Everyone on DU should read The Purpose Driven Life

[skjpm]

Agree or disagree, it is a clear (if simplistic) presentation of what red-staters believe. It would help you understand why intelligent design and abortion are so important, and why the red states respond as they do. Everyone in the red states knows exactly what Ashley Smith was doing, and we all recognize and support the beliefs she had which led to her heroism. I'm not saying it's a great book, but it is the clearest presentation of red-state philosophy I've ever read. If you want to understand these people, gain their trust, and gain their votes, read this book!

[ultraist]

1. Don't you mean red voters? Not all red staters are born again christians

I'm certainly not and I live in a red state. There are MILLIONS of Democrats in Red states.

[skjpm]

2. I'm a red-state Democrat

And my beliefs are roughly outlined by this book--it might help you understand why I am progressive pro-life, pro-intelligent design, etc. (and I am NOT going to argue those points on this thread). Combine the Purpose Driven Life with Wallis' God's Politics and you have a red-state Democrat.

[mutus_frutex]

21. The mixture of god and politics is a recipe for disaster. nt

[AutumnMist]

3. I Haven't Read The Book Myself

but I know many who have. And with some even liberal friends of mine, they found something in it that spoke to them in a positive manner. My sister for one. So you never know how or when something will touch you. I think the key is to not always view it as a political pro or con. But view information in the terms of what may or may not touch you as a person. You never know when or how it will happen. Or what it can do for you.

[UdoKier]

4. I'm FROM the south, Texas, and have many relatives like this.

But it's really hard for me to understand, because I was an atheist even as a kid. I have never understood the attachment to superstition, especially when it comes to fanatically religious folks like this. Not to say that I don't respect what she did, but I could not have done that myself. It would have been dishonest. Sure, I could have given him pancakes and shared personal stories, but I couldn't have started preaching what I see as bunk to him.

[koopie57]

5. Our church

had small groups with this book. I joined one cuz a good friend of mine asked me to and since it was so important to her I joined. But, the group started meeting earlier than originally planned and I couldn't get to the meetings in time. I called the pastor and said I wouldn't be there, he asked why and I said I couldn't get home and then to the meeting in time. He said to just go from work to the meeting. This is good christian values? Ignore your family, get to the meetings? And this wasn't just one incident, it is almost bragging rights who can spend the most time at church functions.

By the way, what is intelligent design?

[The Doctor.]

20. It's a neat idea about the universe that

Creationists want to use to try to prove the existance of God.

It's a philosophy, not a science.

It's also incendiary, so I don't recommend discussing it here.

Quick google;
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2004-20,RNWE:en&q=%22intelligent+design%22+schools

[Southsideirish]

6. I want to "understand" them as much as they want to "understand" me

which is zero. We are oil and water and that will never change. Sorry for the cynicism but that's my experience and I've been dealing with them closely for years at work, in my family,etc. If anything I think they are getting worse in that their views seem even more entrenched than ever.

[seventythree]

7. a red voter gave me a copy last year

for my birthday -- it's been a full year, and I haven't been able to get through any more than the first 2 chapters -- totally turned off by the references to God as a HE. I usually really try to read anything someone gives me as a gift -- figure there is a cosmic message for me -- maybe you have given me a way to finish it by looking at it as a window into the other side. I don't know though if that will be enough as I also believe you should not deliberately expose yourself to vexations of the spirit.

[seventythree]

8. a red voter gave me a copy last year

for my birthday -- it's been a full year, and I haven't been able to get through any more than the first 2 chapters -- totally turned off by the references to God as a HE. I usually really try to read anything someone gives me as a gift -- figure there is a cosmic message for me -- maybe you have given me a way to finish it by looking at it as a window into the other side. I don't know though if that will be enough as I also believe you should not deliberately expose yourself to vexations of the spirit.

[seventythree]

9. a red voter gave me a copy last year

for my birthday -- it's been a full year, and I haven't been able to get through any more than the first 2 chapters -- totally turned off by the references to God as a HE. I usually really try to read anything someone gives me as a gift -- figure there is a cosmic message for me -- maybe you have given me a way to finish it by looking at it as a window into the other side. I don't know though if that will be enough as I also believe you should not deliberately expose yourself to vexations of the spirit.

[seventythree]

10. sorry about multiple post -- message says there could be a bug

[RPM]

11. who's ashley smith?

is that someone famous?

[TNDemo]

12. I was wondering the same thing.

I must be failing the red state test because I don't have a clue.

[deutsey]

13. I'm reading Eric Hoffer's "The True Believer"

Although it's a few decades old, it's giving me some insights into Bush supporters.

[Lexingtonian]

14. ugh

Salvation without real purification. The basic ingredients of the recipe for inconsistency and hypocrisy.

[earth mom]

15. Maybe you mean well, but

I am SO turned off by your post. WHY should I read a book about Christianity?! While I am spiritual, I have ZERO interest in the bible. Frankly, I, for one, am SO sick of the Christian way of looking at things-WHY do I need to understand them?! Why not get THEM to understand that there are other people in this world who have NO interest in their religion and want to be left alone to follow their own chosen path?

As someone stated far more eloquently than I on another post-this country was founded on protection of the MINORITY-not the majority! Christians who don't understand that, need to get that through their heads and should learn about non Christian ideologies instead! THEN and only then, will we all get along! :mad:

[skjpm]

16. I'm not sure you're bringing people in the Democratic party

My point is, do you want these people's votes or not? This book, agree or disagree, will help you reach out to them. And it will also help you understand those Democrats who define themselves as pro-life (again, I'm not going to argue about it). I think it would be helpful for the Democratic party to have these people in the party.

The news today is all about Ashley Smith. Turn on CNN.

[earth mom]

18. Why should dems bend over back wards?

If Christians are really following "the word" then they should be able to access on their own just exactly what * has done that is evil and not Christian like, which IMO is so obvious that dems shouldn't have to reach out and convince anyone to leave the repub party because they should be leaving in droves in protest.

It sounds like you are basing the entire issue of party choice on the pro choice issue, which I sincerely doubt is gonna change either way in the near future. IMO, it is a sticking point for many people on the left who are just as strong and emphatic in their views as the right is about theirs.

BTW, I have no idea who Ashley Smith is because I don't watch CNN, or NBC ABC or CBS these days. I'm sick of being lied to by all of em.

[midlandsdawg]

29. Good Grief

He didn't say you had to believe the book, he didn't say we should bow down to them to get their votes, all he said was the book is a good look into how they think, what makes them tick. Lets face it, you can say you don't want them in your clique or your group, but this is a political party, if keeping our base won elections, we wouldn't need to court voters. This guy/gal comes on here, just says "hey, this book is a good read to understand or see where they are coming from" and you go off like it is an attack on you. We need to get a clue on a few things, most southern "christians" aren't fundamentalists, most people don't think about politics except around election time. Howard Dean realizes this in my opinion, no voter is unwinnable, the difference is we need to show who we are, not who they are or who we aren't. I live in a very red area, but "won" a voter over before the election, the difference I see in what I did than in what others did, is the person said they were voting for Bush, I then told them why I was voting for Kerry and why I thought they should do, gave them nothing but positive enforcement so to speak, didn't even mention bush or what I thought of him. Now, we had another vote for kerry, did we have a life long democrat, probably not, but who cares, parties change so much I am not out to win a straight ticket dem I am out to try and get people to vote for my guy/gal and to open them up to voting for others outside the pug party.

[mutus_frutex]

22. I personally don't want their votes..

if they come attached to their religious ideas. To me they are on the other side, even if they call themselves democrats/liberals.

[PrjctGrnlght]

17. Jerry Falwell was promoting it all day on MSNBC and FOX n/t

[amazona]

19. I have my own purpose, thank you

I don't need to read junk to fill my empty soul. I live in a so-called "red state" and I know fundamentalists well. They have an illness of the brain and soul. Making excuses for them doesn't wash. They are ill. Tolerating their illness and respecting their stupidity is enabling them to remain ill.

I am sorry, truly sorry, that some people can't have a "purpose" unless it is imposed on them from without by some ancient book, but their mental illness shouldn't be my problem.

It is past time for the ignorant to read real and serious work, not for the intelligent to waste our time on drivel. We tolerate too much already and in tolerating their junk ideas as if they were of equal worth with genuine thought, we do more than waste our own time -- we enable the continued stunting of the ignorant.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[KG]

25. well said

[pilgrimsoul]

26. STANDING OVATION for amazona - n/t

[mutus_frutex]

23. Life doesn't have a purpose...

It's as simple as that.. :-)

[midlandsdawg]

24. With ya on this

As a red-state dem. I think the one thing it really does is show people what the majority of southern christians think especially. No, I don't mean fundies, who run through the aisle's screaming, i mean those who lead the life christ taught. Mainly because, when ya think about it, the first line of the book basically goes against what the fundy's deep down believe, "Its not about you"

[American Tragedy]

27. Your post is a little vague, skjpm.

I think you presume too much knowledge of most of us, including we who were born and raised in red states. Would you mind elaborating...?


On edit: okay, I know who Ashley Smith is now. It seems to be about the hostage strategy of emotionally bonding with one's captor rather than religion, though. My mother did the same thing when she was held at gunpoint. She started taking out pictures of her children, calmly talking about what a rough time she had been going through after her divorce, financial struggles, etc. He let her go.

[PaDem]

28. I've read the book as a part of a small group at Church

I don't understand your post. You could substitute any number of books that have nothing to do with Christianity (any one of Hannity, O'Reilly, Coulter's books). Let's not overplay the Red State vs. Blue State thing. Frankly Warren's book is fairly mild and is not at all political. Most "Evangelical" Christians are conservative, so the book is read by mostly conservative people. I'd recommend it to Christians who want something light and practical. I'm not less progressive for reading it.