. But hey, if it
makes you FEEL better to believe in the
invisible man, by all means, knock yourself
out. Just beware anyone that might be picking
your pocket and talking about Crusades etc...
Now that the Republicans have totally empowered the underbelly of our country, whether the conniving, amoral theives at the high end of the economic order and financial system, the cretinous monarchist pols down here among the great prison states of Dixieland, or the ex-con dope fiend prostitutes, grifters, and drunk televanagalists hustling the life savings and Social Security checks from grandmothers, broadcasting out of such enlightened locales as Tennessee, Arkansas, and Kentucky. We should not suck up to any fundamenta
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