Churches See an Election Role and Spread Word on Bush

[yardwork]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/09/politics/campaign/09church.html?hp

Churches See an Election Role and Spread the Word on Bush
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Published: August 9, 2004

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 8 - Susanne Jacobsmeyer, a member of the West County Assembly of God in a St. Louis suburb, voted for George W. Bush four years ago, but mostly out of loyalty as a Republican and not with much passion.

This year, Ms. Jacobsmeyer is a "team leader" in the Bush campaign's effort to turn out conservative Christian voters. "This year I am voting for him as a man of faith," she said over breakfast after an early morning service. "He has proven that he will do what is right, and he will look to God first."

Jan Klarich, her friend and another team leader, agreed. "Don't you feel it is a spiritual battle?" she asked to nods around the table.

more....

Reading this article will require free registration at the NY Times.

This really, really worries me. It's not just that these fervent church people could tip the election to Bush, it's the whole idea behind what they are doing!

The concept of separation of church and state does not exist for the people interviewed in this article, and I think they represent a LOT of people in this country. They believe that the Bible tells them to elect a government that will ensure that the United States follows their religious ideology, and nobody elses.

Read the part where the pastor says that they are the good guys, and those opposing Bush are "the bad guys." That means us! That means anybody who doesn't agree with their views about gay and lesbian rights, marriage rights, abortion, or stem cell research (and that's just for starters).

These people aren't going to go away. They aren't going to be easily swayed into giving up their idea.

[physioex]

1. Shrub's strategy is simple...

Shore up your base don't worry about the others. This is why he uses religion to his advantage. Also remember the way he snubbed the NAACP, unfortunately this sends a powerful message to many RW whitefolks.

The resposne you get from these people should come as no surprise. We can try and shore up the people who feel left out by Shrub, and the Christians who are unhappy with the way things are going in Iraq. Which side will have more people? .... I dunno...stay tuned....

[Massacure]

10. The democratic base is bigger than the republican if I recall.

The problem is that the republican base is nosier. :P

[ClintonTyree]

2. Jeeesh.............

"He has proven that he will do what is right, and he will look to God first".

Unfuckingbelievable. "He'll do what's right"......... right in their myopic view of the world, certainly not right in God's eyes. All of the lying, killing, raping of the environment that "God" created.....these things are right with you and your God?

Is it no wonder I turn from God when the evil, brainwashed masses who support Bush's actions adore him to the point of sheer lunacy?

You can have "your" God. You're sick, vile people who one day will hopefully wake up from your fairytale and face the reality of what you and the Bush administration has done.

[murielm99]

3. That's the whole trouble.

Many of us are turning away from God rather than be associated with that kind of Christianity.

These people do not have a religion, they have a crutch, or a drug they cling to with all their might. My dad is getting to be more like that all the time, too. It scares me. He was a good union man and a good Democrat his whole life.

I used to work for a woman who was a committed Baptist. Her husband was a former pastor, who later taught at a seminary. She and her husband both lived their faith, but were very open minded about everyone else. That included gays, alcoholics, atheists, shell shocked vets, you name it. All types of people were genuinely their friends. They were not necessarily trying to convert anyone, either. They were just very accepting people.

They raised their three daughters very openly, and all three girls ended up being very committed Christians.

They were all Democrats, too. I think they were Democrats because they were so committed to social justice.

What has happened to those types of Christians?

I used to belong to a demonimation that was committed to peace and social justice. They turned conservative and I quit them.

I find myself less interested in faith all the time. Maybe I should be trying to wrest my faith back from those types, but I just find myself giving up. I seem to be putting all that passion into this election, into returning my country to the right track.

I don't know what it is going to take. I just don't know.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. There are still liberal churches - seek them out

Unity is a liberal Christian church, and Unitarians are nice folks to hang around with. You have to check out individual churches in the Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian denominations, but there are liberal churches among them.

[Joy Anne]

8. and also

You forgot my church, the United Church of Christ, Howard Dean and Bob Graham's denomination.

[Joy Anne]

7. Christians

Our sermon this week was based on Kerry's quote of Lincoln, wanting to be on God's side rather than wanting God to be on our side. We're in the kind of church that this month is collecting for the food bank and working on a Habitat for Humanity rehab house.

There are lots of churches around that hew by the Sermon on the Mount rather than Leviticus; we just don't make the headlines.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Just remember

that their concept of God is not necessarily God....:)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Write your congressperson about HB 235

This piece of legislation would make it legal for churches to actively campaign for political candidates and not lose their tax exempt status. My idiot in Washington is sponsoring the bill-I called in protest, and got a letter back which basically said thank you for supporting me! Naturally, I sent money to his Democratic opponant.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. time to reconsider these fundie churches tax exempt status'..repeal it

[Skinner]

11. This is a duplicate

Continue discussion here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=737282&mesg_id=737282