Let's Not Try to Entice People into The Democratic Party Based on Their Religion

[MineralMan]

Instead, let's invite people into our party who believe in our political platform, regardless of their religious beliefs. Today, someone suggested that evangelical Christians might be good additions to the Democratic Party. That poorly defined category of Christianity contains a wide range of people, some of whom are already Democrats. However, it also contains a lot of people who want things not in line with our Democratic platform. So, let's use that platform when recruiting people, not vague religious descriptions. In fact, let's not use religious affiliation at all. For example:

If you would restrict a woman's right to manage her own reproductive choices, you do not belong in the Democratic Party.

Neither do you if you discriminate against LGBTQ people in any way.

Nor do you if you espouse any form of racism, ableism, or any other discriminatory -ism.

Nor are misogynists of any variety welcome into the Democratic Party. All people are equal.

Not antisemites, either, nor anti-Islamic bigots.

If you oppose labor unions, you are also not welcome.

If you think that people who need society's assistance should just "get a job," then we're not interested in you.

If you believe that people of other religions than yours or of no religion at all are second-class citizens, just go away.

It is not religion that matters. It is the platform of our party. If you do not agree with that, we are the wrong party for you.

Note: I posted a version of this in another thread this afternoon, but decided to make it an OP, as well.

[dalton99a]

1. Absolutely. Leave religion out of it.

[Nay]

2. Agree completely. nt

[Caliman73]

3. I agree

Democrats are the party of inclusion and openness. We have tolerance for differing viewpoints, but no tolerance for ideologies that seek to exclude and oppress.

[pangaia]

5. But MM's requirements don't look very open or inclusive.

Not that I would disagree with him.

[Caliman73]

9. I suspect you are saying that tongue in cheek.

Given your smiley.

Just because we don't want Nazis, people who want to subjugate women, oppress minorities, and create a Christian Theocracy, doesn't mean we aren't exclusive. It means that we will never agree with or advocate those policies so they should probably stick with the party that does, the Republicans.

[gratuitous]

4. If you believe in feeding the hungry, the Democrats are your party

If you think our citizens deserve affordable housing, the Democrats are far more closely aligned with your beliefs.

If you welcome the alien and the stranger, and believe that their needs are your obligation, vote Democratic.

If taking care of the sick is a bedrock tenet of your faith, come and see what the Democrats have done.

If building a society that seeks out and cares for the lost, your party is the Democrats.

[pecosbob]

6. The only people we hate more than the Romans are the f*cking Judean People's Front.

[malchickiwick]

8. Splitters!!

[OriginalGeek]

12. :)

[erronis]

7. But aren't many of these points tenets of some current religions?

Not that I know squat but:
- If you believe that people of other religions than yours or of no religion at all are second-class citizens, just go away.
This seems to be a basis for most of the major western/abrahamic religions.

- Not antisemites, either, nor anti-Islamic bigots.
Then what will bind these people together? They need something to jointly hate. Perhaps the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

- Nor are misogynists of any variety welcome into the Democratic Party. All people are equal.
How's that working for the Roman Catholics? Are the nuns well represented at the Vatican?

- If you oppose labor unions, you are also not welcome.
Well, I think all religions with vested personnel (cardinals, priests, pastors, alter/alter boys) are part of a union.
Maybe not different than investiture/tenure/indebtitude at a university.

Aren't most religions exclusive rather than inclusive? I can't imagine being invited into a holy place without knowing something about the traditions and cultures. Trump is different - he doesn't care about any belief system other than his own.

[MineralMan]

10. That's why we shouldn't use religion as any sort of criterion.

Instead, we should put our principles first and use them to attract those who agree with them.

[Wellstone ruled]

13. Something that I have noticed is,

we have or are seeing our Party starting to resemble the Dem party of late fifties and early sixties. Never once did we see,hear or have to listen for any Religious Dogma crap.

Are we there yet? Sure looking like we are getting there.

[MineralMan]

14. Well, the Christian Right has had a run of late.

Trump is closely aligned with it, or vice versa. The loudest voices are the ones who are angry about immigration, LGBTQ rights, abortion and other favorite targets. Trump's solid base is made up of that group, pretty much. While Trump, himself is really not a religious type, he aligns himself with the xenophobia, misogyny and racial prejudices of the fundamentalist Christians.

I think it's an uneasy relationship, but it has been strong enough to keep Trump in office for now.

That reactionary base is never going to swing in our direction, so we might as well be aggressively opposed to it. I want nothing to do with those people, and don't want them anywhere near our party.

We can, and should, I think go after moderate Republicans who don't hold those right-wing views. But the hard right Christian movement will always be our enemy, I'm sure. We should treat them as such, openly and loudly.

[Wellstone ruled]

15. We never thought about the so called

moral majority until the likes of Lee Attwater arrived on the scene. And with the Media trending to a few Wealthy Owners whom gave their allegiance to the GOP,this use of a Religious narrative in Politics helped drive a false Narrative of what was best for our Nation.

[MineralMan]

16. Yes, I think you're right.

I hope we can reverse the trend in 2020. Trump's outrageous behavior might just help.

[Wellstone ruled]

17. Figure I got at least one or maybe

two more Election fights left in me. And damn I plan on doing my part once again.

[erronis]

19. Interesting. It was right about the time of Atwater that the religious right was used as a cudgel.

Too bad the poor boy kicked his bucket without writing a tell-all.

[Wellstone ruled]

21. Understand there is some confessional

notes out there. He and his crew were the worst.

[Wounded Bear]

11. All the great world religions are based on one simple principle...

Don't be an asshole.- Read that on the internets somewhere.

The basic Democratic Party we should all ascribe to is just that. We don't really care about your religion, as long as you aren't being an asshole about it. Don't try to take over the party and turn into the Christian-Democratic Party, or the Islamo-Democratic Party, or any other weird thing one might come up with.

Politics needs to be secularized. Hell, our morality needs to be secularized. Let's work for what is truly good for the most people, and not try to say that some deity dictated what we need to do to achieve those goals.

[dalton99a]

18. +1

[erronis]

20. Yup - +1. Maybe even ban religion (except ours!)

[theophilus]

22. Absolutely!

Democrats should be all about love and doing good for others. We should not be judgmental or condemning. We should help all to realize their potential as we work together for the common good. We should accept all and appeal to all in a caring way....even to those who oppose us.


Having said that I will add that, done right (imo) this is what Christianity started out like. Let's leave religious names out of politics but let us embody "love your neighbor as you love yourself" and exemplify "do for others what you want done for you" when it comes to government. America has never done this things for ALL of its citizens. Now is the time to lead with love and good works for ALL. A shining city on a hill, indeed!

[McCamy Taylor]

23. Church and state typically unite for one reason--to declare Divine Mandate.

So, yeah, keep religion out of politics.

[lilactime]

24. THANK YOU.