The Rise of the Religious Left -- Why Christianity Isn't Just for Conservatives

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By Anna Hartnell, Comment Is Free

The enormous political clout wielded by evangelical Christians in the United States is usually seen from the outside as a coup for rightwing zealots against any agenda that might be called "progressive". But we should think again. The recent revelation that Michael Moore's Catholicism emerges in his latest film as a centrepiece of his critique of capitalism is really no surprise. The claim in Capitalism: A Love Story that free markets are inconsistent with Christianity has wrong-footed Moore's rightwing critics, but the right's bid to monopolise religion has been challenged for some time.

As Austen Ivereigh points out, Moore's anti-capitalist preaching is quite in keeping with Catholic traditions of social activism. What's less known is that evangelical Christian churches -- the supposed mainstay of rightwing politics in the US -- are showing a leftwards drift. In fact many commentators believe that the presidency of George W Bush, which undoubtedly revitalised conservative Christians, was possibly their last act as a major force in the political landscape. The "religious right" has long played a pernicious role in US politics. Its insistence that preachers should be interested only in saving souls -- a good alibi for neglecting the material needs of the poor -- has consistently been contradicted by their complicity in free markets and vocal opposition to abortion and gay rights. But this is not the only story to tell about American Christianity. Arguably Obama's election -- won in part due to the successful courtship of a large section of the religious vote -- suggests that it is not the most important one either.

Nearly every major social justice battle fought in the US has been supported, if not driven, by religious groups -- which in statistical terms overwhelmingly means Christians. It's widely known that the historically black church has been a key player in promoting justice for African Americans -- from the abolition of slavery to the civil rights movements -- as well as championing initiatives that support marginalised communities, both black and white. Beneath the more notorious rhetoric of Obama's former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who at one point looked likely to irreparably fracture Obama's presidential bid, we can find him preaching the acceptance of homosexuality and the importance of works as well as faith. Wright's work at Trinity United Church of Christ, the church Obama was a member of for over 20 years, involves programmes for HIV/Aids sufferers, drug rehabilitation, and housing support for Chicago's impoverished South Side communities. That Obama's association with such a church should have been so potentially disastrous for his candidacy is deeply ironic. But in the end, Obama's religious identity did help him win votes.

In his second book The Audacity of Hope, named after one of Wright's sermons, Obama points out that it was a Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, who introduced evangelical Christianity into mainstream politics. Obama claims that in subsequently handing religion over to the Republicans -- for whom Christianity became a powerful political weapon during Reagan's presidency -- Democrats essentially surrendered the opportunity to talk about values in public life. Obama insists against detractors that government can and should play a positive role, but he equally stresses the importance of government partnering with civil society, particularly faith groups. In turn many progressive faith groups, and not only progressive black churches, backed him for president, and are backing him again on health care.

The American Values Network is one example. It is promoting radio and television ads that make the moral case not only for healthcare but for climate change legislation as well. On health care the Network tells Americans that "scripture warns against those who pursue wealth at the expense of the lives and welfare of others". Its climate change campaign brings together the novel combination of faith groups and military figures to call on the nation's leaders to tackle global warming in order to be both good stewards of the environment and defenders of national security. For America's leaders, the Network claims, "will be held accountable not only by voters, but by their Creator".

The long tradition of religious groups championing progressive causes has been obscured by the shadow of the "religious right" -- whose financial backing has meant disproportionate coverage on media outlets like Fox News and talk radio. But many commentators agree that their star has been on the wane for some time. The movement has splintered over disagreements over how evangelical Christians ought to treat issues like poverty and global warming. This has led to the novel situation where an increasingly vocal "religious left" -- which often agrees with religious conservatives when it comes to the so-called "sins of the body" like abortion and gay marriage -- are finding common ground with evangelicals ostensibly on the right when it comes to the "sins" of society.

The increasing diversity among American Christians often defies our ability to brand as either left or right their religious interventions into the world of politics. The persistent power of the religious right is a measure of what Obama is up against, but Obama won the election in part because he too is invested in Protestant traditions of self-reliance that pay lip-service to the church/state separation while welcoming God into the public sphere. The idea that politicians are answerable to God as well as the electorate clearly poses a real challenge to democratic governance, and the outcomes are often notably illiberal. But stereotypes aside, American religion is not necessarily the enemy of progressive politics, and in US history has often proved to be its most powerful advocate.

Anna Hartnell is a lecturer in American literature and culture at the University of Birmingham. She is completing a book Imagining Exodus, Re-imagining America: Race and Religion in Black American Thought.

http://www.alternet.org/belief/143332/the_rise_of_the_religious_left_--_why_christianity_isn%27t_just_for_conservatives

[Danno 1,228]

I know it was just an Opinion piece but she could have posted just a few "facts"... to back up this

story of hers.

The fact that she used REV Wright as the shining example, tells us

1. where she is coming from

2. how desperate she is to make her case

3. How mistaken she truly is as even the Racist REV wright has been around for a long long time... nothing new here.

I'll let you in on a secret...., religious liberals raise "non-believing" children.

So even if there were a sudden rush of Liberals to the Church house, it's an impotent future.

[NickD 203]

When I read one of the preliminary Iraqi constitutions, it was all religion, our constitution explicitly states separation from religion and state. What religion and government have in common is laws, we have plenty of laws that encompass just about every facet in life, really don't need even more religious laws thrown in.

While Jesus is the proclaimed founder of the Roman Catholic Church, he was very critical on the scribes and pharisees for injecting 456 laws that were nothing more than a burden on mankind. Would probably flip over if he had to sit down and read all 24 volumes of Canon Law, not what he had in mind.

Men sure like to make laws, since our congress is essentially law makers, they feel they are doing their job by even making more laws, same with our state legislators. If you dig deep into your state statues, will find many examples of where one state statue completely contradicts another requiring interpretation from a very expensive legal process. And it's not the guy that is right that wins, but the guy that is better at BSing.

With 1,525 government agencies, each has their own set of laws combined with city, township, country, state, and federal laws. If you ask me, it's one hell of a big mess. Should take all those laws and have a big bon fire, and just come up with a few basic ones. What the religious want to do, is to even add more laws. Enough is enough.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

At least in the American Catholic Church, you can find liberal parishes, run by younger American pastors, or more Conservative parishes, run by older Irish pastors. You can find other parishes of a mix of competing veiwpoints, and nationalities. The Church has been slipping away from Rome for decades.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I know it was just an Opinion piece but she could have posted just a few "facts"... to back up this

story of hers.

The fact that she used REV Wright as the shining example, tells us

1. where she is coming from

2. how desperate she is to make her case

3. How mistaken she truly is as even the Racist REV wright has been around for a long long time... nothing new here.

I'll let you in on a secret...., religious liberals raise "non-believing" children.

So even if there were a sudden rush of Liberals to the Church house, it's an impotent future.

The author was pointing out the good things that the Rev. Wright has done. Although he has said some outrageous things, compared to what some of the most prominent preachers of the Right have said - he's mild, and yet you aren't upset with their outrageousness.

Here's just a few quotes that I'm sure you'll defend as not being outrageous.

From the Rev. Jerry Falwell (founder of the Moral Majority)

“AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals”

“If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being”

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan in America."

......

Rev. Pat Robertson (former Republican presidential candidate)

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."

...

There's plenty more....but I know that you find such outrageous statements more palatable coming from White Protestants.

Edited October 19, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[HAL 9000 96]

Oh Snap. Stevologic 1, Dannologic -10.

[Peikko 1,575]

Only in America would one argue as to whether religion is 'on the left or on the right' politically. How sad is that?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Only in America would one argue as to whether religion is 'on the left or on the right' politically. How sad is that?

In many countries, it is hard to tell where public policy differs from religious policy, and that does not apply just to the Muslim world, thinking of the Philippines, as an example.

[HAL 9000 96]

Only in America would one argue as to whether religion is 'on the left or on the right' politically. How sad is that?

Well history always has some douchebag 'side' claiming God is/was on their side as they went off to slaughter other Godfearing opponents.

[Peikko 1,575]

[Spoom 8]

My fiancee is much more religious than I am, and goes to church on a regular basis. I'm trying to keep an open mind about the whole religion thing (I'm best described as agnostic), so I've been to her church a few times. I think the politics one sees in a church community is more indicative of the neighbourhood the church is in than anything else, including the religion itself.

Sometimes I think the fact that her family is largely far right politically has put me off of the whole church thing because I associate it with them. That said, her church has done some very good things in the community and on mission work (like helping to build a hospital in Guatemala). Honestly, politics is so rarely connected to what the church is saying that it's practically irrelevant.

On a different note, I am totally unsurprised that the first thing that a conservative said after reading this was connected to its mention of Reverend Wright.

[Joseph & Ana 0]

I know it was just an Opinion piece but she could have posted just a few "facts"... to back up this

story of hers.

The fact that she used REV Wright as the shining example, tells us

1. where she is coming from

2. how desperate she is to make her case

3. How mistaken she truly is as even the Racist REV wright has been around for a long long time... nothing new here.

I'll let you in on a secret...., religious liberals raise "non-believing" children.

So even if there were a sudden rush of Liberals to the Church house, it's an impotent future.

The author was pointing out the good things that the Rev. Wright has done. Although he has said some outrageous things, compared to what some of the most prominent preachers of the Right have said - he's mild, and yet you aren't upset with their outrageousness.

Here's just a few quotes that I'm sure you'll defend as not being outrageous.

From the Rev. Jerry Falwell (founder of the Moral Majority)

“AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals”

“If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being”

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan in America."

......

Rev. Pat Robertson (former Republican presidential candidate)

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."

...

There's plenty more....but I know that you find such outrageous statements more palatable coming from White Protestants.

What president attended their churches for 20 years? Ooops -20 points....

[HAL 9000 96]

Joe is right,

Stevologic 1, Dannologic -20.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I know it was just an Opinion piece but she could have posted just a few "facts"... to back up this

story of hers.

The fact that she used REV Wright as the shining example, tells us

1. where she is coming from

2. how desperate she is to make her case

3. How mistaken she truly is as even the Racist REV wright has been around for a long long time... nothing new here.

I'll let you in on a secret...., religious liberals raise "non-believing" children.

So even if there were a sudden rush of Liberals to the Church house, it's an impotent future.

The author was pointing out the good things that the Rev. Wright has done. Although he has said some outrageous things, compared to what some of the most prominent preachers of the Right have said - he's mild, and yet you aren't upset with their outrageousness.

Here's just a few quotes that I'm sure you'll defend as not being outrageous.

From the Rev. Jerry Falwell (founder of the Moral Majority)

"AIDS is not just God's punishment for homosexuals; it is God's punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals"

"If you're not a born-again Christian, you're a failure as a human being"

"I hope I live to see the day when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!"

"Billy Graham is the chief servant of Satan in America."

......

Rev. Pat Robertson (former Republican presidential candidate)

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."

...

There's plenty more....but I know that you find such outrageous statements more palatable coming from White Protestants.

What president attended their churches for 20 years? Ooops -20 points....

You're kidding, right? You know how many Republican politicians have courted some very controversial preachers? In fact, McCain sought the endorsement of one of these preachers because of the political clout he had. Don't kid yourself....singling one controversial black preacher while turning a blind eye to all the years of political cavorting between Republicans and preachers like Jerry Falwell is hypocrisy at its worse.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Steven,

The Wright issue is a loser. Why the fuсk would you bring it up?