Evangelicals Fire Up the Faithful

The Wall Street Journal

Evangelicals Fire Up the Faithful

Even Those Disappointed With Republicans Seek To Turn Out the Vote
By JACKIE CALMES
October 28, 2006; Page A1

(snip)

The turnout machine that has pulled evangelical conservatives to the polls in massive numbers is churning away, and for a reason little appreciated outside their circles: the sense that voting is their Christian duty. Ron Martin, pastor of Cincinnati's Central Parkway Ministries just south of here, is typical when he tells his church members, worn Bible in hand, "You have a moral obligation to vote." And because such voters' litmus-test issues are abortion and gay marriage, that typically means vote Republican.

Earlier this month, Mr. Burress's organization sent a million voter guides to 7,500 churches statewide for distribution in Sunday bulletins. The guide refers voters to the group's election Web site, where they can type their zip code and see all candidates who will be on their ballots, alongside each candidate's stance on abortion, marriage, pornography and other social issues. Those guides are based on candidates' responses to a questionnaire. Many Democrats, and moderate Republicans, didn't respond; the site notes that.

(snip)

Now, late in this year's campaigns, a new controversy over gay marriage is energizing conservative Christian voters. New Jersey's Supreme Court, in a closely watched case, on Wednesday declared the state has to give same-sex couples the same rights and benefits as those granted to married heterosexuals. Within an hour of the news, the ruling set off a series of conference calls among Christian conservative leaders, including Mr. Burress. "In the Christian conservative movement, it's created a shock wave," says Harry Jackson Jr., a Pentecostal bishop in Lanham, Md. He, like Mr. Burress, is a board member of the Arlington Group, a national network of conservative religious leaders. "This is probably the best possible thing that could have happened to the moral values movement two weeks before the election," he says.

(snip)

Exit polls of 2004 voters underscored the importance of Christian conservatives to Republicans. Nearly a quarter of all voters were white evangelical born-again Christians. Eight out of ten voted for Mr. Bush. The rest of the electorate went to Democrat John Kerry, 56% to 43%. In a nonpresidential election, turnout falls for all groups. But Mr. Rove predicts evangelicals' turnout "will be substantial," on par with the 2002 midterm when Republicans made gains. The latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows Republican voters overall are less interested in the election than Democrats are. But it also shows conservative Republicans far more engaged than nonconservatives. Moderate Republicans have been more disillusioned by spiraling spending, scandals, the war and a sense that the party panders to religious conservatives on social issues.

(snip)

Like evangelicals elsewhere, those in Pennsylvania are circulating voter guides, working phone banks and going door-to-door. The Santorum campaign sends regular emails to evangelical voters, with video links. While it may not be enough to save the senator, given his unpopularity with independents and moderate Republicans, party leaders say a healthy turnout of evangelicals could make the difference for several House members. In Tennessee, by contrast, Christian conservatives are cool to Republican Senate nominee Bob Corker, skeptical of his claims to oppose abortion rights. Tennessee Right to Life declined to endorse him, even though Democrat Harold Ford favors abortion rights. Yet the antiabortion group's leader said in a statement, "We'll be very busy on other races." What will bring many out in Tennessee and seven other states are amendments to ban same-sex marriage. In 2004, similar proposals in 11 states proved a magnet for evangelical voters.

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URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116200287966806826.html (subscription

:rofl:

....I was inspired!

Can I steal it? Pretty-please?

....take this one as well:



....and take a few more with ya. Here's a few from my "Religious" samplers collection......

a Christian the "sheep" thing is widely misunderstood. It's not because sheep are stupid and easily led this way or that way but it's because of the relationship the sheep has with it's sheepherder. The Herder knows all the sheep and knows when one is missing from the flock. That is the whole point and it's a metaphor that people in that time frame it was written would understand.

...The caption was not meant literally nor metaphorically, but is purely sardonic. The elder of your church sounds level-headed and should be applauded for his restraint. I too am a Tennessean, and I know the religious terrain hereabouts. Worse, I'm a recovering PK. So this is as close to religion that I'm allowed to go. ;)

Here in Tennessee at my church this morning one of our elders reminded people to vote this next week. He was talking about the anti-gay amendment we have here and he was just clearing up what the amendment is about since so many people are having trouble understanding no matter how they're going to vote. On the local news this last week they told a lot of people were skipping the amendment because it was either too confusing or they just didn't care about it anymore. I did like however that the elder encouraged people to research and read the amendment themselves and vote their conscious. He didn't say you had to vote for "yes" for this or go to Hell or be excommunicated or anything like that. If churches are going to be involved with elections I wish more would do that instead of just demanding their members vote a certain way and don't make them feel guilty.

Are there evangelicals who weren't born again and born again Christians who aren't evangelicals?

"born again" comes from baptism and the verse which Jesus talks about you being "born again" through water and of the spirit. Check out Romans chapter thirteen at http://www.biblegateway.com if you're interested. I'm just a regular Christian who follows Jesus and all that. I'm not even sure myself what it means to be an evangelical and how they're different than me. :shrug: I think it's because they're supposed to evangelize and bring people to God or something.

:wtf:

Because preachers keep attacking Bill Clinton's Zipper.

They have no concerns about this illegal war or the poor in this nation. All iniiated by W.

They have no concerns about this illegal war or the poor in this nation. All iniiated by W.

..."God is in charge but don't forget to vote."

The new, unique, 2007 Anti-Bush Graffiti Calendar and other items

this is the machine that rove is directly hooked into -- or one of them any way.

this get out the fundie vote drive has to be counted on like clockwork -- and why i have always maintained that they MUST be taken on directly.

that the only time they even get a "hi, how are ya" from the GOP is 2 weeks before an election.:shrug:

It's like right before Bush was going to nominate Roberts and Alito for the Court he made a voice appearance (phone call) to some anti-choice rally and than when he was nominating Harriet Miers the only thing he had was her religion and her ties to the fundies. You would think by now they'd get it. But they no longer use the abortion route but gay people and their civil liberties. I find that interesting.

The Rapture is gonna come right before the election! Count on it!