Monday
Jun092008
Right-wing Christians beginning to lean left
A panel of researchers from the Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics discussed the results of a survey aimed at gauging the voting tendencies among religious groups by splitting the groups in categories. The main categories were “Mainline Protestant”, “Evangelical Protestant, “Roman Catholic”, and “Religiously Unaffiliated”. One breakthrough discovery the panel found was that for the first time ever, more mainline Protestants (approximately one-fifth of the electorate) support the Democratic Party over the Republican Party.
According to the survey, Roman Catholics, who have been traditionally associated with the Democratic Party, are now split evenly between the two parties. There are also party identification gaps between Latino and non-Latino Catholics. Among Latino Catholics, 57 percent tend to be Democrats, while only 15 percent tend to be Republicans. Among non-Latino Catholics, the gap is much narrower. 41 percent tend to be Democrats, while 38 percent tend to be Republicans.
The category of “Religiously Unaffiliated” (atheists, agnostics, and unaffiliated believers) tend to young, male, single, and college graduates. Corwin Smidt, executive director of the Henry Institute, pointed out that although this group is a rapidly growing segment of the voting population (16.7 percent of the voting population), this group is the least likely to go to the polls. If Barack Obama can energize this group to turn out in large numbers and vote, then it will be a significant contribution to his campaign, Corwin said.
Evangelical Protestants remain the largest religious tradition founded within the American electorate, according to the survey. They are also the group most strongly associated with the Republican Party. Despite talk of John McCain’s “Evangelical problem”, the group does not appear to be abandoning McCain: 57 percent of Evangelicals support McCain. However, their support for McCain does not match the levels President George W. Bush had during the 2004 election.
According to the survey, Roman Catholics, who have been traditionally associated with the Democratic Party, are now split evenly between the two parties. There are also party identification gaps between Latino and non-Latino Catholics. Among Latino Catholics, 57 percent tend to be Democrats, while only 15 percent tend to be Republicans. Among non-Latino Catholics, the gap is much narrower. 41 percent tend to be Democrats, while 38 percent tend to be Republicans.
The category of “Religiously Unaffiliated” (atheists, agnostics, and unaffiliated believers) tend to young, male, single, and college graduates. Corwin Smidt, executive director of the Henry Institute, pointed out that although this group is a rapidly growing segment of the voting population (16.7 percent of the voting population), this group is the least likely to go to the polls. If Barack Obama can energize this group to turn out in large numbers and vote, then it will be a significant contribution to his campaign, Corwin said.
Evangelical Protestants remain the largest religious tradition founded within the American electorate, according to the survey. They are also the group most strongly associated with the Republican Party. Despite talk of John McCain’s “Evangelical problem”, the group does not appear to be abandoning McCain: 57 percent of Evangelicals support McCain. However, their support for McCain does not match the levels President George W. Bush had during the 2004 election.
tagged 
Bush, evangelicals, mccain in News/Commentary
Bush, evangelicals, mccain in News/Commentary
Reader Comments (7)
If they are leaning left they are not right-wing. If they are leaning too far left, they are probably not Christians. (see your note about Obama energizing agnostics, atheists & unaffiliated, why do you yhink he could energize them?)
A true christain, one that is born again, one that accepted Jesus as ones saviour, would uphold the word of God.
That christain, would not surrender God's sayings for nothing and no one.
Osama Obama claims to be a christain, but just remember that Satan changed himself to an angel of light and Satan did believe in Jesus but could never over take him.
Just because Osama evokes the word "Christianity" doesn't make him one.
A true believer does not support abortion and especially partial birth
abortion. Nor does that person say that on a partial birth abortion
should the baby live that the doctor in charge has the right to "kill"
that baby, according to Osama. Nor that what God calls sin and an
obomination such as in homosexuallity, does anyone has the right to
contradict God and call it acceptable and good.
Osama, why did you not force your wife to have partial birth abortion, after all, accroding to you, they're just fetuses.
Osama scares me and I fear if Christains go ahead and vote him in, that the wrath of God would not just be upon their heads but also on this nation.
God made man and woman, Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, so that they
can repopulate the earth. Being the first to marry, how dare Osama
take that which God has joined under matrimony and decide to reshuffle
it into his image such as his promise to abolish Clintons Marriage
Amendment Act so that homosexuals can get married.
Osama, you will bring God's curse upon this nation, and everything
you touch will be dammed because you claim to be a follower of Jesus
in which you are not. Doesn't matter how many times you evoke Jesus
name or claim falsely that you are a christain...the word of God says,
"by their fruits you shall know them".
You either repent and accept the word of God as written or reject it
and join the ranks of Satan....your choice.
A message to "Jim" and all others like him: "Judge not lest ye be judged". It is not YOU who will decide who is favored by God, it is GOD who decides who is favored by God. Your ignorance is appalling - you obviously do NOT know that "Adam" is an ancient Hebrew word for "mankind" (therefore, God created "mankind" - not a single individual named "Adam"). You probably don't know that it was decided BY COMMITTEE at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. that Jesus was, after all, "divine", i.e., "God", and that anyone who disagreed with this decisions was immediately MURDERED. Ah the love of "Christians" like you - if they don't agree with you, then you condemn them to the IMAGINARY fires of "Hell", even though no such place truly exists (look up "Gehenna" for the REAL origin of the myth of "Hell"). A TRUE Christian would accept his fellow man as they are - imperfect - just like YOU. The message of Jesus's universal love has been lost on people like you. I pity you, for when judgement day comes for you, you may be shocked to find out that God doesn't favor you at all.
Christians will only become "left-leaning" when three things happen: 1) they learn that "Christian" means "Christ-like," 2) they read the Bible and find out what Jesus said and how he lived, and 3) they stop listening to false-prophets (aka Religious Leaders in America and right-wing radio hosts).
Jesus was anti-war (love your enemies, do not resist violence, turn the other cheek). Jesus was anti-capitalist (he told a rich man that, in order to be good, he would have to give all he had to the poor). Jesus complained about people who used the church to make money (moneychangers). Jesus complained about people who prayed in public (you're supposed to go into a closet, he said). Jesus complained about people who called other people sinners (get the board (sin) out of your own eye (life), he said). Jesus clearly indicated that God and the government should be separate (give to Caesar (the government) that which is Caesar's, and give to God that which is God's).
But what Christians should focus on most is what Jesus didn't do. He didn't become a soldier. He didn't have a job. He shared everything. He didn't stone or kill anyone. He didn't preach hate. He didn't even advocate the rules of the Old Testament. In other words, Jesus, the one who Christians are supposed to follow, was not at all like a right-wing republican.
Terradea - Christ DID hold to the rules of the Old Testament. His mission was to fulfill the law, to make it complete. The grace and social justice you speak of is found throughout the Old Testament - Cain's punishment,restoration of the people of Israel, King David, and it's most clear in the minor prophets.
What bothers me most is the evidence in these comments of the polarization of our society. The far-right legalists/fundamentalists are spewing hatred (yes, that's you, Jim and "ceeslouis" - and by the way he'd be ashamed that you're using his name), and those on the far left (that's you, Paul) attack them with the same ferocity.
We've become so focused on what makes each of us unique and insisting that it be appreciated, that we've stopped looking for what can unite us. I don't agree with everything that Obama, Hillary, OR McCain advocates. And to think that we can insist that our candidate espouse all or our views is to be ignorant of the diversity of this great land. The democratic process is not just about the presidency. By choosing our representatives and Senators (and the state and national levels) carefully we are much more likely to elect a group of individuals whose collective thought and debate can arrive at the best possible solution.
But I'm being idealistic.....is it really possible to expect our elected officials to do what's right, rather than what's politically expedient?
So who would I vote for? I say give Carter a second term!
Once again some Christians like Jim use their beliefs, their faith to criticize and come up with erroneous beliefs on God and the bible all in the name of God. What is the difference between his response and those in the extreme Muslim branch? They all use God for their beliefs to alienate and suppress other ideas and opinions all out of fear. God is on his/their side and against others even other Christians who see and believe differently. I hope we in the church have developed better gifts like discernment to rise up against false teachers/bloggers who discredit the name of Christ and make us a laughing stock for others.
In saying that let us be wise in our votes and look at the big picture, the global world in which we live. Who will be the man (now) that can lead us back as a nation that grows and blesses others standing for justice, grace, peace and knows that we are all imperfect and depend upon God and the good graces of others.
In last weeks Economist, there's a semi-decent article on reading sentiment from large masses of anecdotal data (tweets, mainly). pubjbz pubjbz - mulberry bags.