Religion & Politics: Politics of the religious right & left |
Liberal or conservative theologies of churches as driving political activism of their members; from religious fundamentalism to the “social Gospel” of the Christian left and other liberal denominations.
9/29/08 Atlanta area Baptist minister prepares to challenge the IRS in denying his church tax-exempt status because of his endorsement of McCain for President. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/09/28/pastors_IRS_regulations.html
INTERNATIONAL
Websites
Analysis & views: 3/15/06 Christian Right's control over U.S. foreign policy on AIDS prevention may cost Indian prostitutes their lives: http://www.alternet.org/rights/33284/ 2/23/06 World Council of Churches issues denunication of Iraq war at a conference in Brazil: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/022106T.shtml
Books:
Video/Film:
Other Media:
NATIONAL
Websites Church Women United: http://www.churchwomen.org/ Sojourners: Faith, Politics, Culture http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9154.htm Interfaith Communities United for Peace and Justice http://icujp.org/ Network: a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby: http://www.networklobby.org/ Right is Wrong: http://www.rightiswrong.com/ Christian Alliance for Progress: http://www.christianalliance.org/site/pp.aspx?c=bnKIIQNtEoG&b=592941
Analysis & views: 9/29/08 Atlanta area Baptist minister prepares to challenge the IRS in denying his church tax-exempt status because of his endorsement of McCain for President. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/09/28/pastors_IRS_regulations.html 9/26/08 Some U.S. pastors will defy ban on political endorsements, hoping to take IRS to court for any sanction that eliminates their tax exempt status. http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0926/p03s02-uspo.html 8/14/08 Barbara Ehrenreich assures TV viewers and tabloid newspaper readers that they can get some "relief" from the lurid details of John Edward's affair by turning with those media to the latest temper tantrum of a luminary of those "mega-church" preachers who teach that one can gain great riches if one only "envisions" same. The wife of one such preacher, Joel Osteen, berates a flight attendant for a drink spill on the arm rest of her seat. The flight attendant "envisioned" a hefty damage claim against the celebrity wife, and Victoria Osteen and her husband probably "envisioned" purchasing their own airplane as have other celebrity televangelists. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080818/ehrenreich 7/20/08 Kansas City evangelical pastor on a "mission" to get American Christians to vote on "moral issues," in a project that critics call an effort to promote candidates with pro-life and other conservative agenda. http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/712417.html 4/24/08 The Methodist bishops did it; Whye can't the Pope be like them? Ray McGovern, a Catholic, raises that question in aftermath of Pope Benedict's visit to the U.S. While the Pontiff did address (somewhat) forthrightly the issue of priest pedaphilia, he made only the most passing and vague references to the atrocities of the day in the U.S.: the revelation of Bush administration approval of torture, the Supreme Court's validation of lethal injection executions and the continuing prosecution of lethal military action in Iraq and Afghanistan. In so doing, he fell far short of the performance of a group of U.S. Methodist Bishops who in 2005 condemned the war in no uncertain terms. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19793.htm 3/16/08 The flap over the "fiery rhetoric" of Barack Obama's Chicago pastor, Jeremiah "God Damn America" Wright: "While Obama himself condemns the pastor's views as like those of an "old uncle" with whom one does not agree, a TPM blogger asserts that Wright was right about the racism and sexism that is the continuing heritage of the country's "founding fathers." This opens the flood-gate for pro- and anti-Obama commentary. http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/03/truth-time-wright-is-right.php 3/11/08 Who would Jesus vote for? Tide may be turning in evangelical politics. Bob Moser writes article for Nation which features several key figures in central Florida evangelism whose views and activities seem to reflect an increasing emphasis on the social gospel implications of Christianity, its focus on Christ's mission of ministering to the needs of the disadvantaged rather than the condemnation of such "sins" as abortion and homosexuality. These tendencies, in Florida and elsewhere, could well result in a replication by Democrats in the 08 election of Carter and of Bill Clinton in having siphoned off perhaps 15-25% of the "evangelical" vote which normally would go Republican. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080324/moser 3/7/08 Is Mike Huckabee a new breed of compassionate evangelist politician? Liberal evangelist blogger Jim Wallis thinks so, as he notes the strange lack of support for Huckabee's late presidential bid from establishment evangelical figures. This is understandable in his combination of fiscal conservatism and social responsibility on issues dealing with care for the poor and with environmental concern. http://blog.beliefnet.com/godspolitics/2008/03/whats-next-for-mike-huckabee-b.html#comments 12/10/07 As the religious right defends Christmas; : It wasn't always like this. With the U.S. perhaps cranking up for another episode of fundamentalists' bitter complaints against secularists' "war on Christmas," historian Rob Boston reminds us that, throughout most of the history of Protestant religions, Christmas was considered a celebration contaminated with "pagan" practices like gift-giving and, as late as 1930, some U.S. public schools failed to observe Christmas as a school holiday. http://www.alternet.org/story/69928/ 12/9/07 Isolating AIDS patients from the general public. As Mike Hukabee surges in support among GOP presidential candidates, his public record comes under increasing scrutiny. Reflecting this scrutiny, it is revealed that he answered a campaign questionnaire in his 1992 race for the Senate by avowing that "too much" attention and funding were being given to AIDS treatment and research. His campaign now says that these views resulted from the prevalent "confusion" of the time about AIDS and that he now supports such funding. This supposedly "negative" information about him may actually help solidify his support among the "values" GOP voters who are looking for a hardliner about homosexuality, abortion and "activist" judges. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071208/ap_on_el_pr/huckabee_aids 8/15/07 Inter-faith coalition of many religious groups is waging a vigorous campaign against abusive treatment of detainees in the "war on terror." http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/081407S.shtml 8/31/06 Faith-based medical practice is growing in the U.S. as doctors are opening practices in which they will not advise patients on contraception or abortion possibilities. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/30/AR2006083003290.html?referrer=email 8/16/06 Conservative Christian group Focus on the Family will work to mobilize evangelical voters in in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, New Jersey, Minnesota, Montana and Tennessee where there are "live, hotly contested races." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/15/AR2006081501098.html 8/5/06 Christians United for Israel, founded by televangelist John Hagee, is becoming a powerhouse lobby group to match AIPAC, as it has the ear not only of countless evangelicals but those of Bush, Gingrich and McCain among others. It welcomes the Lebanese conflict and the coming war with Iran as Armageddon "end times." http://www.alternet.org/story/39748/ 7/30/06 Pastor of an evangelistic mega-church in Minnesota bucks the trend by disavowing involvement in conservative politics; loses 1,000 members for his trouble. 7/28/06 Christians United for Israel: Texas televangelist John Hagee leads a "Holy War" campaign to encourage continuation of the fighting in Lebanon as a fulfillment of Biblical destiny, with big rally in San Antonio and much positive response from fellow preachers. http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB115396305776618640-lMyQjAxMDE2NTIzNzkyNjczWj.html 5/13/06 Religious establishment prepares pre-emptive strike against "The Da Vinci Code," a movie to be released next week http://news.inq7.net/top/index.php?index=1&story_id=75217. 5/12/06 Pat Robertson condemns Americans United for Separation of Church and State as extremists: http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0511-11.htm 5/5/06 Helen Thomas decries the lack of "leaders of faith" to protest social injustice in the mode of the late William Sloane Coffin: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0504-23.html 5/1/06 Federal Drug Administration said to be mired in bureaucray; naming a permanent head has been delayed, as Administration is stymied by issues like the morning-after pill, which highlight the controversy over the role of religion and ideology in science policy: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/05/01/fda_is_mired_in_bureaucracy_observers_say/ 4/30/06 Churches in U.S. are increasingly involved with supporting candidates for public office, drawing the scrutiny of the IRS which is questioning their tax exempt status: 4/17/06 "They only notice us at election time." As GOP plans another electoral agenda based on "social issues" like abortion and homosexuality, conservatives in these areas say they won't settle for being "mobilized" by campaign rhetoric, they expect legislative results: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/15/AR2006041500536.html 4/13/06 Religious leaders of all faiths are rallying behind immigrants' rights: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/13/Tampabay/Religious_groups_rall.shtml 4/8/06 Liberal pastors in Ohio formally charge right-wing mega-churches with blatant violations of church and state separation for their active support of Blackwell's campaign for Governor: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0409-25.htm 4/6/06 A "War on Christians" conference in Texas wraps its persecution complex around Tom De Lay, who eagerly accepts their embrace: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0405-28.htm 3/27/06 GOP presidential contenders cave in to pressure from the religious right to conform to their views: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/03/27// 3/23/06 Ethics watch-dog group cites Pastors Network, faith-based organization in its overt support of Republican Senator Rick Santorum: http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/03/pennsylvania-religious-groups-helping.html 3/22/06 Christian conservative groups enjoying windfall of funding from Bush administration: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/21/AR2006032101723.html?referrer=email 3/21/06 "Faith-based" health care: Bush administration opposes protection of girls against a form of cervical cancer because it must be administered at an age before they "should" be having sex: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0321-24.htm 3/6/06 Religion professor compares progressive religious political influence to the process of romantic courtship: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0306-34.htm 3/1/06 True Christianity is based on what you do for the "poor and oppressed," not how loudly you "praise the Lord." http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0301-30.htm 3/1/06 Conclave of Evangelical Lutherans in Texas shows that the Christian left is not dead: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0301-29.htm 2/26/06 Gay and Lesbian adoption next target for religious right 2/26/06 I.R.S. reports sharp increase in illegal political activities of charitable organizations, half of them churches: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/25/national/25charity.html?_r=1&oref=slogin 2/16/06 Today's mega-churches are all about glorifying Christian capitalism: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0216-20.htm 2/16/06 US right has hijacked religious vote, says evangelical http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1710985,00.html 2/13/06 U.S. Air Force "caves in" to religious rightist demands that it repeal its regulation against religious proselytizing: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0213-24.htm 2/13/06 What's happened in America to the compassionate "old Jesus?" http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0213-31.htm 2/7/06 Alito joins three other ultra-conservative judges on Supreme Court: http://counterpunch.org/carmichael01302006.html 2/6/06 USC professor notes encouraging signs of religious progressivism: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0205-24.htm 1/20/06 Fundamentalist exploitation of public fear of terrorism: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11609.htm
1/7/06 Christian right's Justice Sunday a travesty of MLK's concept of social justice: http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0107-24.htm
Books:
Video/Film:
Other Media:
FLORIDA
STATEWIDE
Websites:
Analysis & views: 8/25/06 In interview for Florida Baptist Witness, Katherine Harris proclaims her 100% support of the Christian coalition, her personal faith and her belief that to vote for non-Christians is in effect to "legislate sin." http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/6298.article 3/19/06 Katherine Harris makes strong bid for Christian activist support at conference of Evangelicals in Ft. Lauderdale: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/14133786.htm
Other information sources:
FLORIDA LOCALITIES
Websites:
Analysis and views: Orlando: 4/6/06 Florida legislature may give special tax exemption to Holy Land Experience, an Orlando bible theme park with Christian Evangelist associations: http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/06/State/Biblical_parks_may_ge.shtml Ft. Lauderdale: 3/17/06 Rally of conservative Christian activists shows "waning momentum" of the movement: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14118892.htm
Other information sources
|