"Evangelical Conservatives" (so-called) clearly express their agenda:

[Selwynn]

The Washington Post and an article this morning entitled, "Evangelicals Led the Charge for the GOP." In it it talks about how so-called "Christian conservatives" were such a political operative force for the neo-conservative agenda, and how leaked documents show that the Bush-Cheney campaign was quietly working "Christian" supports to turn over church directories and manipulate church institutions for political gain, coming dangerously close to violating election law.

But the real story is how the things I have said are exactly right: there are a majority of people in this country who take on the name of Christ in order to mask little more than an intolerance and detest for anyone who thinks differently, and a concern over two issues: abortion and gay marriage. That's not Christ-like. That's nothing more than ignorant and divisive, and we ought to start calling it precisely that.

Here are the important excerpts from the article:

"...the untold story of the 2004 election, according to national religious leaders and grass-roots activists, is that evangelical Christian groups were often more aggressive and sometimes better organized on the ground than the Bush campaign. The White House struggled to stay abreast of the Christian right and consulted with the movement's leaders in weekly conference calls. But in many respects, Christian activists led the charge that GOP operatives followed and capitalized upon."

And what was the rallying cry of these so-called evangelical Christian conservatives? Was it a call for peace? Was it a call for social justice and an examination of the fundamental anti-Christian preoccupation with greed and power in our society? Was it a serious commitment to ending oppressive policies against poor people? Was it an honest demand for social responsibility, a strong defensive of civil rights and human rights both at home or abroad? Was it a commitment to provide basis human services to all who need it, a commitment to creating a living minimum wage in America? Was it a call to a renewed spirit of dialog and education in America? Was it a war against homelessness, hunger, ignorance, racism or bigotry? Was it a call to respect the environment?

No.

Well, what was it then?

"Over the summer, the Rev. Bruce Moore, pastor of Warren County's Clearcreek Christian Assembly, gave two sermons explaining a Christian's responsibility to vote. Then he passed out voter registration cards. His 400 congregants circulated them among like-minded friends, registering hundreds more voters.

"On this election, because of the issues before the state of Ohio and the nation, they were passionate," Moore said. "It was all hands on deck. I have never seen a rush for voter registration cards in my life as a minister."

Nationally, the backdrop for the mobilization of social conservatives fell into place WHEN MASSACHUSETTS'S HIGHEST COURT SANCTIONED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN NOVEMBER.

Some Christian leaders perceived not only a threat to biblical morality, BUT ALSO A WINNING POLITICAL ISSUE. Same-sex marriage "is different from abortion," said the Rev. Ronnie Floyd, pastor of First Baptist Church of Springdale, Ark. "It touches every segment of society, schools, the media, television, government, churches. No one is left out."

Oh.

Nice how Rev. Floyd seems to say that, "well we haven't been able to ride our way to power on the abortion issue, so its a good thing these fagots showed up demanding equal treatment under the law!"

The full article is here:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&u=/washpost/20041108/ts_washpost/a32793_2004nov7&printer=1

Sel

[elehhhhna]

1. Shall we point out (again) that God DID make Adam & Steve?

[ktowntennesseedem]

4. God created "ADAM" the Hebrew word for humankind.

Only later did we make it a personal name with a gender. ALL humanity is precious in God's eyes. God's love is limitless, and not bound by the restrictions of the religious right. My God is much bigger than their feeble attempts to keep that love for themselves!

[Ishoutandscream]

2. Did I hear this right on McLaughlin? "40 % of Amer. are Evangelicals"

If so, this country is really screwed!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I really think this is bullshit and stories like this are popping up

to grant legitimacy to this vote. I grant there are a great DEAL of fundamentalists in the country, but those that throw out 40% are merely trying to create the illusion that they have these great numbers.

[Selwynn]

5. I'm sorry but I don't believe that.

There seem to be two kinds of people at DU right now, and I have respect for both, because it boils down to what you FEEL:

1. The person who believes that "we" are the real American majority, and that the vote was obviously stolen because clearly most Americans don't really think like that.

2. The person who believes that "we" are not the American majority and that despite election abnormalities a more important truth was thrust front and center this election - the majority of people in this country think a lot like Bush.

That's what I believe. It's time to stop the denial and start facing the facts. We are the minority in a country whose majority thinks a lot like Bush does. Bush really does represent over half of the country in many ways and is a leader that really reflects a majority of Americans. If we are going to change that, we have to stop approaching the situation with this belief that we are somehow the "true" majority in America and start accept that we aren't, and approaching the situation accordingly.

Sel

[blue agave]

6. Selwynn - I have been strugling with this choice

There was, obviously, some degree of voting fraud in which nearly all anomalies seem to have favored bush. This leads one, or teases one, into thinking that JK really did win the intent of the voters. We will never know.

This scenario is not very rewarding,though, since it would lead us to a very difficult strugle against political corruption in an environment of hostile media and judicial review.

On the other hand; if "we" realy are a collective minority in a land of red state morons, then there is little hope of winning at the national level in the near future. This scenario is even more discouraging.

I suspect that both of these forces are working against us here.

[Selwynn]

7. There never was much hope - just a fools hope.

..sorry, I love that line. :)

There is always hope. And we shouldn't deny reality because accepting it seems so bleak. I believe reality is bleak. I believe more people in this country think like Bush than don't. I believe we are in the minority.

Do I believe it is hopeless? No I don't. But I do believe that our tactics, mindset and approaches need to change. We need to place less time on Washington and more time on grassroots campaigning to win the hearts and minds of the masses.

No, we shouldn't completely ignore politics at the national level. We need to reform - seriously, seriously from our democratic leadership. Either the Democratic party will show me that it will respect its base of liberals and progressives and stand with them rather than consistently undermining and marginalizing them at every turn, or I'm walking out the door, and so should ever other progressive and traditional liberal. And we need to stop hand holding and working with fascists and tyrant neo-conservatives and become an party of ideological conviction and genuine opposition again. It's time to show American that there is a crystal clear, starkly contrasted alternative to the neo-conservative hegemony and corporatism.

Before I get beat on for mentioning corporatism - corporate corruption and exploitation of the system IS a serious problem. In fact, it as at the root of all our domestic and foreign failures. Corporations are out of control. As Noam Chomsky said, when corporations and the our government which corporations control are faced with the choice of continuing hegemony or survival - they choose hegemony even though it is leading to our ultimate destruction.

Those are just the facts, and they are not in dispute. However, that is not the same thing as being against business. I own a car, use a computer, by my groceries from big businesses, etc. I don't desire to return to an agrarian society and live in a hut without electricity. I want a world in which businesses are governed and operated by principles of JUSTICE and where government is strong and not controlled by business, but rather a strong regulator of business. I want a society that adopts a philosophy that puts people first, and profit to follow (and if you really put people first, it will follow.)

I want a society where certain things are just WRONG even if they are profitable, and corporations can no longer play the role the play in getting government to star wars, torture innocents and exploit populations. In other words, just because I want to live in an industrialized society doesn't mean I have to be silent about the injustices and travesties in corporate American gone out of control. Insofar as both Republicans and Democrats are too influenced and controlled by this corrupt power base, I have criticism for both equally. It has got to end - or it WILL end us.