Beck: Help us restore traditional American values

[Julianna]

A few days ago, I posted my thoughts on the parallels between Glenn Beck’s revivalism and the Third Great Spiritual Awakening in America.

**Today, Glenn Beck announced on his radio show that we are in “The Third Great Awakening in America”. ** He said specifically the first Awakening was the Revolutionary War and the second, the Civil War. The Third Awakening begins with his speech on the Mall.

He later said it wasn’t a religious awakening like the one in the nineteenth century. But strangely added that this new awakening has everything to do with faith and religion. Three Protestant ministers backed his gumption. No Catholics, sadly.

The Third Great Spiritual Awakening in America created the “burnt over districts” of Eastern New York and inspired (among other religions) Mormonism, 7th Day Adventism, and Christian Fundamentalism. Charismatic pastors who preferred zeal and enthusiasm to humble piety as the incontrovertible proof of a converted soul were power brokers who shunned any (name removed by moderator)ut from the Catholic Church. This is a time in American history when blights and perversions of Christianity, restored churches with patriotic missions, give short shrift to The Fullness of the Truth.

I suggested Beck was drawing energy and inspiration from that movement.

Today I suggest to the forum that if he truly draws his energy and inspiration from the Third Great Spiritual Awakening in America, the Awakening that created Mormonism, **then the role of Catholicism as a pinnacle of Christian faith in America shall be downplayed, marginalized, perhaps given lip service, perhaps distantly and tactically considered as a way to win elections as it was then. **

I’m not so sure I welcome this. In the wake of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation just around the corner, is Beck sewing the seeds of an American backlash against Catholicism?

Exactly!!! Not sure why Catholics aer jumping on the evangelical bandwagon don’t see this. But poo-poo the idea when anyone states they were invited to a Bible study or their child was invited to a Sunday Night Live teen gathering or any other gathering that speaks of ecumenism.

 

[iamrefreshed]

No one said a thing about an embryo not being some form of life. Yes lets.

Uh Uh. You stated that yourself here…

It’s debatable though in our democratic society of plural beliefs whether or not you do have the right to force your belief on this issue about life at conception onto those who disagree. There lies the difference. And we as nation have struggled to reach a law of the land on this matter. Peace be with you.

I replied…

Properties required for life:

Cellular Organization
Growth
Reproduction
Heredity
Movement
Sensitivity

A baby in the womb meets all. Please tell us how the baby is not alive at conception!

So we all agree that life begins at conception?

 

[Ridgerunner]

As a Catholic I would be very cautious in aligning with the Christian Right. Beck was preaching to Evangelicals. Keep in mind the Christian Right has been alive and well, and heavily into politics since Ronald Reagan was President. Pay attention. Remember Ralph Reed, hired by Pat Robertson as first executive director of the Christian Coalition? That is until he got caught with his hand in the gambling casino cookie jar with Abramoff.

Do conservative Catholics have a seat at the Tea Party table? Sure, you can sit, you can talk, but your words will ring hollow. As a moderate/independent, I am highly suspicious of the closing gap of religion and government.

Becks mall speech was for and about awakening the evangelical movement. Not rocket science.

It is the the Papacy keeping Catholics at arms length of this movement. There is no amount of history or education to convince the religious right that Catholics are “Christians” and they are passionate about our government.

This is what I mean about “fishbowl” living. Many conservative Catholics are willing to alienate those that live in the real world, including fellow Catholics who may not take such a hard turn to the right. What is missing is what is “going on” outside the “fishbowl” in the big ocean.

Evangelicals do want to turn back the clock to the 50’s or earlier, just as many conservative Catholics do. The road divides at the Papacy. The Pope is the leader of our Church, our faith, period. Having grown up in the real world, and known, evangelicals, holiness, Baptists, I know what is going on. Living in the south, the TBN network, fills the airwaves day and night. Ralph Reed’s “soft” approach is what gave the Christian Coalition their drive. Now it is, and has been roaring into government ever since.

I posted this on another thread which was closed due to placement. However, I believe it belongs here.

Of all the things that conservative Catholic nit-pik at with each other…they are surely missing the big picture of the re-birth of the Christian Coalition. Worrying about the so called homosexual agenda, or the progressive’s agenda, or the ills of Vatican II…is nothing compared to being blind-sided by the Christian Right…and jumping on their bandwagon in the name of God and country.

The theme is bringing this country back to values and to God. Which begs the question: Who’s values??? and Who’s interpretation of God’s will?

I don’t know about this, Julianna. I grew up in the Ozarks during the KKK days, and still live here. Can’t be too different from NC. My childhood friends and fellow childhood workers (strawberry patches, tomato patches, hayfields) were Fundamentalist Christians. I liked them then, and I like them now. Used to sing their hymns with them in the fields, and like those hymns still. All that “hate Catholicism” stuff was mainline Protestantism back then, and it’s nut fringe Evangelical now, mostly non-denom. Many of my friends are Fundamentalists or Evangelicals, and we discuss religion. I’ll say, as Flannery O’Connor said, that they are often surprised to find that Southern Fundamentalism has a lot more in common with Catholicism than it does with classic Protestantism. My parish has lots of converts every year from Fundamentalism and Evanelicalism. Mostly it’s ignorance, Julianna. Ms. O’Connor predicted that, in the future, the greatest number of converts would come from Southern Fundamentalism, and I think she was right.

I guess you would condemn me. When it comes to the Church, I’m rather traditional. That is to say, I accept the teachings of the Church. Has nothing to do with VII. Gal who grew up on the next farm, daughter of a Fundamentalist Baptist preacher, now plays the hammer dulcimer at one Mass each Sunday. She’s a convert, of course. Very devout. I don’t demand a high organ or the TLM, though I like them.

What they want, most of them, is truly to be close to Jesus and to live as God wants them to. They want heaven, Julianna, just as you do, and a whole lot of them are struggling the best they can to get there. And they’re believers, most of them, and willing to conduct their lives as believers.

I can’t imagine that you really grew up with Fundamentalists or Evangelicals and count them among your friends, or you would not be saying the things you are saying. The “threat” from Evangelicals and Fundamentalists is just a big bogeyman that people who hate them and their sincerity like to trot out to scare people with.

And, as a Catholic, I can’t find anything in modern relativism that I can identify with Catholicism.

 

[Julianna]

No matter how I try, I cannot put my finger on exactly what it is about Beck that I just do not like. I can only watch the guy speak for a few minutes. I feel like he oftens says good things, but there is something underneath him that troubles me. I am amazed with the following he and Palin have…reminds me a lot of Obama…it seems so many people are looking to worship someone.

Beck’s enormous (and near instant) popularity has to have Bill O’Reilly wondering…

It is sad that so many people will turn to people instead of God.

I am sure it is just me.

Well patrick…you and I agree on something. “gut instinct”

What you can’t put your finger on…I’ll gladly tell you. It is his and Palin’s alignment with the resurgence of the Christian Coalition aka the Christian Right. I’m sure it has Bill O’Reilly wondering and I am sure Bill (who is a Catholic) will have something to say about it.

Do you think Catholics really have a seat at the Tea Party table? Instead of sitting with the adults will they be sent to the “childrens table”. Will Catholics be given a “time out” because they mention the Pope, say the rosary, or genuflect before their first sip of tea?

I agree…it is sad that so many people will turn to “people” instead of God. That is the nature of our humaness. We want answers. Instead of looking within ourselves, we expect the outside to come in and rescue us.

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Catherine_D]

I agree with the above post by Ridgerunner. Among my extended family there are Catholics such as myself and my son and his family, Evangelicals, such as my brother and his family (although his son may marry a Catholic), an agnostic here & there, and even one family that converted from Evangelical to Orthodox Christian. And there is no conflict whatsoever. Everyone respects the beliefs of the others.

 

[Catherine_D]

Well patrick…you and I agree on something. “gut instinct”

What you can’t put your finger on…I’ll gladly tell you. It is his and Palin’s alignment with the resurgence of the Christian Coalition aka the Christian Right. I’m sure it has Bill O’Reilly wondering and I am sure Bill (who is a Catholic) will have something to say about it.

Do you think Catholics really have a seat at the Tea Party table? Instead of sitting with the adults will they be sent to the “childrens table”. Will Catholics be given a “time out” because they mention the Pope, say the rosary, or genuflect before their first sip of tea?

I agree…it is sad that so many people will turn to “people” instead of God. That is the nature of our humaness. We want answers. Instead of looking within ourselves, we expect the outside to come in and rescue us.

Be careful what you wish for.

I think it is far more remarkable that Mormons are sitting down with Evangelicals, although the Mormons won’t be drinking any of the tea, so, in your analogy, does that mean the Mormons are at some other table too? Or with the Catholics at the children’s table?

From what I’ve been able to tell, Beck was calling for unity among people of faith. There were Catholic priests at his rally, as well as an assortment of Protestants. No doubt there were Mormons too (besides Beck himself) but its harder to pick them out from the way they’re dressed. Then in addition there were Jewish Rabbis and Muslim Imams. They were all together to promote unity, honor, and putting God back into our lives.

Where’s the “bogeyman” in Faith, Hope and Charity? In Honor? In putting God at the center of our lives? In unity among people of faith to restore our country? I don’t see what could possibly be wrong with any of that.

 

[Julianna]

I don’t know about this, Julianna. I grew up in the Ozarks during the KKK days, and still live here. Can’t be too different from NC. My childhood friends and fellow childhood workers (strawberry patches, tomato patches, hayfields) were Fundamentalist Christians. I liked them then, and I like them now. Used to sing their hymns with them in the fields, and like those hymns still. All that “hate Catholicism” stuff was mainline Protestantism back then, and it’s nut fringe Evangelical now, mostly non-denom. Many of my friends are Fundamentalists or Evangelicals, and we discuss religion. I’ll say, as Flannery O’Connor said, that they are often surprised to find that Southern Fundamentalism has a lot more in common with Catholicism than it does with classic Protestantism. My parish has lots of converts every year from Fundamentalism and Evanelicalism. Mostly it’s ignorance, Julianna. Ms. O’Connor predicted that, in the future, the greatest number of converts would come from Southern Fundamentalism, and I think she was right.

I guess you would condemn me. When it comes to the Church, I’m rather traditional. That is to say, I accept the teachings of the Church. Has nothing to do with VII. Gal who grew up on the next farm, daughter of a Fundamentalist Baptist preacher, now plays the hammer dulcimer at one Mass each Sunday. She’s a convert, of course. Very devout. I don’t demand a high organ or the TLM, though I like them.

What they want, most of them, is truly to be close to Jesus and to live as God wants them to. They want heaven, Julianna, just as you do, and a whole lot of them are struggling the best they can to get there. And they’re believers, most of them, and willing to conduct their lives as believers.

I can’t imagine that you really grew up with Fundamentalists or Evangelicals and count them among your friends, or you would not be saying the things you are saying. The “threat” from Evangelicals and Fundamentalists is just a big bogeyman that people who hate them and their sincerity like to trot out to scare people with.

And, as a Catholic, I can’t find anything in modern relativism that I can identify with Catholicism.

Ridge. I grew up in Massachusetts, Diocese of Springfield. My mother is Baptist from SC. My parents were married in the Church. I have a Holiness sister in law…I dated a Pentacostal boy in high school, I have many Episcopalian friends, Baptist and Methodists. I have heard conservative Catholics on this board rail against Hagee’s anti-catholic preaching as well as other evangelicals who are doing their best to recruit Catholics on the worship Mary notion, confession and calling a priest Father. I am a moderate/independent politically…and mixing religion and politics is a dangerous thing.

What I find odd is the same Catholics…are jumping on the Beck-Palin evangelical bandwagon without batting an eye. Irishpatrick…is the one who is questioning…and he and I are miles apart on thought processes…but we are in agreement that something is awry.

When I first stepped foot in the south…I was instantly asked to join every Protestant Church under the sun. No one came from the Catholic Church to ask me anything…as a teen, I went on my own. Its kind of like the Marines…once a Marine always a Marine…once a Catholic always a Catholic. You may call me a relativist all you like…as a Catholic…I am suspicious when the Evangelicals “need” me on board. Who’s values…Who’s version of God? Will the Vatican have (name removed by moderator)ut on this new movement? I agree the evangelicals truly believe in God and country…and so do I? However, the rites, rituals and guidance of the Catholic Church is where I lean…and I doubt seriously the evangelicals are going to embrace that.

This is why Church and state should be separate. The founding fathers knew what they were doing…to avoid situations like this.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think perhaps Chris is questioning…as I have…“who’s values?”…“who’s interpretation of what God’s will is?”

I find it odd that the conservative Catholics who dislike ecumenism will all of a sudden align themselves with Beck and the Christian Right? Would the folks on the mall be confortable with a word or two piped in from the Pope? Would they enjoy a few gregorian chants or a rosary gathering?

Dislike ecumenism? Depends on what you mean by that word. I guess I was “ecumenical” before anybody ever thought of it. But being “ecumenical” doesn’t mean abandoning the teachings of the Church for somebody else’s. Nor does somebody listening to somebody like Beck necessarily adopt Beck’s religion.

I think lots of folks on the mall, including lots of “ecumenical” (negative way) Catholics would be uncomfortable with a word or two piped in from the Pope.

 

[Julianna]

I think it is far more remarkable that Mormons are sitting down with Evangelicals, although the Mormons won’t be drinking any of the tea, so, in your analogy, does that mean the Mormons are at some other table too? Or with the Catholics at the children’s table?

From what I’ve been able to tell, Beck was calling for unity among people of faith. There were Catholic priests at his rally, as well as an assortment of Protestants. No doubt there were Mormons too (besides Beck himself) but its harder to pick them out from the way they’re dressed. Then in addition there were Jewish Rabbis and Muslim Imams. They were all together to promote unity, honor, and putting God back into our lives.

Where’s the “bogeyman” in Faith, Hope and Charity? In Honor? In putting God at the center of our lives? In unity among people of faith to restore our country? I don’t see what could possibly be wrong with any of that.

We have freedom of religion, to worship as we please. Exactly who is the “leader” of this new movement in the name of Christian Unity, honor and putting God back into our lives? Isn’t God in your life right now? Hasn’t He always been there? Did you need Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin to organize a party to tell you that? I didn’t a political leaning group to tell me what I already know and believe.

The bogeyman in Faith, Hope, Charity and Honor will be revealed as soon as the different faiths find that cannot really unite “politically” because their faith doctrines will have differences.

A year ago maybe less…there were threads on this board asking…"Should I go to Bible Study?..should I allow my children to attend…such and such. For me…I didn’t see any harm in it…as there is little chance to be caught up in the emotional “moment” and I am free to walk away at any time…from a group of 6 or 7 women in a home setting. Or if I believe my child is questioning what is going on…he/she is free to call me to pick them up or choose not to go anymore. However…getting caught up in a 500,000 emotional frenzy…is kind of like not getting a “contact high” at Woodstock.

As a Catholic in the south (during my teen years and early 20’s)…I was invited to everything…I attended…because as a Catholic…I was open minded, but not totally blind-sided.

Yet, I’m the relativist. Go figure.

 

[Julianna]

Dislike ecumenism? Depends on what you mean by that word. I guess I was “ecumenical” before anybody ever thought of it. But being “ecumenical” doesn’t mean abandoning the teachings of the Church for somebody else’s. Nor does somebody listening to somebody like Beck necessarily adopt Beck’s religion.

I think lots of folks on the mall, including lots of “ecumenical” (negative way) Catholics would be uncomfortable with a word or two piped in from the Pope.

Glad you all were ok with Christian rock music and waving arms. The street runs both ways.

We wouldn’t want to make our hosts uncomfortable with a rosary, a Vatican flag, or a few words from our spirtual leader. I thought it was all about unity…e pluribus unum.

Actually…I thought the purpose of the gathering was to get the Republican party back on it’s feet. When Beck started speaking…I knew I was wrong…it’s not really about politics.

I am reminded of the George Burns movie “Oh God”…when the preacher, played by Sorvino…said to John Denver…“God sent him to me!” And the audience went wild…and when John Denver’s character started telling him…the preacher didn’t appreciate the “questioning”.

As an American…I do question. As a Catholic…I question when it becomes apparent that my faith could be “used” for political purposes.

 

[Catherine_D]

We have freedom of religion, to worship as we please. Exactly who is the “leader” of this new movement in the name of Christian Unity, honor and putting God back into our lives? Isn’t God in your life right now? Hasn’t He always been there? Did you need Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin to organize a party to tell you that? I didn’t a political leaning group to tell me what I already know and believe.

The bogeyman in Faith, Hope, Charity and Honor will be revealed as soon as the different faiths find that cannot really unite “politically” because their faith doctrines will have differences.

A year ago maybe less…there were threads on this board asking…"Should I go to Bible Study?..should I allow my children to attend…such and such. For me…I didn’t see any harm in it…as there is little chance to be caught up in the emotional “moment” and I am free to walk away at any time…from a group of 6 or 7 women in a home setting. Or if I believe my child is questioning what is going on…he/she is free to call me to pick them up or choose not to go anymore. However…getting caught up in a 500,000 emotional frenzy…is kind of like not getting a “contact high” at Woodstock.

As a Catholic in the south (during my teen years and early 20’s)…I was invited to everything…I attended…because as a Catholic…I was open minded, but not totally blind-sided.

Yet, I’m the relativist. Go figure.

First of all, Beck was pretty clear that his rally was not political. No matter how the media wanted to make it out to be yet another Tea Party function, it was not.

And, no I don’t need Beck to be sure that God is at the center of my life. But I imagine it is encouraging to many that there are so many like-minded individuals that believe in this country, in its founding principles, and in values such as Faith, Hope, Charity and Honor, and that these like-minded individuals are of all different faith traditions.

Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t see the problem in Faith, Hope, Charity, Honor and Unity among people of faith.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ridge. I grew up in Massachusetts, Diocese of Springfield. My mother is Baptist from SC. My parents were married in the Church. I have a Holiness sister in law…I dated a Pentacostal boy in high school, I have many Episcopalian friends, Baptist and Methodists. I have heard conservative Catholics on this board rail against Hagee’s anti-catholic preaching as well as other evangelicals who are doing their best to recruit Catholics on the worship Mary notion, confession and calling a priest Father. I am a moderate/independent politically…and mixing religion and politics is a dangerous thing.

What I find odd is the same Catholics…are jumping on the Beck-Palin evangelical bandwagon without batting an eye. Irishpatrick…is the one who is questioning…and he and I are miles apart on thought processes…but we are in agreement that something is awry.

When I first stepped foot in the south…I was instantly asked to join every Protestant Church under the sun. No one came from the Catholic Church to ask me anything…as a teen, I went on my own. Its kind of like the Marines…once a Marine always a Marine…once a Catholic always a Catholic. You may call me a relativist all you like…as a Catholic…I am suspicious when the Evangelicals “need” me on board. Who’s values…Who’s version of God? Will the Vatican have (name removed by moderator)ut on this new movement? I agree the evangelicals truly believe in God and country…and so do I? However, the rites, rituals and guidance of the Catholic Church is where I lean…and I doubt seriously the evangelicals are going to embrace that.

This is why Church and state should be separate. The founding fathers knew what they were doing…to avoid situations like this.

I have no problem with the idea of Church trying to influence State. For many years, the Catholic Church did, and was bold about it. Still does in some ways and to a lesser degree. Putting Beck (Mormon) and Palin (Evangelical) together as part of some kind of religious conspiracy is just wrong. Their religions don’t even like each other. There’s no colossus there. Do they share political views? Sure. Do they base their political views on their religious values? I expect so, but so should we, as Catholics. If Beck and Palin (as I gather they do) both call for a return to religious values? As near as I can tell, they do. But truthfully, I doubt very much that Beck is trying to make a Mormon of you (he would probably like to, but he doesn’t seem to) or that Palin is trying to make a non-denom out of you. (again, she would probably like to, but that’s not her message)

Do they think there is a nexus between religion and the political values they hold? I imagine they do. But then, I imagine you do too. Pretty nearly everybody does that. You don’t have to agree with Beck and Palin on anything. Or, if you share any political beliefs with them, you don’t have to share anything else.

One more thing. These firebrand protestant preachers are not leading some gigantic movement either. It’s the very nature of protestantism, especially Fundamentalist and Evangelical Protestantism, that each makes up his own mind about everything. It is precisely because they DON’T accept the notion that some man can tell them what to believe, that they ARE Protestants to begin with. Those guys probably do influence some few dependent souls. But from what I can tell, not very many treat them as a whole lot more than entertainment. They’re the Michael Savages of protestant religion. Sort of entertaining for many, but not taken entirely seriously by very many.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Glad you all were ok with Christian rock music and waving arms. The street runs both ways.

We wouldn’t want to make our hosts uncomfortable with a rosary, a Vatican flag, or a few words from our spirtual leader. I thought it was all about unity…e pluribus unum.

Actually…I thought the purpose of the gathering was to get the Republican party back on it’s feet. When Beck started speaking…I knew I was wrong…it’s not really about politics.

I am reminded of the George Burns movie “Oh God”…when the preacher, played by Sorvino…said to John Denver…“God sent him to me!” And the audience went wild…and when John Denver’s character started telling him…the preacher didn’t appreciate the “questioning”.

As an American…I do question. As a Catholic…I question when it becomes apparent that my faith could be “used” for political purposes.

I didn’t grow up with Christian Rock. Don’t care for it now, either. It’s a modern (and fairly limited) non-organic outgrowth, and it isn’t particularly popular around here. And I don’t care if people want to wave their arms…or don’t want to.

Funny you should mention making people uncomfortable with the rosary or Vatican flag. I recently bought some land right next to a country cemetery that is pretty much the cemetery of a local Missionary Baptist Church (sort of affiliated with the SBC to the extent, I guess, any church is) Very Fundamentalist. Seeing that they were running out of space, I offered to donate some more land to it. I did say I would put up a big crucifix on it. They were fine with that. But a local hillbilly woman who converted is buried there and her children put a statue of the Blessed Mother on her grave, and nobody had a problem with that. So I guess she “broke the ice” for me.

Do you think your religion is being “used” when, e.g., Bp Chaput or Bp Finn or my own bishop (Johnston) or some 80 others caution voters about supporting abortion with their votes before an election? Do you think it’s being “used” when the Pope himself said Catholic politicians cannot support abortion legislation and remain true to the faith? Do you think it’s being “used” when Kathleen Sebelius’ bishop openly stated her excommunication because of her support of abortion? If not, then you should have no objection to Beck’s rally either.

 

[bbarrick8383]

Putting Beck (Mormon) and Palin (Evangelical) together as part of some kind of religious conspiracy is just wrong. Their religions don’t even like each other.

Exactly Ridge.

The religions not liking each other need to change though, they need to all start getting along and working towards common goals and promoting the basic values in everyday life. The same values that Beck is talking about that some people are questioning. “Whose values?” I just don’t understand that question.

 

[Catherine_D]

Exactly Ridge.

The religions not liking each other need to change though, they need to all start getting along and working towards common goals and promoting the basic values in everyday life. The same values that Beck is talking about that some people are questioning. “Whose values?” I just don’t understand that question.

Exactly. I can’t even think of 2 more opposite Christian faiths than Evangelicals and Mormons. It’s amazing that they are even coming together on ANY subject, much less on this subject, which probably benefits Mormons more than anyone else.

But that’s not the point. No one is trying to change anyone’s faith. The point is to take what all these faiths have in common and build on that. Beck is trying to doing it to benefit the country. But a case could be made that this is a blueprint for ecumenism ~ find something that everyone agrees on and work from there.

In this case, Beck is trying to unite people of faith to improve the country based on values that everyone can agree are important. What’s wrong with that?

 

[bbarrick8383]

But what you or I reason is totally irrelevant to this discussion because I also reason I don’t have the right to force my reasoning on this issue onto a woman who might reason differently, Suudy, than you or I.

Interesting.

The principal foundation of liberalism forces reasoning on others.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Exactly. I can’t even think of 2 more opposite Christian faiths than Evangelicals and Mormons. It’s amazing that they are even coming together on ANY subject, much less on this subject, which probably benefits Mormons more than anyone else.

But that’s not the point. No one is trying to change anyone’s faith. The point is to take what all these faiths have in common and build on that. Beck is trying to doing it to benefit the country. But a case could be made that this is a blueprint for ecumenism ~ find something that everyone agrees on and work from there.

In this case, Beck is trying to unite people of faith to improve the country based on values that everyone can agree are important. What’s wrong with that?

Ironies abound. Remember Obama speaking at Notre Dame, basically saying, in effect, “Abortion is non-negotiable. Now, what else can we agree upon.” And people BOUGHT that, and we saw people in here, even, thinking “well, we can agree on new programs for pregnant mothers, I guess. Gee, there surely must be something of his agenda we can agree with.” never realizing that he had just told them their religion means nothing to him. (never mind that this government doesn’t have any “abortion alternative” programs either, despite spending zillions on all kinds of other things, including abortion). And there are all kinds of people excusing the mosque near Ground Zero, and saying “Oh, its purpose is to bring people of various faiths together.” Never mind that its organization is the “Cordoba Institute”, an irony most wish to ignore.

But just let somebody who isn’t pro-abortion or not, himself, a Muslim encourage people to return to their (respective) faiths, whatever they might be, and let him encourage that in front of a large crowd (of various faiths) , and WHOA! We can’t have that! Why, that’s some kind of grand conspiracy to turn the U.S. into an Evangelical police state! Why, look at the size of that crowd! How scary! Never mind that the very idea of government-enforced religion is abhorrent to Evangelicals as a matter of doctrine, to the extent they share any doctrine, which isn’t very much. And never mind that Beck isn’t an Evangelical. And never mind that the Pope has drawn crowds twice as large or larger.

The “Evangelicals are about to take over” thing is so silly and so improbable that one has to look at it and figure out what the purveyors of that notion are really thinking. Well, gee, Beck is conservative, isn’t he? And so is Palin? What they lack in religious unity, they share in politicial philosophy. So, it’s all really just a way liberals have of making people think political conservatives are some kind of scary “Evangelicals” who are on the cusp of making us all get “slain in the spirit” or whatever. And, inasmuch as the left likes to slander Evangelicals anyway (well, you see, lots of them oppose abortion) it’s always good to call a crowd of conservative people a bunch of scary Evangelicals.

Just cheesy politics. Low-rent all the way.

 

[Catherine_D]

Ridgerunner, I love you.

Don’t tell your wife. She might get ideas. But she shouldn’t.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ridgerunner, I love you.

Don’t tell your wife. She might get ideas. But she shouldn’t.

Nice of you to say what you did. But never fear. My wife knows I did all my chasing BEFORE our marriage.

 

[Catherine_D]

Nice of you to say what you did. But never fear. My wife knows I did all my chasing BEFORE our marriage.

Well YEAH, you chased HER didn’t you!