Faithful Democrats

[Sapphire Blue]

Democrats push for own religious voice

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer
Tue Sep 5, 3:22 AM ET

WASHINGTON - Thirteen years ago, David Wilhelm, then chairman of the Democratic Party, told the conservative Christian Coalition that good Christians could belong to either major political party.

He was hissed.

Today, Wilhelm wants to spread that message to a different audience — Democrats. He's hoping for a better response.

With a leading poll showing only one in four Americans viewing the Democratic Party as friendly to religion, Wilhelm and a broad-based group of Christian Democratic activists are starting an Internet effort to organize religious voters whose views might be compatible with Democrats.

The site, http://www.FaithfulDemocrats.com, will go online Tuesday and showcase theologians, party strategists, political leaders and bloggers in hopes of conducting a national discussion on politics and faith.

Continued @ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060905/ap_on_el_ge/democrats_getting_religion_2

From faithfuldemocrats.com...

FAITHFUL DEMOCRATS

About Us

Who We Are

We are an online community of Christian Democrats – religious leaders, political leaders, writers, and regular Americans who are committed to the Gospel and the common good. We discuss, we debate, we take action. And we will make our voices heard in the 2006 election season and beyond.

We don't believe that good Christians have to be Democrats. Nor do we believe that one religion has a monopoly on faith. But we make no apologies for rooting our identity as Democrats in our faith as Christians. That is who we are. And we are eager to act on our beliefs to make the country we love a more just and compassionate place.

Our Mission

To provide a Christian-focused, Democratic community online. Through both dialogue and action, readers will be able to put their faith to work for the common good, holding our nation and the Democratic Party to their highest ideals.

Who Writes

Our writers include religious leaders, political figures, featured bloggers and regular Americans. These contributors are usually Christian and tend to share the core values of the Democratic Party. A few of our writers provide analysis on faith and politics but are not themselves religious or Democratic. In any event, our writers speak only for themselves. They represent the views of neither the organizations for which they work nor the management of this website.

Continued @ http://www.faithfuldemocrats.com/

A Christian, A Democrat: From the FaithfulDemocrats.com Co-Chair
By Tennessee Senator Roy Herron
Sep. 04, 06 09:30

In recent election seasons, many preachers have proclaimed not the Good News, but the Bad. They have told faithful members of their congregations that they cannot be Christians.

"Christians," they declare from the pulpit and beyond, "cannot be Democrats!"

To which some of us must ask: is the Scripture wrong? Is John 3:16 not to be believed? Is the Gospel not about faith, but works? Not about grace, but politics? Not about what Jesus did for us, but what we must do for Republicans?

I am tired of politicians, partisans, and preachers spelling God "G-O-P." But make no mistake — regardless of how wrong they are or how false their doctrine is, they have been frighteningly effective. Now many Americans think Jesus never rode a donkey and today rides only an elephant. The truth is, God cannot be held hostage by any political party. And American Christians should not be either.

Continued @ http://www.faithfuldemocrats.com/

Check out the website!

[Perky]

1. Yep.. At least we are wanted by some in the party.

This group will only be successful if it reaches out to the middle and to the evangelical community. Note that I did not say Fundamentalist commu nity.

Jimmy Carter is an Evangelical for Cripes sake asn so was MLK. If this group cloaks itself on an ostensibly liberal message on abortion (and by that I mean an ardent pro-choice view) it will never get very far.

The Christian view of abortion ought to be:

We do not endorse Roe, but as evangelicals our first priority ought to be the help rather than preach, and then we should only be there to help if asked.We are not called to judge the world...we are called to jusge ourselves (the Church). Our respose to those who come our way in crisis ought to be the same as Jesus's. Period.

Basically, It is none of our business unless someone asks for help. There but for the grace of God ......Mercy triumphs over judgement.

[Sapphire Blue]

6. The RRW has framed the debate in this country for far too long.

Perhaps it's time to reframe the debate & focus on issues other than abortion... poverty being one of them... a very important one.

Perhaps it's time to read, reflect on, and live the teachings of Jesus.

[Perky]

13. Oh but there is the rub.

Unless you present a biblical and evangelical response to the Radical Right Wing it would be impossible to draw people out of the cave.

ABortion is the one issue that holds the coalition together, If you do not engage on that front and move the deabte to WWJD they will never take Christian Democrats seriously. If you throw in the litany of liberal agenda items (Gay rights. legal pot for example), the CRW won't give you the time of day.

THe only place to meet these uys and pull them out of the morass is WWJD.

Because they are forced to eeither abandod their brutish tactics or ADMIT THEY ARE PHARISEES.

[RB TexLa]

14. But you have to make them answer this question

Do you want there to be less abortions or do you just want a law against it?

Policies enacted by Democrats tend to lower the demand for abortions while Republican administrations tend to raise the demand for abortions.

[nosillies]

2. Thanks so much for this link

It was in my local paper this morning, but I threw it away and then couldn't remember the site!

The more sites like this that help portray Christians in a "normal" light, the better. As it is, we're often hated by other Dems just because we believe, and hated by repugs because we don't believe like they do.

[Sapphire Blue]

7. You're welcome

"As it is, we're often hated by other Dems just because we believe, and hated by repugs because we don't believe like they do."

So very true. :(

[hashibabba]

3. Well, it would be nice to have more Dems around...

The religious right IMHO doesn't really know what the right stands for. If they took the time to understand what the Dems are about, I believe more of them would come over to our side. Abortion is an important issue to them, but there are many very important dem issues that they should be lined up with. They could help millions of the *down and out* in our country, if they'd just educate themselves and vote Democratic.

[Sapphire Blue]

8. It would also be nice to have more tolerance around.

Many people of faith feel rejected by a sometimes very vocal faction of the Democratic Party... and the repub party is ready & willing to accept these people of faith, molding (brainwashing) them into the RW view of what a Christian should be... believing in the RW version of Christianity.

Perhaps if people of faith were embraced by the Democratic Party (aka the 'big tent' party), they might be more open to learning about the "many very important dem issues that they should be lined up with" & "educate themselves and vote Democratic".

[w4rma]

4. Good. (nt)

[goclark]

5. I'm with you Sapphire and thanks for the link

I am totally in support of the TRUTH

"God cannot be held hostage by any political party. And American Christians should not be either."

Seems like a place where religion can not be put down. That is a good thing, especially for Progressives that want to have understanding and compassion for others.

[Sapphire Blue]

9. Thanks, goclark!

Have you had a chance to visit the website? The RW fundies are already on the attack, posting nasty comments. This website must have hit a nerve w/them :evilgrin: .

[goclark]

17. Yes, I visited and it would be lovely

if they didn't allow the wing nuts to catch hold.

I have the site bookmarked.

[RB TexLa]

10. Thanks, one that I have been going to for a while and a good site

http://www.catholicdemocrats.org/

But hope this one is a success, there is a need for one focused more broadly, although I don't think any Protestants will be harmed by reading this site.

[goclark]

11. I will kick and bookmark this thread

so that I can visit the Christian sites.

I do get weary of being bashed at Progressive sites for believing in God.

I think that is rude.

[Sapphire Blue]

12. Thanks for posting the 'Catholic Democrats' link! Yes, it IS a good site!

[Perky]

15. kickety kick kick

[Perky]

16. kickety kick kick