Posted on 11/05/2008 11:33:08 AM PST by Alex Murphy
As readers of this blog know, I've been pushing the hypothesis that evangelicals in the Midwest were going to be shifting to Obama in ways that their co-religionists in other parts of the country, especially the South, were not. And lo and behold, yesterday's vote (see this great interactive map) more or less bears that out. Across the Midwest, where evangelicals tended to vote 3-1 for George W. Bush over John Kerry in 2004, they tended to vote only 2-1 for John McCain over Barack Obama yesterday. Meanwhile, in the South and what we call the Southern Crossroads, whereas in 2004 evangelicals voted 3-1 or better for Bush over Kerry, in most states they actually voted by greater margins for McCain over Obama.
Let's compare Indiana and Oklahoma. Hoosier evangelicals favored Bush by 77-22 but McCain by only 66-41. Oklahomans, by contrast, voted 77-23 for Bush and 77-22 for McCain. Midwest pickups for Obama included 11 points in Ohio, 13 in Michigan, 11 in Iowa, 11 in South Dakota, and 19 in Nebraska. But he lost one point in Alabama, five in Mississippi, three in Kentucky, five in Tennessee, eight in Louisiana, and five in Arkansas. There were some exceptions. In Missouri, which we include in the Southern Crossroads (but which has real Midwestern features), there was a 14-point shift to Obama. And in Kansas, which we include in the Midwest (but which has real Southern Crossroads features), there was a 2-point shift to McCain. Meanwhile, out West, there were significant shifts by evangelicals toward Obama in Oregon (15), Colorado (20), and Idaho (12). In the latter two states, however, the shift didn't even manage to bring the vote down to 3-1 levels.)
I haven't tried to do all the calculations, but one thing is clear. In Indiana's astonishing flip to blue, fully half the 21-point shift came from the evangelicals. The larger question has to do with explaining the overall bifurcation. The most likely explanation for what happened in the South and Southern Crossroads is the persistence of racial prejudice in those regions. It's also the case that this is where evangelicals are most heavily organized and mobilized as Republican partisans. But in the Midwest, there is Obama's identity as a Midwesterner, and the common Midwestern religious sensibility that he appealed to, to take into account. Not to belabor the point, but Obama's communitarian outlook is very much the Midwestern way--a point Andrew Walsh and I make in our new book, One Nation, Divisible: How Regional Religious Difference Shape American Politics. The book postulates that, led by the likes of Obama, we may be now be trading the Crossroads ethos of Bush and Company for a Midwestern one. As the book's last line reads: "If there is to be a new style of religious pluralism in America, there is something to be said for having it emerge from the Midwest."
I’ve said it before. You will be hard pressed to get me to believe that anyone professing to be a Christian that voted for BHO is actually a Christian, let alone an Evangelical.
Christians make poor decisions, and commit sin; it’s the human condition. The values that BHO holds, though, are so far removed from Biblical truths that there is no way I can believe that that casting a vote for him is nothing more than purposefully going against God’s will.
Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
What type of tree are those who profess Christianity, then voted for BHO?
First off, I don’t for a second believe that that many evangelicals voted for Barry S. The ones that did were probably emerging church/seeker friendly types.
I honestly give Christianity 50 years in the US.
In the Midwest there are not as many evangelicals as you would think. There is actually a larger number of Catholic and Lutherans, who are predominantly white and not usually lumped into the evangelical pool. Also, if I remember right, another story pointed out that McCain won huge among the Catholic vote, and I would believe he kicked but amongst the Lutherans also.
In the South and in the West the white evangelicals out number the black evangelicals by a very large amount. So it only makes sense that you will get a large portion of Midwestern evangelicals going for Obama, whereas the South and West evangelicals went big for McCain.
If you want to make a point, you can do it very easily when you omit information that does not help. This article omits key factors in its desire to say evangelicals voted for the "Anointed one". However as I pointed out the facts do not point beyond the the truth that again it is Black evangelicals who went for the communist.
Your generous. I give it less then one generation before we are targets of hate crimes that the state will overlook as in the days of Rome.
50 years? That’s very optimistic.
Lots of people call themselves Christians but do stupid things. W comes to mind. A wolf in sheep’s clothing?
See my tag line.
Folks have been saying that for centuries.
Christ will not abandon His Church. There will always be a remnant.
I believe he meant that Christianity as a respected protected segment of American society will be gone in 50 years.
As a Christian I actually think it will happen within the next generation or sooner. Just read the Scriptures and you will see that his point will be proven correct.
You are correct though when you say that Christ will never abandon His church, but the church going through a tribulation and being abandoned by Christ is two totally separate issues.
Please consider our Lords warnings before you think America will never persecute the Church or declare Christianity dead.
Mark 13:3-27
The Signs of the Times and the End of the Age
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"
5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, "I am He,' and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles.[1] These are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought[2] before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate[3] what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
The Great Tribulation
14 "So when you see the "abomination of desolation,'[4] spoken of by Daniel the prophet,[5] standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15 Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house. 16 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 17 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18 And pray that your flight may not be in winter. 19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be. 20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21 "Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!' or, "Look, He is there!' do not believe it. 22 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.
The Coming of the Son of Man
24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; 25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.
Take care friend
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