[lit-ideas] Re: The Religious Right Isn't What It Used to Be
- From: "John McCreery" <john.mccreery@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 11:31:48 +0900
Lawrence,
We have no substantive disagreement. All it takes is "They might...not
vote" coming true to destroy destroy Republican majorities. They don't have
to vote for Democratic candidates. All they have to do is sit out or
support third-party candidates. That's the Republican strategist's nightmare
and his Democratic counterpart's dream scenario.
John
On 10/29/07, Lawrence Helm <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> You write "I agree. But" . . . but, but, but, but I did address your
> "but": "If Guiliani or McCain were to be the nominee this time, many on
> the Religious Right wouldn't want to vote for them, but I can't see them
> voting for Clinton or Obama either. *They might either not vote* or vote
> very reluctantly for Guiliani or McCain."
>
>
>
> But admittedly not quite your emphasis. In the past there was, especially
> amongst Dispensationalists such a strong belief, a peculiar belief, in the
> separation of Church and state, that they chose, many of them to separate
> themselves from the voting booth. My opinion is that belief has been
> almost entirely abandoned. If they stay away it will be because there is no
> one they can in good conscious vote for, not because they are abandoning
> their new-found belief in voting.
>
>
>
> Lawrence
>
>
>
> *From:* lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:
> lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *John McCreery
> *Sent:* Sunday, October 28, 2007 7:08 PM
> *To:* lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [lit-ideas] Re: The Religious Right Isn't What It Used to Be
>
>
>
>
>
> On 10/29/07, *Lawrence Helm* <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> This was indeed an interesting article, John. However, I don't think the
> "Religious Right" was ever what it used to be. There was indeed a climate
> of opinion amongst Dispensationalists and Evangelicals that chose to focus
> on Abortion, Gay Rights and Creationism at the expense of the Gospel.
> There was no "religious right movement" per se, but there was broad
> agreement that these were issues worth fighting over and many seemed to want
> to talk of nothing else.
>
>
>
> There is no denying that religion, like politics, has always been a big
> tent, with lots of room for all sorts of different acts. There is also no
> denying that during the 80s and 90s the folks whose focus was opposition to
> abortion, gay rights and evolution forged a powerful political block that
> became a vital constituency for the Republican Party.
>
>
>
> Now as to the impact on the upcoming political election, which seems to be
> the concern of Kirkpatrick, I doubt that the conclusion (or better, the
> "suggestion") can be drawn that the former "Religious Right" will move
> toward the "left."
>
>
>
> I agree. But I don't think that this is the central concern of political
> analysts. Historically, evangelicals have oscillated between inward-turning
> disengagement from politics and outward-turning political involvement. The
> inward turn typically follows a period of religious enthusiasm. Add
> elections that in recent years have turned on razor-thin majorities or
> Supreme Court decisions, and the likelihood that even a small percentage of
> those who came out strongly for Republicans in recent elections may stay
> home or support a third-party candidate has to be a Republican strategist's
> biggest nightmare. On the opposite coast from you, in my home state of
> Virginia, two successive Democratic Governors (Warner and Kaine), a new
> Democratic Senator (Jim Webb) and a strong possibility that he will acquire
> a Democratic colleague when Mark Warner runs for the Senate next year shows
> the effects that even small shifts in the demographics of voting can have on
> what had been seen since Nixon as a solidly red state.
>
>
>
> John
>
>
> --
> John McCreery
> The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN
> Tel. +81-45-314-9324
> http://www.wordworks.jp/
>
--
John McCreery
The Word Works, Ltd., Yokohama, JAPAN
Tel. +81-45-314-9324
http://www.wordworks.jp/
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