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Not all evangelicals are fundamentalist (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Molly Bloom on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 11:18:34 AM EST
Another problem of the media and pundits is the inability to see the difference between evangelicals and fundamentalists. The latter is a sub-group of the former. It may be the dominant group (just as there are more Reform Jews than Orthodox) but not all evangelicals are the same.

The UCC's, for example, consider themselves evangelical, but as a whole, they are very liberal church. One of my good friends is a Methodist priestess (as I call her).  She is evangelical and is a strong Democrat in her views and is pro choice. She opposes Dispensationalism as theologically incorrect.  I believe  Jimmy Carter is an evangelical,  but not a fundamentalist.  

I think we should be careful of painting with too broad a brush.

2ndly the Democrats don't need all the votes of all evangelicals, they only need to split some of the evangelical votes from the GOP as part of a comprehensive electoral strategy. Is this what Dean is up to? I don't pretend to know. But if there are younger evangelicals who, as a whole are more sympathetic to the progressive movement, they should be courted. Those who are looking to get a say on supreme court appointments for the purpose of overturning Roe or tearing down the wall between church and state should be told up front, not going to happen. In fact that should be stated up front period.

BTW my own views on religion and Christianity would probably get me burnt at the stake by the "party of Dobson", so I am not at all sympathetic to the fundamentalist viewpoint.

"Once in a while you get shown the light In the strangest of places if you look at it right"

changing views among evangelicals (none / 0) (#3)
by Satya1 on Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 02:10:38 PM EST
I don't watch evangelical movements too closely but I also believe that there are enough variety of opinions among evangelicals to have more of a dialog.  I read this among younger evangelicals, among those particularly troubled by the Iraq war and W's hypocracies, and also those broadening their issues of concern.  Regarding the later consider the recent development of evangelicals becoming much more interested in environmental causes.

Granted that many evangelical rightwingers are naive and/or nuts-  Including the people BTD are referencing.  My personal theory is that in their "God Bless America" frame they switch the two and they have made their own little idolatry of their narrow, extreme nationalism.

But the last thing Dems should do is blanket condemnation of any large faith group.  Not every evangelical is nuts.  If Dems want to demonize them, they risk using so much inflammatory language they also risk turning off some other traditional Dem voters.  

An important related question for the Dems to ask in the politics and faith question is:  what is with the declining support of Catholics?

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