Evangelical….DEMOCRATS?

For all those who figured Jesus is part of the Republican National Committee, here’s a CBS article by Brian Montopoli, citing a recent Zogby poll taken of those who voted in the Missouri and Tennessee Democratic primaries.  Somebody over at the Faith in Public Life Blog whacked the poll organizations over the nose with a rolled-up newspaper and asked them why they weren’t polling the religious affections of those who vote Democrat. (I guess it didn’t occur to Zogby, et al, that Democrats could possibly BE religious–make up your own joke here).  Interestingly enough, the poll showed that about 33% of evangelical voters in Missouri and Tennessee participated in the Democratic primaries.  As for Missouri, the number was around 160,000.  That’s more than the number of people under thirty who showed up to vote, and about tied with the over-65 polling numbers.  For the Show-Me-State, anyway, that’s a fairly significant voting bloc!

The CBS article suggests that Democratic Evangelicals want to move beyond issues of abortion and same-sex marriage, and to vote for a candidate that will address poverty, the environment and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country and around the globe.

Now I have no problem addressing some of those problems (I’ll tell you right now that I don’t buy into global warming–a large group of scientists is just as worried about global cooling, and neither side can prove they’re right beyond the shadow of a doubt.  Treating global warming like a scientific fact is just dishonest).  Poverty needs to be addressed.  Those battling diseases of MANY kinds should find a nation ready to help.  So dealing with more than abortion and same-sex marriage is certainly a laudable thing to do.  But what line of reasoning causes an evangelical to set aside issues like those two big ones and vote for a pro-choice, pro-same-sex marriage candidate who also happens to have a strong stance on dealing with poverty?

This is where I’d like to open the floor for discussion.  Any evangelical Democrats out there who happen to read this (this blog is really new, so it might be too soon to ask questions and expect much response)–welcome!  I’ll tell you the truth: I can never, in good conscience, vote for a candidate who is pro-choice or pro-same-sex marriage.  I would be curious as to the thinking of those who can, however.  So please enlighten us with your reasoning, and be assured of a respectful hearing on my part.  After all, anyone with a true saving relationship with Jesus is a brother or sister of mine, even if I happen to have some strong disagreements with you.  Share with us how you process these issues!  Obviously anyone on the other side of the issue is welcome to comment as well.  But be warned!  No inflammatory comments or downright cussedness will be permitted–be nice! (I’ve got a really twitchy finger that dances really close to the delete key! 8)  Here’s a chance to come to an understanding of why Jesus isn’t a Republican–but if you figure He’s a Democrat, you’re barking up the wrong tree as well.  Come, let us reason together.