New generation of evangelical Christians will have an impact on election

[struggle4progress]

By Alfred Lubrano | The Philadelphia Inquirer

ST. DAVIDS, Pa. — ...

"Being a good Christian hasn't made George Bush a good president," said 21-year-old senior Bob Grant, from Haddon Heights, N.J. "I want a good president, not necessarily a Christian." ...

"Gay marriage, abortion and the family are important, but poverty is the key issue in determining who I'd vote for," said Amelia Nielson, 21, a junior from Lafayette Hill, Pa ...

"When I told my grandparents I was voting Democratic, they seriously told me they were writing me out of their will," said Brittany Bennett, 18, another York, Pa., freshman.

"Things are horrible in my house," added Andrea Stennett, 19, a Harrisburg, Pa., sophomore. "I'm a heathen in my home, according to my parents. I'm not for gayness, but everyone deserves to have a great life. I'm not for killing babies, but I'm pro-choice. My folks are a lot more conservative than I am." ...

http://www.rep-am.com/news/elections/331017.txt


I post these quotes from kids at a small religious PA college, only as indications about current thinking in that demographic group

[grasswire]

1. my nephew is a little older....

....but he has shocked his dittohead mother by supporting Obama.

[bluestateguy]

2. There is nothing wrong with being an evangelical

Many black liberal Democrats are evangelicals, and Jimmy Carter is an evangelical. What's dangerous is when people start saying that one party is the "Godly" party and the other party is the satantic party, framing politics as a battle of good verses evil, making the political arena a proxy for some kind of a biblical war.

[Atman]

3. Well, yeah there is, actually, but that's a subject for a whole other thread.

:hide:

.

[coriolis]

4. Good for those kids.

:D

[TrogL]

5. If their parents find out about this they'll kill them

[54anickel]

6. I sort of take issue with the notion that this is somehow a "generational thang"

Guess I'd like to know more about this under/over 35 years of age poll. I found the underlying tone of this article demeaning to both young people and the what is sometimes referred to as "the small e" evangelicals. But hey, if young people are energized by the thought that they've come up with something new or are somehow holding some revolutionary concept and it motivates them to push for change - more power to them.

There are an awful lot of Christians of all age groups that share the views of this so-called "new generation".
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=214&topic_id=162496

[struggle4progress]

8. Thanks for the link to LL's post, which I hadn't seen: Chilstrom makes his point well

You're probably right about the article I linked. But I am mainly interested in the voices: the quotes say something about the background of the speakers, the assumptions that seem natural to them, and the social/psychological conflicts they now confront

[54anickel]

10. I, as an old geezer, have been extremely impressed with the young people

I've had the pleasure to work with in my life. They certainly are nothing like the "gimme-gimme" stereo-type we get bombarded with. I worked in IT and most of those young folks really had their heads and hearts about them. Sure, there were a few "young republican, Rush blaring" types --- they made it big in the one company where management was of the same mind (before it went belly-up).

I have a 17 year old niece who has been following politics since she was 12. She learned about the abysmal US infant mortality rate in health class, which really got her rolling. She got her dad (my brother) to start paying attention to what's going on. He's always been a "suit". He leaned Republican since falling for Raygun's big tent campaign along with a lot of other "Reagan Democrats" and has been too busy making a buck to pay much attention ever since. Well, his daughter has been "educating" her old man and he really started digging in when he was between jobs a couple of years ago. She recently got him a copy of Castro's autobiography...I about hit the floor when he told me he was reading it and found it "fascinating".

Anyway, I agree with you on the voices, just having a bit of a problem with the "tone" of the article...seems to be making these young people appear to be "freaks on the fringe" so to speak - countercultural. Will they become the equivalent of the 60's "hippie"?

With regards to Chilstrom, he seems to echo the voice of the ELCA pastors that I've come to know. He reminds me of our past interim pastor who recently passed away - that's what made me think of LL's post....

[5LeavesLeft]

7. Every generation

that is old enough to vote will have an impact on the election -- if they vote.

[elijah]

9. Salvation

I want every person saved.....and I don't care who they vote for.

[moobu2]

12. saved from what?

[katherine20]

11. Compassion Forum This Sunday

The Compassion Forum

This Sunday, Messiah College, an evangelical Christian school in Pennsylvania, will be hosting The Compassion Forum, an unprecedented bipartisan presidential candidate forum dedicated to discussing pressing moral issues that bridge ideological divides within our nation. Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama have accepted the invitation to participate in the Forum. Senator John McCain has thus far declined the invitation, which is still open. The Compassion Forum is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, in Brubaker Auditorium, and will be covered by mainstream media and religious media outlets alike. CNN is the exclusive broadcaster of The Compassion Forum and will televise and stream the event live from 8-9:30 p.m.

The Church Communication Network (CCN) will broadcast the event to tens of thousands of people of faith in at least 1,000 congregations nationwide on April 20, the Sunday evening before the Pennsylvania primary.

Now more than ever, Americans motivated by faith are bridging ideological divides to address domestic and international poverty, global AIDS, climate change, genocide in Darfur, and human rights and torture. The Compassion Forum will provide the opportunity for candidates to discuss how their faith and moral convictions bear on their positions on these important issues.

The Compassion Forum will be a unique and unprecedented event. Each candidate will participate in a separate substantive conversation. This will not be a debate.

The Compassion Forum is supported by diverse religious leaders and Democrats and Republicans alike.

"The Compassion Forum will give the candidates a chance to talk straight to voters about what they'll do as president to fulfill God's command that we be our brothers' keepers," said Governor Mike Huckabee, a supporter of the event. "I'm proud that the faith community is taking the lead in asking the candidates to confront the most pressing moral challenges of our times."

"Issues of faith, compassion, and the common good are important throughout Pennsylvania," said U.S. Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania. "We have a moral obligation to provide a stable foundation for our next generation, but it also makes perfect economic sense. This year's candidates will be well served discussing these issues in Pennsylvania and The Compassion Forum."

"The Compassion Forum is a shining example of the faith community's commitment to justice and compassion for all of God's children. It's imperative that the presidential candidates give the compassion issues the attention they deserve," said Dr. Frank Page, President of the Southern Baptist Convention and Compassion Forum Board member.

Other nationally prominent members of the Compassion Forum Board include Dr. Paul R. Corts, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities; Dr. Joel Hunter, Northland A Church Distributed; Rev. Richard Cizik, National Association of Evangelicals; Dr. Oran P. Smith, Palmetto Family Council; Father Larry Snyder, Catholic Charities USA; Rabbi Steve Gutow, Jewish Council for Public Affairs; David Neff, Christianity Today; Rev. Jim Wallis, Sojourners; Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; and Rev. David Beckmann, Bread for the World.

Faith in Public Life, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit resource and communication center for faith leaders based in Washington, D.C., is coordinating The Compassion Forum. Other organizational sponsors of the event include the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, the ONE campaign, and Oxfam America