Evangelical flocks on their own at the polls: FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT TRANSFORMING "RELIGIOUS" RIGHT

[DeepModem Mom]

LAT: Evangelical flocks on their own at the polls
Conservative Christian leaders are increasingly reluctant to get political, leaving a key Republican voting bloc divided. The trend may help Giuliani but hurt the GOP in the long term.
By Stephanie Simon and Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 15, 2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- A fundamental shift is transforming the religious right, long a force in presidential politics, as aging evangelical leaders split on the 2008 race and a new generation of pastors turns away from politics altogether. The result, in the short term, could be a boost for the centrist candidacy of former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, whose messy personal life and support for gay rights and legal abortion have not produced the unified opposition from Christian conservatives that many anticipated. Over the longer term, the distancing of religious leaders from politics could prove even more consequential, denying the GOP one of the essential building blocks it has used to capture the White House in five of the last seven presidential races....

***

The term "evangelical" refers to Christians who claim a personal relationship with Christ and consider the Bible the word of God, to be faithfully obeyed. They are a huge group -- about one in four voters -- and far from monolithic; their ranks include Pentecostals, charismatics, Southern Baptists and many others. Some worship to rock music, others to hymns; some speak in tongues. Some believe God preordained those headed to heaven; others hold that anyone can achieve salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as their savior. Former Presidents Carter and Clinton are evangelicals, as is President Bush.

Despite that diversity, evangelicals have become a reliable -- and increasingly crucial -- Republican voting bloc. Many were drawn to Bush in 2000 because of his conservative stance on social issues and his story of turning to Christ to overcome a drinking problem. He won the support of more than eight in 10 Christian conservatives in 2000 and nearly nine of 10 in 2004, according to Los Angeles Times exit polls. But in the three years since, many Christian conservatives have expressed a growing unease about the entanglement of politics and pulpit. Among young evangelical adults, nearly half say involvement in politics is problematic, according to a new book, "unChristian," from the evangelical research firm the Barna Group.

Some of that disillusionment comes from disappointment with Bush's policies, including the war in Iraq. But there's also shame at the often-bombastic, sharply partisan rhetoric of the traditional standard-bearers for conservative Christian values, including televangelist Pat Robertson, 77; the Rev. Jerry Falwell, who died this spring at age 73; and radio host James C. Dobson, 71. One-third of evangelicals under 30 told Barna that they were embarrassed to call themselves believers....

***

The disarray on the Christian right -- coupled with the striking silence of mega-church pastors -- means that Republicans can't count on the mass voter turnout drives that helped so much in years past. "The days when Ralph Reed (and his Christian Coalition) could mobilize tens of thousands of followers are gone," said Rich Galen, an advisor to GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee. "In terms of suddenly turning on a spigot of funds and volunteers and direct mail, that just doesn't happen anymore."...

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-evangelicals15nov15,0,5979186,full.story?coll=la-home-nation

[rocktivity]

1. A "huge" group--"about" one in four voters?

And does that include the 30% of them who helped put the Dems in last November?

:eyes:
rocknation

[BOSSHOG]

2. They are searching really hard

for that candidate to get behind. The one who hates intensely, like they do. The one who doesn't really see much value in constitutional liberties for all. The one who doesn't know jack shit but believes all kinds of nonsense. Religious zealots are domestic enemies of our constitution.

[librechik]

3. "centrist candidacy of Giuliani?" Are they blind and deaf?

casting Rudy as anything less than to the right of Atilla is an outrageous error. Conventional Wisdom gone wild again in the MSM

[DeepModem Mom]

4. Kicking some rare good news, or it seemed so to me, that should affect Election '08...

in a positive way. I have waited for the day, and thought it might never come, when the influence of the "religious" Right would diminish in our electoral process.

[asdjrocky]

5. Good news in many ways.

k