Christian Democrats?

dedicated to your religion?

Liberal Christians Mobilize to React to Religious Right
By NEELA BANERJEE

Published: October 16, 2004


MADISON, Wis., Oct. 9 - The efforts of conservative Christians to mobilize voters against same-sex marriage and abortion and in support of President Bush have stirred a growing backlash among more liberal believers. And they are taking their cues from the religious right.

Members of the First Unitarian Society here, Claire Box and Linda Knox are part of a broad effort by moderate and liberal religious people to register voters, especially in swing states like Wisconsin and in poor areas with low voter participation.

One autumn morning, the women went to neighboring Madison Town and stepped out into the parking lot of the Maple Glen apartments, home to working-class and poor families, hoping to find new voters. In minutes, those people found them.

"Can I vote?" Tracy Briggs, 26, asked Ms. Box, balancing her baby nephew on her hip.

Soon, Ms. Briggs's younger sister, Tyree, 24, told Ms. Knox that she, too, needed to register. Then came Clarence Martin, 48, a meat plant worker.

None voted in 2000. All were determined to vote on Nov. 2.

Ms. Knox has not been so politically active in 30 years. But as is the case with so many fellow volunteers, the politics of conservative Christians and President Bush have taken her to places like Maple Glen, she said.

"The religious right is defining what it means to be a patriotic American, and they're patriotic because they believe in their God, they have Bush, and they are convinced they have the answer," Ms. Knox said later. "But as Unitarians, we don't believe there is a single right answer."

Long scattered and out of the limelight, some liberal believers, led by Christian groups, said they saw this election as the first step to regroup and take back an agenda and a faith that they believe the religious right has hijacked.

McGentrix wrote:

dedicated to your religion?

You realize that Jesus and the Holy Spirit will meet you right where you are, right? And that one is a christian if they believe Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed his blood to cover their sins, right? And that once you believe that, you are a saint of God, right? Which means that John Kerry, George Bush, BiPolar Bear, Squinney, and I are all equally saints, flawed, but saved. What about you? Got salvation? Need it? I'll be glad to help you say the sinners prayer, if you haven't admitted your frailty as a human and your need for Jesus Christ in your life as your personal savior...