Cliff LyonThe God Gap
Christian Evangelist folk hero and Bush appointee Andrew Kuo said today, “Evangelical voters are concerned about spiritual consequences of their
political involvement. We are tired of being taken advantage of. Within the Evangelical community, there is a deep spiritual discussion going on about the proper role of politics in faith.
Ok, so moral values voters left republicans in droves. They call it the diminished God gap. But it was only in the center where people had tired after six years trapped in the din of government sanctioned, social engineering packaged like a cake with creamy, sweet faith for icing.
If the only thing you wanna talk about is religion and wedge issues, then there is certainly a place for you, but most Americans care about other issues too. And those are the things we want our government dealing with.
Recent exit polls - The shift to Democrats by religion (or not)
Non churchgoers - 67% voted for Democrats.
Other - 20% increase for Democrats.
No denomination - 11% increases for Democrats.
Andrew also said that “when Evangelicals saw Rush Limbaugh, the face of Conservativism, mocking Michael Fox, they said, ‘if thats conservatism, that’s not for me.’
George set it up so that any attack on him was on attack on his faith.
Andrew wishes Bush had fulfilled the promises he made in the “Duty of Hope” speech.
What do YOU think?
November 20th, 2006 at 11:19 pm
Except in Utah where nary a brother nor sister budged but for the teaspoon of bretheren who in the full fury of their apostacy caused not a ripple in the glassy, smooth, peaceful surface of the great pond of the obedient, the righteous, the confidence, and the conquered in the name of Jesus.
November 20th, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Religion requires faith to proceed, wherein we suspend to some degree, our analytical and critical minds in hopes of something better in the future. Politicians LOVE using religion because at a time when the masses should be critically examining ideas and policies, politicians can evoke God and fiat, or by abuse of faith, avoid such scrutiny.
It is deliberate manipulation at it’s worst. Recently, religion has been used as a fear card/red herring. Fear of gays. Fear of abortions. Fear of terrorists. Fear of liberal activist judges. And now fear of stem cell research. All of these fears were either completely fabricated or greatly exaggerated to create a heightened emotion that would empower Republicans.
Republicans sadly learned, however, that such heightened emotion cannot be sustaine in perpetuity, and as the emotion subsided many saw the charade for what it was- a distraction from the real tangible issues of our day- a ponzi scheme we call ‘Social Security’, record deficits, deliberate and unabashed abuse of civil and human rights, a government cloaked and shrouded in secrecy, and an eroding position internationally.
Religion is a wonderful thing, it produces far more good than bad. However, scheming evil men recognize the power of faith and the naive nature of the masses and seek to exploit the good power of religion for their selfish and aggregately evil ways.
Shame on the Republican Party for polluting and manipulating True Christianity for the past six years.
November 21st, 2006 at 8:56 am
Somewhere in all the reams of punditry written about Bush, I read that that although the evangelical base wasn’t happy with Bush’s wars, they would forgive him anything as long as they got the judicial appointments they wanted. The test was Harriet Meiers, when Bush went over the one line he wasn’t allowed to cross and had to go back.
It’s an interesting moral question when members of the religious right are more concerned about domestic cultural conflicts than actual wars where people are getting killed.
November 21st, 2006 at 9:38 am
I do not see it this way, the dems success is a product of a belief that bush needed to be checked,and then only way to do this was empower some democrats, mostly conservative. The religious thing is incidental, except that many religious people might have figured out that bush really may be a democrat when it comes to spending money.
Now Americans want a no nonsense approach to our problems, not based on new law, but application of existing law. The social agenda is a waste of time for most Americans. Their jobs are paying less, and their bills are more, there is a shell of a major city rotting in the Southern sun, there are foreigners existing here without the benefit of law, there is the massive national debt, and that includes the personal mortgage, an ARM that will cold cock average Americans.
It is clear that all Americans have to figure out what the iraq war is for, but seeing as the entire war has been approved in a bi-partisan manner, most complaints from either side ring hollow, as the voters know there are other forces powering this war besides the stated obvious.
November 21st, 2006 at 10:10 am
Having read the speech, I think it should have been titled the “crumbs of compassion” speech– like Dad’s thousand points of light, but crummier.
November 21st, 2006 at 2:39 pm
[...] I was inspired by Cliff’s excellent God Gap post earlier today, where he links to a 1999 Bush speech that was part of the now-forgotten GOP “compassionate conservatism” meme. Here’s a key quote from that old speech: [O]ur nation must get beyond two narrow mindsets. The first is that government provides the only real compassion. A belief that what is done by caring people through church and charity is secondary and marginal. Some Washington politicians call these efforts “crumbs of compassion.” These aren’t “crumbs” to people whose lives are changed, they are the hope of renewal and salvation. These are not the “crumbs of compassion,” they are the bread of life. And they are the strength and soul of America. [...]
November 21st, 2006 at 3:57 pm
It is sad that so many liberals have been duped into believing that there is no g-d. Well, you are a dumb mfer if you believe that.
Go ahead and suffer….when you have g-d himself help you through the problems of life that afflict everyone.
How do you think the iraki has managed to humble the greatest military power in the history of the world while outgunned by a factor of 1000 to 1.
Tell the islamic freedom fighters that there is no g-d.
November 21st, 2006 at 8:32 pm
I’d venture to say if the non-existence of God could be proven, there would have been fewer wars throughout history and a lot less suffering. And the ugliest thing about Islamic terrorists is that nearly all their victims are fellow muslims.
November 21st, 2006 at 8:53 pm
I empathize with your optimism. I would venture to say if we can’t convince half of America and many too many US congressman and senators that global warming is scientifically proven reality, what would really change even with scientific proof God does not exist?
How many would actually “believe†it?
About 28% of Americans have a frightening capacity to over-look science even common sense in loyalty to some sort of tribalish expectation.
Btw: Anglo-Saxon Christians have a pretty good track record of killing each other too. And don’t forget the Civil War.
November 22nd, 2006 at 11:08 am
Even though global warming is true, what are we doing about it? All planets in our solar system are warming simultaneously. This indicates that what is happening may be caused by increased sun energy output. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this. If you believe in human produced global warming, park your vehicle, and wear your woolies. What liberals believe this?
80% of greenhouse gases come from the building, maintenance and heating and cooling of your home. I doubt any American is going to hold back this Thanksgiving on anything, we drive there (grandmas’ house), deep fat fry a turkey now, burn some soot producing wood maybe….(An average fireplace produces the soot, and toxins of a semi truck diesel engine under 80,000 lbs load, think of this the next 12 hour fire you have, trucks run 10 hours a day)…Anyway, since this warming is going to happen(or not) and no one is doing anything meaningful about it, then why not pooh pooh anyone talking about it? It is dumb. Until you are living like an 17th century human, save it.
1 person that owns a car does as much environmental damage, and produces as much greenhouse gas, as 100 3rd worlders. To say nothing of the operation of a “modern” western home. David Suzuki. crack!!
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