The amazing true story of the liberal evangelical: His mission to save the democrats

Boston Globe ^ | January 23, 2005 | Wen Stephenson

[Matchett-PI]

"Jesus NEVER told his followers to use governmental force to live out the Christian faith. I've heard this guy before and he is all for it." ~ keithtoo

This link will be of interest to some here:

The Religious Left - Who they are and what they believe - Dr. Ronald H. Nash, PhD.

http://www.kfuo.org/ie_main.htm has the audio of an interview with Ron Nash. Scroll down to October 11.

Here, also, is my letter to Bill O'Reilly back in October after he had Jim Wallis on his program:

Dear Mr. O'Reilly,

Please consider my pithy request to have Dr. Ronald H. Nash, PhD on your show for balance when you feature representatives from the religious left. (His credentials can be found here: http://www.biblicaltraining.org/classes/apologetics/frame.html)

I have many of his books, one of which is entitled, "Why The Left is Not Right - The Religious Left: Who They Are and What They Believe" [Zondervan, Grand Rapids Michigan - 1996].

In it, he examines the writings and work of three major figures who have shaped the current Religious Left scene: Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine; Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action; and Tony Campolo, professor of sociology at Eastern College.

If you're interested in granting my request, I think you'll be able to contact him at this email address: RonNsh@aol.com

As an aside, you may be interested in the comments I made in the thread I'm linking you to below [Please refresh your browser for the latest posts]:

Capitalist Ron Nash: "The New Face of Marxism - The Religious Left / Jim Wallis-Sojourners
Issues, Etc. ^ | Monday, October 11, 2004 | Ronald Nash, PhD
Posted on 10/22/2004 2:31:05 PM EDT by Matchett-PI
[snip]

"Since O'Reilly had a couple of guys on his program last night (10-21-04) from the Religious Left - one of whom was specifically referred to as being affiliated with Sojourners - the flagship magazine of the Religious Left - maybe we should request that he give equal time to a Capitalist like Ron Nash."
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1253703/posts?page=1#1

====

Thanks for considering my request.

Warm regards,
Name and Town

[Matchett-PI]

I'll be sending a letter to Wen Stephenson.

He is another one who appears to be on Jim Wallis' mailing list of talking points to use as they help Hillary and the rest of the DemocRATS use one of Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" - (the need to wrap themselves and their agenda in "morality") - as they lay the groundwork for getting their power back.

A couple of samples of the sort of letter I'll be writing:

Greetings, Mr. Pitts,

[Re your article below] If you're interested, you will find my comments about your subject matter here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1275945/posts?page=67#67 (Refresh your browser.)

Where is the 'Christian left'?
The Miami Herald ^ | Nov. 09, 2004 | Leonard Pitts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1275945/posts
[snip]

Warm regards,
Name and Town

====

Greetings, Mr. Cooperman,

Regarding your article:
Liberal Christians Challenge 'Values Vote'
Washington Post | 10/10/04 | Alan Cooperman
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1276419/posts
[snip]

You will find my comments here if you're interested:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1276419/posts?page=18#18
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1276419/posts?page=19#19

Warm regards,
Name and Town

[JFK_Lib]

Thomas More the first Utopianist, coins the term:

http://www.d-holliday.com/tmore/socialism.htm


More's land lacks classes because everyone shares in the same work, everyone is equal, and everyone has the same rights. In Utopia there is an obligation for all to work a minimum of six hours everyday at whatever he is best at. All people spend time in the country working the land, as this is an agriculturally based society they must assure themselves of continued crop growth. In addition to creating the same conditions for everyone, this assures that they will have ample supplies to suppress the animal fear of want. All clothing is plain and simple, designed only for utility and practicality. More points out that if someone was dressed in 'finer' material, he would not be better protected against the cold, nor would he appear better dressed to the Utopians. In addition, to prevent any manner of ostentation, the Utopians exchange homes every ten years and eat together in mess halls. Hereditary distinctions do not exist because children are easily moved around from household to household, depending on which occupation he would like to learn. Since there is very little distinction in occupation, dress, lodging, riches, or use of free time, pride is almost non-existent in Utopia


http://www.newhumanist.com/md17.html


Communitarian Experiments

A few social visionaries experimented with religious socialism, others with secular socialism. Robert Owen, a Welshman, provides one of the more interesting examples by blaming religion for all of society's ills. Owen came from a Christian home and he believed his early heritage contributed much good to his character's development. In adulthood, however, Owen rejected Christianity as patently false. In his 1829 debate with Alexander Campbell, Owen tried to prove:

* that all religions of the world have originated in error;
* that they are directly opposed to the divine, unchanging laws of human nature;
* that they are necessarily the source of vice, disunion, and misery;
* that they are now the only obstacle to the formation of a society, over the earth, of intelligence, of charity in its most extended sense, and of sincerity and affection.

Owen also knew from firsthand experience English industrialism with all its social ills. He inherited a textile manufacturing firm from his father. By observation he concluded the industrial revolution dehumanized men. Determined to improve conditions through social experimentation, Owen envisioned a communal society which improved the human condition rather than degrading it. Since the United States offered a more promising field for such experimentation, he came here and purchased the entire village and surrounding countryside at New Harmony, Indiana.

After his purchase, he began gathering a community numbering several thousand. Owens's initial success caused him to predict he would soon empty Cincinnati. Europeans, hearing about New Harmony, came to Indiana searching for intellectual and moral freedom. Antagonisms soon arose between New Harmony's residents and the "native" Americans. Community morals degenerated so bad that New Harmony soon went into a tailspin leading to its demise. New Harmony still exists, a small town witnessing to one experiment's failure.

Charles Fourier (1772-1837) led a second communitarian experiment. A French socialist, Fourier began several socialist societies here in the United States. Fourier wanted to remove all of society's constraints and "start over." He tried to organize jobs in series determined by economics. These series then organized in alliances formed a Phalanx. When taken together, these structures would meet an entire community's economic needs. The agreeability of the job determined its pay. If the job "honored the community" the worker received honor but this did not necessarily imply financial reward. Fourier tried to eliminate all conflict thus harmonizing the universe. He expected his experiment to bring about societal and individual perfection. Fourier's communities numbered about 1,600 in communes of 5,000 acres. He began, but did not complete, an experiment at Brooke Farm. Fourier also promoted women's emancipation, marriage's abolition and complex sexual freedom.

John Humphrey Noyes (1811-1886) offers the last communitarian example. Noyes is a product of western revival. He studied theology at one time, a study which led him to conclude the millennium had arrived. His version of the millennium expressed itself in man's spiritual change, a spiritual change which allowed perfection. Noyes set out to establish a community "set on a hill." He hoped to create a sinless community. He felt the only way to end individual exploitation was to totally change society.

Noyes established Oneida, New York, as a communal society where everyone utilized their skills for everyone's benefit. All shared equally in its fruits as well. Oneida's fame came from silverware they produced for sale.

Noyes also established a system to free individuals from other types of exploitation. He tried a kind of sexual communism called "complex marriage." In Noyes' "complex marriage" everyone married everyone else. The community shared sexual partners freely although Noyes, himself, approved all coitus and who would bear children. He based his decisions on the candidate's spirituality and societal commitment. Perhaps this grew out of the fact that Noyes' wife suffered two miscarriages damaging her health. Noyes' guilt led him to try to meet sexual needs but also control those who bore children. The practical result, however, led to a society where sexuality ran out of control. The only birth control practiced was "coitus interruptus," a most ineffective method.

Social pressure caused Oneida to abandon their "complex marriage" in 1877. The community then fell apart in 1879 and reorganized as a joint stock company. As such it survived another 50 years.

[Matchett-PI]

Here is my letter to Mr. Stephenson:

Greetings Mr. Stephenson,

Your article gives the appearance that you are totally "amazed" that there is such a thing as a "liberal" evangelical. Are you really THAT far out of the loop, or just teasing us?

Surely you've heard of Hillary Clinton's mentor, Saul Alinsky. Surely you know that he cautioned his fellow radicals to wrap themselves and their agenda in "morality" (actually moral relativism) if they ever hoped to fool the middle class (their targets).

Surely you've heard of Barbara Olson who obtained a copy of Hillary Rodham's Wellesley College senior thesis - a document kept under lock and key since the 1992 elections - and quoted it in her book "Hell to Pay: The Unfolding Story of Hillary Rodham Clinton." http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1035840/posts?page=73#73

If you want to be "fair and balanced", I suggest you contact the gentleman who wrote this book, and write up an interview with him:

The Religious Left - Who they are and what they believe - Dr. Ronald H. Nash, PhD.
http://www.kfuo.org/ie_main.htm has the audio of an interview with Ron Nash. Scroll down to October 11.

In addition, if you're interested, you will find more of my comments on your article here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1327149/posts?page=21#21
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1327149/posts?page=22#22

The amazing true story of the liberal evangelical ...and his mission to save the democrats from themselves
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/01/23/the_amazing_true_story_of_the_liberal_evangelical/
By Wen Stephenson | January 23, 2005

Warm regards,
Name and Town bttt