chanoc
Dec 2, 2004, 09:04 PM
Finally somebody speaks the voice of reason in our local newspaper! :cool:
link (http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/5862509p-5777592c.html)
Evangelicals invoke political holy war
ALAN BORAAS
COMMENT
(Published: December 2, 2004)
In the past decades evangelical Christianity has spread from rural churches in the South to become a major force on both the religious and political landscape of America and Alaska. Most pollsters considered the 2004 presidential election to be a referendum on either the war or the economy -- they were wrong. Twenty percent of voting America cited "morality" in the form of gay marriage and abortion as the primary issue that determined their vote. Certainly not everyone whose greatest voting concern was "morality" is an evangelical Christian -- but a high percentage were. An energized evangelical voting block became the determining factor in the 2004 presidential election that was otherwise evenly split, swinging the victory to President Bush.
So what motivates this rising political force of evangelical Christianity? What guides them in the voting booth? Listening to Christian talk radio and reading evangelical Web sites provides a clear answer: It's the rapture.
Alan Boraas is a professor of anthropology at Kenai Peninsula College. This upcoming semester campuses of the University of Alaska are offering, ANTH 393 ST: Fundamentalism / Modern World. Oh how I wish I could take this class and debunk fundies in all my papers. :D
Well I am thankful that there a few secularists in Alaska. Professor Boraas must be lonely in that redneck-fundie town of Soldotna (where the Kenai College is located), think I will reach out and send him an email. :)
link (http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/5862509p-5777592c.html)
Evangelicals invoke political holy war
ALAN BORAAS
COMMENT
(Published: December 2, 2004)
In the past decades evangelical Christianity has spread from rural churches in the South to become a major force on both the religious and political landscape of America and Alaska. Most pollsters considered the 2004 presidential election to be a referendum on either the war or the economy -- they were wrong. Twenty percent of voting America cited "morality" in the form of gay marriage and abortion as the primary issue that determined their vote. Certainly not everyone whose greatest voting concern was "morality" is an evangelical Christian -- but a high percentage were. An energized evangelical voting block became the determining factor in the 2004 presidential election that was otherwise evenly split, swinging the victory to President Bush.
So what motivates this rising political force of evangelical Christianity? What guides them in the voting booth? Listening to Christian talk radio and reading evangelical Web sites provides a clear answer: It's the rapture.
Alan Boraas is a professor of anthropology at Kenai Peninsula College. This upcoming semester campuses of the University of Alaska are offering, ANTH 393 ST: Fundamentalism / Modern World. Oh how I wish I could take this class and debunk fundies in all my papers. :D
Well I am thankful that there a few secularists in Alaska. Professor Boraas must be lonely in that redneck-fundie town of Soldotna (where the Kenai College is located), think I will reach out and send him an email. :)
