DENVER - It was a coup for Democrats: An emerging young evangelical voice, a registered Republican no less, accepted their invitation to deliver a prayer at next week's Democratic National Convention.
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(Photo: AP Images / Steve Helber)Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks during a town hall meeting at the E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Va., Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008.
But Cameron Strang, the 32-year-old editor of edgy and hip Relevant Magazine, had second thoughts and pulled out of delivering the benediction on the convention's first night, Monday. Citing fears that his bridge-building gesture would be wrongly construed as an endorsement, Strang said he instead hopes to take a lower-profile role, participating in a convention caucus meeting on religion later in the week.
"Through Relevant, I reach a demographic that has strong faith, morals and passion, but disagreements politically," Strang wrote on his blog. "It wouldn't be wise for me to be seen as picking a political side when I've consistently said both sides are right in some areas and wrong in some areas."
Little known to outsiders, the Strang name carries weight with evangelicals, especially in the fast-growing charismatic and Pentecostal branches. Cameron's father, Steven, who like his son is based in the Orlando, Fla., area, founded a magazine, Charisma, that spawned a publishing empire. The elder Strang has endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain.
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has aggressively courted the young evangelical vote, and the younger Strang has been part of it. He was on the guest list when religious leaders met with Obama in June in Chicago, consulted the campaign on Christian issues and interviewed Obama for his magazine, which claims a print circulation of 80,000 and 450,000 unique Web site visitors per month.
Yet Strang's reticence to play such a high-profile role shows such relationships are a work in progress: While Democratic leaders are reaching out to more diverse religious groups, many younger evangelicals are striving for political independence and common ground without compromising on core issues like abortion.
The convention's schedule is studded with faith-themed events, including the first interfaith gathering to open a Democratic convention. Those delivering invocations and benedictions during the four-night convention include a Greek Orthodox archbishop, a Catholic nun, a rabbi from Judaism's Reform tradition and Joel Hunter, a Republican and Florida megachurch pastor who has made the environment a signature issue.
In his blog post, Strang wrote that he initially accepted the benediction invitation, in part, so he could pray in a forum where faith isn't typically emphasized. He also wanted to provide tangible evidence that "this generation of values voters doesn't necessarily need to draw political battle lines the way previous generations have, and that we can work through areas of disagreement toward common goals."
Those goals range from fighting poverty, torture and genocide to protecting the environment and reducing the number of abortions, he wrote. Strang calls himself a pro-life Republican.
Learning later that he was to speak on the main stage on opening night gave him "serious pause." Strang said Obama representatives understood his decision, and he wants to keep his good relationship with them.
Asked whether he got any pressure to reduce his role, Strang said Thursday he got a few e-mails, but it was a personal decision.
Obama campaign and convention committee officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Democratic officials have emphasized their faith outreach work is meant to recognize the nation's religious diversity and unite the religious and nonreligious around shared values.
Strang found a different young evangelical to take his place delivering the closing prayer on Monday night: Donald Miller, author of the popular spiritual memoir "Blue Like Jazz."
Strang's soul-searching prompted one other change: He switched his political affiliation to independent this week.
As for his presidential preference, Strang said he still hasn't decided.
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moe,
Since we all know that you don't really "want advice". You're trying your own carnalistic way of condoning homosexuality.
When speaking of homosexuality as a sin, I don't need to go any further than the New Testament. It is very clear about it being a sin.
You "God Hates F..." people have probably seen this before but I want your response.
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding Godâ
Let me clarify before someone goes ape over my comment. God created the person who is homosexual, but He did not make them a homosexual.
God made homosexuals. Wow. Personally, I would be afraid of crediting God for those in sin. But, then again, I have a deep respect for God that some don't.
If you want to say that God made homosexuals, you would be wise to also add many mass-murderers, mentally deranged, rapists, etc...of which there are many that were born with some kind of mental or chemical imbalance that made them that way.
ltn, considering the military has a don't ask don't tell policy with regards to a person being homosexual, how would you possibly know that. And please don't share that you read it in some pro-homosexual propaganda magazine or website. And please don't base it on the idea that 10% of people are homosexual since the more accurate figure is right around 2%.
SLOPEZ:
PRO 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; Your following the Christian Right Extremists in your way of thinking. If God didn't make Homosexuals then there wouldn't be any. You want to lump every decent Democrat into killing babies, stem cell (which they don't use anymore) and gay marriage which is a civil rights problem for gay Americans. Yes even those 60,000 who are serving their country in the Military. Yes 60,000 that's not a mistype.
Thank you. The Democrats are better for us on the economy.
moe, do you really think a democrat in the White House would make much difference. The real issue is not about political parties, but greed and selfishness and unfortunately there is plenty of that to go around in both parties.
Ok, I've got you now. I would have said "PDI's" to be more clear. I never said anything about democrats or republicans working in pregnancy crisis centers. I am struggling to get my point across obviously. I applaud you for working there. I will send you a donation. That is the way you make a change. My point again: You won't get it by voting Republican. The Republicans have suckered religious people into voting for them by talking about abortion and homosexuality or whatever when they have no intention of doing anything about them. Then poor religious people like me (if I were a sucker) vote for people whose main goal is making sure the rich get richer. George Bush doesn't even go to church. He and Karl Rove laugh about how they got all the stupid Christian wackos to vote for them while their buddies at Haliburton et al laugh their way to the bank . (The term "stupid Christian wackos" is used satirically as was "poor dumb idiots")
moe, read the last sentence of your 1:55 post right after the word poor and you will see what "dis" stands for. So are you saying that only democrats work in Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Chances are many if not most are conservative evangelicals, that being the case I would imagine politically speaking many of them are more closely aligned with the republican party platform than the democrats party platform. Now if that's all it takes to make someone a republican then I guess most volunteers at Crisis Pregnancy Centers are republicans and trust me they don't simply say to women go ahead and have that baby and once you do get out of our sight.
I'm not sure what "dis" are but I think I am one too. I am not in favor of abortion. I also think you miss my point. I'm saying that most Republicans I know are not very interested in poor children. All they do is say, "Have your baby, Have your baby" The woman says, "Ok, now what." And they say, "Now take your baby back to the ghetto so I never have to look at you again."
I say the Republican policies are more about greed than helping people. As Jesus says in Mark chapter 7 quoting Isaiah " This people pays me lip service but their heart is far from me."
moe, I happen to be married to one of those "dis". My wife was born and raised in Appalachia to a relatively poor family who insisted she get a good education and allowed her the opportunity to attend college which she did and graduated with high honors. And to think if her "di" mother would have chosen to abort her the world would have lost a woman that God has greatly used to minister to both children and women alike with the love of Christ. She has also been a great partner in ministry as well as a great wife and mom. And that is why we are concerned about these "dis" having abortions and why I serve on the board of our local Crisis Pregnancy Center. The reason I used "dis" is because this site told me I was using offensive language and wouldn't let it through with those words spelled out. Plus, as I think about it, it is pretty degrading to call poor people that.
I would have to research what kind of free prenatal care each state has before I could give you a sufficient answer. In Ohio, there are some free and reduced charge clinics that could give a woman prenatal care but they are mostly in the larger cities. People in rural areas like me have little access to them. For whatever reason, studies have shown that poor women are less likely to get adequate prenatal care than wealthier women. Their children are then less healthy. The Republicans around me would say that its their own dumb fault that their children suffer. I will put the question to you, believer, that I put to them. What do you care if these same poor dumb idiots have abortions or not then?
moe, please tell me of a state where poor women cannot get free prenatal healthcare if they so choose?
Supreme Court justices, court of appeals judges, and district court judges are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate, as stated in the Constitution. The names of potential nominees often are recommended by senators or sometimes members of the House who are of the President's political party.
After 1973, American abortion law is substantially controlled by the Supreme Court of the United States. As some states pass new laws they are usually subjected to review by the Court, which decides whether they comport with the federal Constitution or not.
In brief, current Supreme Court rulings allow the individual states to regulate abortion in the following ways:
Banning elective abortions after viability;
Requiring parental consent or notice before a minor can obtain an abortion, although usually a "judicial bypass" option must be made available;
Requiring waiting periods before an abortion may be performed. (Usually 24-48 hours.);
Requiring informed consent or counseling be obtained before an abortion. (States often mandate what information must be presented.);
Requiring certain kinds of record keeping
It is my opinion, which I am entitled to in this country, that Republicans do not want any kind of stoppage of abortion because, again, all they have to do is say they are opposed to it and most religious people can't wait to vote for them. We do not require that they do anything. We just go along with their scam of blaming democrats. In my belief, a national health care system where poor women can get the prenatal care that they currently do not get, would do more to help children than electing men who keep saying "I'm pro-life" over and over again.