Speaking in 2012 to a teleconference with activists from Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Coalition, Walker said his faith has enabled him to rise above the “vitriol, and the constant, ongoing hatred” during the recall election he faced in the wake of his anti-union legislation, which has crippled the state’s once-iconic labor movement. Along with the unmistakable contrast of his church-going family with the profane and progressive activists, Walker cited two Bible verses. He didn’t recite them, but for anyone who knows their Bible—as Walker, the son of a Baptist pastor, does—the meaning was clear. The verses that helped him withstand the hatred were Romans 16:20 (“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you”) and Isaiah 54:17 (“no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.”)
Should he run for president, Walker may very well turn out to be the 2016 cycle’s evangelical favorite—not because he ticks off a laundry list of culture war talking points, pledges fealty to a “Christian nation,” or because he’s made a show of praying publicly to curry political favor. Although by no means universal, some conservative evangelicals—those who eschew the fever swamps of talk radio, yet share the same political stances of the religious right—are weary of the old style of campaigning. They’re turned off by the culture war red meat, the dutiful but insincere orations of piety.
Emphasizing that ours is a “Christian nation” and pushing “hot button issues” as a style of campaigning has been detrimental to evangelicals, said Mary Jo Sharp, who teaches apologetics at Houston Baptist University and analyzes political campaigns as part of a class she teaches there. “It’s very difficult to hear” that kind of rhetoric, she said. “Christians are not supposed to be the dividers.”
Over the course of his political career in Wisconsin, Walker “hasn’t presented as any kind of culture warrior,” said Hunter Baker, Associate Professor of Political Science at Union University, a Southern Baptist school in Jackson, Tennessee. “One of the worst things that ever happened with conservative Christians,” said Baker, was that they “give in to a tribal impulse,” by questioning “are we getting the respect we perceive we once had, are we losing ground, we need to mobilize, we need to increase our force.” That, he added, “is a losing strategy. It gives people the sense you’re working from resentment.”.......
Wait. Wasn't that the whole point of the law?
These people complaining aren’t on the ground, in Indiana Citzens’ faces. They’re largely unsourced unidentified media blather and far away groups spewing queer hatred for Christianity.
For gosh sakes. Why give up before they are even physically at your doorstep instead of ceding to the electronic equivalent of a propaganda pamphlet drop.
No balls. That’s what the problem is. Too concerned about their image instead of standing for their convictions.
Pence will NEVER be more than he is now ... he is toast politically.
Pence should have doubled-down like Obola always does.
He's dead, Jim.
How about "Any business may refuse service to anyone at any time for any reason or no reason at all." instead.
What a coward. I’m surprised he didn’t cry.
I predicted he would cave, and in less than oneweek. Probably ensured his reelection.
Oh, no. I got the impression he had not buckled. I guess I was wrong.
The Left uses violence and intimidation.
That’s what happened here.
The Right thinks that a law is passed, that’s it, time to go home.
Our people should be on the streets in the face of the perverts and pedophiles.
Pence is just astonished that it came to this and now he’s whimpering. In Indiana they aren’t used to the tactic. But he and the rest of the non-deviant population need to get out there in Division Strength and shout down the Barbarians.
Because that’s who they are. They use street tactics and thuggery.
Can’t fold in the face of that. But Pence needs to know his people are behind him.
This wording makes little sense either since Indiana has no state law that bars LGBT discrimination.
This is a meltdown, Pence will say anything.
He has just ended any credibility he ever had with me, and I had thought (back around 2008-2010) that he might have Presidential qualities.
What’s really happening is the left is moving in for the final kill that will mean the end of the Christian influence on laws in this country.
This has been an odd debate because there has been little in the way of detailed explanation about just what the law would have done, and just what changes might be made.
He will pay for his cowardice. Maybe not today, maybe not next week, but he’ll get his someday.
WOW - I have no words for how easily this guy gave up.
Pence is cowardly GOPer slime. If he didn’t have the fortitude why didn’t he let someone from the legislature take up the cause here. Now that the MSM smells blood they won’t interview anyone other than this gutless wonder.
Time for Christians to boycott Indiana
Pence, like many others, is a coward.
Practicing homosexuals make up only about one or two percent of the population. So why in hell are so many of our “conservative leaders” so terrified of them?
This whole thing is the gay version of that whole media creation “Hands up don’t shoot”.