One result of the election that goes beyond just counting the votes:
Christian conservatives, for more than two decades a pivotal force in American politics, are grappling with Election Day results that repudiated their influence and suggested that the cultural tide — especially on gay issues — has shifted against them.
[…]
“Millions of American evangelicals are absolutely shocked by not just the presidential election, but by the entire avalanche of results that came in,” R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Louisville, Ky., said in an interview. “It’s not that our message — we think abortion is wrong, we think same-sex marriage is wrong — didn’t get out. It did get out.
“It’s that the entire moral landscape has changed,” he said. “An increasingly secularized America understands our positions, and has rejected them.”
Yes, and it’s about time, too.
I don’t have a problem with religion and religious folk having a point of view about morals. I don’t even object to them having lobbyists in Washington or state capitals to make their points to people in power. What I do not like is having religion turned into political power and biblical tenets written into law, especially when they’re used to oppress one particular group of citizens.
So if America is rejecting the “moral landscape” as it has been constructed by those that would break down the barrier between church and state, turn back the clock on women, and deny the basic rights of citizenship to the gay community, that’s a good thing.
They can believe whatever they believe. It is their right to do so. The rest of us can do that, too, and it turns out there are more of us than there are of them. I would like to remind them that Christ said to love one another, and I believe He meant women and gay folks, too.
Amen.
His idea of a moral landscape is a barren desert. Ours has rivers, trees, fields, flowers, birds, butterflies, etc.
I could write a book about those people, however, forgetting them would be preferable. Their opinions have no place in the political arena. Separation of church and state I say. Mark my words, they will be back in two years when the big ballot issues aren’t on ballot. Unfortunately see who wins then.
I’m pretty much with Mike in Texas.
I might add that I am sorry to see Christianity prostituted and politicized. In addition, I’m not convinced that the moral landscape has really changed all that much. In my opinion, what has changed is the departure of rationality and/or common sense.
For example, I would have my doubts about the morality, judgment, and mental health of anyone who held abortion as a good thing. One might expect if a remarkable decrease in abortions was the goal then contraception/birth control of all kinds would be easily available and even free in many cases. However, that is not the case, is it? That makes me think that morality is less an issue than a desire to control and punish.
As far as separation of church and state … perhaps folks should remember that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. At the moment, the idea is that it will always be their brand of Christianity. Would they want religion in government if we were talking Moslem, Hindu, or even Mormon? I think that’s why we are supposed to keep significant distance between church and state. Just my opinion.
Agree, Jill. I am a Christian, and always will be. However, I am not that kind of Christian. I really think that they have twisted and sliced and diced the words of Jesus. He clearly said that the greatest law was to love God and love one another. They seem to only love the folks that are just like them. I also think there is wisdom in all religions, and have respect for all of them. So, I don’t think the fundamentalist Christians like me too much.