Posted on 11/29/2006 10:31:59 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The election results are a big smack upside the head to American evangelicals–a firm rebuke. Don’t explain them away or blame them on gays, the media and godless liberals. Yes, Ted Haggard had something to do with it. Maybe a lot to do with it. Most of all, he exposed our disgusting arrogance. And that’s OK. Let it launch some serious soul-searching in our midst. Bible Girl is here to help you through:
The American public is sympathetic to your values. But they’re also finely attuned to any evidence of arrogance and hypocrisy, which they’ll always reject.
--snip--
Turn your ear to the concerns of minority evangelicals, who have a different perspective on moral issues than you do. Give them a voice in your circles.
Black and Hispanic evangelicals–and there are millions of them–are with you on gay marriage and abortion. But they see other moral issues of equal importance: racism and prejudice; economic disparities; our treatment of immigrants. They’d like to see you apply your passion–your sense of Christian truth and justice–to those issues as well. Listen to them and try to get an understanding. Confront your own prejudice and deal with it for what it is: the sin of hatred. Accept that minority evangelicals generally view “compassionate conservatism” as a fraud. Many see President Bush as a decent man, but they believe Republicans as a whole have little concern for those on society’s margins.
Acknowledge what President Bush has done well in the eyes of most Americans–taking a stand against genocide in the Sudan; providing an unprecedented level of financial assistance in the fight against AIDS in Africa–and expand on that. Put your compassion on the ground.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasobserver.com ...
Evangelicals-or at least the social activists who call themselves conservative-should also be reminded that Americans are notoriously suspicious of nannystating in the name of morality or any other agenda. Something about the Constitution and that pesky personal freedom thing, I suppose.
I see we may need to sit out in 2008 also. If we are going to have liberals, we can damn well make sure they're democrats. The message will eventually get through.
That Harvey is a real trip.
Compromise values to get along? Sorry...No.
"But they see other moral issues of equal importance: racism and prejudice; economic disparities; our treatment of immigrants."
This is just a condescending POS article. I "see other moral issues" more important than the quoted list of drivel - how about the murder of 43 million babies because they were "inconvenient" - how about ridiculing everything Christian in movies and on TV (that's prejudice to me) - how about teaching people to work for a living and stop expecting me to pick up the tab while you lounge in front of your Sony playstation - how about closing the border and stop allowing ILLEGAL PEOPLE to cross over our borders and drain all our city and county and state funds paying for their housing, food, clothing, medical needs AND housing them as prisoners after they commit their crimes.
There's some real MORAL ISSUES - so this author can take a stiking hike!!
You're an idiot.
Sorry...No.
Politics and religion just don't mix. Unless you are a theocracy like those Islamic states.
I only read your excerpts, not the whole piece but let me see if I get this straight...
I'm an evangelical and I need to be more willing to accept people of other colors and beliefs. And I need to let the government take more of my money so they can give it to the poor folk? It's all my fault that the Republicans lost? Dang. Somebody pinch me. I'm GUILTY again - just for how I worship. I guess it's because of those snakes we kiss and dance around on Sunday.
Honey, Julie, you don't know what you're talking about. You, my dear, need to get your head right. Do not be taking my inventory sister. Do not tell me what or with whom my church is operating.
I share my pew with any other race or nationality that shares my beliefs, and I give way more than my share to the less fortunate. So get off my back and go look in the mirror - if you dare.
The efforts of social conservatives to legislate morality at a national level scare even me. Of course, I'm one of the small (l) libertarians in the GOP...so I'm probably considered a godless heathen.
The gay marriage initiative in Arizona this last election cycle didn't pass...probably because it didn't limit itself to gay marriage (something ALREADY against the law here). It outlawed any "partner" benefits outside of marriage, whether homo or hetero.
Frankly, I don't care if homos "marry" or if somebody wants to have 5 wives. It's a civil contract under civil law, regulated by the states. I also don't have a problem with the exclusion of religious expression in the schools, as long as it applies to ALL religions. I don't want to see a single penny of our tax dollars going to any religious endeavor and would support taking away tax-exempt status of churches...otherwise we'll soon be funding/subsidizing the Islamic Jihad.
I would also fight tooth and nail to prevent the government from restricting the practice of any religion, as long as said practice harms nobody.
PS:
I do not know, nor have I hardly heard of this Haggard dude. If he's one of those "help me pay the bills so I can preach" rip off artists, I don't consider him relevant.
No! It couldn't possibly be an electorate fed up with Republicans being pale shadows of Democrats.
I had not heard of him either.
Insane!
Confront your own prejudice and deal with it for what it is: the sin of hatred.I confess that I hate stupid canting moralizing editorialists who want to offer advice to evangelicals.
I sense they will leave social issues unsaid, or directly relegate them to the states.
What I percieve about social conservatives is that they are not reliable GOP voters...and many would vote dem if the dem was against abortion and gay marriage.
I'd wish I was wrong.
Very nicely put post. Thoughtful. I still think it is the right time for all people of Christian and Jewish faith to freely exercise their right to religious speech and to extol our Judeo/Christian heritage BOLDLY. Case after case is being shopped by activist courts and the Anti-Christian-Libertine-Union to silence people of conscience. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than the "Embarrassed believer". Say it loud, we pray and we're proud!
Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
What part of "the free exercise thereof" doesn't the Marxist left get?
The freedom of religious speech is the bedrock of liberty and the FIRST Amendment.
I laugh uproariously at the idea that social conservatism cost us this election. The dems ran a bunch of people claiming to be social conservatives and cleaned our clocks.
Hear hear!!!
How about rampant adultery?
Rampant immorality?
The assault on the family?
I think the reason evangelicals stayed home was that they perceived this administration, for all their promises, didn't deliver of the things that are, in fact, important to them.
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