WP,pg1: Religious Liberals Gain New Visibility

[DeepModem Mom]

Religious Liberals Gain New Visibility
A Different List Of Moral Issues
By Caryle Murphy and Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, May 20, 2006; Page A01

The religious left is back.

Long overshadowed by the Christian right, religious liberals across a wide swath of denominations are engaged today in their most intensive bout of political organizing and alliance-building since the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements of the 1960s, according to scholars, politicians and clergy members.

In large part, the revival of the religious left is a reaction against conservatives' success in the 2004 elections in equating moral values with opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

Religious liberals say their faith compels them to emphasize such issues as poverty, affordable health care and global warming. Disillusionment with the war in Iraq and opposition to Bush administration policies on secret prisons and torture have also fueled the movement.

"The wind is changing. Folks -- not just leaders -- are fed up with what is being portrayed as Christian values," said the Rev. Tim Ahrens, senior minister of First Congregational Church of Columbus, Ohio, and a founder of We Believe Ohio, a statewide clergy group established to ensure that the religious right is "not the only one holding a megaphone" in the public square....

***

Recently, there has been an increase in books and Web sites by religious liberals, national and regional conferences, church-based discussion groups, and new faith-oriented political organizations. "Organizationally speaking, strategically speaking, the religious left is now in the strongest position it's been in since the Vietnam era," said Clemson University political scientist Laura R. Olson....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/19/AR2006051901813.html

[AX10]

1. KICK

[Prophet 451]

2. Good for them but...

...probably too late. The Religious Reich has been so successful at twisting the language to merge "christian" with "conservative" that it probably won't make any difference. They'll also have the same problem Air America has, great intentions but not enough exposure. There's unlikely to be a 700 Club for liberal Christians, there's unlikely to be the same focus put on them by the MSM (for once, not because of bias but because Robertson and Falwell screaming makes for great copy) and considering the Gallup poll I saw a little while ago which indicated that something like a quarter of the population are Biblical literalists, I doubt they have teh numbers either.

Of course, I'm a devil-worshipper so it makes no nevermind to me but I honestly think the term "Christian" has been too throughly linked with conservative social values in the public consciousness now to make a difference. Good for them for trying though.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Some liberals now call themselves Followers of Christ for the very

reason you stated.

[Prophet 451]

4. Really?

That's a new one on me (and I work for a religious website) but more power to 'em for it.

I'm reminded of Gandhi's famous line: "I like your Christ but not your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ".

[GreenPartyVoter]

5. Yeah, that's a fave quote of mine too. :^D

[lvx35]

6. The thing is that they are very often interfaith on the left.

Which is part of why I love this movement so much, its not really totally about "Christian" its about the role of religion entirely, and includes muslims, jews, etc.

[Prophet 451]

7. Which is a good thing but...

...also gives the RR an excuse to denounce them as "not really Christian". As I said, they've done a very good job of making "Christian" mean right-wing, exclusionary and venomous.

[gumby]

8. Thanks for nothing WP

It is/was the MSM that promoted Reich-Wing Christians as THE voice of Christianity. There is and always has been those "other" Christians, but the MSM never included them in their conversation or their coverage.

How many times have you seen Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Bill Bennett, James Dobson, and so many other right-wing wacos as THE arbitrators of "morality" in the MSM?

The MSM created right-wing Christianity. Now they are creating the "other side" that has always been there. I despise the MSM in so many ways.

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Good point, gumby. nt