Posted on 03/29/2009 6:45:48 PM PDT by Big_Monkey
What drove evangelical multimillionaire Howard Ahmanson—the man behind Prop 8—away from the Republicans? It wasn't Sarah Palin. He talks to The Daily Beast’s Kathleen Parker.
Multimillionaire Howard Ahmanson, one of the nation’s top evangelical Christian philanthropists and one of three funders of Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, recently joined the Democratic Party. Although Ahmanson’s support for Prop 8 earned him critics on the left, his many philanthropic interests funded through his Fieldstead Institute are most often nonpartisan and nonpolitical, from AIDS prevention to public transportation. In an exclusive interview with columnist Kathleen Parker, he explains why he switched political affiliations and what he thinks of President Obama, and he speaks frankly about gays.
"I don’t think [I have any gay friends], but I would stand with them on my opinions. And I would be willing to tell them what I think they should do."
You are what most people would characterize as a far right Christian. What prompted you to join the “enemy” camp?
I’ve been part of the religious right and I don’t go to great lengths to hide that. I realize that a lot of people who feel as I do are in the socially conservative camp, as I am, but the Democratic Party in a place like California is so large and diverse that there are people of just about every opinion. The crusade for good things is, in the end, bipartisan.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
For you California Freepers, what gives with this guy? Is he losing his mind? He's claiming he left the party because he doesn't like the GOP's position on lower taxes - meaning he thinks taxes should be higher.
.....and nothing of value was lost.
Maybe he’s been inspired by the Christian Socialists of Europe. There are many, unfortunately, that view Christianity as an ideological catalyst for socialism/communism.
I get a little bit of that vibe from Rick Warren and Joel Osteen. I'm Catholic, but I get a little suspicious of some of these new-agey mega-churches.
If they don’t want me, they can find ways of purging me.
How?
I don’t know how the Democrats purge people. We’ll see how tolerant they really are.
Oh good grief!
He must be a complete idiot if can't recognize how intolerant Democrats really are.
Chaff from the wheat as far as I'm concerned.
As an "Evangelical" Christian, I whole-heartedly agree. I stay away from these types of churches.
I have to wonder how he became a “multimillionaire.” The boy doesn’t seem very bright to me.
Not a big deal. He just sold his soul to the devil. Just another victim of “liberal white guilt” that affects other rich, white DEms in Mexifornia.
Don't know him, and I didn't read the article.
However -- if this fellow is claiming that he is a Christian, and he joined the Democrat party because he disagrees with the GOP's position on lower taxes -- he's either a fraud, or very confused.
A Christian could support higher taxes and bigger government (I think they'd be wrong - and that they were setting up government as man's 'god' -- but I could agree to disagree on this point), but there is no way he could support a political party that supports homosexuality, pornography, abortion, racial and class warfare, and the other horsemen of the apocalypse that run in the Demonrat party...
I read he was born into wealth.
In any case, anyone who believes Californians are undertaxed MUST be a Democrat!
I can understand his frustration with the GOP spending money like drunken sailors but going to the Dems will not stop that at all.
That’s what I figured.
She's gone to the dark side...like Huffington did long ago.
Maybe the old man has just gone whack?
Maybe the guy got a midnight visit?
Maybe he's a senile old man?
I dunno...but none of it makes any sense...............
Maybe he left to get some conservatives elected stealthily through the Democratic Pary (DINOS???), anyway it couldn’t hurt as long as he doesn’t abandon his principles. Maybe it’s just a little bit of..’strategery’?
Maybe Parker's husband is a closeted homo just like Huffington's was.
It's got to be demoralizing when you husband leaves you for another woman. It has to be soul-crushing when you husband leaves you for his male lover.
I wouldn't know....
Evangelical Christian is a loose term used mostly
to identify the enemies of liberalim. Ahmanson
may be a philanthropist with the money he INHERITED,
but a man’s actions speak louder. I have a real
problem with anyone claiming to know Jesus Christ
through His Word who embraces the Democratic Party.
And if you read the comments, even the Independents and Democrats are confused by his “switch”. Now if Meghan McCain will just make the switch.... she liked Jindal, too. Is there something about Jindal that causes liberals and moderates to like him so much?
Claiming Ahmanson is an Evangelical Christian is
a deceptive move to lure other Biblically illiterate
believers further to the left.
(That’s really what I meant to say)
No great loss. Man sounds like a total idiot.
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