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Faith

Jim Wallis Lambastes the Right’s ‘War on Religion,’ Abortion & Gay Marriage Stances as ‘Failed’

Nov. 9, 2012 9:23pm Billy Hallowell

Jim Wallis: Rights War on Religion, Abortion & Gay Marriage Stances Are Failed

Photo Credit: FILE

In the wake of the 2012 presidential election, progressive evangelical Jim Wallis had plenty to say about President Barack Obama’s victory and the overarching political direction the nation seems to be moving in. After describing the divisiveness embedded in the current political climate, Wallis derided Republicans’ “war on religion” and spoke out against conservatives’ “non-negotiable” stance on issues like abortion and gay marriage.

“The results of the presidential election showed how dramatically a very diverse America is changing; people are longing for a vision of the common good that includes everyone,” the liberal faith leader wrote. “As one commentator put it ‘the demographic time bomb’ has now been set off in American politics — and getting mostly white, male, and older voters is no longer enough to win elections, as the Romney campaign learned on Tuesday.”

TheBlaze has explored some of the issues surrounding the election and, undoubtedly, demographics are a problem for the GOP; unless Republicans adjust strategy, some critics claim the party could be in trouble in future electoral seasons. However, Wallis’ other contentions about social issues — particularly in an election dominated by unprecedented economic themes — may be off base.

Photo Credit: FILE

While it is true that the “war on religion” did little to prevent the majority of self-described Catholics from embracing Obama, social issues appeared to be somewhat less pronounced in the 2012 race.

Wallis, though, characterized the Republican Party’s method as focusing upon social issues, while invoking Obama’s supposed threats to religious liberty — a tactic he dismissed as “failed.” But for the majority of the campaign season, Republican Mitt Romney generally avoided issues like abortion and gay marriage, as the majority of conversations and dialogue focused upon the economy, health care and similar issues.

“As for religious voters, it appears a strategy of citing a ‘war on religion’ — and doubling down on the long-failed strategy of citing abortion and traditional marriage as the two ‘non-negotiable’ religious issues — once again failed,” he continued.

From there, Wallis went on to praise the notion that “evangelical,” as a term, is changing in America — and that it now includes minority groups who came out en force for President Barack Obama. While the progressive faith leader praised this development, he also noted that many religious people feel stuck between two extremes and Wallis urged believers to get engaged on the issues and to get “above personalities and partisanship.”

Photo Credit: FILE

The Sojourners leader also touted the need for immigration reform and for fiscal policies that protect America’s poor. Traditionally, he has called for redistribution as a means to ensuring that those in need are properly cared for. He did note in this piece, however, that fiscal responsibility, too, is a “moral issue.”

“Trust has been lost in the fairness and opportunity of our economic system, and must be restored by asking what a ‘moral economy’ would look like,” he wrote. “More people think everyone deserves a ‘fair shot’ and believe both our economic and political systems have been rigged on behalf of the wealthy and powerful. New senate voices like Elizabeth Warren are promising to be ‘champions’ on those issues.”

Read Wallis’ entire article here.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (198)

U4eeeahhh
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 8:54am
Atheists will decide the next election. Non-believers, people who in surveys check, spiritual, secular, agnostic and atheist, are the fastest growing demographic in US Faith surveys. It rages from 15% to 19% of the general population and from 30% to 45% of the youngest segments of our citizenry. The “Nones” according to exit polls voted about 75% for Obama. In the past decade the “Nones” have doubled but Evangelicals have fallen from 40% in the Bush era to 22-25% now and projected less that 20% by 2020. The “Nones” will be more than a third of the population by the end of this decade, outnumbering literalistic Bible believers by 2 to 1. This population trend will make America more secular and socialist, a social democracy like northern Europe. The numbers are against Christian Values influence being dominate again in domestic policy. The second trend is single women. Married Households represent a falling percentage of the way Americans live. The age for marriage has risen, the ability of women to live independent of parents or spouse and be without child has allowed a substantial portion of American females to create a new group of powerful political voices, Single Women. Single women went about 70% for Obama and that vote was almost universally a pro-choice expression that confirms reproductive control remains with the woman and not the state.
Gay Marriage & Equality, Birth Control & Abortion + Legal Cannabis are today’s winning ideas. You are on the wrong side of

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- U4eeeahhh
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 8:58am
  You are on the wrong side of history.
  
  Report this comment
- jesustheway
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 1:30pm
  “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and those who enter through it are many. How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13) ….. said Jesus.
  
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- colt1860
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 11:37pm
  Thanks for confirming my research. This country is going to hell in a hand basket.
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 11:31pm
  Didn’t you Marxists say the same thing back in 1917 when establishing the Soviet Union?
  
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xendude
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 8:31am
The mighty hammer of God’s prophecy soon will be upon mankind.

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- Pantloadian
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 10:11am
  The hammer landed Tuesday night. That’s why your soul is so bruised and battered.
  
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- Uncle Satan
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 5:23pm
  God’s name is Maxwell? Or Thor…see, these competing mythologies are so confusing.
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 7:30pm
  Pant – You pinkos are going to lose in the long run since your freebies are going to run out.
  
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anothercomment
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 8:29am
As for shaving heads and looking for ‘the mark of the beast’ we’ve another that should be added to the list…..

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Carol1955
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 8:21am
Wallis, poster boy for the progressive ideal of remaking God in their own image. “Come try some of our god, he’s new and improved, loves everyone and everything, no sin, no hell . . .” Good news is that there are strong Biblical churches throughout this land, and people are humbling themselves before God and seeking new life. If you are a christian, you need to find these groups and grow grounded in what is true and good so that you can hold firm in the comng storms.

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RightUnite
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 7:29am
Anyone want to wager this freak is either a stinking pedophile or a closet f*ggot??

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teatime79
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 6:41am
I have read a lot of the comments on here and one thing I think people fail to realize is if conservatives want to survive politically they are going to have to attract the younger voters. This is a MUST and it needs to start NOW. The only way to attract the younger voters will be to lay off the religious speeches and abortion talk. I am telling you this is a must and needs to start now. We need to run younger candidates that won’t put their foot in their mouth and say stupid stuff about rape and abortion like the two idiots senators did. People are starting to believe that the GOP is out of touch.

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- colt1860
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 11:39pm
  It won’t matter. The public Government run schools control our kids, and so does the media, Hollywood and music industry. Until we change those, our kids will remain wards of the Marxist agenda.
  
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media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 6:26am
I disagree with this propaganda by the left, for example President Obama is already claiming there is a mandate for his platform when no such thing exists, in fact not all of the votes have even been counted yet, including the military?

Rush Limbaugh, once again, on a regular basis I might add, made what seems to be the incomprehensible quite easy to understand, 3 million Republicans did not vote, and compared to 2008, President Obama LOST 8 million votes, so the Democrats have only managed to secure a political victory that is just enough to win? That is not a mandate is it?

You see, no matter what political party is created (if you eliminated the Republicans) they will attempt to “brand” them with these reprehensible social positions (myths) craftily designed to tug the empathy of voters, rather than make logical sense?

The Republicans have relied on quiet peer pressure and advocate instead of regulate on the social issues, and they indeed advocate fair taxes with across the board rates, not “tax the rich rates”, which follows the biblical principal of tithing, so that you do not reward success and prosperity, otherwise no one will appreciate or want it?

When simple biblical principals are offensive, that is not called branding, that is called using the science of psychological studies in unethical ways? No our values are not negotiable, because defending the US Constitution means you do not negotiate with evil values?

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demorepublicrap
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 5:33am
This man is simply demented or pure evil. Collective salvation, social justice? They are fundamentally crazy! A man and a woman have equal opportunity, but they are not equal. Some are truly bright and some are truly dumb!
He is the one who replace rev. Right? It is only getting better .

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Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 3:56am
Doesn’t anybody realize America is under attack from within? Enough of all of this. Slander, ,ake it up do whatever right back to these morons. Do not hive them an inch. Stop all legislative procedures and defund EVERYTHING but the military and people’s checks. Go ahead. Shut down the Government.
We need hearings. Non stop all bases hearings. No response. File the subpoenas and start arresting people. You want to get to the truth of the matters, play ball and make them adhere to the rules.
Commandeer our military and get it out of the hands of the White House. Start arresting those who are obstructing. Congress has rights. The House has rights. Use them. We all know where this is heading. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it gets. Obama did not get elected to obstruct. People will figure it out once the chips begin to fall.

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Vanguard
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 2:20am
“Moral Economy” = “Union Dues for Everyone”

““As for religious voters, (Is Jim not religious or is he?) it appears a strategy of citing a ‘war on religion’ (Liberals are, and have been, citing a war on religion… nobody else) — and doubling down on the long-failed strategy of citing abortion and traditional marriage as the two ‘non-negotiable’ religious issues (Tax payers do not want to fund abortion) — once again failed,” he continued (We will stand our ground as Christians against this 60′s communist radical and his Marxist Boss).

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TheEndIsComing
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 1:45am
The whole world is currently in a shaking and sifting time. The sheep are being identified from the goats. The wheat is being identified from the tares. VERY SOON both will be separated. It’s never been about man’s opinion, but what The Holy Bible says. These liberals can twist and distort things all they want, but they are not fooling God or us. The Scriptures were written for even the simple to understand so that all can be saved by reading them. Evil people are blinded to the truths of God’s word. This man Wallis is a false shepard who says evil soothing words to pacify disobedient people. God will not be mocked. Followers of God will always produce good fruit – that’s called obedience.

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RaydocX
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 1:16am
Sorry, gang, but he has a point.
Abortion is the law of the land. By all means ban federal funding. Encourage adoption. Ban ‘ate term’ and justify why. Then stop. Don’t have abortions…nlead by example.

Gay marriage? So what? When you find the one you love, grab that chance. The government doesn’t protect marriage no (no fault divorce laws) so don’t pretend otherwise. But churches don’t have to take part. Government can call it a parade if they want, but they’ll be civil ceremonies or fringe sect events, and it’s a fraction of the population that WOULD OTHERWISE SUPPORT small government.

Then again it is not people of faith who declared war on religion. And while the Dems want to believe otherwise, most of us still are of faith… The left are believing their own skewed reporting and outright lies. Be throng. Live by example. And focus on FISCAL conservatism accepting that the social aspect shouldn’t be controlled by the government, anyway!

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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 7:31pm
  Why don’t you support polygamy or incest or other alternative marriages, hypocrite?
  
  And since when do you Marxists want adoption?
  
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Tretka
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 1:05am
Okay Wallis, have it your way. We will be back to pick up the pieces.

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nesmond
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 12:34am
I pray the Lord returns soon. It won’t be long until Wallis and those of his ilk begin their persecution of Christians. This is just the beginning of what will be a long nightmare for those who believe that the Bible is the word of God. When I first read this headline, I put off reading it, because of all the disturbing stories about progressives I read on the blaze, it is the statements by this “Reverend” that bother me the most. This man’s words frighten me. Because it was men like him who justified the Jewish persecution in Nazi Germany which led to the final solution. I hope no one out there is so naive to believe that could never happen here. In my mind’s eye, I can see the smoke rising from the chimneys of the death camps. I pray the Lord returns to save us that horrible fate. Amen.

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masimo
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 12:11am
This guy has no idea nor has ever opened a bible cover to cover. He is not a pastor but a preacher of evil; period. Go to hell pastor Wallis and when you get to your judgement you can let the Lord know that abortion is just fine and dandy. ice water in hell is hard to find

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jman-6
Posted on November 10, 2012 at 12:06am
There is no such thing as a progressive evangelical period! Wallis and his godless ilk have infiltrated and corrupted many in the evangelical movement! He is of his father- satan -the father of lies! GODS commandments don’t change with the demographic winds!!

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- jman-6
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 12:17am
  You get people like this when you allow moral relativism and perceptive reality to be equated as Truth! Truth is not whatever you percieve reality as!
  
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2gether
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:56pm
You make no sense freeberty. Life begins at conception. If you defend the Constitution then that life in the uterus, no matter how small is (was under the original Constitution) protected by the Constitution. The right to LIFE and LIBERTY and the pursuit of HAPPINESS. Everyone knows life begins at conception. But ACTIVIST judges decided that a woman can kill her baby, end that life inside of her because she should have “control” of her own body. Ask Sandra Fluk…the anonymous “unknown” who came out of no where to defend “POOR DEFENSELESS women students from evil evil evil republicans! Thank you Sandra, if it wasn’t for you we would still be standing barefoot in the kitchen WOW…Unfortunately the truth is less than one tenth of one percent of abortions performed in this country are for rape incest and mother safety.
You can call it anything you want. Science says it is ending a life and in society we refer to the taking of someone elses life as murder. You have willfully snuffed out the life of another human being. Doesn’t sound so innocent when it is put like that does it? Yet that’s exactly what it is.
And if we are really lucky, we might see one or two new liberal judges appointmented to SCOTUS for the rest of their lives and no doubt we will then see euthanasia added to abortion on demand. So much for being protected by the Constitution. How about you, Freeberty what say you now?

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woody4_rom828
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:41pm
No where do I read in scripture that Jesus taught to pay taxes to Ceasar so that Ceasar can decide how to redistribute to the poor and needy. Continuing to remember and care for the poor and those who can’t help themselves (e.g. Orphans and widows) is what Christians and the church are to do.

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DOra Glasberg
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:35pm
The Right has to understand these are not issue to younger voters
who grew up in the current generation.
And they believe the evolution thing too.

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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 9:09pm
  Yet you stupid children believe that the government will always provide for you losers from cradle to grave. Don’t whine and complain when those “evil” rich people get tired of providing for you freeloaders.
  
  Idiots like you and the younger generation actually provide evidence against evolution since you’re stupider than the older generation was.
  
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- colt1860
  Posted on November 10, 2012 at 11:44pm
  I wouldn’t trust today’s younger generation of youths to cut my grass.
  
  “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”
  
  “And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable.”
  
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- Uncle Satan
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 5:26pm
  Dora: Translation of what Git-R-Done just said: “Get off my lawn!! (shakes bony fist…)
  
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- Git-R-Done
  Posted on November 11, 2012 at 7:32pm
  Satan – And you need to get off of my lawn. I have private property rights and the right to say who can and can’t come onto my property. No wonder you pinkos hate private property rights.
  
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Bill from NJ
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:31pm
Hey Little Jimmy Ball-less, there is a space reserved just for you in hell my friend, enjoy the mocking while you can… you arrogant sick bass-tard. The fires of hell awaits you.

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teapartyconservatism
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:30pm
Replace Boehner – and America may survive.
House must resist rather than cooperate with Obama!
House speaker selection will take place soon.
Call your representative today!

“Don’t back down!’ 8-in-10 GOP voters urge Hill Republicans”

http://washingtonexaminer.com/dont-back-down-8-in-10-gop-voters-urge-hill-republicans/article/2513072

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aNewLiberalConvert
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:29pm
aNewLiberalConvert convert here… I went so far left my wall clocks all say 3:30…

I have changed my position on abortion…

Prior to 11/6/12 – I simply believed abortion in general was not ‘ Optimal’…
I believed if it could be avoided – the woman was better off spiritually…
I believed it was not my place to tell someone what to do with their body – that a decision such as
that was between the person who made that choice and thier God as they understood God if at all…

Now – as aNewLiberalConvert… I believe it will be more fiscally prudent to go ahead and have my tax dollars pay for the first abortion, no questions asked… on the 2nd abortion – it is time for sterilization,
so as to minimize the potential future added effects of more abortions… this is after all because I do care about the person who needs the abortion procedure…

this is not just personal… it’s business too…

you see… it will also help our new liberalized society in overall welfare costs, medical costs,
prison costs, school costs etc… a see the potential for huge huge savings – plus no more need for contraceptive costs after sterilization… I mean – I need those gov’t $$ for my new liberal life too…

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Crotchety_conservative202
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:15pm
Wallis is a Marxist-Leninist dressed up as a “pastor”. The “social gospel” he preaches is “Das Kapital” concealed as Scripture.

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2gether
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 11:06pm
Mr Wallis, progressive “enlightened” people are wrong when they think that they can ascertain or define when the”SOUL”enters of leaves the body, or they think they can redefine marriage as something other than the sacred union between a man and a woman. Christianity did not fail, M Wallis; nor should Christians give in to a bunch of people such as yourself who think they are somehow more enlightened than the God who gave them so many indisputable truths to live by through scripture. How readily human beings discard all they have been taught to be true and moral when someone comes along with “rules” to abide by that make life so much easier, much less complicated.
Well Mr Wallis remember this scripture well…that those who lead others astray and away from the word of God will be held much more accountable than that person you led astray. Life does begin at conception, no matter how inconvenient it might be. Yes I know, rape incest and the life of the mother…what about them, difficult choices to be sure. but less than one tenth of one percent of abortions perfomed in this country are performed for those reasons. Convenience is the number one reason. Just maybe Mr Wallis, Americans should pray a little harder to the real God and not all the other ones that seem to be so distracting these days.

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cemerius
Posted on November 9, 2012 at 10:53pm
“The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.”
― Patrick Henry

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/361839.Patrick_Henry

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