Comments on: U.S. Religious Right reacts to “Evangelical Manifesto” http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/ Religion, faith and ethics Wed, 22 May 2013 22:52:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Kathleen T http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-6044 Kathleen T Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:10:20 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-6044 Why is it that being religious suddenly should be something to hide? I’m wondering what you think about this. I came across this interesting site, opposingviews.com the other day while doing some research on religion and its place in politics. It’s a site where there are numerous interesting debates on all sorts of subjects that are on everyone’s mind. The debate that specifically captured my attention is the one asking whether Intelligent Design has merit. I do like the idea that their debaters are not simply average people giving their opinions, but all are experts in their chosen fields. The point of view that really got to me though, is the one from the Ayn Rand Institute in which they call ID a supposedly non-religious theory, and a crusade to peddle religion by giving it the veneer of science. They use words like it is metaphysical marijuana intended to draw students away from scientific explanations and get them hooked on the supernatural. I’d like to place my comment there, but I’d really like to get some input from you before doing so. Here’s the specific debate I’d like to comment on. http://www.opposingviews.com/arguments/it-s-bait-and-switch Thanks so much. Why is it that being religious suddenly should be something to hide? I’m wondering what you think about this. I came across this interesting site, opposingviews.com the other day while doing some research on religion and its place in politics. It’s a site where there are numerous interesting debates on all sorts of subjects that are on everyone’s mind.

The debate that specifically captured my attention is the one asking whether Intelligent Design has merit. I do like the idea that their debaters are not simply average people giving their opinions, but all are experts in their chosen fields. The point of view that really got to me though, is the one from the Ayn Rand Institute in which they call ID a supposedly non-religious theory, and a crusade to peddle religion by giving it the veneer of science.

They use words like it is metaphysical marijuana intended to draw students away from scientific explanations and get them hooked on the supernatural. I’d like to place my comment there, but I’d really like to get some input from you before doing so. Here’s the specific debate I’d like to comment on. http://www.opposingviews.com/arguments/i t-s-bait-and-switch Thanks so much.

]]> By: Conscientious Observer http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3425 Conscientious Observer Mon, 12 May 2008 18:03:40 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3425 This is sounds so familiar, you know when religious fundamentalism starts mixing with politics. This sort of religious influence on politics I thought could or would only happen in those 3rd world countries, with almost medieval attitudes, that you can find in parts of Africa, Asia and Middle East, (Not that there's anything wrong with that if you're into oppression, bigotry, ignorance and all that comes with it). This article is about 21stC USA isn't it? I thought the meaning of democracy was 'a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives..' (Oxford Dict.) I can't seem to find the word 'religon' as part of the Oxford Dictionary meaning? Or would I only find that 'religon' is part of the democracy meaning in the book of the "Evangelical American Dictionary"? This is sounds so familiar, you know when religious fundamentalism starts mixing with politics. This sort of religious influence on politics I thought could or would only happen in those 3rd world countries, with almost medieval attitudes, that you can find in parts of Africa, Asia and Middle East, (Not that there’s anything wrong with that if you’re into oppression, bigotry, ignorance and all that comes with it). This article is about 21stC USA isn’t it? I thought the meaning of democracy was ‘a form of government in which the people have a voice in the exercise of power, typically through elected representatives..’ (Oxford Dict.) I can’t seem to find the word ‘religon’ as part of the Oxford Dictionary meaning? Or would I only find that ‘religon’ is part of the democracy meaning in the book of the “Evangelical American Dictionary”?

]]> By: J Cipolla http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3411 J Cipolla Sun, 11 May 2008 00:44:09 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3411 Fundamentalism is fundamentalism. Mr. Hutchinson's comments above echo the sentiments of many of my Muslim friends & coworkers. They, too, are being painted with the broad brush of intolerance, hatred & bitterness that their fundamentalist brethren have propagated. Give me fundamentalist Buddhists any day... Fundamentalism is fundamentalism. Mr. Hutchinson’s comments above echo the sentiments of many of my Muslim friends & coworkers. They, too, are being painted with the broad brush of intolerance, hatred & bitterness that their fundamentalist brethren have propagated.

Give me fundamentalist Buddhists any day…

]]> By: Nick http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3392 Nick Fri, 09 May 2008 02:47:23 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3392 division of church and state anyone? division of church and state anyone?

]]> By: Holland http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3382 Holland Thu, 08 May 2008 19:28:02 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3382 This is all a bunch of bull. Conservative Protestants have begun to feel uncomfortable about being looked down on by their liberal fellow believers. They are being cowed into whining "I am not a Republican." The left wants Evangelicals to stand in the pulpit and say, "We don't need to participate. Jesus loves everything and everybody anyway." If the left and the weenie Christians can accomplish that the Evangelical vote will drop by about 50% and, voila, leftists will win more elections. That's their objective. Some Christian leaders whose predecessors withstood torture, prison, banishment, poverty, etc. now can't stand up to political correctness. The liberals critics don't have any problem with the Protestant churches whose pastors preach Democrat politics, get paid to deliver Democrat votes, and deliver 90 to 95% margins for Democrats. Christians should practice the truths of the scripture. They should align with political parties that best represent their Christian values and work as hard as possible to advance those values. That's what everybody else does in a democratic republic. This is all a bunch of bull. Conservative Protestants
have begun to feel uncomfortable about being looked down on by their liberal fellow believers. They are being cowed into whining “I am not a Republican.” The left wants Evangelicals to stand in the pulpit and say, “We don’t need to participate. Jesus loves everything and everybody anyway.” If the left and the weenie Christians can accomplish that the Evangelical vote will drop by about 50% and, voila, leftists will win more elections.
That’s their objective. Some Christian leaders whose predecessors withstood torture, prison, banishment, poverty, etc. now can’t stand up to political correctness.
The liberals critics don’t have any problem with the Protestant churches whose pastors preach Democrat politics, get paid to deliver Democrat votes, and deliver 90 to 95% margins for Democrats.

Christians should practice the truths of the scripture. They should align with political parties that best represent their Christian values and work as hard as possible to advance those values.
That’s what everybody else does in a democratic republic.

]]> By: Sean http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3371 Sean Wed, 07 May 2008 22:35:28 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3371 It is the absolute right of all Americans to have a faith and a belief, or even non-belief, but this right is protected by a secular government and law. Religious people have the right to be political, but churches were granted a special status that prohibits political actions of the kind they have been doing, strongly, for the past 20 years. The Religious Right, hasn't just forgotten these two point, they completely ignore this and have attempted to subvert the laws and rules that theoretically protect them. They act as they have because they currently have large numbers - a "Bully Approach." It would be nice if everyone had the guts to stand up and say "Have you no sense of decency?" and stop this political movement. It is the absolute right of all Americans to have a faith and a belief, or even non-belief, but this right is protected by a secular government and law. Religious people have the right to be political, but churches were granted a special status that prohibits political actions of the kind they have been doing, strongly, for the past 20 years. The Religious Right, hasn’t just forgotten these two point, they completely ignore this and have attempted to subvert the laws and rules that theoretically protect them. They act as they have because they currently have large numbers – a “Bully Approach.” It would be nice if everyone had the guts to stand up and say “Have you no sense of decency?” and stop this political movement.

]]> By: Dan Hutchinson http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/comment-page-1/#comment-3365 Dan Hutchinson Wed, 07 May 2008 21:22:06 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2008/05/07/us-religious-right-reacts-to-evangelical-manifesto/#comment-3365 I cringe now whenever I tell people that I am a Christian because I know they are thinking, "Oh, one of those right-wing nutters". The unfortunate marriage of evangelical Christianity, right-wing politics and fundamentalism has made the word "Christian" a by-word...and erected tremendous barriers to sharing the good news of Christianity with others. The devil himself could not have done a better job of damaging Christianity than the right wing fundamentalist with whom Evangelicals have linked themselves. I cringe now whenever I tell people that I am a Christian because I know they are thinking, “Oh, one of those right-wing nutters”. The unfortunate marriage of evangelical Christianity, right-wing politics and fundamentalism has made the word “Christian” a by-word…and erected tremendous barriers to sharing the good news of Christianity with others. The devil himself could not have done a better job of damaging Christianity than the right wing fundamentalist with whom Evangelicals have linked themselves.

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