'Evangelical Manifesto' Ponders Politics

[reprehensor]

Source: Associated Press/AOL

(May 3) - Conservative Christian leaders who believe the word "evangelical" has lost its religious meaning plan to release a starkly self-critical document saying the movement has become too political and has diminished the Gospel through its approach to the culture wars.

The statement, called "An Evangelical Manifesto," condemns Christians on the right and left for "using faith" to express political views without regard to the truth of the Bible, according to a draft of the document obtained Friday by The Associated Press.

"That way faith loses its independence, Christians become `useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology," according to the draft.

The declaration, scheduled to be released Wednesday in Washington, encourages Christians to be politically engaged and uphold teachings such as traditional marriage. But the drafters say evangelicals have often expressed "truth without love," helping create a backlash against religion during a "generation of culture warring." ...

Read more: http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/evangelical-manifesto-ponders-politics/20080503080009990001

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{{jaw smacking solidly against floor}}

[AlCzervik]

1. interesting blurb about Richard Land and James Dobson.

Some champions of traditional culture war issues are not among the supporters.

Richard Land, head of the public policy arm for the Southern Baptist Convention, said through a spokeswoman that he has not seen the document and was not asked to sign it.

James Dobson, the influential founder of Focus on the Family, a Christian group in Colorado Springs, Colo., did not sign the document, said Gary Schneeberger, a Dobson spokesman. Schneeberger would not say whether Dobson had read the manifesto or had been asked to sign on.

Phil Burress, an Ohio activist who networks with national evangelical leaders, said that if high-profile evangelical leaders such as Dobson and Land don't support the document, "it's like throwing a pebble in the ocean" and will carry no weight.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. I've always had the feeling that the majority of believers

don't like to mix politics and religion. But the loudmouths who are in the minority always are the ones who get the headlines. It's just like for Muslims, 600 imams and other religious leaders can issue statements condemning terrorism, Sufi leaders can take part in memorials at Dachau for the victims of the Holocaust, but what do you hear about? The few crazies who have no standing with most Muslims but who say they want jihad against the West or say the Holocaust never happened.

[jwirr]

7. Being old enough to remember pre-falwell/reagon era, I would say

you are absolutely correct. The rw preachers started buying time on tv a little before saint ronnies election and that was that - no one heard any traditional religious "nonsense" from then on. They took over leadership by being the squeaky wheel.

[Joe Bacon]

27. Did you forget about Billy Graham Quacker?????

Oh I remember Mr. Cheese leading a bunch of Nixon rallies in prayer in 1960, and he sure kissed Goldwater's ass in 64 then went back to his first love. Lie after Lie for Tricky Dicky.

Billy Graham Quacker opened the door for his fellow flock fleecers to walk through.

[AlinPA]

3. "right and left" ? I wonder what religious left they are talking about.

[Joe Bacon]

9. There is NO religious left

The Right made sure that there would never be another Martin Luther King. No matter what religion you go around shopping for, every last one of them is packed solid with right wingers who tote the Republican Party line where they bullshit about Jesus, but preach Ayn Rand's selfishness.

[davidinalameda]

13. there is a religious left

but we are miniscule compared to the religious right

some of us like to practice Jesus' commandment to love our neighbor by actually doing stuff to help our neighbors and communities

[LanternWaste]

29. I wouldn't say we're minuscule in comparison...

I wouldn't say we're minuscule in comparison-- just not as loud, overbearing, and obnoxious.

:)

[Donkeykick]

17. You're right.

But lets not forget Ann Coulters nonsense as well. :eyes:

[jwirr]

10. I wondered about that also. Maybe talking about social justice issues.

My church is extremely interested in social justice both in this country and the world. However, left wing churches do not do politics like the rw does. We all just tell each other about this or that cause and volunteer to work on it individually or together. No from the pulpit directives. No going to hell if we do not do it. Just a general directive to go out into the world and show others the love that the Lord has shown to you.

[greiner3]

4. An evangelical to me;

Is someone who says anything or anybody is 'blessed,' says or writes the word god with a capital G, believes that words have some sort of magical power, that invisible and other powered beings have sway over corporal humans and/or willingly goes to church. Lol, I guess that makes up about 90% of Americans.

[jwirr]

12. And all greiner3es look alike.

[54anickel]

18. I used to be one of these.....

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/events/bb905078.aspx ---- Microsoft Evangelist

Then I saw the light and converted

http://www.linux.org/news/2007/06/19/0005.html --- Linux Evangelist

Now that I'm unemployed and looking for work again, I guess I'd be a Self-Evangelist



:shrug:

[murielm99]

26. An evangelical is someone who bases their beliefs

on the four Gospels of the New Testament. It means, in general, a Protestant. That is all. Those wingnuts have even co-opted a very simple word that has always been used to define Christians in a very generic way.

The same is true of many of the catch-phrases they use. Family values -- what are they saying, that my family does not have values? Pro-life -- so does that mean everyone else is pro-death?

I am tired of these people giving my faith a bad name.

[L0oniX]

5. So the thick headed bastards are finally getting a clue that they've been had.

[jwirr]

6. The right wing church has done more to destroy Christianity than

any other force on earth. They and only they are to blame for the hatred toward the church. I think it too little too late.

[ToughLuck]

8. OK..who are they Evangelical Left??????

[TommyO]

14. Jimmy Carter is a great example

[klyon]

16. I remember when the Republics made fun of Pres. Carter religiosity

and his family values

[Joe Bacon]

20. Remember how the Southern Baptists turned on him!

Stll remember how the assholes who hijacked that church denounced Carter with the secular humanism bullshit. Ignorant assholes

[a la izquierda]

22. In terms of Catholics...

they were called Liberation Theologists. Our dalliances in Latin America in the '70s and '80s put an end to their works.

[Joe Bacon]

28. And don't forget how John Paul stamped Liberation Theology out!

John Paul made it his personal crusade to purge Liberation Theology out of his church. Like any other player in the religious racket, John Paul knew that it's money that matters

[SpiralHawk]

11. Just go live out your moral precepts on your own, Evangelicals

You Spiritual Superiority Crusade is insulting and demeaning to the rest of humanity.

If you think you have the truth, live it -- don't try to cram your view of truth down other people's throats.

[kimmylavin]

15. "Christians become `useful idiots' for one political party or another"

No kidding? :sarcasm:

Its too bad they didn't come to this conclusion a few years earlier...

[peacetalksforall]

19. Evangelical = political ..... because they must rule and legislate to dominate.

Few are flexible, open minded. Consumed with condemning, including themselves ... what is it with all that forceful know-it-all pushiness to gain influence and make laws for them?

[LeftyMom]

21. I don't buy it.

Right now, the close alliance between the republicans and evangelicals has a big problem: after talking up the importance of religion in politics for years, they now have a republican candidate the christian right can't stand. And all the sudden, when that happens, the evangelicals are going to start delinking their religion and their politics? I have a sneaking suspicion this is just part of an effort to make sure the kool-aid drunk right lowers their standards for religious craziness and votes McCain in November.

[IntravenousDemilo]

23. I came to the enlightened realization that there is no god when my father died...

...and all my entreaties and prayers didn't bring him back.

[nebenaube]

24. ahem

Richard Land and James Dobson are in my opinion; two of the more dangerous domestic terrorists we face. They were really advocating a krystalnacht 2.0 with their desire to see the US become a theocracy.

[onager]

25. They throw this same tantrum every election year.

Especially Dog-beater Dobson. Every 4 years regular as clockwork, he starts whining about bolting the GOP and forming a third party. Or telling his Christozombies to stay home on election day.

It just means poor Dobson is not getting enough attention. The media usually jumps in to fix that for him.

Far more interesting was the threat from one of the God-bothering heavyweights back in 1996. I think it was Richard Viguerie.

He said Clinton's re-election proved that the Xians might as well stay out of politics, since the U.S. obviously wasn't ready for True Christian Political Leadership.

[coriolis]

30. "useful idiots".....well, they're half right.

:shrug: