My born-again in-laws aren't planning to vote

[spinbaby]

I had dinner last night with my fundie in-laws. They're not the hostile type, but the kind that still believes in community, charity, and all that stuff that Jesus said about generally being nice to other people. They're all appalled by Bush, but can't bring themselves to vote for Kerry either. They're planning not to vote at all and say that most of their church members feel the same way. I think perhaps that the Chimp's religious base is abandoning him.

[Shoeempress]

1. Nice to hear about Fundies actually practicing what Jesus preached.

[Ilsa]

2. That's great news! What state are you in? eom

[spinbaby]

6. I'm in PA

But they're from West Virginia, Ohio, and Tennessee.

[Ruby Romaine]

3. that's great news!

it's better that some people just not vote!

[yellowcanine]

4. I am hoping you are correct but unfortunately many fundies think Bush

is the right hand of God and will do practically anything, including cheat and lie (ok as long as it is for Jesus), to see him win another term.

[HFishbine]

5. I'm suspicious when I hear these claims

If the presidential selection where the only one on the ballot, maybe I'd believe it. But I find it hard to accept that people are going to avoid voting for all the other state and local races. What concerns me is that people may say they won't vote for Bush, but they'll go to the polls to vote for the other races, then, at the last minute, think "What the heck," and cast a vote for Bush anyway.

[Lefta Dissenter]

7. My sister and her husband are

born-again - though she has been a Democrat all her life, and he is still planning to vote for... well, you know, that bad guy. Let's just say that it's not helping their marriage right now.

At any rate, I asked her specifically what she thought of the Sojourner's philosophy - if that ran counter to their beliefs, and she said NO, that that was closely aligned with what she, at least, believes in. So, she sent her husband to their site last night http://www.sojo.net/ I guess he spent quite a while there, doing some reading.

So, if you have Christian friends or family members who need a different perspective, you might want to try sending them there. You're right, step one is to get them to NOT vote for bush. Step two - and ideal - would be to get them TO vote for Kerry. If Kerry will lead the country in a direction that is more closely aligned with their beliefs, then you'd think they would WANT him in! (seems so simple, doesn't it?)

[ladybugg33]

8. There are quite a few Republicans who will not be voting in this election

But it won't matter if the election is stolen once again.

[Kahuna]

9. Bush's debate performance would have to be appalling to real

Christians. It's hard to reconcile his behavior with his so called faith.

[spooky3]

17. My family is also fundy--I think the problem is that they

really believe the lies, as do a lot of non-fundy people. This is partly because they WANT to believe the lies and the rosy picture they paint, and partly because the media are not pointing out the truth, or if they grudgingly admit that B/C have "distorted" things, they are quick to say Kerry/Edwards do the "same" thing. This lie has been debunked beautifully by Krugman in this week's NYT, but the fundies do not read him or similar sources. Fundies also spend nearly all their time around other fundies (church is their social network too) or do not discuss their politics with people who may disagree, and they watch Fox, so their views are reinforced.

[sventvkg]

10. What is wrong with Kerry in the view of Funies? Abortion.Helping people?

I assume their beef with the Liberals is Abortion. I can't think of anything else that makes sense.

[requiem99]

11. Abortion. All the way home. For some its gay marriage, but not most.

And besides, Kerry is not a proponent of gay marriage, but nobody knows that.

[Bandit]

16. All the basic tenets of Liberalism

Women should stay home and take care of their man (who owns them), children should be seen and not heard, Sex should never be discussed or seen by children. and I think their greatest concern is the Liberals idea of questioning authority. That is just not accepted. The bible is The Authority and no one should ever question it EVER.

[wysiwyg]

12. They don't trust bush enough to vote for him but...

They don't trust bush enough to vote for him but they still believe most of the lies the GOP tells about Kerry?

They probably equate President Clinton denying he had sexual relations with Monica on a par with Bush's serial mendacity. Of course with Bush it really could just be ignorance.

[michigandem2]

13. i heard some analyst say that the base may be eroding

because he is trying to firm up the base...people are turned off by him from every angle...its the power hungry assholes that need to and feel motivated to vote for him

and can I ask..not ONE thing that was "promised" by chimpy has been done and the repukes have all the power..yet when asked why something wasn't done..they blame Kerry and Edwards for not being there to VOTE for the bill???? EXCUSE ME! LOL!
re-god damn-diculous

[Virginian]

14. Tell them Bush isn't a churchgoer, Kerry is.

Let them know that Bush doesn't go to church. His faith may be false. He says he studies the Bible, but is that so he can pick and choose what he wants to use from it to trick the faithful?

As far as the abortion part goes, I read on another post that Catholics in swing states were taking out ads saying: "Life does not end at birth." I like that line. Is says to me that there are more issues than just abortion. We have to also defend life for many years after the first nine months.

[funkybutt]

15. I've heard the same thing from bible thumpers down here

Personally, I wish they'd just swallow their pride. Not voting for Bush isn't really that different from voting for Kerry. This is a big deal that Bush's religious base knows that there is something fundamentally WRONG with what he's done.

[napi21]

18. To them it is really different.

They would feel personally complicit in electing Kerry if they actually voted for him. If they just sit it out, they can ease their concience by saying THEIR hands are clean.

It's a little like the bumper stickers we've all seen that say "Don't blame me, I didn't vote for him!"