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Some Democrats Believe the Party Should Get Religion
New York Times ^ | November 17, 2004 | DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Posted on 11/16/2004 7:36:23 PM PST by AmericanMade1776

Bested by a Republican campaign emphasizing Christian faith, some Democrats are scrambling to shake off their secular image, stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left" and debating changes to how they approach the cultural flashpoints of same-sex marriage and abortion.

Some call the election a warning. "You can't have everybody who goes to church vote Republican; you just can't," Al From, founder of the Democratic Leadership Council, said last week at a forum on the election.

Religious traditionalists including Dr. Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the conservative Southern Baptist Convention, and Jim Wallis of the liberal evangelical group Sojourners say Democratic officials are calling them for advice on reaching conservative Christians. And they and some other theologically orthodox supporters of Mr. Bush say it may not take much for Democrats to make inroads among their constituency, if the party demonstrates a greater friendliness to religious beliefs and even modestly softens its support for abortion rights.

"It would not be hard," said the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, editor of the journal First Things and a conservative Catholic who has advised Mr. Bush on how to handle the issue of abortion.

But Democrats disagree about how to establish the party's spiritual credentials.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: dncplaybook; godgap; howtostealanelection; kerrydefeat; religiousleft; religiousvote
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To: Michael Barnes

The DNC already has a religion: socialism.


21 posted on 11/16/2004 7:51:10 PM PST by Paul Atreides
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To: broadsword

DEMS are willing to "get" whatever it takes to reclaim the traction they once had. You can't get religion if you don't know your own soul. The DEM party is full of souless, selfish people. They wouldn't know religion if it bowed down in front of them and rolled out the red carpet.


22 posted on 11/16/2004 7:51:23 PM PST by austinaero
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To: AmericanMade1776
Liberal can't talk the talk.

Here's what they'll do -- they'll redefine religion to support their existent beliefs.

They did the same thing with "patriotism". They redefined it to mean those who are willing to trash their county endlessly ("the highest form of patriotism is to criticize your county". It would be like saying the most loving wife is the one who criticizes her husband -- nonstop.

They'll redefine religion so it's a belief that backs gay marriage, works to take away second amendment rights, and is supportive of all liberal positions.

Good thing -- they're obvious to all...

23 posted on 11/16/2004 7:51:59 PM PST by GOPJ (M.Dowd...hits..like a bucket of vomit with Body Shop potpourri sprinked across the surface--Goldberg)
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To: Hotdog

Reverand Al Sharpton is another example.


24 posted on 11/16/2004 7:52:31 PM PST by AmericanMade1776
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To: CyberAnt

25 posted on 11/16/2004 7:53:49 PM PST by Right Brother
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To: AmericanMade1776
Bested by a Republican campaign emphasizing Christian faith, some Democrats are scrambling to shake off their secular image, stepping up efforts to organize the "religious left" and debating changes to how they approach the cultural flashpoints of same-sex marriage and abortion.

They just don't get it! Religion and morality are not synonymous words. President Bush won 2500+ counties, Kerry 500, all the counties that contain the large cities in the US. Kerry received 5 million votes from 500 counties, the same counties that give us ethnic congressmen and senators.

Morality is not 50% paying 95% of the taxes, EPA, EEOC, OSHA, The Dept of health, Government regulations, Allowing abortion without parental consent, Gay Marriage, Local regulations etc. and allowing immigrants who don't want our culture only our economic situation. Morality is the ability to distinguish right from wrong, in character and behavior not punishing success.

26 posted on 11/16/2004 7:54:50 PM PST by BIGZ
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To: AmericanMade1776

This does not mean sleeping with hookers dressed up like Catholic Girls.


27 posted on 11/16/2004 7:55:06 PM PST by Brimack34
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To: AmericanMade1776

It's just time to tweak the performance they put on to get more votes. What do the Dems believe anyway, does anyone know?


28 posted on 11/16/2004 7:55:23 PM PST by crop circles
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To: AmericanMade1776

"Jim Wallis of the liberal evangelical group Sojourners say Democratic officials are calling them for advice on reaching conservative Christians."

Laugh of the day. Asking Jim Wallis about "reaching conservative Christians" is like asking Tay-raza how to reach the common man.


29 posted on 11/16/2004 7:55:37 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: AmericanMade1776

If they get religion, they'll have to abandon the Democrat Party.


30 posted on 11/16/2004 7:56:02 PM PST by RBroadfoot
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To: AmericanMade1776

they need a clue before religion will do them much good.


31 posted on 11/16/2004 7:56:08 PM PST by smonk
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To: ETERNAL WARMING
LOL They must think we're morons if they think we won't know the difference.

Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and Saul Alinsky - "perception is reality".

32 posted on 11/16/2004 7:57:52 PM PST by tacticalogic ("Oh bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: valkyrieanne

Even athiest republicans RESPECT religion. The democrats' problem is not that we go to church and they don't; it's that they disrespect and mock religious institutions.

Nuns who care for drunk retarded homeless people are despised by the left. They think only the government should help those people, because churches will 'brainwash' them.


33 posted on 11/16/2004 7:59:08 PM PST by SteveMcKing
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To: AmericanMade1776

"Get" Religion?

Oh yeah, I'm just going to go running back to supporting the Party now! Hooray! They'll quote scripture, and may even manage to do so in context half the time! Yippee.

Fools.

Christianity is a spiritual conversion, not a political conversion.

Nor do Christians demand someone fake Christianity to receive their vote. They do demand they not be mocked, derided and basically driven from society. We do demand the foundation of our Judeo Christian culture not be whitewashed from history. We do demand the ability to practice our religion freely, and that includes having the right to pray in the oval office without being labeled a fanatic or having our right to pray in schools decided by a court.

No, the only thing these liberals are succeeding at doing is driving us closer to the Republican Party. If anything is worse than actively campaigning to remove all marks of Christianity from our Government and culture, it is practicing an insincere faith in hopes they can turn the Faith block into a sated special interest group useful only in elections.

My God is not Government and my Savior is not the Democratic Party. Democrats sold their soul for power, and in so doing have lost consideration for my vote for at least a generation.


34 posted on 11/16/2004 7:59:49 PM PST by Soul Seeker
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To: Landru

Man, you're really finding the examples of your morphing theory, of the left, aren't ya.

OK, I know, I know..."it's not a theory, it's fact"!

Hmmmmmm...maybe we should call it "Landru's Law" ?
;^D


35 posted on 11/16/2004 7:59:52 PM PST by FBD (BORK Specter)
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To: AmericanMade1776

Democrats will never fully understand Christian/Catholic and other religions, including "closet Christians" and those people who don't go to church but believe in God.

They can't be a democrat and still believe in abortion, gay marriage, and work to further limit religious freedom. THey also won't get anywhere with their name calling - religious zealots, homophobes, rednecks, Wal-Mart shoppers who voted for Bush. We will remember that when 2008 rolls around - I know I will.

I mean, look at the Boy Scouts - they're considered evil!

Democrats want people to think that the religious right has their moral values mixed up and that they don't care about the poor, the sick, the needy - that's where they're wrong. They work and donate their time as Missionaries, build schools in poor countries, donations for fuel funds, they visit hospitals, they put together Christmas packages - I don't even know what all else, but if the Dumbass DumbocRATS think all religious people care about is gay marriage and porno stars becoming role models for kids, they are wrong.


36 posted on 11/16/2004 7:59:53 PM PST by SeniorMoment
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To: AmericanMade1776

Are you telling that after spending hours in churches giving campaign speeches, the Democrats have yet to obtain any religion? Christianity should not be a religion. It is a way of life. It isn't something that you wear when it is convenient. It must stay with you all the time or you don't have it. The Dems don't understand this and they apparently never will.


37 posted on 11/16/2004 8:00:27 PM PST by Saltmeat
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Comment #38 Removed by Moderator

To: AmericanMade1776

"Our platform and the grass-roots strength of the party is pro-choice," said Elizabeth Cavendish, interim president of Naral Pro-Choice America. THE PARTY NEEDS MORE RELIGIOUS LANGUAGE, Ms. Cavendish said, BUT NOT NEW POSITIONS."

Abortion will be the demise of the leftwing 'rats. If they tried to compromise, the NARAL Furies would tear their eyes out.



39 posted on 11/16/2004 8:02:01 PM PST by hinckley buzzard
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To: AmericanMade1776

How exactly does one "get religion"?


40 posted on 11/16/2004 8:02:06 PM PST by beandog (Feeling Red in a Blue State)
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