An Olive Branch

Peter Duniho wrote:

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:aItid.296104$wV.217316@attbi_s54...
I'm a "conservative" and mostly "Republican" -- but I'm no church-goer,
and I don't see any evidence of the "Religious Right" in the Republican
Party

The facts are not on your side. The Republican party has made a huge effort
to woo the "religious right", especially over the last two decades. There's
a reason that the strong push to encourage evangelical Christians to come
out and vote was backed by the Republican party. Exit polls from this
election (and any other recent elections) clearly show a strong correlation
between degree of religious conviction and voting Republican.

[...]
Are there religious people in the Republican Party? Sure! And there's a
whole bunch of 'em in the Democratic Party, too.

A true statement. But one that ignores who the evangelicals and
fundamentalists generally vote for. Not all people who consider themselves
"religious" actually share the same beliefs, but there is definitely one
core group of people who consider themselves "religious" that the
Republicans go out of their way to appeal to. And, contrary to the supposed
"conservative" nature of the Republican party, that core group would very
much have all of their religious tenets codified into law.

Oh please. The Democrats have been working hard to woo the Religous Left vote
for decades. More recently, how many did Kerry attend protestant church
services in very liberal areas and/or predominantly black churches? "If it's
Sunday, it's Kerry in the AME." Or Kerry expounding on the important lessons of
St Paul and James or preaching about the Good Samaritan and God's high calling
to an Ohio Congregation, or talking about how you reach the kingdom of Heaven.
Was that part of Kerry's own (Catholic) faith, or was he using to church to
pander for votes, or what? The cheerleading Boston Globe even ran stories about
Kerry (re)discovering his Jewish roots---Jews in the US tend to vote Democrat.
Kerry claim to base his policy on his religous beliefs, including his political
objections to the death penalty.

"Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come. . . Tis grace that
brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home." - John Kerry speaking at
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church in Ohio.

"My faith affects everything that I do, in truth" - John Kerry in the
Presidential Debate (Tempe, AZ)

-=-Alexis

"Alexis Carlson" wrote in message
...
Oh please. The Democrats have been working hard to woo the
Religous Left vote for decades.

So what? First, they haven't done a very effective job (or the "religious
left" is very tiny), since those who state a religious preference of any
sort of Christianity are strongly in the Bush camp (again based on
polls...I'm not interested in any more crap about "well the polls are
wrong"...they are almost always quite close to the truth).

But regardless of what the Democrats have tried, the fact remains that the
Republicans continue to enjoy strong support from the evangelicals and
fundamentalists.

So, did you have a point, or what?

Pete

Peter Duniho wrote:

"Alexis Carlson" wrote in message
...
Oh please. The Democrats have been working hard to woo the
Religous Left vote for decades.

So what? First, they haven't done a very effective job (or the "religious
left" is very tiny), since those who state a religious preference of any
sort of Christianity are strongly in the Bush camp (again based on
polls...I'm not interested in any more crap about "well the polls are
wrong"...they are almost always quite close to the truth).

But regardless of what the Democrats have tried, the fact remains that the
Republicans continue to enjoy strong support from the evangelicals and
fundamentalists.

So, did you have a point, or what?

The point is you're wrong with respect to Democrats. As was pointed out in
the Wall St Journal today, Senator Kerry won nearly half of the Catholic votes
and more than three fourths of Jewish votes. If the Democrats could not
appeal to the moral values of people, that fact must have been lost on the 48%
of the voters who supported Sen. Kerry.

"Alexis Carlson" wrote in message
...
The point is you're wrong with respect to Democrats.

Please quote my incorrect statement.

All I said is that the *REPUBLICANS* have shifted to being a very
pro-evangelical / fundamentalist party over the last couple of decades. I
don't see how you can sit there as write "you're wrong with respect to
Democrats" since my entire contribution to this section of the thread has
been about Republicans.

Peter Duniho wrote:

"Alexis Carlson" wrote in message
...
The point is you're wrong with respect to Democrats.

Please quote my incorrect statement.

All I said is that the *REPUBLICANS* have shifted to being a very
pro-evangelical / fundamentalist party over the last couple of decades. I
don't see how you can sit there as write "you're wrong with respect to
Democrats" since my entire contribution to this section of the thread has
been about Republicans.

You said, "so what? First, they [DEMOCRATS] haven't done a very effective job
(or the "religious
left" is very tiny), since those who state a religious preference of any sort
of Christianity are strongly in the Bush camp (again based on polls...)"

Those remarks were about DEMOCRATS not Republicans, contrary to your claim
above. I pointed out that Sen Kerry won nearly half of Catholic votes. Last
time I checked, Catholicism is a sort of Christian religion, and a pretty big
one at that. And 3/4 of evangelical/fundamentalist Jews voted Kerry as well.

"Alexis Carlson" wrote in message
...
You said, "so what? First, they [DEMOCRATS] haven't done a very effective
job
(or the "religious
left" is very tiny), since those who state a religious preference of any
sort
of Christianity are strongly in the Bush camp (again based on polls...)"

The majority of those stating a preference DID vote Republican. Catholicism
is not the only Christian religion in the US. Nor did even the majority of
Catholics vote for Kerry (as you yourself admit).

Those remarks were about DEMOCRATS not Republicans, contrary to your claim
above.

Actually, my claim was more about the people voting for Bush. But
whatever...if you think that proves your point, more power to you.

I pointed out that Sen Kerry won nearly half of Catholic votes. Last
time I checked, Catholicism is a sort of Christian religion, and a pretty
big
one at that. And 3/4 of evangelical/fundamentalist Jews voted Kerry as
well.

"Evangelical/fundamentalist Jews"? What's that, six people in the entire
US? Anyway, regardless, those aren't the evangelicals or fundamentalists I
was talking about, and you should know that.

Pete

You do understand that bottom posting after several dozen quoted lines gets you
first-class into the dumper, don't you?

Jim



Alexis Carlson
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-Peter Duniho wrote:
-
- "Jay Honeck" wrote in message
- news:aItid.296104$wV.217316@attbi_s54...
- I'm a "conservative" and mostly "Republican" -- but I'm no church-goer,
- and I don't see any evidence of the "Religious Right" in the Republican
- Party


Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com