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Defining evangelicals down and to the Left
Examiner.com ^ | 02 April 2007 | Paul Chesser

Posted on 04/02/2007 7:47:28 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Another category of Christian, however, is rapidly losing its traditional identity in our culture: Evangelical.

While it never made distinctions on theological grounds, that term could always be counted upon to identify those Christians who are conservative, Protestant, culturally influential and outspoken about their faith. With recent developments, however, the defining elements of Evangelical may soon go the way of the much-encompassing Christian.

Why? Because some who purport to speak for all evangelicals are being sucked into marginal issues that are usually harped on by America-hating liberals. And because conservative Christians are allegedly being divided, the mainstream media is eating it up.

In reality, what is happening is that journalists are hailing political frauds like Jim Wallis, who largely promotes “social justice” (in other words, socialism) through his organization Sojourners, as one of many who are supposedly taking evangelicalism in a new direction.

(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: churchstate; evangelicalism; jimwallis; leftwingreligion; religion; rickwarren; socialgospel; sojourners
Thought about putting this one in the "Religion" category, but it seems to have more to do with politics than religion, per se.
1 posted on 04/02/2007 7:47:30 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Jim Wallis is no conservative Evangelical.

The left just wishes that we would go a way.


2 posted on 04/02/2007 7:52:28 AM PDT by Coldwater Creek (President Fred Thompson will finally give the University of Memphis the respect that it is due!)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Liberals are always trying to pretend to be conservatives to try to create the impression there is dissent among conservatives. Just because the name of a group sounds conservative and they profess to be something, does not make it so.


3 posted on 04/02/2007 7:54:16 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

From a LTTE of mine:

I think the Bible is very clear on a wide range of the most important issues and is still relevant, essential and helpful for us today, 2000-3000 years after it was written.

If I HAD to pick my personal best example of the words of the Bible not being able to be twisted or turned - even with the best efforts of imperfect men and governments to do so, I would give the example of the 10 Commandments VS Socialism/Communism.

It is why (I believe) socialists and communist HATE the Bible and Christians. The plain words of the 10 Commandants are in stark contrast to what the socialists want. Virtually all the moral teachings and wisdom of the Bible have their roots in the 10 Commandments. Though these principles are more than 3000 years old, they still define the basis for a well-functioning society. And that is why the socialists/communists must destroy the Bible in order to institute their own version of society.

I. "You shall have no other gods before me. ** NOT THE STATE, NOT MAN, NOT "GREAT" LEADERS.

II. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments. ** NOT THE STATE. MAN IS NOT GOD. THE STATE IS NOT GOD

III. "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. ** LOOK AT HOW THE LEFT MOCKS CHRISTIANS - THEY MUST IN ORDER TO DESTROY IT

IV. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. ** YOU DO NOT WORK FOR THE STATE, IT IS GOD'S BLESSINGS

V. "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. ** SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM IS BASED ON DESTROYING THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY - THE STATE IS YOUR FAMILY

VI. "You shall not murder. ** COMMUNISM PROMOTES ABORTION. COMMINISM KILLS ANYONE WHO DOES NOT GIVE IN OR RESISTS. COMMUNISM IS BASED ON THE FEAR OF DEATH

VII. "You shall not commit adultery.

VIII. "You shall not steal. ** SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM IS ENTIRELY BASED ON STEALING. MARX SAID "THERE IS NO PRIVATE PROPERTY IN COMMUNISM." STEALING THW WEALTH OF SOME AND GIVING TO OTHERS AS A POLITICIAN SEES FIT IS THE BASIS OF SOCIALISM

IX. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor ** COMMUNISM IS BASED ON LIES. THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF SPEECH OR OF THE PRESS. YOU WILL SAY WHAT THE STATE WANTS YOU TO SAY - TRUTH OR LIES.

X. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." ** THE BASIS OF SOCIALISM IS THE COVETING OF WHAT OTHERS HAVE AND HAVING THE GOVERNMENT REDISTRIBUTE THE WEALTH. IT IS THE BASIS OF CLASS WARFARE.

If you follow the Bible you can NOT be a Socialist or Communist. And today, the Democrats in Americas are practically socialists. And no twisting of the words of the 10 Commandments can change that.


4 posted on 04/02/2007 7:55:36 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
Good article.

I think some weak minded people are drawn into this new media-driven sojourn into liberalism partly because the ground was prepared by the media's ridiculous and bogus "evil 'Religous Right'" campaign. So weak-minded Republicans had to distance themselves from this "controlling" group. They had to prove the Religous Right wasn't running the Republican party (I would like the left to prove the abortionists and homosexuals aren't running the Democrat party). "Special interests" were only evil if they could be said to have any tie to biblical morality. So the ground has been well tilled.

Then add to that the evangelical ninnies who must prove they "love" everyone by standing down and being silent, making it a sin to get involved in issues of right and wrong.

For all the fear-mongering the media leftists have done about the coming theocracy (notice how they are not fearful when the religious voice is a leftist), the truth is we have no strong leaders. So anyone looking for direction from wise voices in the church might just be out of luck. The self-appointed leaders will either turn you into a monk, a socialist, or a theologian with no ability to apply what you know, or with selective applications that pit biblical truths against each other.

5 posted on 04/02/2007 8:05:17 AM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

The liberal media should stick to talking about things they know about. (Which ain't much).


6 posted on 04/02/2007 8:17:12 AM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus
The thing that the media misses is that Evangelicals will only follow a leader as long as he is following Christ. When he starts to follow Marx, Gaea, or anybody or anything else, we stop marching behind him.

In their opinion we are all mindless fools who can be led over a cliff by a charismatic leader. Projection is what it is.

7 posted on 04/02/2007 8:54:16 AM PDT by chesley ("Socialism" - The devil made them do it..)
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To: chesley
When he starts to follow Marx, Gaea, or anybody or anything else, we stop marching behind him.

Would that this were true. Right now, two of the highest-profile "Evangelical" leaders are Bill Hybels of Willow Creek Community Church and Rick Warren of Saddleback Church.

Both spend the majority of their time promoting the "social gospel" which tells us that we are saved through our good works, not by faith in Christ. Warren practically never speaks the name of Jesus in public and Hybels preaches a safe, "don't worry, be happy" Christianity-Lite that convicts no one of any wrongdoing.

Both of these sappy apostates are concerned about helping others above all else. Helping those in need is important and a good indicator that one's faith is real. However, if we do it for any other reason than to serve God, we are no different from those without Christ who also may do lots of nice things for others.

Jesus told us to "preach this Gospel to all the world", not just to feed people. After the hungry are fed, without Christ, they are still lost. Self-promoters like Hybels and Warren forget this, but always remember to get plenty of face-time in the media and they are indicative of the Leftist tilt among supposed Evangelical leaders.

BTW, IMHO they are both wildly successful because they consciously refuse to call people to repentance for their sins. "Sin" is the only unspeakable word left in the new, politically correct church.

8 posted on 04/02/2007 9:49:08 AM PDT by Dr. Thorne (Compromise on your vote and you get a compromised government.)
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To: Dr. Thorne
Still, this has happened before. The people who have truly accepted Christ into their hearts, and have studied God's Word, won't be led astray. I can't speak for those that haven't done both, but I suspect that you are right. There are plenty of sheeple out there.
9 posted on 04/02/2007 9:54:14 AM PDT by chesley ("Socialism" - The devil made them do it..)
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To: 2banana
Excellent.

VII. "You shall not commit adultery.

The left promotes adulterous behavior, too, as well as all forms of sexual deviancy.

10 posted on 04/03/2007 9:59:11 AM PDT by nonsporting (<P>)
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