Christian Vote: Now is our time!

[sampsonblk]

Now that its apparent that the GOP was just using christian conservatives for votes, now is a perfect time for our side to come out with a strong effort to court those voters with the truth. I am not talking about making fake promises. I am talking abo9ut honestly telling them why they should vote for our side instead of the ones who claim Jesus but do the opposite of what he said - and then laugh about it.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. liberal values of love, honor and respect are

closer to what their fairy tales preach than anything the GOP preys for.

You are correct.

[Hav]

2. .

Indeed. But does it beat the wedge issues gay marriage or abortion? I fear that the answer is no.
Nonetheless, I too think that it wouldn't hurt at all if the Dems tried to win back at least some of these voters. How about showing them some real values for a change.

[sampsonblk]

5. The Amish gave us a great example this week!

For those of us who have been disenchanted with christianity at some point - maybe even now - the example of the Amish should remind us of what it should be about.

At its best, the christian faith is admired by almost everyone. At its worst...well its shocking and awful.

[Maggie_May]

3. What I laugh at is

the Christian right thinking that the GOP was on their side. Did they truly think that they were going to listen to Christians or big business. What true assholes they our they just got screwed like the rest of the Republicans that voted for this so called Christian party. Do you really think Dick Chenney gives to shits about the Christian right. Its all about power and money and if they have not learned their lessons they are really stupid.

[Joe Bacon]

10. You got to remind them Atlas Shrugged isn't a book of the Bible!

Millions of these misguided fools believe the current crop of crooks who bullshit about Jesus but follow Ayn Rand. We need to wake them up to the fact that Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead Aren't books of the bible!

[Name removed]

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[brentspeak]

15. And so was Jefferson, Adams, Lincoln, FDR, Truman....

What's your point?

[ingac70]

6. Christian CONS are all about hating gays and suppressing choice..

I DON'T WANT THEM FOULING UP MY PARTY!

They can stay home!:banghead:

[Quantess]

12. I think samsonblk's referring to mainstream Christians

You know, the moderate, normal ones whose voices get drowned out by the nutty fundies? Those good people belong on our side.

[StoryTeller]

7. As a former conservative who is also a Christian...

The reason I became a Democrat (in addition to slowly realizing that what I believed and what the Republican party promotes were not compatible) is largely because I became absolutely, thoroughly disgusted at how the Republican party co-opted my faith and how the leaders in my Christian community at the time traded their moral authority for political power. It sickened me.

So I do not want to see Christian voters "courted" by EITHER political party. I totally agree that the liberal, progressive values that most Democrats stand for are far more compatible with the teachings of Christianity.

But I think we need to focus on getting the word out about what we DO stand for, and back it up with real action. Defend the poor, promote peace, care for the environment, etc. DO these things and do them clearly and distinctly because they are the RIGHT things to do, not because they are politically trendy. Talk about your beliefs and the motivations behind your actions to anyone who will listen.

This would be a far better approach than co-opting religious language or approaching the Christian community as a political entity. We don't need any more screwing from either right OR left. We are a community of faith, and I am angry at the right-wingers who have violated our faith and twisted it into something ugly. The last thing we need is for Democrats to try a similar tactic, no matter how well-intentioned it is.

I would, however, like to see more Democrats like John Kerry explain their faith (regardless of what faith tradition it is) and how their personal faith affects their political decisions. I think this is important. But it had better NOT come from a desire to woo the "Christian vote." There shouldn't even be such a concept as the "Christian vote." Christians should not be a political group.

[AlinPA]

8. Well said. I would add that we do not want to court the hateful, ignorant

ugly, bigoted Falwell-Robertson-Perkins-Dobson-Santorum type "Christian". They don't follow Jesus.

[StoryTeller]

9. LOL! Agreed.

I don't think we'll have to worry about that, though. They wouldn't have us, we wouldn't have them. It's just "not meant to be." Thank goodness! Heck, we'll be doing good if we even get to the "let's just be friends" stage. :)

[sampsonblk]

11. I think its high time we TELL them that-nt

nt

[Name removed]

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[brentspeak]

14. What do you mean by "christian voters"?

You're not cognizant of the fact that most members of the Democratic party already are Christian?

[patrice]

16. I don't think the truth matters. They aren't angry about being used

by lies and falsehoods. They're angry about being used and not getting what they wanted out of it. They aren't suddenly going to start caring about Truth. They care only what is in it for them. That's what you have to offer them. What do they want? We have to help them get whatever portion of what they want that we want too. It's called let's make a deal.