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Why I'm Rooting for the Religious Right
Opinion Journal ^ | May 5, 2005 | James Taranto

Posted on 05/04/2005 9:30:26 PM PDT by Unam Sanctam

I am not a Christian, or even a religious believer, and my opinions on social issues are decidedly middle-of-the-road. So why do I find myself rooting for the "religious right"? I suppose it is because I am put off by self-righteousness, closed-mindedness, and contempt for democracy and pluralism--all of which characterize the opposition to the religious right.

One can disagree with religious conservatives on abortion, gay rights, school prayer, creationism and any number of other issues, and still recognize that they have good reason to feel disfranchised. This isn't the same as the oft-heard complaint of "anti-Christian bigotry," which is at best imprecise, since American Christians are all over the map politically. But those who hold traditionalist views have been shut out of the democratic process by a series of court decisions that, based on constitutional reasoning ranging from plausible to ludicrous, declared the preferred policies of the secular left the law of the land.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: cary; religiousright; waronreligion
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To: kingattax
"Bush won reelection largely due to the massive turnout of Christian 'values' voters. i'm sure it would be difficult to argue that."

At FR, you'd find plenty political transvestites and RINOs who'd argue that very contention.

21 posted on 05/04/2005 10:07:53 PM PDT by F16Fighter
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To: bray

"Usually doesn't take that long for the religious bigots to arrive."

We disagree, that doesn't make me a bigot. Nor am I bashing Christians. Frankly, I'm all for Christians being Christians. As long as they don't try to make me be a Christian.


22 posted on 05/04/2005 10:09:08 PM PDT by New Orleans Slim
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To: bray
...and usually the Catholics and the Southern Baptists get it in the teeth.

Praying for W and Our Troops.

23 posted on 05/04/2005 10:11:15 PM PDT by Miss Behave ("It was wrong.")
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To: Kenny Bunkport
Morality.

Tough row to hoe bro. We are called Christians for a reason.

Mat 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Mat 5:10-12
10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.(Red letters indicate words spoken by Jesus Christ)

24 posted on 05/04/2005 10:11:20 PM PDT by bondserv (Alignment is critical! †)
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To: F16Fighter

ive run across many of them already i think :)


25 posted on 05/04/2005 10:12:04 PM PDT by kingattax
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To: Marie

"Actually, it was Tipper Gore who came up with warnings on music albums."

Yep. And I got at least one friend to vote Bush in 2000 by reminding him of that fact. That and the sometimes libertarian leanings of the Republicans. But groups like Focus on the Family are out to stamp out stuff they don't like on broadcast media. That is anti-market, and I don't see how anyone can claim to be conservative and be against the market.


26 posted on 05/04/2005 10:12:23 PM PDT by New Orleans Slim
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Conservative Christians have every right, if not an obligation, to make their views known. SOMEONE'S ideas will be the "law of the land" and all law reflects SOMEONE'S view of what is right and what is wrong.


27 posted on 05/04/2005 10:12:54 PM PDT by OldArmy94
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To: Unam Sanctam
"His views are thoughtful and enlightened; theirs are, as Mr. Frank describes them, a mindless "backlash.""

These self-righteous ideologues just can't stand it when the tide goes against them. They've had it their way too long and now when faced with the fact that people resent their judicially imposed secular ideas, they're resorting to rank ad-hominem and condescension.

For example, (see Drudge) the unruly student who was arrested for disorderly conduct after asking an insulting question to Ann Coulter at her University speech in Austin. These are just spoiled brats who childishly think the world should revolve around them and they throw disruptive tantrums when it doesn't.

28 posted on 05/04/2005 10:16:52 PM PDT by ThirstyMan
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To: New Orleans Slim

"The state has no business telling me how to have sex. None."

i couldn't agree with you more. we are the party of less government not more. that means the government should stay out of my personal business, especially in my own house!


29 posted on 05/04/2005 10:17:47 PM PDT by parmaright
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To: OldArmy94

"Conservative Christians have every right, if not an obligation, to make their views known. SOMEONE'S ideas will be the "law of the land" and all law reflects SOMEONE'S view of what is right and what is wrong."

I have no problem with people expressing their views. Christians (even the lefty ones) should be engaged in the marketplace of ideas (hey, that's what we are doing here). The country needs fewer laws, however, and those laws should not be subsidizing anybody's morality.

For instance, the criminal law should protect against violence and protect property - period. The FCC should be abolished and the frequency spectrum auctioned off.


30 posted on 05/04/2005 10:17:49 PM PDT by New Orleans Slim
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To: New Orleans Slim

"I'm all for Christians being Christians. As long as they don't try to make me be a Christian."

once again, right on brother. i'll fight to protect everyone's right to practice any religion they choose, and i'm not a believer. mutual respect is what's its all about.


31 posted on 05/04/2005 10:21:13 PM PDT by parmaright
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To: Unam Sanctam

He hit it from Fenway Park all the way to Dodger stadium. He must have read some of my posts on this very forum.


32 posted on 05/04/2005 10:22:53 PM PDT by Torie (Constrain rogue state courts; repeal your state constitution)
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To: jwalsh07

Have I cloned myself, that is the question.


33 posted on 05/04/2005 10:23:36 PM PDT by Torie (Constrain rogue state courts; repeal your state constitution)
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To: whereasandsoforth

Whereasandsoforth, it sounds like you're saying that a person has to be Christian in order to be moral and that's a dangerous belief. We don't want the U.S. to be a theocracy where one religion's take on the Bible (or other holy documents of your choice) is taken as law. By having a secular government and strong separation from Church and State, religions are protected from each other and we can all "just get along". And keep your religion out of my bedroom, please!


34 posted on 05/04/2005 10:23:40 PM PDT by Diesonne
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To: New Orleans Slim
I'd agree with you but we really don't have a free market system right now when it comes to media. The media companies are pretty much form a colluding oligopoly. One idea I have for my senor software engineering project is to create a distributed christian and family tv network based off of something like bittorrent for saved episodes and peercasting for live streams.
35 posted on 05/04/2005 10:25:02 PM PDT by bahblahbah
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To: parmaright; New Orleans Slim

Freedom OF religion.


36 posted on 05/04/2005 10:26:38 PM PDT by Miss Behave ("It was wrong.")
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To: New Orleans Slim

"For instance, the criminal law should protect against violence and protect property - period."

You know those are morality laws, right? Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not murder, thou shalt not bear false witness, ...


37 posted on 05/04/2005 10:27:31 PM PDT by dmanLA
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To: New Orleans Slim
"I have to say, I'm all for the sexual revolution. It's been pretty good to me. Let's let the marketplace of ideas sort out moral questions and attitudes without using the power of the state to shove ideas down people's throats."

It's been good for you has it? Glad you are happy.
What's at issue here though is the court imposed secular agenda, not your sexual freedoms.
The "sexual revolution" is using the power of the state. State power has been weilded to shove the radical gay agenda down the throats of young children.
And that's not "good" for them at all.

38 posted on 05/04/2005 10:27:49 PM PDT by ThirstyMan
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To: Unam Sanctam
James Taranto hits it right out of the park on this one, IMHO.

Yep he did.

Morality, which is a cornerstone of religious belief, is by itself a conviction which has made our country a great one.

Not religion in itself.

The "left" lacks moral conviction and religion has nothing to do with their lacking.

39 posted on 05/04/2005 10:31:29 PM PDT by EGPWS
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To: Unam Sanctam

Whoa!!! Somebody noticed! He nailed it.


40 posted on 05/04/2005 10:31:39 PM PDT by Wneighbor
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