Few Christian evangelicals are culture warriors.
This is a fact, though one might hear otherwise from reactionaries (like James Dobson and Alan Chambers) who claim to speak for all of “true” Christianity.
Rich Blinne notes this in his blog, citing a New York Times article by Nicholas D. Kristof and an ensuing forum discussion.
Dave Does The Blog concurs.
The following letter to the editor to the print edition of the New York Times should be interesting to readers of this blog:
To the Editor:
Nicholas D. Kristof’s April 24 column was on target: secular fundamentalists tar with as broad a brush as Christian fundamentalists.
Evangelical is not a synonym for fundamentalist. As a lesbian, I resent my faith’s being considered a mere lifestyle choice as much as I resent my sexuality’s being considered as such. Both are integral parts of my identity.
Mr. Kristof doesn’t go quite far enough. The entire faith community — right, middle and left — resents a relentlessly secular society that belittles our beliefs. Secularists, get a clue: your insensitivity is alienating a huge segment of potential allies on many issues you care about.
HELEN HAUG
Oakland, Calif., April 25, 2004
70% or more of Evangelicals support the legislation of theocracy for America. Focus on the Family, American Family Association, The Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, etc etc etc …. this is NOT a radical fringe in the Evangelical Christian religions, this is the mainstream. Theocratic Christian organizations generate billions of dollars in donations. GW Dumbya’s entire political career has been won (especially in his home state of Texas) by carrying the “evangelical” vote.
As for all the hand-wringing over “fundamentalist” or “evangelical,” it’s not the personal beliefs of any individual, but the legislative actions of the group that make a theocracy.
To be a theocrat, you must be a fundamentalist.
Playing word games doesn’t change a thing, sort of like that old saying about ducks that quack.
It goes without saying there are millions of non-theocratic Christians out there, and thankfully they are getting louder. But they are nowhere near having the impact that fundamentalists have had on our government in recent years, yet.
According the Barna group evangelicals make up 6% of the population. So, according to your nunmbers that means 4% would be theocrats. I don’t think that would be enough to effect any change. Furthermore, I doubt your 70% number as it obviously can’t be including the opinions of either young or African-American evangelicals who are more liberal politically. Add to that there has always been controversy inside Fundamentalism between activism and pietism. Sorry, I don’t buy it. Note again what Helen said above, you risk alienating people who might be with you.
There is a difference between Fundamentalist and Evangelical and by not allowing Evangelicals like myself to make the distinction you help perpetuate the “culture war” mentality. With the ongoing threat of terrorist attacks we simply cannot afford to be fighting each other.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jesus/
There are 90 million evangelicals in this country and 70% of those vote theocratically. Your denial of the facts looks ridiculous. The religious right, evangelicals, fundamentalists, fundagelicals, whatever you want to call them, as a group, support theocratic organizations to the tune of billions of dollars and comprise some of the largest and most powerful lobbying organizations in Washington.
I’ve already praised the voice of non-theocratic christians in my previous post, acknowledging that not all Christians are theocrats. Apparently that is not enough for you. You want endorsement of theocracy and unfortunately you aren’t going to be getting that from me.
Whoa, 90 million? The 6% figure that the Barna Group is done by asking doctrinal questions rather than by self-identification. Evangelical and Religious Right are not co-terminous. If your numbers were correct, I wouldn’t be passing as many people on the way to church on Sunday. Do I want endorsement of theocracy? Hardly. The following e-mail conversation between two very conservative evangelical pastors is more representative of what many evangelicals think of Religious Right organizations:
>> MY wife and I, having observed some parents who have used the stuff, have dubbed it, “Growing Pharisees God’s Way.”
Karen Armstrong in her excelllent study ‘The Battle for God’ points out that the distinction between evangelical and fundamentalist first emerged in the 40’s. It was a decision made by Billy Graham and his advertising managers to go with the e word as a slogan. Prior to this point the two words were used interchangably. So, this distinction is more like ‘new improved’ than like a traditional theological point.
Fine, if theologians want to hand wring over the nuances and variations, have at it.
A theocrat is a theocrat is a theocrat. Theocrats are always fundamentalists, that is, they believe in a strict literal interpretation of their religious dogma. Theocrats are the same around the world, fundamentalist in their religion, whatever it may be.
Evangelicals, fundamentalists, fundagelicals, — if they support religious inspired legislation and religious law they are THEOCRATS.
There are, of course, evangelicals and fundamentalists who do not favor legislating their beliefs upon everyone else. What their numbers are, I have no idea, because they aren’t likely to seek the media spotlight — they have no reason to.
I really do need to read Karen Armstrong’s books — several of them have been sitting on my shelf for a while now.