LINO LAKES, Minn. (AP) - The message from the pulpit was "Wine, Water and Worship" — with no mention of the other "W," George W. Bush.
At Eagle Brook Church, Minnesota's largest evangelical Christian congregation, there was zero talk of politics on the eve of the Republican National Convention. Church pastors politely declined an invitation to a GOP prayer breakfast this week.
When prodded, many Eagle Brook members confessed to apathy about the presidential candidates.
"I'm just not pleased with our choices," said Deb Holt, 50, an undecided voter who says her top voting issues are eliminating hunger and abortion. "... Hillary, Obama and the other one." She meant John McCain.
Conservative Christian activists on hand for the GOP convention in nearby St. Paul are suddenly energized about McCain's campaign, thanks to the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the ticket, McCain's recent performance at megachurch pastor Rick Warren's candidate forum and to the party's new, tougher platform on abortion and gay marriage.
The looming challenge for Republicans is building the same enthusiasm in "values voters" that fill evangelical churches each week — people like Deb Holt, who volunteers at Eagle Brook Church answering phones and helping at baptisms.
Among those waiting in line Sunday at the church's Starbucks-knockoff coffee shop, or picking up their children from the game room, there was excitement about John McCain's surprise choice of Palin, but there also were a lot of undecided voters.
Four years ago, Republicans built a formidable get-out-the-vote machine that relied on white evangelicals, a large and loyal voting bloc. But things have changed in the evangelical community: While abortion remains a fundamental issue, a new generation of leaders is giving more attention to such problems as global warming and poverty.
Still other churches are shunning political engagement altogether, wary of dividing congregations that — despite public perceptions of megachurches as homogeneous — contain a range of party affiliations and beliefs.
"It's not that we don't want people to be engaged," said Tyler Gregory, Eagle Brook Church's executive director of ministry. "But we try to stay out of the political. We find it divides people rather than bringing people together."
The church recently asked members to avoid divisive political talk in small group meetings.
"We focus on helping people become more like Christ — not more like any of the candidates," Gregory said.
Most evangelical churches take a similar hands-off approach to politics, said Leith Anderson, senior pastor at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minn., who is also the president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
"There are a few churches that have promoted politics, and somehow they have gotten notoriety that is far from the norm that I know," said Anderson, who bans voter guides from being distributed at his church and employs a team of volunteers to remove any political fliers left on windshields during services. Continue >>
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"Under Clinton much of the CIA and FBI was cut back. This is why we missed the intel on 9/11."
What crack are you smoking? Prior to 9-11 they hadn't even held 1 single anti terroism meeting. Bush was presented with memos addressing 'suspecte suspicious activity in line with training for a terrorist attack' was ongoing and this was months before 9-11. Nevermind the memo he got too saying 'Bin Laden determined to strike inside U.S.'
"Bush had been in office just over 7 months when we were attacked. That is no where near enough time to rebuild our intel network."
Intel network? Please. Bush fired most of the previous staff left over from Clinton, he also was quite stubborn in refusing to head their advice on past attacks.
stan, "or a deep psychological problem", you said it and you don't even make the pretense of being a conservative evangelical Christian.
Daniel,
". Have you noticed that the more we turn away from God (abortion, divorce, homosexuality) the worse things get?"
The problem with that is that the very people involved in such things don't view it as "getting worse", they view it as "progress". Sad really.
Under Clinton much of the CIA and FBI was cut back. This is why we missed the intel on 9/11. Bush had been in office just over 7 months when we were attacked. That is no where near enough time to rebuild our intel network.
Why did Hillary tell a group of women voters who were anti-war that they didn't have all the facts? She was in the White House that's why. She knew what was going on over those years. It's the media like AP who has been telling the lies....
Just FYI, our military did find a large stash of nasty stuff buried in the desert not to long back. Fox News reported it but no one else did. Why? WE'RE BEING LIED TO! After all, the American people can't know what's really going on or they'd vote for McCain!
"It's mind boggling to be overly concerned about what gays do."
The Bible talks about nations turning from their wicked ways for God to bless them. Have you noticed that the more we turn away from God (abortion, divorce, homosexuality) the worse things get?
I've tracked news for about 30 years. The bad news doesn't go away it just switches sectors. Even under Clinton. His revision of IDEA (300.529b) allowed schools to have special needs children arrested for any reason even if it wasn't their fault. For example, a child with tourette was seated right next to other children. When the child had a spasm his arm hit another child. He was arrested for assult and battery. Why should parents have to go through things like that? They can say what they want but they are no friend of special needs children to have signed something like that!
Under Clinton I had less money than I do now.
"How can the Republican Party leaders be the lesser evil if they have done nothing to prevent or bring down the number of abortions."
That would be simple. Democrats are for funding groups like Planned Parenthood and other proabortion groups. The abortion issue isn't one of legislation but one from the courts. There is no law that says abortion is legal.
The only way to deal effectively with abortion is to have the ruling overturned which can only be done with conservative judges ruling on cases. We must first have more conservative judges on the US Supreme Court and then have a case for it to hear to make a ruling.
You will find the majority of the liberal judges that pushed through Roe vs. Wade were put on the bench by Democrats.
I'm typing in the dark again. It's mind boggling to be overly concerned about what gays do. It may be a perversion for one man to have sex with another, but it's a fate worse than death to have to marry one. Why would anyone do that if there wasn't something physiologically different with them or a deep psycholigical problem?
How can the Republican Party leaders be the lesser evil if they have done nothing to prevent or bring down the number of abortions. I disagree badly with some here, but I won't lie to you to win an election. I understand very well that I can be here today and gone tomorrow. I'm telling you that they are using abortion as a political tool.
Also, there is adequate examples in the Bible where you can make the case that "Love" is the most important Christian virtue, but where does it say killing is the worst thing you can do? Does it say a person cannot be forgiven for killing like it does for blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Adopting gay bashing as one of the two most important attributes of being a good Christian really should open the eyes of people on how absurd the Evangelical(some evangelicals)/Republican platform is. It's mind biggling that with all the problems the world has, some would take the time to concern themselves with what two consenting adults do in private. If you think it's immoral, that's fine, but to focus on this is nuts.
"The only reason the republican party tolerates us is because they can't win elections without us."
Based on political positions I think the Republican party is the lesser of two evils. Note, I made no comment about how much or little difference may be between the two!
As an evangelical christian of 42 years, I have finally seen the light. The only reason the republican party tolerates us is because they can't win elections without us. I think that Sarah Palin is a tremendous woman and worthy of the white house. However, I see her for exactly what she is; a carrot on a stick for the church to once again help the republicans get elected. I am sick and tired of being taken for granted until election time rolls around. The republican party trots out the abortion/family values/patriotism routine and we eat it up. I hate abortion and want a constitutional ban but lets be realistic - even if Mccain is elected president, he'll be up against a democratic majority house and senate and will never get the kind of supreme court judges that we want appointed to the bench. I find it laughable that we could barely stand Mccain but now that he has a "evangelical approved" VP running mate we suddenly think that he's great. Think twice before you sell your soul for politics.
let me say this maybe a hundred dollars is to much for you, but if all of us supported her with 5 dollars it would be tremendous in the long haul. This is how Obama has been able to raise all of his.
I for one after seeing Palins speech think she has energized this ticket. I have never been able to donate money before because I have four kids to take care of, I talked to my wife, who now homeschools our kids, and we have decided to cut our budgets this month to donate 100 dollars. I urge all of us to do the same. We need to take back the supreme court, our lives, and remind people this is still a God centered nation.
stanjz
keating five scandle? get real even the democrat in charge said he did nothing wrong. The constitution gets trampled more from liberal judges. Judges have no constitutional authority to correct law or rewrite it. the republican partys lifetime record is one of promoting samller federal government role and increased local control. It is on at a stronger local control can american voices truly to heard. I dont want someone telling me how to spend my money or taking it because some one else rufuses to take responsibility for thiers. democrats take a pesstimistic look at life and believes in government to fix all things and forces things upon people. Republican take an opptimistic view and say we believe in the american people to make good decisions for themselves if given the tools needed. Iwould rather say yes or no to any program offered to me or to participate in supporting it.
Do you really want me to bring up all of Senator McCain's scandals or his associations? Or is their always an excuse for John McCain and none for Senator Obama? The leadership of the Republican Party trampled on the Constitution and turned the office of the president into that of a dictator. How many people have been fired by President Bush for scandals? Even his own former press secretary (Scott McClellan) said they pushed the case for war and I'm certain he knew there were no WMD's.
"is teen pregnancy no longer about parental control?
or is it merely a question about teaching abstinance?"
Neither and both. The problem with this generation is it sees no need to be responsible. It is the 'me generation' on steroids! "If it feels good...do it" is no longer a statement of rebellion but rather a value in the younger culture. Parents telling children to be responsible is 'lame'. Cause and effect is out the window.
Thanks to the 60's, parenting has become like trying to restrain the wind (which has fast become a tropical storm). Media projects the image that being grown up and independent means making your own values instead of using your parents. For example, gay is OK no matter what your parents say....