3 Signs the Republican Monopoly on Christianity Is Nearing its End

[applegrove]

3 Signs the Republican Monopoly on Christianity Is Nearing its End

By Christina Forrester

https://www.laprogressive.com/republican-monopoly-on-christianity/

"SNIP..............



Wedge issues have gone awry

The Republican Party’s two “clinch” issues—gay marriage and abortion—are becoming less of a factor for voters. While many Christians, regardless of their political affiliation, may be pro-life and in favor of traditional marriage, the tone of the conversation has changed dramatically and is no longer becoming a singular or even primary influence in picking a candidate. And with the recent Supreme Court decision, one could argue the fight for “traditional marriage” is now truly a moot point. One recent high-profile report even underscored that “most Republican presidential candidates seem to want to avoid talking about the issue [all together]—as Mitt Romney largely did in 2012.”

Another 2015 report underscoring “The Republican Party’s Abortion Bind” cites that, despite “a newly enormous majority in the House and a newly minted majority in the Senate, Republicans finally had a chance to get a bill to the president,” but to no avail as the GOP coalition fell apart on technicalities in its attempt to pass a new bill. The report further highlights part of the challenge for Republicans, citing that “everyone knows the GOP faces a demographic time bomb, since its voters are older and whiter and more pro-life than the general population, so it’s risky to do anything that might make it harder to win them over.” Further, polling has shown that “the majority of Americans, based on gender, do not let their views on abortion affect their choice in a presidential candidate.” That finding reportedly came shortly after Rep. Todd Akin, the then Republican Senate hopeful from Missouri, drew backlash from his own party for his comments regarding “legitimate rape” and abortion.

“Compassionate conservatism was a lie”

In 2000 when George W. Bush ran for President, he won based on the assurance of a softer, more holistic conservatism that promised to leave “no child left behind” and to be more inclusive of groups across varied economic backgrounds. Fast forward to today and only a few voices in the Republican party are discussing economic equality. Indeed, the Republican party is still not only perceived as the party of the wealthy, but duly anointed as outlined in a March 2015 report titled “The Fight for the Soul of the Republican Party Is Over: The Rich Won Again” that detailed the epic failure of “reform conservatives” striving to reconnect the party to middle-class and low-income voters.

Terms such as “The War on the Poor” and trending Twitter hashtags like #GOPWaronthePoor #WaronthePoor show that more and more Americans, and Christians, are identifying the Republican party with the wealthy, the so-called 1%, and against policies to help the poor. The GOP has not helped itself in this regard by allowing members of Congress and outspoken Evangelical leaders to leverage the media with messages that insult or demean food stamp recipients and others in the low economic class. When every policy, from the subsidized “Obamaphone” program to budgets for food stamps, which assists our nation’s poor, is slammed by the GOP establishment, the people, including Christians, are finally starting to take notice. This is especially true in states where GOP governors have refused the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which would help millions in their states be able to receive healthcare. The effect of the GOP general narrative on helping these millions of poor families is especially heard…and felt.



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[jeff47]

1. I think it's more the decline of religion than the decline of the GOP's control over it

There's a lot fewer people regularly going to church, especially in younger demographics.

But this is falling hardest on the liberal churches. Conservative church membership is not being hurt as badly.

I think liberal Christians massively miscalculated. They did not seek attention like conservative Christians. As a result, "Christian" now means "conservative Christian" to many people, because that's the only kind that seeks attention.

Essentially, it looks like conservative Christians managed to damage Jesus' "brand".

[Arugula Latte]

4. The fewer people believing in mythology, the better, though.

It's time this country embraced science and reason and learned to regard nonsensical myths and stories as just that.

[jeff47]

5. Yeah, I don't mind the result since I'm an atheist. But living through the process is not fun. (nt)

[AndreHUnt]

12. Or you could consider the alternative....

Can we take a look at the intelligent people that believe in God (like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton) instead of going the Bill Maher approach talking to the ones who argue it emotionally.

For instance why don’t you talk to a statistician who based on the math says the chances of everything happening via evolution without intelligent design is less than 1 in 1 trillion? Think about the probability of all the things that had to go right.

Second, talk to someone in astronomy. The current language is that for the Big Bang to have happened there had to be a “causal agent” something “translucent” that operates outside the rules of time and space. What possible real alternative is there for how the Big Bang happened. There had to be some sort of catalyst and whatever that catalyst is, that is God. Pretty simple theory and extremely practical.

Third, what scientist are now saying about Dark Matter is that they can prove that it exist. However, it can’t be seen with the naked eye because they believe it operates in another dimension. Like literally, if you watch Through The Wormhole on The Science Channel they are saying this.

Extrapolate that information and what Christians who are knowledgeable essentially are saying is that the spiritual world is another dimension.

[Arugula Latte]

13. Welcome to DU...You are seriously advocating intelligent design, though?

The "statistician" you cited about I.D. is a quack with a religious agenda, just like the climate denier "scientists" have pro-profit corporate agendas. Evolution is at the very foundation of all of biology. Mutations occur in genetic material frequently. Sometimes the mutations are advantageous, and help the organism thrive and reproduce. Therefore, the "mutation" eventually becomes the norm over time. There is no magical supernatural creature necessary to facilitate evolution. It has been happening for literally billions of years, most likely all over the universe.

Also, whatever the catalyst for the Big Bang, there is no need to assume a supernatural explanation in the absence of evidence.

One other thing: Some intelligent people think there is a god, often because belief in god has been a part of their culture/upbringing. That isn't evidence for the existence of the supernatural, though.

[Ilsa]

2. Faithful America has been a good voice for

Liberal religious people. It's been effective enough that it is being attacked, and it's members called non-Christian by GOP henchmen.

[LiberalElite]

3. just posting the link to them -

I'm on their email list: http://www.faithfulamerica.org/

[Gloria]

7. I'm thinking of actually becoming a member

of the Freedom from Religion Foundation http://ffrf.org/about

The focus is more on separation of church and state, which really is the key.

They have a kickass newspaper which reports on their accomplishments...they are everywhere, contesting
all sorts of things...and winning....

[Gloria]

6. Well, my "Christian" family certainly are not noticing anything..

they don't give a rat's ass about anything but material goods and recite FOX opinion as well as the Bible.

They are pretty much out of my life now....and their kids are clones...bad news...

I told one of them that Jesus would PUKE over what they "believe"....

[Ilsa]

8. Sounds like your family is exactly what

the group Faithful America would fight in policy-making. If any of them were in office and advocating for "screw the poor" or anti-environmental policies, FA would remind them, if they were professed Christians, exactly what you said -- Jesus would puke over being associated with them. Everything I've seen from them is about social and economic justice and not allowing the haters to commandeer religion for a false basis in their policies.

I'm sorry that there has to be a family rift, but I understand why you had to break with them.

I have heard the FFRF ads on the radio. I'm glad they are there, vocal, and a light-hearted. I believe agnostics and atheists are as moral as anyone else.

[Gloria]

9. FA sounds like a voice that needs to be out there even more now

Of course, who will allow that to any great extent?

The extremist so-called Christians have the megaphone called the GOP...

The family rift took a look time as we tried to talk to them, tolerate them, get along wth them...but they cut us out of the family..so finally, I decided it was not healthy to continue trying to be close to them.

Finally, my pendulum dowser lady "cut the cord" and it really helped the final separation on the emotional level.

Keep it light, realizing now that the have a huge wall around them...it's like a bunker/cult society they are in....it's very sad....they are so cold...

[mnhtnbb]

10. "In 2000 when George W. Bush ran for President, he won based on"

Please, could we, at least on DU, STOP saying that GWB "won". He did not.
He was selected as President by the Supreme Court after they ordered the recount
of votes to be stopped in Florida. Had the recount continued, it would have shown
Al Gore to have won the State of Florida, and thus the Electoral votes necessary
to be sworn in as President.

Please stop reinforcing the myth that George Bush "won".

[lonestarnot]

11. Thank you very fucking much!

He did not win.