NYT: Evangelicals Blame Foley, Not the G.O.P.

[DeepModem Mom]

Evangelicals Blame Foley, Not the G.O.P.
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
Published: October 9, 2006

VIRGINIA BEACH, Oct. 7 — As word of Representative Mark Foley’s sexually explicit e-mail messages to former pages spread last week, Republican strategists worried — and Democrats hoped — that the sordid nature of the scandal would discourage conservative Christians from going to the polls.

But in dozens of interviews here in southeastern Virginia, a conservative Christian stronghold that is a battleground in races for the House and Senate, many said the episode only reinforced their reasons to vote for their two Republican incumbents in neck-and-neck re-election fights, Representative Thelma Drake and Senator George Allen.

“This is Foley’s lifestyle,” said Ron Gwaltney, a home builder, as he waited with his family outside a Christian rock concert last Thursday in Norfolk. “He tried to keep it quiet from his family and his voters. He is responsible for what he did. He is paying a price for what he did. I am not sure how much farther it needs to go.”

The Democratic Party is “the party that is tolerant of, maybe more so than Republicans, that lifestyle,” Mr. Gwaltney said, referring to homosexuality.

Most of the evangelical Christians interviewed said that so far they saw Mr. Foley’s behavior as a matter of personal morality, not institutional dysfunction.

All said the question of broader responsibility had quickly devolved into a storm of partisan charges and countercharges. And all insisted the episode would have little impact on their intentions to vote.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/09/us/politics/09conservatives.html?hp&ex=1160366400&en=0a8c742c5be6fc91&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Malikshah]

1. More proof that the "evangelicals" addressed in the article have

no idea what it is to be Christian, moral, religious, pious, humane.

[greccogirl]

17. This entire thing is only going to make

gays look worse, I'm afraid. And that's a shame.

[Demeter]

31. They Also Don't Know the Difference Between Criminal Behavior

with sexual predators preying on children, and a committed adult relationship, or even a transitory adult relationship, like Monica and Bill.

Their minds are closed. Their hearts are closed. They cannot recognize or deal with reality; they are intolerant, prejudiced, ignorant, and stubborn about it.

Natural selection is going to wipe them out (and the sooner, the better!)

[DaveinMD]

2. that's not

what the data is suggesting nationally.

[CatWoman]

4. it's Virginia

Virginia Beach even - "700 Club Country"

praise Alienne I got out of there long ago.

[DaveinMD]

11. I think

they likely talked to the more politically active. We are peeling off some evangelicals. Remember, just peeling off a few makes a huge difference in close elections.

[Tellurian]

23. As usual, the Evangelicals get it back wards..

As an organization, the GOP represents itself as the Party of Family Values.
Apparently, families, are at the bottom of their list of Values, hypocrisy and denial at the top.

[pinkpops]

3. These are those some of the people all of the time folks

that Mr. Lincoln was talking about.
And besides, this is a ho mo sex u al thang, and Foley was actually a Dem O crat.

[Erika]

7. Yes, Perkins said Foley was indicative of the left

LMAO

[LiberalFighter]

5. So it is okay for Republican Party to be more tolerant of pedophiles

Someone should had asked if he would allow his kids to be a page for anyone that the Republican know to be a pedophile?

How does he justify trusting an organization that would do that?

[whirlygigspin]

19. the world in black and white

don't try to use logic on this--true 'believers' don't act based on logic or fact, they rely on emotion and belief, everything is reduced to black or white, good or bad.
--If it were that life would be so simple.

In truth it's but a lazy man's vice
At best, a poor man's need

And it's George W's modus operandi. Just like people who go into battle believing their faith will make them bullet proof.

Your don't hear their story much because they all end up dead.

Sooner or later, and it seems later now for George W, reality comes crashing in usually in a very hard and unforgiving way--like a bullet into the imaginary 'impenetrable' field.

Blind faith may be comforting, but it sure as hell is short lived.

The rapture is here you say?

Oh yes it is baby, get ready...cause your gonna wake up in a totally different world, real soon.

You may think it's heaven or you may say it's hell--it all depends on how you see it.

If you only see darkness and live in hate and fear, you will probably find yourself in hell.

Let go of the darkness, free yourself from fear, heaven awaits.

[Erika]

6. The Religious Right institutions know they face loss of power

if they hold the party accountable. I got a message from Perkins at the Family Research Council. He said Foley was indicative of the left's attack on decency. What a spin.

They have loved that power and don't want to lose it.

Voters know differently.

[mac56]

8. I agree. The voters are smarter than the evangelists.

The Religious Right has way too much to lose when the Repugs are out of power.

[IndianaGreen]

9. What else can we expect from the "Jesus Camp" fanatics?

They want their Jesusland now, and they all believe that Bush is Gawd's anointed one.

People that reject reason can not be expected to behave rationally.

[progressivebydesign]

10. Typical. They blame the Dems for Clinton's affair,

and blame Foley for his pedophelia. Sounds about right. Do you have to be gray-matter challenged to be an evangelical? Or is it just a bonus?

[Demeter]

32. It's the Coverup--Enabling Foley to Go On Stalking Youth

He couldn't do it if the GOP did their job!

[Supersedeas]

34. Covering for Political Gain is A-OK; Covering personal guilt-unforgivable

Another twist on the Christian ethic of forgiveness.

[madmusic]

12. There's good news!

There's only 33% of them.

[kurth]

13. Fuck 'em

Brainwashed sanctimonious holier-than-thou zealots.

[Joe Bacon]

14. Sadly, many Christians are locked in to the GOP.

Doesn't matter what any Republican does, they will still vote for them and give money to them no matter what.

They don't have any desire to think.

[grytpype]

15. "Foley is a fag, Democrats love fags."

Evangelical Republicans are morons.

Any questions?

[aquart]

16. Then it's time for O'Donnell to tell what he knows about Denny.

And his roommate. He could barely keep it in this morning as it was.

The Evangelicals think it's the evil gays who do this........tell them the truth about the Republicans they revere.

[Erika]

18. I read that some gays stayed in the GOP for reasons

They hoped to change the party to accept gays as they got to know them.

[karlrschneider]

20. Yeah. Zebras tried that with lions 50000 years ago.

:eyes:

[Shakespeare]

21. They call that "compartmentalization."

And when Clinton was in office, they thought it was morally craven. Oh, how times change.

[w4rma]

22. This article doesn't make "Evangelicals" look very moral. (nt)

[jseankil]

24. They blame Foley for the GOP Coverup? /nm

nm

[rocktivity]

25. Candidate for this month's "You Call This NEWS?" award

What does his religion have do with it, anyway? Oh, I get it--since he's gay, he can't possibly be Christian. Never mind that a child predator is a child predator.

:headbang:
rocknation

[depakid]

26. Institutional dysfunction

is what this is all about- and the Democrats' repeated failures to nationalize their campaigns, paint Repblicans for what they are- and draw strong contrasts between the parites may yet come back to haunt them.

[Amonester]

27. Not surprised. Someone will tell these brainwashed morans about

how Allen broke the law:

Allen didn't disclose stock options
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2551687

and we all know they'll blame 'Lib'ruls' for passing such a 'commie' rule (no matter if it would be true or false). For them, their 'perceptions' could never be wrong, even if their newly installed dicktatorturer was eating babies on the WH lawn with Foley, they would still blame the Clenis for it.

Secession, anyone? :hi:

[Selteri]

28. You can't tell someone the truth when they are on such powerful

Mind altering substances such as the evangelical born again Kristian Kool-Aid Koncoction. It's sad to watch how they are so unwilling to look at the truth or consider that corruption has been rife in this that they will not see facts and will not somehow use it as a rallying point for their side.

I have to admit, I wish I had a mind controlling substance like that at my disposal, it'd be great to be able to rule a bunch of sheep who are completely unable to think for themselves or question the leadership. Then again, the bible tells them to not question their leaders, I've been informed of that gem more than a few times.

[Dem2theMax]

29. I wonder what

Ron Gwaltney of Gwaltney Building. Corp. in Virginia Beach would say if someone abused his children and others knew and kept quiet about it. I wish someone would ask him THAT question.

[rodeodance]

30. but since are tolerant of this 'lifestye"---they are to blame:

...The Democratic Party is “the party that is tolerant of, maybe more so than Republicans, that lifestyle,” Mr. Gwaltney said, referring to homosexuality.

[AX10]

33. Of course! The Evangelicals will never leave the GOP.

They are power hungry opportunists.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

35. I like the Oscar Wilde quote:

"You can not reason a man out of a position that he has not reasoned himself into."

[carzen]

36. just more religious right delusions