Christians have turned their Church into just another lobbying group.

[TeddyKGB]

And I remember when it used to be about spirituality and stuff.

Sad.

Christianity
R.I.P.
December 25, 0000 - November 2, 2004

:hi:

[Padraig18]

1. Which denomination?

The Episcopals? That Methodists? The American Baptists? The Presbyterians? The Apostolics? The Roman Catholics? The Greek Orthodox? Which ones?

Pretty broad brush you're painting with there...

[TeddyKGB]

2. You voted for Bush, you're in.

And that would include most of Christianity's most visible leaders -- Dobson, Falwell, Robertson, etc.

[Padraig18]

5. Oh, people copuldn't vote for Bush for any other reason, besides that?

Uh HUH...

:eyes:

[TeddyKGB]

7. No, not really.

Can you honestly tell me ONE thing that Bush touched in his first four years that he didn't fuck up?

Oh, OK - people cast their vote based on the No Call List.

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[Padraig18]

8. Look, *I* didn't support him, but I know many people who did.

Their religion most often had nothing to do with their vote.

[TeddyKGB]

9. Preposterous.

It was, what - his stellar record on...

The economy?
Iraq?
The environment?
Civil liberties?
Etc. etc. etc.


Not likely.

[Padraig18]

13. It's not preposterous.

Whether you and I agree with them, or not, some people genuinely believed he would better serve us as POTUS than Kerry would, and their religious beliefs had nothing to do with it.

[TeddyKGB]

15. Is, too.

:silly:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

20. Teddy, you may not be aware that

the nationl leaders of every mainstream Christian denomination (Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc.) opposed the Iraq War. They even issued a joint statement.

You never heard of it, did you? That's because it was covered, if at all, on Page 22 of the B section of your local paper in a story about 3 column inches long.

Meanwhile, every ridiculous, worthless whacked-out utterance of the Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells of the world gets front-page coverage.

[MemphisTiger]

3. Gotta go with the souther baptist on this one

[IrateCitizen]

4. This is essentially what was said in the Village Voice recently...

There was a column after the election in which the writer said that Christianity had turned from being a religion into a tacky political lobby. Bill Moyers pulled it up in his interview with Sister Joan Chittister this last Friday.

I'd agree with the quote from the perspective that Christianity is in crisis. If those on the RW have their way, they WILL turn it into just a tacky political lobby. The problem is that the ranks of the more conservative denominations are swelling, while more "mainstream" denominations have been relatively stagnant.

[ewagner]

6. Too broad a brush

but there were certain denominations targeted by the GOP for their mailing lists and voter guides etc..

Also, the repubs targeted Catholics to vote "their values" and also pressured the church to deny Kerry communion.

Those are the true examples I know of and the original post could very well apply to those churches/congregations.

[Cheswick2.0]

10. yeah, because there is only one Christian church

LOL, and enjoy your fantasy.

[TeddyKGB]

14. More or less, yeah.

Enjoying a fantasy? Take a look in the mirror.

[mcg]

19. Wrong.

[SoCalDem]

11. I think churches should have property tax exemptions

for the church building only.... and that's IT.

They should pay taxes on everything else. They could only offset taxes by PROVABLE charitable works. Food ..shelter..clothing..for the poor.

Their schools....same rules.. everything over the actual COST is taxable..

If they are going to behave like PACs..they should be treated like PACs..

[Padraig18]

16. I don't know about other churches, but our...

...schools and hospitals ALWAYS lose money. Maybe the Protestant, RW fundies are better money managers?

:shrug:

[SoCalDem]

17. Most catholic dioceses are NOT wealthy

and run truer charities.. How many catholic dioceses run TV empires??

[Padraig18]

18. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

*kisses your feet* Someone who actually understands the difference!

:hi:

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Meh. The RW version of the faith is rarely about anything but

rules, rules, and more rules!

-----------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/

[progmom]

21. I'm reading a great book called The Heart of Christianity...

...talking about the shifting paradigm of Christianity, and how for many Christians - a growing percentage, actually - Christianity isn't about a strict interpretation of the bible, but rather a personal relationship with God.
From 1962 to 2002, the percentage of self-identified American Christians who believe that the Bible is the Word of God (and therefore provides them with rules) has gone from 67% to barely 20%. I think the picture we're getting of Christians these days doesn't reflect this, but I think that's just because the evangelical fundamentalists yell louder.

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. I LOVE Marcus Borg and am anxious to read that book. Was supposed

to get it, along with a copy of the Access Study Bible for my b-day, but didn't work ouy. Am hoping to get it for Xmas instead.

And I agree, there is no question that the spiritual left, regardless of what name(s) the refer to God by, is much larger than that of the rigid Right.

------------------------------------
Would Jesus love a liberal? You bet!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/