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Shaken by the notion of a faith-based nation
The Baltimore ^ | November 10, 2004 | Diane Winston

Posted on 11/10/2004 4:07:46 PM PST by neverdem

THE PURITANS WON.

Just like the faithful who fled England some 350 years ago, voters placed their faith -- and government -- under God. Proving what conservative pundits claimed for the past year, the 2004 election showed that Americans care as much -- or more -- about the spiritual and moral health of the nation as they do about its social and economic well-being.

For those feeling as blue as the votes they cast, the lesson is clear: Religion and values are as much a part of the political calculus as tax cuts, health care and national defense. Political strategists are nothing if not quick studies, and we can expect that future candidates will add attention to ethical ideals and spiritual aspirations to politicking on governance and policy issues. For their part, journalists and pundits will need to become savvier about the questions they ask and the answers they report on religion's role in society.

The Bible tells us that without a vision, the people will perish, and with this election, the people -- evangelicals and their friends -- indicated that vision transcends mere peace and prosperity. In fact, President Bush's insistence on morality and ultimate meaning -- God continues to bless America -- won him a second term, despite problems in Iraq and a lagging economy. While many Democrats hold an equally robust religious world view -- albeit one that leads to a different set of social and political positions -- few expressed it with compelling directness.

The Democrats are ill-prepared for this new, faith-based world. With its diverse base and secular outlook, the party's image of tolerant open-mindedness is the mirror opposite of the Republicans' good-vs.-evil spiritual warfare perspective. Moreover, Democrats lack the support of an articulate religious leadership. Where are the moderate-to-progressive clergy proclaiming a theology of...

(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: antichristian; churchandstate; cluelessdemocrats; conservatism; hatespeech; immoralminority; leftwingextremists

1 posted on 11/10/2004 4:07:46 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem
" . . . the 2004 election showed that Americans care as much -- or more -- about the spiritual and moral health of the nation as they do about its social and economic well-being."

This is a false dichotomy - a spiritually sick society will probably have serious social and economic problems. Spiritually unwise behavior always costs a lot of money - costs for drug and alcohol treatment and related incarceration, costs related to broken families, costs related to sexual promiscuity, the costs of gambling, the social costs of crime - including white-collar crime - and so forth.
2 posted on 11/10/2004 4:13:06 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
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To: neverdem
This is just one more time that I am ashamed of the newspaper which provided me my first job, selling its papers in Ocean City, Maryland. Of course, there was a time one could have been very proud of the output of the Baltimore Sun, when H.L. Mencken graced its pages.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest, "Roosting Chickens, and Results of the 2004 Election"

3 posted on 11/10/2004 4:13:34 PM PST by Congressman Billybob (Visit: www.ArmorforCongress.com please.)
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To: neverdem

Well, here is a thought, maybe the Democrats shouldn't try to force the moral views of 20% of the country on the other 80% of it.


4 posted on 11/10/2004 4:14:29 PM PST by swilhelm73 (I voted for Bush. You're welcome.)
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To: neverdem

The Democrats can whine and complain all they want, but the fact is that this country is a Judeau-Christian country. Besides, the morality of this country has been brought out more with the Janet Jackson incident and Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ".


5 posted on 11/10/2004 4:14:38 PM PST by Angry Republican (yvan eht nioj!)
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To: neverdem
While many Democrats hold an equally robust religious world view -- albeit one that leads to a different set of social and political positions --

...like removing God from classrooms and the pledge and insisting one man's savage terrorist is another's freedom fighter...

6 posted on 11/10/2004 4:16:50 PM PST by Right_in_Virginia
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To: neverdem

"Democrats hold an equally robust religious world view..."

Yes, they are truly religious about their communism.


7 posted on 11/10/2004 4:16:58 PM PST by MisterRepublican ("I must go. I must be elusive.")
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To: neverdem
I think it's possitively incredible the way that liberals latch onto an MSM idea and run with it.

A number of factors resulted in Bush/Cheney being re-elected in 2004.

(1) MSM refusal to present both sides of the Swiftboat Vets charges against John Kerry. There were 5 million assorted military men and women in Vietnam. ALL of those people have relatives and friends. ALL of them know that their relative or friend is NOT a monster who committed attrocities in Vietnam.

John Kerry committed an attrocity in Vietnam when he killed the fleeing teenager. Did John transfere his guilt to everyone else?

2) Liberals have tried to ram their beliefs down our throats for years and years. We 'the people' are NOT obligated to adopt their beliefs whether we're evangelicals, Catholics, Jews, Protestants, etc.

3) People voted for Bush because they liked him better...

For petey sakes...get over it already...sheesh !!!
8 posted on 11/10/2004 4:29:35 PM PST by xtinct (I was the next door neighbor kid's imaginary friend.)
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To: neverdem

During the next four years, the Socialist Democrats will be sliding in next to us in the pews of our churches. They will be studying our religions and our way of worshipping. They will socialize with us, getting to know us, talking to us about all of the way we feel about life, love and what we believe to be in our mind our persuit of happiness.

They are going to do this for only one purpose, to gain power over us. They will go thru all of these masinations just to try to regain our trust. By twisting what they have learned about us with how and what they need to fo and say to convince us that they can be trusted to lead our country.

Know this; they will not change the direction in which they NOW want to take this country nor are they about to change their goals. We will even see Hildebeast get religion! Can you imagine Bill and Hill in church!! and claiming sincerety in their newly found religious beliefs!!

Their TREACHERY is so obvious, they have gone so far to the left it will take decades of proof in the reverseing of the laws and perversions that they have made us sub,it to and that has become synonomous with the Soicialist Democrats.

They only have onme goal!! Socialism!


9 posted on 11/10/2004 4:41:38 PM PST by 26lemoncharlie (Defending America)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: Great Prophet Zarquon

Hey! I LIKE that vision.


11 posted on 11/10/2004 4:51:42 PM PST by hoosierham
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To: Great Prophet Zarquon
It was a term I heard to describe the Jewish/Christian beliefs that this country has. If I spelled it wrong, I apologize.
12 posted on 11/10/2004 4:56:54 PM PST by Angry Republican (yvan eht nioj!)
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To: neverdem

Translation: Democrats in office will try harder to pretend that they have love and respect for God and his followers.


13 posted on 11/10/2004 4:58:46 PM PST by Tempest (Click on my name for a long list of press contacts)
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To: neverdem
THE PURITANS WON

Actually you can trace the ideals of New England style socialism to the Puritans. They basically threw out God, but kept their 'control-freak' attitudes.

14 posted on 11/10/2004 4:59:50 PM PST by Paul C. Jesup
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To: Congressman Billybob

Watch for Hillary to come dragging a bible so big she'll need wheels on it. The Dems will now all be quoting scripture trying to out-Christian the real Christians. It's going to be revolting enough to gag a maggot.


15 posted on 11/10/2004 6:12:06 PM PST by holyscroller (Actions speak louder than bumperstickers)
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To: neverdem

"The Bible tells us that" ... in that day there was no King in Israel and every man did what was right in his own eyes. Knowing that the reference relates godly spiritual guidance to 'King in Israel', it is quite clear that leftists liberals seek to do what is right in their eyes only ... how else could they shamelessly defend partial birth serial killing?


16 posted on 11/10/2004 6:17:35 PM PST by MHGinTN (If you can read this, you've had life support from someone. Promote life support for others.)
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To: Right_in_Virginia
While many Democrats hold an equally robust religious world view -- albeit one that leads to a different set of social and political positions --

...like removing God from classrooms and the pledge and insisting one man's savage terrorist is another's freedom fighter...

Yes, well said. Also the concept that men are their brother's keeper and in a sense owe free health care to all citizens, a helping hand to various minorities, and attempts to reduce merit systems to need systems. In short, the religion and ethical values of communism.

17 posted on 11/10/2004 6:28:50 PM PST by KC_for_Freedom (Sailing the highways of America, and loving it.)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

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