Evangelical leader, defends Obama vs. Dobson: "I was there for the speech, Dobson was not"

[kpete]

HOORAY: Wallis, Evangelical leader, defends Obama vs. Dobson
by GregMitch
Wed Jun 25, 2008 at 07:55:35 AM PDT

Jim Wallis, author of The Great Awakening and founder of Sojourners -- the largest network of progressive Christians in the United States:

He concludes: "Many evangelical votes are in play this election year, especially among a new generation, and are no longer captive to the Religious Right. Perhaps that is the real reason for James Dobson's attack today on Barack Obama."

..............

Now that James Dobson is insinuating himself into this presidential campaign, his attacks against his fellow Christian, Barack Obama, should be seriously scrutinized. And because his basis for the attack on Obama is the speech the Senator from Illinois gave at our Call to Renewal/Sojourners event in 2006 (for the record, we also had Democrat Hillary Clinton, and Republicans Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback speak that year), I have decided to respond to Dobson's attacks. In most every case they are themselves clear distortions of what Obama said in that speech. I was there for the speech, Dobson was not.

.....................

Obama said that religion is and has always been a fundamental and absolutely essential source of morality for the nation, but also said that "religion has no monopoly on morality," which is a point that I often make. The United States is not the Christian theocracy that people like James Dobson seem to think it should be. Political appeals, even if rooted in religious convictions, must be argued on moral grounds rather than as sectarian religious demands--so that the people (citizens), whether religious or not, may have the capacity to hear and respond.

Religious convictions must be translated into moral arguments, which must win the political debate if they are to be implemented. Religious people don't get to win just because they are religious. They, like any other citizens, have to convince their fellow citizens that what they propose is best for the common good-- for all of us and not just for the religious.

Instead of saying that Christians must accept the "the lowest common denominator of morality," as Dobson accused Obama of suggesting, or that people of faith shouldn't advocate for the things their convictions suggest, Obama was saying the exact opposite--that Christians should offer their best moral compass to the nation but then have to engage in the kind of democratic dialogue that religious pluralism demands. Martin Luther King Jr. perhaps did this best of all with his Bible in one hand and the Constitution in the other.

.......................

That new evangelical agenda is a deep threat to James Dobson and the power wielded by the Religious Right for so long. Many evangelical votes are in play this election year, especially among a new generation, and are no longer captive to the Religious Right. Perhaps that is the real reason for James Dobson's attack today on Barack Obama.

much more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/25/104744/034/368/541687

[ErinBerin84]

1. It would be nice for the media to cover the evangelicals who are defending Obama over this

Since it was such a HUGE STORYZ and they were treating Dobson like THE authority of religion yesterday, but I'm sure they won't

[liberal N proud]

2. But...

That would be something outside the playbook.

[Blue_Roses]

3. I just read Obama's entire message and I assure you..

Dobson is scared. He knows his old ways of "preaching" are a thing of the past. People are tired of the "hell, fire, and damnation," speeches in church. They want to know how they can make their lives better with a little practicality and love. That's it.

Dobson=:puke:

From Obama's message:

"Because when we ignore the debate about what it means to be a good Christian or Muslim or Jew; when we discuss religion only in the negative sense of where or how it should not be practiced, rather than in the positive sense of what it tells us about our obligations towards one another; when we shy away from religious venues and religious broadcasts because we assume that we will be unwelcome - others will fill the vacuum, those with the most insular views of faith, or those who cynically use religion to justify partisan ends.

In other words, if we don't reach out to evangelical Christians and other religious Americans and tell them what we stand for, then the Jerry Falwells and Pat Robertsons and Alan Keyeses will continue to hold sway."

[speedoo]

4. K&R. Thanks for posting this. nt

[paulstevens]

6. hey

the family research council, take care of your family

[Douglas Carpenter]

5. Kick and recommended!!

[pamela]

7. Jim Wallis is the best.

I knew before I even opened this thread that it was going to be about Jim Wallis.

[polichick]

8. "The United States is not the Christian theocracy...

...that people like James Dobson seem to think it should be."

Bravo!

[Labors of Hercules]

9. If the Evangelicals are willing to adopt the less conservative, fundamentalist faith...

That I think most Christians really believe...

Political progressivism and Barack Obama's ideology will prove to be way more in parity with them than Republican Conservatism.

I think Evangelical congregations all over the country have been expressing their beliefs more and more in opposition to their more conservative pastorship, and the Church Leaders are paying attention.

Now if we can just translate that to the Southern Baptists and Pentecostals we'll be in great shape!

[polichick]

10. I've even heard that there's an evangelical environmental movement now.

[mrs_p]

13. true, but the movement

is based on the idea of stewardship - human dominion over all beasts of the earth. however, i welcome anyone who wants to save the planet whatever his/her motives.

[polichick]

14. I remember that language from parochial school - not ideal, to be sure...

But a lot better than raping and pillaging the earth since we'll all be beamed up anyway! lol

[Hope And Change]

11. K & R!

[polmaven]

12. Wow!

Good for him!