I was listening to Joe describing the obama win, and he plainly said that it was a historical landmark. From there he went on to chastise liberals for not finding some measure of joy when Republicans and Conservatives win in such a way. As an example, he cited the Reagan landslide, after which liberals described it as the coming of the evil empire. His main point was that we should all keep and "open mind" when someone wins with whom you may not agree. Scarborough and Pat Buchanan harped on how the evangicals are just as enthusiastic as liberals who voted for Obama, but they get no credit for their enthusiasm. However, I think there IS a distinct difference
The Republicans have become more and more controled by the so-called "evangicals". As Scarborough stated, I do not agree with their Philosophy. There is a difference in the way they think, and I would compare it to the Christian Crusades. The evangicals dont want to just have their beliefs, but want to force them on us all. Thats not America!!!! The more Republicans get into the religion business, the worse off we have been. Their reasoning? "God wills it"!!! This is the same evangicals whose support got us into the business of Torture. many evangicals thought and still think its ok to torture if it saves American lives. To give more weight and value to American lives as opposed to some Arab or Muslims life is definitely not the Christianity I was taught. I look at that like the death penalty. Whats the old saying "Better to free many guilty men than to execute one innocent man"? As a country, we are better off to let 20 terrorist go free than to torture one. It has bought us nothing
If you will remember, during the periods of slavery and denial of womens rights, evangicals thought that was ok too. Even today, these Bible thumpers are denying gay rights. I am not gay, but if someone (two adults) want to get married, why do I care? Even John McCain once called them the "agents of intolerance". The Republicans beat Obama up about the Rev Wright, BUT, has anyone ever listened closely to the things said by people such as Jerry Falwell and Rev Hagee? Rev Wright is a saint in comparison. Falwell and his hate mongering minions must be ok though, because they are evangical Christian hate mongerers. Gratefully, Falwell is roasting his balls in hell about now, and hopefully, the others arent far behind. In fact, many of the same racist knuckle draggers caught on tape saying nasty racist things during the election are these very same evangicals. They hate the sinner and want to drive the devil out of all of us. They will call Obama a Muslim (as if that itself is a sin) or a N***er in one breath, and then proclaim their faith in the next.
Dont get me wrong. Not all Christians and evangicals are bad folks. many are missionaries and teachers of the faith. What the Republicans have allowed to rise to power and prominence is the radical evangelism that our forefathers sought to flee from. I mean, when you have people like Sarah Palin saying the wars in Iraq are ours to win because they are "gods will", it scares the heck out of people. THATS what Scarborough and Buchannan dont get. Dont they realize that radical Muslims who blow themselves up are practicing the same level of dedication, but just in a different faith? Hate is hate, no matter what flavor of religion you add to it. Americans like a leader who believes in a higher being, but our Republican evangicals think that being MUST be a Christian one. For me, anyone who has these dueling thoughts in their head (hate and religion) is the person I want the farthest from the nuclear button.
America is a secular Christian nation for the most part, but we should not allow radical religious factions to drive our policy. Thats what scares us when Republican evangicals get energized. They cant see past anything but fighting, abortion, and being gay. Historically, their candidate of choice focuses on these issues, while the country goes to hell in a handbasket.