A great post from the Political Insider: The conservative Christian agenda, and whether global warming should be on it
From the AJC's Political Insider:
For those who keep track of the intersections between religion and politics, which in the South is as necessary as monitoring the politics of race, the brewing fight among evangelicals for control of the conservative Christian agenda has gotten downright fascinating.
Early this month, the top leaders of the Religious Right drew down on the National Association of Evangelicals, condemning the organization for its stand on global warming.
The protest was signed by those most active in rallying congregants for national Republican causes: James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; Gary Bauer of Coalitions for America; and 22 others.
The only local signature came from Tim Echols of Alpharetta, founder of TeenPact, who’s been active in several recent Georgia campaigns.
Read the entire letter here. But in summary, it makes three points:
• The broadside condemns the NAE’s top Washington lobbyist, Richard Cizik, for waging what it calls a relentless, individual campaign to highlight the dangers of global warming.
“The existence of global warming and its implications for mankind is a subject of heated controversy throughout the world. It does appear that the earth is warming, but the disagreement focuses on why it might be happening and what should be done about it,” the letter said.
“We believe it is unwise for an NAE officer to assert conclusively that those questions have been answered, or that the membership as a whole has taken a position on a matter. Furthermore, we believe the NAE lacks the expertise to settle the controversy, and that the issue should be addressed scientifically and not theologically.”
• A focus on global warming distracts from issues like abortion and gay marriage. “We have observed that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.”
• Cizik’s “disturbing views” have contributed to confusion over what it means to be an evangelical. The letter quotes an article from USA Today, which stated that “the word may be losing its moorings, sliding toward the same linguistic demise that ‘fundamentalist’ met decades ago because it has been misunderstood, misappropriated and maligned.”
It’s no wonder that leaders of the Religious Right are nervous. The keys to success for Christian conservatives in GOP politics over the last 25 years have been twofold: a simple and uncomplicated message, and intensity of belief.
By picking up an important element of the Democratic agenda, a topic subject to nuance and debate, the NAE has jeopardized both.
For those who keep track of the intersections between religion and politics, which in the South is as necessary as monitoring the politics of race, the brewing fight among evangelicals for control of the conservative Christian agenda has gotten downright fascinating.
Early this month, the top leaders of the Religious Right drew down on the National Association of Evangelicals, condemning the organization for its stand on global warming.
The protest was signed by those most active in rallying congregants for national Republican causes: James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council; Gary Bauer of Coalitions for America; and 22 others.
The only local signature came from Tim Echols of Alpharetta, founder of TeenPact, who’s been active in several recent Georgia campaigns.
Read the entire letter here. But in summary, it makes three points:
• The broadside condemns the NAE’s top Washington lobbyist, Richard Cizik, for waging what it calls a relentless, individual campaign to highlight the dangers of global warming.
“The existence of global warming and its implications for mankind is a subject of heated controversy throughout the world. It does appear that the earth is warming, but the disagreement focuses on why it might be happening and what should be done about it,” the letter said.
“We believe it is unwise for an NAE officer to assert conclusively that those questions have been answered, or that the membership as a whole has taken a position on a matter. Furthermore, we believe the NAE lacks the expertise to settle the controversy, and that the issue should be addressed scientifically and not theologically.”
• A focus on global warming distracts from issues like abortion and gay marriage. “We have observed that Cizik and others are using the global warming controversy to shift the emphasis away from the great moral issues of our time, notably the sanctity of human life, the integrity of marriage and the teaching of sexual abstinence and morality to our children.”
• Cizik’s “disturbing views” have contributed to confusion over what it means to be an evangelical. The letter quotes an article from USA Today, which stated that “the word may be losing its moorings, sliding toward the same linguistic demise that ‘fundamentalist’ met decades ago because it has been misunderstood, misappropriated and maligned.”
It’s no wonder that leaders of the Religious Right are nervous. The keys to success for Christian conservatives in GOP politics over the last 25 years have been twofold: a simple and uncomplicated message, and intensity of belief.
By picking up an important element of the Democratic agenda, a topic subject to nuance and debate, the NAE has jeopardized both.
posted by Sid Cottingham | 4:11 PM
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