"On the surface, the 71-year-old Mr. McCain would seem an ideal candidate in evangelical eyes. He has long opposed abortion rights -- the litmus test for many conservative Christians --and as a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war is regarded as a national war hero.
"His tough guy persona and unflinching support for the Iraq war also resonate with many evangelicals, who see the 'war on terrorism' as part of a broader "clash of civilizations" and Middle East events as unfolding Biblical prophecy."
[See here for the full article.]
All too often, "evangelical Christians" have been identified with the most reactionary, fascistic, elements in society and, unfortunately, that identification has currently become a valid one!
The tragedy is that the term "evangelical" (The term in the Greek is "evangelion," which means "the good news," or the "Gospel."), just as the term "Christian," has become what we call 'nominally" defined. That is, these terms are whatever one says they are and, unfortunately, the fascistic among us have appropriated otherwise, and historically, good and noble terms and have perverted them into terms that seek to justify their own often fascistic, imperialistic, and war-mongering mind-sets.
And, of course, they do so "in the name of God," and as "Bible-believing Christians."
To equate any part of Christianity with militarism and jingoism is such a perversion that it defies logic to even discuss it! And when gleeful and grinning idiots who profess to be "Christians" can talk about, and anticipate, Armageddon with delight, and seek to usher it in, we have come to a tragic state of affairs.
The fact is that the Prince of Peace and His followers have absolutely nothing in common with militarism, war-mongering, capitalism, homophobia, and jingoism that are manifested by these self-styled "evangelical Christians."
The crying shame is that clergy and other professing Christians don't make this fact clear to all who will listen, and help reclaim "evangelical Christianity" to promote peace and good will on earth; make it abundantly clear that Christians are those who act as God's agents of grace, love, and compassion in this world, trusting God over and above seen circumstances!
Legalism, perfectionism, exclusion, and one-dimensional thinking that often equates with rank stupidity have no place within any meaningful definition of "Christianity," just as they have no place within the Church of Jesus Christ!
They never have and, despite the efforts of ignorant and/or hateful self-styled "evangelicals," they never will!
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